I've come into possession of a trailer made from half a pickup, wondering what sort of maintenance I need to keep it in working shape.
My grandpa's 1949 Studebaker pickup was driven until it literally fell apart, and the back half was made into a trailer, which I have now acquired. The cab was taken off, the drive shaft disconnected, the frame bent and welded and a regular ball coupler added. Oh, there's an ugly 1960s Ford bumper that was added for some reason. But the rest is all Studebaker. Rear view here.
The wheels -- still the original 1949 wheels -- are mounted to the original rear axle. I can tell the differential is still in place and working, because as the trailer rolls, the half of the rear driveshaft u-joint still turns. It rolls smoothly and isn't leaking any oil/grease, so I'm not concerned about fixing anything.
I'm also not planning on taking it on any cross-country trips (especially not until I find new rims and tires), but for around town, with some freeway driving, to move furniture, hardware, etc.
What I want to know is: do I need to do anything to maintain the axle and differential? Having the original truck axle in place seems a bit more complicated than a regular trailer, where each wheel is simple hub-on-a-bearing construction and maybe needs grease once in a while. Or, if I try to change the differential oil or grease something, am I just potentially causing problems? |
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