Can Trailer Hubs Be Used On A Mobile Home Axle?

Updated 12/16/2024 | Published 12/14/2024

Products Featured in This Question

Dexter Trailer Hub and Drum Assembly - 5,200-lb E-Z Lube Axles - 12" - 6 on 5-1/2

(589)

$186.71

Replacement Trailer Hub Bearing - L44649

(2076)

$14.16

Replacement Trailer Hub Bearing - L68149

(2076)

$14.31

Question:

I have 2 mobile home axles I am trying to convert. They have Dexter hubs. Inner bearing is 1.378”. Outer is 1.250”. One is an idler axle. One is a brake axle. I thought they were 84 spindles, but the outer bearing dimensions are different. Hence I have not ordered hubs. Can someone please help me identify the parts I need? I already have the weld on brake/stud plates for a 3” axle diameter, but need hubs to determine placement.

asked by: Matt R

Expert Reply:

Hey Matt, thanks for reaching out. We may have a bearing or two that match your ID measurements, but we do not have a hub that uses the bearing sizes you mentioned. The 1.378” inner bearing, part # L68149 is a fairly common bearing, but this is generally used with the 1.063" ID # L44649 bearing.

Mobile home axles are designed for one-time use applications, and meant to be discarded after that. They do not use standard bearing combinations or hub sizes that most trailers use. I wish we had some kind of conversion kit for mobile home axles because we get this question pretty frequently. A lot of people try to use these axle for homemade trailers because they are inexpensive and readily available, but they simply aren't meant to be re used. There are no compatible trailer hubs.

Your best bet for the long run from the safety and availability of replacement parts standpoint would be to replace the mobile home axles with trailer axles. We offer a small selection of off the shelf axles that might work for you. I'd need to know the hub face to hub face dimension and the center to center distance between spring centers (see diagram.)

expert reply by: Jesse M

How To Measure Axle
(click to enlarge)

Matt R.

12/16/2024

Then how come Dexter sells the parts? https://www.dexterpartsonline.com/product/27-08-407-05UC3 I found them while I was waiting on the response from you guys. -Matt

Jesse M.

12/16/2024

@MattR Its possible that could work but the hub/drum you mentioned is for a 10" brake assembly and the 10" brakes are generally only used on 2-3/8" diameter axles which have a 4 bolt brake flange. You say your axle is a 3" diameter. How many bolt holes are on your brake flange?

Matt

12/16/2024

@JesseM I guess it depends on what I weld on. I have a 4 and 5. Currently there isn’t one on there. I can make the center either2 3/8 or 3”. -Matt

Jesse M.

12/16/2024

@Matt The brake flange for a 10" assembly has holes 2-7/8" apart on center so if you can attach a standard 4 bolt brake flange with the correct hole spacing like part # 4-35 the above hub could work.