Flexiride Axles - Fiberglass RV
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Old 09-17-2006, 09:23 AM   #1
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Trailer: Fiber Stream 16 ft 1982
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Is anyone here using or considering the Flexiride height adjustable rubber torsion axle as a replacement for their trailer? What I'd be interested in knowing is how much flexible trailer height adjustment is possible with this product? Andrew Gibbens mentioned this product in another post and it got my curiousity going.

Flexiride built to suit axles

Flexiride Company

Kit for 3500 pound trailer
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Old 09-17-2006, 10:01 AM   #2
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I used the flexiride adjustable on the Miti-Lite. They build it to your specs, so measure correct. NOTE: With the adjustable, your wheel will set about 1/2 inch farther out on each side than with a non-adjustable. Mine worked great. I was able to get the ride height right where I wanted. You can order it preset, then adjust if needed. I ordered mine preset to 22 degrees down. I then reset it to 35 degrees down to give a little more ground clearance. I had put over 20,000 miles on it when I sold the trailer and it was still going strong. E-trailer shipped mine right to my door on "Overnite Express" Came ready to install, hubs-bearings-lug nuts etc. A simple bolt on. Mike-B ........ PS The ladies who bought the Miti-Lite from me, phoned me last night from a camp near Kansas City. Sounds like they are enjoying the Miti-lite as much as i did.
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Old 09-17-2006, 11:49 AM   #3
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What I'd be interested in knowing is how much flexible trailer height adjustment is possible with this product?
Sadly, Flexiride do not offer any technical info online. What technical info they provide is spread across more than one data sheet and it can take more than one request to get them all, so I'll try to answer Benita's question from my stock of their pdfs!

The angle (below) is the unloaded starting angle, the height is the distance down from the top of the axle bracket to the wheel centre (so negative means wheel centre above axle bracket) with the axle at full static load:
10 deg Up .. -0.5 inch
0 deg .. -0.1 inch
10 deg Down .. +0.8 inch
22 deg Down .. +1.8 inch
35 deg Down .. +2.8 inch
45 deg Down .. +3.7 inch

Several notes:
- Flexiride describe 10 deg Up, the maximum Up start angle, as having 'reduced compliance'.
- Flexiride describe 22 deg Down as 'normal (best) starting angle'.
- Flexiride do not provide data for 35 or 45 deg Down, the maximum Down start angle, so I have estimated it from the data for other angles - it might be wrong by +/-0.1 inch.

On the T&TTT teardrop forum there are many happy owners of Flexirides, including at least one manufacturer: their axles appear to be good - it's just their technical info that's below par!

Andrew
(trailer design nerd)
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Old 09-17-2006, 03:12 PM   #4
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I agree that the on-line information for Flexiride is terrible. On the other hand, when I contacted them by e-mail, requesting contact information for the local distributor, they immediately responded with the contact information. They also sent a message to that distributor - the Standen's branch in Edmonton - and they contacted me as well. The Standen's staff were very helpful; unfortunately, the Flexiride stuff is not yet represented on their website, since it is handled by a recently acquired division.

Part of the problem may be that the Flexiride products are components, from which anyone can build an axle assembly by supplying the rectangular tube to accept the rubber-filled cartridge. The manufacturer does not normally expect to deal directly with customers, but usually with other companies which make axle assemblies.

Andrew, in your Flexiride comments in the trailer-height thread, you mentioned pricing. My local distributor confirmed that the price of a complete axle assembly with Flexiride components is a few percent higher than the alternatives (the same supplier also carries Al-Ko), and I'm sure that's a major factor for RV manufacturers.

I think that the best way to use Flexiride parts is to incorporate the square tube crossmember right into the frame, and plug the cartridges into that, rather than building some bolt-on assembly. This fully integrated approach would save weight and allow more compact packaging.

I saw one boat trailer on a website (sorry, lost the link), which had a crossmember which was bent down in a Vee in the middle to clear the keel, and ended in straight horizonatal sections on each end to accept the Flexiride cartridges. This allows the boat to be carried lower (and thus more stably) than with a conventional assembly. This won't matter to someone looking for a new bolt-in axle for their stock trailer, but in a custom frame it could allow a dropped floor in the centre, while keeping the suspension pivot points at a good height.
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Information is good. Lack of information is not so good, but misinformation is much worse. Check facts, and apply common sense liberally.
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