Bent axles

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Z

zukIzzy

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Oct 30, 2007
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I bought or aquired an enclosed trailer for next to nothing because the tires are rubbing the fender wells. We all know the axles are bent and after seeing what was removed from it when I went to pick it up I can see why.

I am doing this on the cheap so I see 2 options.

Remove and straighten existing axles, install new spring pads for slung under configuration for a few inches more clearance while on those desert roads and reinforce with a couple lengths of angle Iron stitch welded together and fully welded to the drop spindle just in case. This is well within my capability and probably option #1 since I have everything to do it in the shop right now

Option 2 is to buy a couple 7000# axles ( the bent ones are 3500#) This one is cost prohibitive unless I can buy a conversion bearing for the existing great condition brakes and hubs to convert from the 1 1/6" outer and 1 3/8" inner to 1 1/4" outer and 1 3/4" outer that come on the 7000 lb axles. I can get a deal on the new axles but new brakes and hubs make it out of my budget. I know the hubs are still from a 3500lb axle and all that so don't worry about women and children being harmed in the modifications of this trailer.

any thoughts?

wayne
 
Wayne, the first thing I have to ask is if you plan on loading it up like the previous owner? In case nothing you do will help, I have built my own axles when in a pinch, so the question remains, how much are you going to load it??
 
Do you live around Northern Indiana, by any chance?  Lots of surplus places available with axles around.  Most with brakes and drums included.  If you have the facilities to shorten them if needed, might be worth your while to check it out.

Making a mention of desert roads, I am thinking not.  But thought I would throw it out there.
 
If you have the capabiolity, I would go buy new tubing and cut the old tubing off the spindles and then reweld the spindles to the new tubing. Cost is minimum and you know what you have.
 
Gary RV Roamer said:
A couple of 7000# axles?  To replace 3500#? What are you planning on carrying, and is the rest of the trailer strong enough to handle 14,000 lb load?
Click to expand...

7000lb axles does not a 14000lb trailer make. They are just cheaper then buying the tube to re tube the current 3500# ones. I plan on carrying a race car at about #3500 lbs occasionally but for the most part just  making a mobile Shock tuning shop. so maybe 1000# of tools and such. Previous owner skinned the inside with 1/2" ply which killed 1000# of capacity then loaded a heavy race car and lots of tires several times. It was over loaded before the spare 40" race tires were loaded and there were 8 or so of those. couple bumps and bent axles.

I'm heading out to pull one and see how bad it is. Ill update.

wayne

 
Gary RV Roamer said:
A couple of 7000# axles?  To replace 3500#? What are you planning on carrying, and is the rest of the trailer strong enough to handle 14,000 lb load?
Click to expand...

3500 lb spindles on a bigger tube is still a 3500 lb axle and the tube in small portions like I need is more then the 7000lb axles I found. Just to be clear a 3500lb brake on a 7000 lb axle is still a 3500 lb axle.

thanks
Wayne
 
I pulled and straightened one. amazing how light an axle rated to carry 3500# is. It did not take much  to straighten. the other I straightened a bit too much ;) now I gotta fix that but will get it done tonight.

Kind of shocked me. to straighten a Toyota mini truck front axle takes a 20 ton jack and 45 minutes of help from my buddys Oxy and Acetylene. 6 ton was enough for these and did not need heat. Found that out on the first one you know the really straight one :eek:

Thanks for the input.

Wayne
 
Or...........take it to Bear Alignment and they can straighten the axles for you, on the trailer. I had then do it to my travel trailer.
 
Just my observation, but most of the weight is carried near the hub (spring pack to be exact), so the tubing is actually working as a crossmember more than total weight. That's what I'm thinking, may be wrong, but may explain why the side walls are thin. Also, I believe the axle tube should have a certain amount of camber to it?
 
kenz said:
Just my observation, but most of the weight is carried near the hub (spring pack to be exact), so the tubing is actually working as a crossmember more than total weight. That's what I'm thinking, may be wrong, but may explain why the side walls are thin. Also, I believe the axle tube should have a certain amount of camber to it?
Click to expand...


YOU are correct, the axle should have a good arc to it. some axles are straight .
 
Trailer axles typically bend about a foot inside the spring perch which is where these did. The tube should have enough crown to give an empty camber of about 3*. One side of each axle was bent a lot more then the other which is also typical. I guessed at 4* camber off the trailer whiched turned out to be 2* with just the trailer on them but that is good enough for me till I can get some new stronger axles. I want to get rid of the drop spindle and go straight axle slung over and at least 5000# just to have a level of comfort. Don't worry I wont over load it ;)

With new ubolts and perches I am out about $40 and 2 nights work. Oh plus I owe Oxy and Acetylene a trip to Airgas for a drink ;)
 
Just to follow up, we took the trailer to the desert for a KOH racer shock tuning day and it did really well with the straightened axles and new tires. We loaded it up to 6500# and it pulled nice no issue. The added sail area of an enclosed behind the motorhome does not make the turn across the wind onto the 62 near the wind farm in palmsprings fun but just slow down and steer small like a boat and no problems.

wayne
 
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