Yes, you should have the bed/tank attached to the frame so it does not move relative to the differential. You'll need to turn the differential so it points up instead of horizontal, and that usually involves some steel work since they aren't designed to mount that way. The bed will of course need a hole for the differential to stick through, and then a seal for that hole. If the differential doesn't reach into the bed then an extension MIGHT work if it is built very strong. Sealing around a moving shaft might be a problem. Maybe make the hole in the bed large enough to use an inner tube down to the top of the differential so all moving parts are inside. If your shaft extension is very long it might need a bearing near the top with the bearing in the mix, which is not so great for bearings.
The pickup bed might last longer than the cattle tanks and leak less. Corners might collect undigested paper clumps, maybe some baffles could prevent this, or even sheet metal screwed inside to curve the corner.
If you can take pictures underneath (or flip it over), details of how the axle is mounted, the suspension, stuff like that, then you will get lots of helpful advise. The more details, the better your advise will be!
spaceman
On 6/26/2011 12:03 PM, thelandyachtaustin wrote:
I've read most everyone who's made tow-mixers start with a rear-end & build the trailer onto that...or incorporate that into a trailer, however you wanna say it. But I've got (or have had access to, for a while) a trailer made from what looks like an old 3/4ton pickup-bed. Heavy duty shocks & springs still in place (so the bed sits WAY up high from the rear-end). Any thoughts on how I'd start modifying this thing to make a mixer out of it? Am I gonna have to get those shocks off & drop the floor, or can anyone think of a way to "extend" the drive-shaft of the rear-end (to get into a tank sitting at the truck-bed level) once it's turned vertical? Thoughts, considerations, suggestions all welcome!
