Box5

I picked this trailer up a couple weeks ago to tow my little excavator with, it's got two 3500# motorhome axles with brakes. I got it really cheap ($300) so I figured why not, it tows fine, real solid deck and I did a quick rustoleum paint job on it and built those ramps for it. It has acouple issues though and I have some questions.

It's got one thick leaf spring all around, but on the rear axle, the u-bolts are almost bottomed out on the frame when there is no load on it. You can see in the picture the leaf spring is in the top position on the outside perch, and on the middle perch (between axles) it's on the 2nd hole in the perch. Should I just move it to the 2nd hole on the outside perch to gain some more suspension clearance?

the other issue is that you can see the front axle is bent. It doesn't seem to affect anything other than showing the previous owner overloaded it a few to many times. How much would a new axle be (used preferebly), or would I have to replace both to match? I've put my excavator on it a few times and it rides great. The previous owner hauled full size trucks on it, my excavator only wieghs 4500lbs, so would it be fine to run it like it is? Here's the pics

trailer


Outside perch spring


Middle perch spring


front axle

deerefarm06

I would definately move the leaf down another bolt hole to match the others. As far as the axle being bent, only harm that will cause is serious wear on the tire, depending on how bad its bent. You can pick up a motor home axle just about anywhere for really cheap, try going to your local farm auction, you will amost always find one there. Good Luck

Box5

The guy said he had a fullsize truck loaded with sheetrock and probably wieghed 9k, i'd imagine thats why it's bent alittle. My excavator is light compared to most fullsize trucks, so I guess just watch to make sure it doesn't bend anymore? The axle would bend and start rubbing on the axle tube before snapping right? The front tires are bald, the rear are full tread, lol, so i think it wears the front tires down alittle fast.

t-boe

I would try to find a mobile home axle. You can usually find them in junkyards since most people scrap them when the trailer is on a foundation. I've got a trailer with one that carried two 500 gallon sprayers on it. Fully loaded it weighed about 9k.

jrussell

Hey Box5, are those your dogs in the first pic? That Pit is beautiful!!

Box5

Yep. She's a beauty, but a real handful. You wouldn't think somthing 55 lbs would be as powerful as she is. The shepard weighs 110 or so and the pit wins all the tug a wars, lol.

Zach

You could just rotate the axle with the crown up. We have done that on the farm with one of our trailers.

Box5

you think it would bend back straight? I don't think my excavator weighs enough to bend it, he overloaded it. I guess i'll just raise the springs on the perch and run it like it is with some new tires and see how they wear.

Olratlr

You going to be buying a whole lot of new tires with a bent axle.

JPR Ram

as far as the mounting goes, you could also do an axle flip.

jsflagstad

Looks like you have a set of 5500# mobile home axles under there. I had one the same and have worked on many others. On the ride heigth I would adjust the shackle hole to the required setting.

On some of the mobile home axles I have seen, they have been prone to rusting and weakening due to that just outside of the ubolt, this may be where yours is bending. That 9000# truck shouldn't have bent it as your pair of axles should be good for 11,000. A tap with a punch and a hammer can reveal this checking around the circumference of the axle tube.

Here is what I have done to get the best performance out of mobile home axles. I disassemble them (bearings and all), cut the axle tubes off right near the hubs, and chuck up the spindle in the lathe and machine out the back side to 3 inches ID and 1/2 inch deep. Next, get some 3" round tube with 3/8" wall and cut it to you desired axle width allowing for the 1/2 inch pocket on both sides. You can bend a 2 degree arc in these tubes with a tube bender if you'd like but it is not totally necessary. Weld the axle tube into the pockets in the spindles with a continous bead around the circumference. Replace the spring perches and reinstall.

This may be more than you are willing or wanting to do, but I have fixed many like this. Just make sure that yours isn't one of the rust victims that I have seen many times. This may be a good winter project, and really increases the payload and quality of your axles. One has to relize that mobile home axles were designed for minimal use as the average unit maybe moves only 1-3 times within its lifetime. With that said, the brakes on these axles are very low quality as well but there are brake units available that will bolt right on and are reasonably priced. Machining within the spindle is very rough and looks to be quickly done as well. I usually chuck bare spindles upin the lathe and clean them up with emery cloth as the seal surfaces need to be smooth and seals will last longer if they are.

Good components, they just need a little help.

JSF

WVAussie

I agree I would change the axles as soon as you can do it. But that being said there are alot of trailers with these axles that are stilling giving good service. If the axle was bent by overloading the crown on that axle would be down not up. Mobile home axles are bent as a means to correct wheel alignment so check the rims and if they are close to plumb leave it alone.

Box5

are you sure there 5500? There the 3" wide tubes, and i thought that meant there 3500? But hey, if there the 5500 thats makes me feel better to put my excavator on it alot. I couldn't get the stupid u-bolts off yesterday, i was gonna take the axle out and try to bend it with my excavator, lol. I had every socket for my impact gun except the one for the u-bolts... I gotta go get some new U-bolts and a socket and tear those off today, I wanna check the brakes to.

And yea WVaussie, i thought about that, i think he installed that axle already with the bend in it because the way this trailer frame is setup it wouldn't allow it to bend there no matter which way it was mounted.

omaharam

Until you get the axle changed, if you are gong to at all, I would at least pull the bearings and inpect them. My guess is they have been hot at least on that bent axle.

TonyB

Yeah, I would replace it as well...

6kip axles for $270 Scroll down until you see the 2"x3" straight axles.

I have used champion before...their customer service is 1st rate.

other sources: http://www.etrailerpart.com/ http://www.easternmarine.com/

HTH

Tony