Casita axle dilemma...

[saucesquatch]

Need some advice from y'all...

Our camper is a 1994 Casita and it's time to replace the axle

I contacted Dexter to get a new axle a while back, send them a picture of the axle (serial number) that is on there and it is rated at 2000lbs... then talked with Casita, they said it is fine to run the 2k rated axle but they only sell the 3,500lb rated axle. I talk again to Dexter and they are saying if it's rated for 3500lb and the camper is 2k lbs then the suspension is going to be too stiff. Long story but I end up ordering the exact replacement (with the 10 degree angle for a lift and brakes) that was on there figuring if it was good enough then and 22 years later it's still working (although not very well).

I figure... Well, i might want one of those fancy dampener suspension kits too while we are at it, talk to a vendor and they basically made it sound like I made a $600 mistake by ordering the wrong axle. Now I'm sweating it and can't let it go that I might have ordered the wrong one.

The way I figure I have two options:
1 - stop worrying about it, run the dang 2k axle and be done
2 - you know you can't let it go and just order the 3,500 axle from Casita instead of Dexter directly and try to sell the 2k axle that you now own

what would y'all do?

and does anyone want to buy a dexter torflex axle with a lift and brake setup cheap?

[thrifty bill]

I would take your trailer to the closest truck stop and weigh it. Data = sweat reduction. Ignorance = maximum sweat.

[saucesquatch]

Originally Posted by thrifty bill

I would take your trailer to the closest truck stop and weigh it. Data = sweat reduction. Ignorance = maximum sweat.

Now that is a smart move.

[starbrightsteve]

Larry Gamble, recently retired from shop work, has replaced hundreds of Casita axles. You might contact him through the Casita forum. In fact, the Casita forum might be a great place to pose questions since you are the owner of a Casita.

[Jon in AZ]

Agree about getting a fully loaded weight, adding, say, 15-20% margin, and working from there. A Dexter #10 axle is rated for 3500#, but it can be de-rated at the factory for lower trailer weights, down to 2500#. Next step down is a Dexter #9, max rating 2200#. It can also be de-rated, but probably not for any Casita I have yet met.

You never said which Casita you have, but since it's a 1994, it must be a 13' or a 16'. The 13' might run on a #9, but the 16' needs a #10 for sure.

Casita no longer makes 13'ers, which explains why they no longer stock the #9 axles.

[saucesquatch]

Jon, we have a 16' Casita

[Jon in AZ]

I'm have a hard time imagining any 16' trailer weighing under 2000# loaded. But before you write off that 2000# axle, do load it up as you do for travel and take it to a CAT scale* (truck stop, refuse transfer station, sand and gravel yard, grain and feed lot...). They may charge a nominal fee. Then you'll know.
*certified auto and truck scale

[Stephen_Albers]

The axle is one of many things under-sized by Casita so most owners are operating overweight. Further, the standard axle and frame are not strong enough for boondocking which causes stress cracks and popped rivets. If your future plans call for anything more stressful than rolling down a paved highway, then considering an upgraded frame, axle, bearings, brakes and suspension would be appropriate. The Dexter 5,200# axle would be a place to start.

[Jann Todd]

Originally Posted by Stephen_Albers

The axle is one of many things under-sized by Casita so most owners are operating overweight. Further, the standard axle and frame are not strong enough for boondocking which causes stress cracks and popped rivets. If your future plans call for anything more stressful than rolling down a paved highway, then considering an upgraded frame, axle, bearings, brakes and suspension would be appropriate. The Dexter 5,200# axle would be a place to start.

We have a 2007 17' Casita with a 3500# axle. We have taken it on dirt roads to a lake and have had no problems with rivets, axle problem or any other problem. This dirt road is not smooth either. We do drive slow on it. I think 5200# axle on a 16' would be to much. The only problem we've had is the tires wore out after about 2,000 miles because Casita didn't get the axle straight from the factory and we had to have it moved about 1/4 of an inch on one side. That was 11 years ago.

[Eddie Longest]

The #9 Dexter has only 7" brakes and smaller bearings but it can be ordered with a 2.2K lb. rating. The #10 has 10" brakes and larger bearings. A #10 axle rated at 2.5K lb. is a much better axle than a 2.2K lb. #9.
IMO
Eddie

[Jon in AZ]

Originally Posted by Eddie Longest

The #9 Dexter has only 7" brakes and smaller bearings but it can be ordered with a 2.2K lb. rating. The #10 has 10" brakes and larger bearings. A #10 axle rated at 2.5K lb. is a much better axle than a 2.2K lb. #9.
IMO
Eddie

Agree, especially for a 16'er.

[Jerry Chapman]

Just my two cents, but if you purchased the same size axle as was originally on the trailer, and it had worked for 25 years; I would install it, forget about the fancy suspension kit, and go camping.

[Jon in AZ]

As Stephen correctly observed, some older trailers had significantly underrated axles. Early Boler and Scamp 13’s, for example, rode on 1200# axles. They had a stove, icebox and not much else. Even then, fully loaded, many ended up well over 1500#. No wonder they acquired a low rider look fairly quickly! Scamp later changed to a 2200# axle, reflecting the ever-growing list of options and upgrades.

Even if the OEM axle was correctly sized when new, modifications and additions over 25 years can change things.

Only way to know is to weigh it.

[Travelin2]

A 2000 pound rated axle is at its' maximum recommended capacity when there is 2000 pounds loaded on it. I sure wouldn't consider a 2000 pound rated axle the correct axle for a 2000 pound trailer. Will it do it for a while?...Yes. Is it going to handle crappy and show deterioration early?...Yes.

This is just every owners choice when replacing equipment.

[Stephen_Albers]

Average consumers have difficulty correctly evaluating complex gear. Small trailer axle and frame issues should be responsibly dealt with by the manufacturer. But nearly all of them focus on getting product out the door and what happens after that is of no interest to them (until they are sued, regulated or shut down by authorities). The history of automotive seatbelts is eloquent testimony to how manufacturers ignore consumer needs until forced to do so. I've done what Casita has failed to do: aircraft equivalent stress analysis on the frame and axle which come up grossly deficient for the repetitive stresses of boondocking operations. The strain gets transferred to every joint and fitting in the structure, none of which were tested or designed for it. The result is deterioration over time, much of which is not visible until failure. Structural failures are well-documented in small trailers which often result in economic loss of the trailer. Besides that, inferior components drive up operational costs far higher than they otherwise would be. One example is the pathetic servicing of wheel bearings which typically costs $1,600 over 100,000 miles. If you'd like to save $600 on servicing costs and inconvenience just increase your axle capacity and fit sealed bearings which require no maintenance for 100,000 miles. The axle is free, paid for by avoided servicing costs.

[Jon in AZ]

And Casita should engineer to a boondocking/aircraft standard because...?

I’m glad they don’t, actually. I can’t afford an airplane, and I can’t afford an expedition-grade RV, both of which can easily run six figures.

Many manufacturers, including Scamp and Casita, have made numerous upgrades to their chassis over the years based on the real-world use and performance of their products. Not every improvement clears the cost-benefit hurdle.

You want more. I get it. There are some things I would pay a little more for, too, like better 12V wiring. But I accept the limitations of an engineered-to-cost product.

[saucesquatch]

Well, I had a neighbor come by and talk through options. He's owned 3 Casita's over the past 30 years and had some good advice all around. Despite all the good advice we did not feel great about any concrete solutions. But I think it's safe to say we both agree I jumped the gun and bought this thing too quick.

He did connect me with a talented welder and I'm hopeful he will be able to fabricate a few things as well as help me get my axle on.

I will say he agreed that the 2k axle would roll fine, it has been upgraded to the 5 on 4.5 hubs with ez grease and I have 15" wheels sitting ready to mount.

I think the key thing for me to understand about trailer suspensions is around capacity weight vs optimal weight, what weight should a 3500lb capacity axle haul?
For motorcycles (yes, I know it's different) if you have a suspension that is set up for a 250lb rider and a 175lb rider rides it, the suspension does nothing.

All that said, it gets delivered Wednesday and I will probably post it on craigslist, if I can recoup 60% of my cost then I will write that up to a learning experience in research/patience.

[Stephen_Albers]

I apologize if I conveyed the wrong impression about standards. I did not mean to infer that ANY aircraft standard is appropriate for a trailer application. I meant to convey these points.

Trailer manufacturers do no meaningful standards testing of their products. Casita does not even maintain records to alert owners when defects are discovered that need correcting.

My stress analysis and the operational record clearly shows the Casita frame and axle are inadequate for boondocking operations. But some operators have experienced catastrophic failure even operating on paved highways like this example which happened twice:
https://youtu.be/Z1XUSmQ9gSk

The liability of a lane departure due to trailer structural failure reaches many millions of dollars. If, for example, a school bus is involved everyone will be sued. Do you want to risk your entire future to years of litigation to take your trailer out for a picnic?

In most cases, quality upgrades cost next to nothing in the production phase. The sealed bearing example I gave actually cost ~$60 and produces a safer bearing and four-figure ongoing maintenance costs saving for the owner.

[thrifty bill]

Originally Posted by Stephen_Albers

The axle is one of many things under-sized by Casita so most owners are operating overweight. Further, the standard axle and frame are not strong enough for boondocking which causes stress cracks and popped rivets.

Personally I would not buy a trailer with rivets for serious off road use. Since I don’t camp off road, I am not interested in paying extra for such a build. If you look at the build and price of the expedition grade RVs, it’s a whole different world.

[ShelbyM]

[QUOTE=Stephen_Albers;738358] I've done what Casita has failed to do: aircraft equivalent stress analysis on the frame and axle which come up grossly deficient for the repetitive stresses of boondocking operations. QUOTE] Stephen, sorry if I missed a post, been absent awhile. How did your boondocking mods from Texas Customs turn out? Is there a thread?