Axle inspection in Massachusetts?

[Gumpit]

I think I will have to call the place and make sure they are capable of doing the work. I can swing it by and show them any concerns I have before leaving it with them. I have sent out some other emails to rv places a little further away just in case. Thanks Randy

[Gumpit]

Well I am still waiting for a callback. There is a place I am trying to take it to. I have called twice. And apparently the person who is doing the work is too busy to get back to me. I have been talking to his secratary? Wife? I dunno. But the fact that she said that there was 2 Dexter Torsion axles there on the floor waiting to be put on the trailers he is working is promising. I am not sure how much room they have to actually work on the camper though. She kept asking how big the trailer was. I do not know if they have a height limit to where they are working or length. But I told her I would swing it by Saturday to get an answer if and when they could do it. Since it is only about 2 miles from where I am working on it now. Fingers crossed. Randy

[kgingeri]

Hey Guys I have a question, and I'm not sure it's answered anywhere else in this forum (I'm a noob - just got a 76 Boler )...

I noticed Gumpit asked a similar question (I ended up here via a search), but not sure it got answered. How do you tell if your axle is shot and should be replaced? If I look at my axle, it would look like the following sketch...



This is pretty true to life. If I jump in the trailer I seem to get some movement but not much (possibly cuz i'm not beefy nuf?!) I'm in Ontario and have spoken to Paul Neumeister (thanks to all for pointing out a handy neighbour), but I didn't think to ask him the same question on the phone.

If I should be posting else - let me know - not trying to hijack a thread, but thought it was related.

EDIT: Paul seemed to think I'd need a #9 Torflex axle and that it was likely that's whats in it now.

[Roy in TO]

If you can see the "square outline" of the torsion axle center from the welds on the torsion arm. It should be at a 45 degree offset to the axle tube with the weight off the trailer. (a diamond within a square)

Other than that, I describe a few other tell tale signs in my axle swap post. Much of the information still applies even if you are not considering changing a leading arm axle to a trailing arm. Although your diagram indicates you have a bolt on trailing arm, so my guess is that your axle may have been replaced already. Neither trailing or bolt on were original.

A 2200 Lb. Dexter Torflex #9 should do you.

[Borden]

They make great trailer suspension replacements that use a torsion system our old trailer used them just get one with correct weight for your unit or you will not like the ride.

[kgingeri]

Originally Posted by Roy in TO

If you can see the "square outline" of the torsion axle center from the welds on the torsion arm. It should be at a 45 degree offset to the axle tube with the weight off the trailer. (a diamond within a square)

....

A 2200 Lb. Dexter Torflex #9 should do you.

Thanks Roy! I didn't think of look at the welds - of course (duh!). My diagram is off of course as I had no clue at the time I did it. I'll check that out right away. Great post BTW I will try the bumper-jump test. I do see my whitewalls if look square on so maybe it's not that bad, but when I found curtain rods had come off during the trip home (with not that many bumps) I thought right-away about the axle.

[Bill K]

My 2009 Scamp curtain rods came off coming home from the factory, so I wouldn't use that as a indicator.

BTW I use small tie wraps to hold the rods on.

Bill K

Originally Posted by kgingeri

Thanks Roy! I didn't think of look at the welds - of course (duh!). My diagram is off of course as I had no clue at the time I did it. I'll check that out right away. Great post BTW I will try the bumper-jump test. I do see my whitewalls if look square on so maybe it's not that bad, but when I found curtain rods had come off during the trip home (with not that many bumps) I thought right-away about the axle.

[Cyndi B.]

I will second that not to mention they eventually bow from the bouncing. I put a small adhesive hook in the middle of the back window and tie the rods down.

[kgingeri]

Ha ha - thanks for the moral support you guys, and the hints! Maybe I'll just leave them down for trips, but the wraps and hook make sense!

[Gumpit]

O.K. I stopped by a trailer place earlier and the guy looked at it and crawled under and watched me go over some bumps and checked it out when I was walking around inside and said that it didn't look that bad. He suggested that I drive it for a while and if I noticed any wear on the tires to then bring it back and then consider doing an axle. He seemed to definitely know his stuff and they do a lot of axles. There must have been at least 5 or 6 old ones on the floor in the showroom that he had set aside for the owners to see what was wrong with their old axles. He installs the Torsion axles weekly. And usually when someone comes in and asks for a new axle they just make the sale. But he went through the trouble of actually looking at it first. I am going to take it back in a couple of weeks and have him put on a new 2" coupler as well as a new jack with a wheel. They also do the spray on bed liner and I am thinking of having him do the belly band now that I sealed it with fiberglass. I feel like I hit the jackpot finding this place. Randy

[Bill F.]

Originally Posted by Gumpit

Is there a place in Massachusetts that I can take my camper(1978 Trillium
4500) to have my axle,frame,tongue ect inspected and repaired if necessary... I love my new camper. However, I want to make sure my
trailer is up to par. I am in Natick which is halfway between Boston and
Worcester. Thanks Randy

I spent some time trying to find out what axle was on my 4500 because I could only read the last four letters on the tag. Turns out it was built by Henschen in Jackson Center, OH. Hope this helps. Bill

[Gumpit]

Originally Posted by Gumpit

O.K. I stopped by a trailer place earlier and the guy looked at it and crawled under and watched me go over some bumps and checked it out when I was walking around inside and said that it didn't look that bad. He suggested that I drive it for a while and if I noticed any wear on the tires to then bring it back and then consider doing an axle. He seemed to definitely know his stuff and they do a lot of axles. There must have been at least 5 or 6 old ones on the floor in the showroom that he had set aside for the owners to see what was wrong with their old axles. He installs the Torsion axles weekly. And usually when someone comes in and asks for a new axle they just make the sale. But he went through the trouble of actually looking at it first. I am going to take it back in a couple of weeks and have him put on a new 2" coupler as well as a new jack with a wheel. They also do the spray on bed liner and I am thinking of having him do the belly band now that I sealed it with fiberglass. I feel like I hit the jackpot finding this place. Randy

Well unfortunately they are very busy. I have called at least 10 times and the 2 women who answer the phones keep saying they will call back. I called every day for 2 weeks. More specifically "we will give Dan the message and call you back"..One day... So I call back a couple days later... " I will call you back within an hour" ...and I call back a couple more days later " I am on the other line, I will call you right back"... I call back and say " you people are making it very hard to give you money".. What kind of business is that? I mean I guess they are busy getting plows ready for winter. But what do I care. I was told they could do it that first week I started calling and the customer service sucks. They are open weekdays only during bankers hours. They are closed weekends.... And there seems to be one knowledgable guy and I think his mother and aunt running the small store front which seems to have a limited amount of trailer stuff that looks like it has been there on the shelves for years.... This must be the worst business man in the world. Fire mom and auntie. Hire someone else who can help do the actual work and be open hours when people who work can actually drop off their stuff that needs work. Again, nothing against his work but his business sense is non existent. Too bad. I think he could thrive if he knew what he was doing.... Anyway enough on that rant. I found a local shop that Dexter Axle told me about. I called. They said bring it by so we can look at it. I did. He said leave it and he will get quotes and call me... I will keep you updated.... Randy