Thread: Trailer axle

I've had nothing but trouble with this trailer. I bought the boat in Oct 09
and I've gone through 4 tires, 3 bearing buddies, 2 hubs and 1 checking acct
The axle was supposedly fixed in May(not). Now I'm to the point I'm just
gonna replace it all, should I replace with a like drop axle system or run a
Torsion-flex system? I haven't seen any Torsion-flex axles around and was
wondering if anybody would shoot me their opinions

Bank-bound & bummed

I feel your pain. I bought a horse trailer a number of years ago. It was only three or four years old, great layout, had not been pulled much, and I couldn't keep bearings/spindles on it. It was nothing but a pia, and never figured out why.
If I was you, and didn't want to just get rid of the trailer all together, I would put a torsion axle on it. Rubber torsion axles have less parts to go bad, springs, shackles, pins, u-bolts. Make sure you get it mounted square with your hitch, not necessarily your frame cross members. I would weld it on.

If you can afford it, trade it in on a new one. Had a buddy with same problem, his trailer and $795.00 got him a new one.

Feel your pain, had same problem with trailer Lund came with. After tires, bearings and new axle had had it!!!! I quit throwing good money away and traded it in on a new heavier model.

You need to find a place that can do a trailer alignment. Most people do not realize that a trailer can get out of alignment and cause problems like that.

Thanks everyone for your input, it's a older trailer that pulls good ( even
with it's axle problems) loads almost by itself. I think the guy I bought it from
used the trailers problems as his final deciding point. I had a spindle replaced
in April by a trailer shop and the problems remained. I went to another shop
and had the axle "trued", I'm not recommending either to anybody. I had a
friend initially tell me replace it all and be done with it. (I'd like that decision
back) However, being cheap and reassured I went the wrong route. This
trailer really does load itself, and I'm wanting to put a Torsion-flex axle under
it. Are they worth it, do the different bearing/hub packages work? Standard,
Easy-lube, or Nev-r-lube their statements are impressive, but are they true?
Can you still align if you hit a pothole and bend them. Lots of ?? and was
concerned about their warranties/claims, it's the cheapest route for total
replacement with parts/labor. C'mon ice, it's a poor mans boat.

I hear you on the budget!! I've always been a fan of leaf spring set-ups with grease fittings on all the movable parts. On the shackles and hangers...the 18 wheelers I work with on saturdays have grease fittings on EVERYTHING that moves. Although this is time consuming, you do not see failures like you do in the automovtive and marine world...and we are talking WAY more psi on these than our stuff. I had a half ton truck once with grease fittings on the leaf springs...always thought that was a cool but smart move by someone. As long as you keep that bushing well lubed you probably won't have any trouble. As far as the bearing part...this has been hashed out MANY times...some swear by the bearing buddies etc....and some repack once a year...normally during winterizing when you do the rest. I am a fan of repack because you know for sure whats in there and whats going on...then there are some that have gone YEARS without any trouble with bearing buddies. To each his own...I'm a bit OCD myself...so even when I have bearing buddies I still take them apart....lol.

As for the torsion axle I've only had one..they ride extremly good and you don't many problems with them...I think alot of that is the lack of moving parts. You may also look at your tires...what psi are you running?? To little for a good ride can cause problems due to added stress on your axle. Just some thoughts.

+++1 on what Barnacle Bill said...do an alignment...have someone drive behind you and see what it looks like being pulled...I've seen some that pull good but pull sideways down the road but you never know in the mirror.

Well Scrapper, I had my trailer looked at yesterday. The prognosis is poor,
turns out everything is shot except the leaf-springs themselves. Worn bush-
ings, bent hangers, and the axle had the spindle welded cocked on the perch
and was bent itself. $100 cheaper if the bearings were good vs new one. I
went all new, because they weren't sure if trueing the axle would hold due to
fatigue. And forget about salvaging bearings at this point, I'm done, NO MORE
PROBLEMS. I've spent that on tires alone. I talked with the company who
initially "fixed" my problem and their response had me thanking the lord it was
over the phone. Basically they said we thought you came here to get scr:wed

Good decision. I would post the name of the company so others won't get taken in by them. Just my opinion.