Is this a pooched axle?

[nelsons]

Hi guys, related to my previous "thumpthumpthump" post

Managed to get both tires off the ground and both removed, however in doing so I see that the axle/tires doesn't really fall at all. Maybe and inch or two.
I'll attach a picture in a second. Shouldn't the arm be pointing more down than up??
THoughts/insight much appreciated.
Steve


And yes, I'm aware of how frightfully dangerous that jack-up is...

[Roy in TO]

It looks a little pooched.
See the diamond shaped weld on the left hand side of the torsion arm in your picture?
At rest the sides should be at about 45° to your axle tube. Or the top and bottom corners should be relatively plumb with the corners on the side being relatively level.

[RogerDat]

I think Roy is correct. That arm would have originally been positioned so the square shaft made a <> diamond with the vertical points parallel with the frame. The point going toward the wheel does look sort of pointed up now by a fair amount and that is without load.

Think a new axle would probably be in order. Can't imagine having to do the jack stands you have in the picture on the side of the road to change a tire.

[Bob Miller]

Maybe one of the Boler peeps can tell us what the normal trailing arm angle should be.. Up, down or level? If it only moved 2" when unloaded, I suspect that it should be a lot lower than it is.

[Carol H]

Don't take my word for it but it has been my understanding in camping with a lot of Boler Peeps that the trailing arm on the Boler started out new with the arm level with the frame.

Steve, do you have any photos of the trailer with the wheels on it sitting on the ground to share?

Other indicators that you need a new axle are uneven tire wear, lack of clearance (a hand wide or less) at the top of the tire to the wheel well, black marks on the wheel well indicating the tire has been hitting it on bumps.

[Mike Magee]

The axle seems to be a real dog, therefore it must be pooched.

[Jim Bennett]

Moved the vocabulary discussion to a new thread, to allow this one to get back on topic.

http://www.fiberglassrv.com/forums/f...ord-66054.html