ExRocketScientist
Laurel, MD
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Joined: 11/11/2010
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up2nogood wrote:ExRocketScientist wrote:For those of you who have bent an axle tube on a trailer, how did it happen?
Are you asking because of a bent axle you own, I did notice in one of your post that there were pictures of an axle being jacked up on the axle tube, I am assuming that was yours. I would probably find a better place to jack then that.
I haven't bent anything. But I know my tube is nearly 3/16" think, 3" in diameter and round. This makes it very difficult to bend. Yet I know people have bought used trailers that turned out to have bent axle tubes. So I was wondering how it happens (especially since I may be looking at a trailer tomorrow with Lippert axles).
ERS
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ExRocketScientist
Laurel, MD
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goducks10 wrote:ExRocketScientist wrote:goducks10 wrote:8iron wrote:ExRocketScientist wrote:For those of you who have bent an axle tube on a trailer, how did it happen?
Undersized axles of inferior quality (Lippert) = 2 bent axles.
Partialy agree. I have 2 Lippert axles that bent. Don't know why. But they are not undersized in my case. Each one has a 4400# rating. x2 =8800#. My TT weighs 72-7300# loaded. The place where I took them to get straightend mentioned that they were made with soft material. So ya the quality is inferior, but they are rated okay.
I thought only Dexter made a 4400 pound axle.
They may but so does Lippert
Wow . . . they don't list it on their website.
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goducks10
Keizer OR
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I know, I was looking into replacing them with something better and didn't see a listing on Lipperts either. I was going to with Dexter but I thought I would give these another chance. It cost me if I renember right about $190.00 total to have them straightend. The biggest problem out of this is I now have one tire thats toast. One tire thats 1/2 worn and 2 tires that are worn normal. So I put the spare on in place of the toasted tire and will run the TT the way it is for a few trips till summer, then replace 3 worn tires to match up with the spare. I won't have more than 5-700 miles on the spare so all 4 tires should wear about the same. PITA
* This post was
edited 03/08/12 05:35pm by goducks10 *
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ExRocketScientist
Laurel, MD
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goducks10 wrote:I know, I was looking into replacing them with something better and didn't see a listing on Lipperts either. I was going to with Dexter but I thought I would give these another chance. It cost me if I renember right about $190.00 total to have them straightend. The biggest problem out of this is I now have one tire thats toast. One tire thats 1/2 worn and 2 tires that are worn normal. So I put the spare on in place of the toasted tire and will run the TT the way it is for a few trips till summer, then replace 3 worn tires to match up with the spare. I won't have more than 5-700 miles on the spare so all 4 tires should wear about the same. PITA
I was looking at the cost of Dexter axles. It would probably cost you a little over 300 each, but they would come with brakes, drums, etc. I've seen the Dexter tubes with brake flanges and spindles for about $110 to $150. If the bearings are the same, at most you might be able to replace just those parts. The thing is, Dexter has different drums if you have EZ-Lube or not. So I'm not sure if you could use your current drums. If not, you can get the whole thing for what it would cost to replace the tube and drums.
But I guess only a call to Dexter would determine what could be done. I would definitely look into it before spending another $190 on straightening.
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rockportrocket
on hyway 77
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Call 1-800-superman. Other than improper use, overloading and people not knowing what they are doing, he is the only one I know who can bend an axle.
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goducks10
Keizer OR
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ExRocketScientist wrote:goducks10 wrote:I know, I was looking into replacing them with something better and didn't see a listing on Lipperts either. I was going to with Dexter but I thought I would give these another chance. It cost me if I renember right about $190.00 total to have them straightend. The biggest problem out of this is I now have one tire thats toast. One tire thats 1/2 worn and 2 tires that are worn normal. So I put the spare on in place of the toasted tire and will run the TT the way it is for a few trips till summer, then replace 3 worn tires to match up with the spare. I won't have more than 5-700 miles on the spare so all 4 tires should wear about the same. PITA
I was looking at the cost of Dexter axles. It would probably cost you a little over 300 each, but they would come with brakes, drums, etc. I've seen the Dexter tubes with brake flanges and spindles for about $110 to $150. If the bearings are the same, at most you might be able to replace just those parts. The thing is, Dexter has different drums if you have EZ-Lube or not. So I'm not sure if you could use your current drums. If not, you can get the whole thing for what it would cost to replace the tube and drums.
But I guess only a call to Dexter would determine what could be done. I would definitely look into it before spending another $190 on straightening.
Ya I won't be getting them straightend if they get bent again. FWIW I have what they call WideTrax axle spacing. I don't think that has anything to do with it really but maybe the way I back into my drive way is putting stress on them. I haven't dug too deep into what will or won't fit between the two axles, but what I did find I thought just getting the $190.00 straightining was the easiest way to go. If they bend again then I will have to make a decision at that time.
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8iron
Canada
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goducks10 wrote: Ya I won't be getting them straightend if they get bent again. FWIW I have what they call WideTrax axle spacing. I don't think that has anything to do with it really but maybe the way I back into my drive way is putting stress on them. I haven't dug too deep into what will or won't fit between the two axles, but what I did find I thought just getting the $190.00 straightining was the easiest way to go. If they bend again then I will have to make a decision at that time.
Hopefully you won't have any more issues but if so I would look into axles manufactured by companies that specialize in trailer axles. I went to my local machine shop and they measured mine up and ordered new ones to spec. 10 days later and $180 cdn each I had them on. Each axle was about 20 lbs heavier, used 3" tube of .018 wall thickness instead of the OEM 2 3/8" tube and .016 wall thickness. I have no experience with Dexter so I can't compare them to what I had and what I now have...maybe they are the answer.
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ExRocketScientist
Laurel, MD
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8iron wrote:goducks10 wrote: Ya I won't be getting them straightend if they get bent again. FWIW I have what they call WideTrax axle spacing. I don't think that has anything to do with it really but maybe the way I back into my drive way is putting stress on them. I haven't dug too deep into what will or won't fit between the two axles, but what I did find I thought just getting the $190.00 straightining was the easiest way to go. If they bend again then I will have to make a decision at that time.
Hopefully you won't have any more issues but if so I would look into axles manufactured by companies that specialize in trailer axles. I went to my local machine shop and they measured mine up and ordered new ones to spec. 10 days later and $180 cdn each I had them on. Each axle was about 20 lbs heavier, used 3" tube of .018 wall thickness instead of the OEM 2 3/8" tube and .016 wall thickness. I have no experience with Dexter so I can't compare them to what I had and what I now have...maybe they are the answer.
Dexter uses the 3" tube with .18 wall thickness on their 4400 pound axles -- and they specialize in making trailer axles.
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8iron
Canada
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ExRocketScientist wrote: Dexter uses the 3" tube with .18 wall thickness on their 4400 pound axles -- and they specialize in making trailer axles.
Dexter,like Lippert, use 2 3/8" and .16 wall thickness on their 3,500# axles....I was only comparing my 3,500# replacement axles to the 3,500# bent ones.
As mentioned I have no experience with Dexter and wasn't comparing them to Lippert but I'm glad to hear Dexter is not like LCI and a few other RV component suppliers that mass produce for quantity not quality.
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goducks10
Keizer OR
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FWIW my 4400# axles are 3", don't know how thick because you can't find them listed on the Lippert site. Which I find interesting.
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