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Trailer axles

Pete Collin

Pete Collin
in This Old Boat

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Pete Collin

Pete Collin

Posted
Posted

Hello all,

I think I have to replace my trailer axle after chewing up several tires. Tried flopping the thing but it didn't help. Before I order anther I wonder. It has a square cross section. Is that a standard size? I'd like to mount the new one with the same brackets. What kind of factor of safety should I go by? If the boat is 1500 pounds, how heavy rated an axle should I buy? Am I better off mail ordering one or just go to silver lake marine?

Pete Collin

Www.pcforestry.com

Pete Collin

Pete Collin

Posted
  • Author
Posted (edited)

Both tires wear on the inside.  Like what you would expect if the axle were bowed.

 

The leaf springs bolt sits in a hole in the axle.  You couldn't mount it any other way.

Edited by Pete Collin
NitroMusky

NitroMusky

Posted
Posted

Yep bent axle. U can try fixing it (somewhat) yourself by jacking the axle with boat on it, dead middle of the span to try and bring it back into shape.

I have the opposite issue...wear on the outsides (from the boat being jacked up by the axle towards the outsides) which is not as easy to fix at home

Sean Youngblood

Sean Youngblood

Posted
Posted

Pete I have ordered a couple from davistrailerworld.com  they also have a good selection of trailer hardware in stock. I take my old axle in they will measure it up a give you the options if you want bearing buddies or what not.

Pete Collin

Pete Collin

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Thanks for all the advice everyone.  I hope to have a new one reinstalled before it gets too cold and/or I chew through another set of tires!

rolmops

rolmops

Posted
Posted (edited)

With the boat at 1500 pounds and the trailer itself probably 3 or 4 hundred pounds you should get a 3500 pound axle with electric brakes.

Under NY state law any trailer that weighs  over a thousand pounds empty or over 3000 pounds loaded must have brakes. Putting brakes  on your trailer really extends the life time of your vehicle brakes  and if you ever had to stop on a wet road and the trailer pushed you forward anyway you will know what I mean. Why 3500 pounds ? They are the most common and that makes them cheap. I replaced my axles with the help of this guy. He guided me through the process of measuring and then send me an axle with electric brakes that was the exact size for what I needed. He was cheaper than any of his competitors. You can give him a call and he will help you. I just added his ebay store to my post so you can get an idea what this guy is all about.

 

 R and P Carriages
270 East Jackson Street
Seneca, IL 61360
Email [email protected]

Phone number 815/357-3292,

 

http://stores.ebay.com/R-and-P-Carriages-Trailer-Sales?_trksid=p4340.l2563

Edited by rolmops
  • 2 weeks later...
dick black

dick black

Posted
Posted

Pete, I am a professional driver and move heavy equipment for a living. I own many trailers, from little utility models to 4 axle 100 ton lowboys and I am ANAL about tire wear. Check your axle for any loose bolts, nuts, or pins. Look and see if any of the attached parts have moved ever so much. Check tire inflation, very important. If the tires are worn badly they will have to be replaced. Do yourself a favor and don't buy cheap tires! Go to a good dealer and pucchase the best TRAILER tire you can afford and have them balanced!!! I know some people will laugh at this, but pay attention to other trailers on the highway and watch the tires and you will see alot of them bouncing and banging the road, hard on the tires and bearings! not good. I don't remember where Portageville is but if your anywhere near Rochester, get that trailer into Hawk frame and Axle or a good frame and axle shop near you. These places have the ability to bend and straiten any axle and laser align your trailer and its not really all that expensive, they can make your tires last for years!!   GOOD LUCK!!!!!

Xxx

Xxx

Posted
Posted

Dick's right with checking other things out, my case was I had real bad outer edge wear, I was told bent axle, this & that, so we started measuring around and found that the axle was an 11/2 inches across the corner. Turned out my uncle who also has a lot of trailer experience found the problem turned out the bushings in the springs dry rotted and fell out. 4 new bushings and the same tires are on 3 years later.

  • 2 weeks later...
Pete Collin

Pete Collin

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Thanks for all the help guys.  I bought a new axle and put it in myself.  We'll see how this one works.

 

Was a bit annoyed that I also had to buy new hubs.  The old ones didn't fit.  you'd think something like that would be standardized. 

 

Pete

Shellback

Shellback

Posted
Posted

Thanks for all the help guys.  I bought a new axle and put it in myself.  We'll see how this one works.

 

Was a bit annoyed that I also had to buy new hubs.  The old ones didn't fit.  you'd think something like that would be standardized. 

 

Pete

If you bought a heavier axle, they use different hubs. I think the change is around 2000#s. Lighter axles usually have the same inner and outer bearing, and the heavier axles usually have a larger inner bearing.

mullenj

mullenj

Posted
Posted

Trailer Tire problems: My tandem trailer tires are "cupping" on the outside; do you suppose that is the result of the axle being bent so that it is too "high"?  I would like to replace these tires with radials, but am afraid I will also wear them out quickly.  Any ideas as to what to check first?  Its a karavan trailer that has been lightly used, but maybe I should begin by taking it to a shop to get the alignment fully checked.  Any ideas/suggestions most appreciated.  

rolmops

rolmops

Posted
Posted

Trailer Tire problems: My tandem trailer tires are "cupping" on the outside; do you suppose that is the result of the axle being bent so that it is too "high"?  I would like to replace these tires with radials, but am afraid I will also wear them out quickly.  Any ideas as to what to check first?  Its a karavan trailer that has been lightly used, but maybe I should begin by taking it to a shop to get the alignment fully checked.  Any ideas/suggestions most appreciated.  

Are these special trailer tires or standard car tires?

jimski2

jimski2

Posted
Posted

Radial tires are not for trailers as they have a tendency to cause "trailer sway" due to sidewall strength. You are not asking for traction or steering factors. Search out "trailer tires" and there is a huge amount of information from manufacturers there.

mullenj

mullenj

Posted
Posted

My existing tires are labeled "ST" which supposedly means they are specific to trailers; the brand is Carlisle, so they might not be the best, as I bought the boat&trailer this year, and the old owner included these new tires.  I have read some posts here that argue radials are okay, especially since they dissapate heat better.  On my old (non-tandem) trailer, I replaced 2 sets of standard bias trailer tires before replacing them with radials, which gaver me no problems at all; but perhaps radials are not a good idea for the tandem trailers.  Thanks for any info and further advice!

NitroMusky

NitroMusky

Posted
Posted

Radials are definitely better handling than bias.

As far a car tires go, there are a lot of guys that swear by them on their bass boat rigs, but ONLY tandem axles. Car tires cant carry the weight put on a single axle.

jimski2

jimski2

Posted
Posted

Apparently sidewall strength is a factor in radial tires that cause them to have "swerving tendencies" that are not desired.

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