New Axle

[Paul Richter]

Hi folks I was just wondering what size of axle (weight capacity) is best suited for our trailers?? I was thinking of either 2000 or 2500 lbs??

[Roy in TO]

When I changed the one on my boler the engineer from torflex recommended the 2500 #. If we are lucky - we run totally empty @ 1500#, with some gear we are probably in the 2000# range, the extra 500# capacity prevents overloading the axle.

[Raz]

Our 2010 uses a #9 Dexter Torflex axle. I believe it is rated for 2000 . Raz

[Darwin Maring]

Do yourself a favor and do a BOLT on instead of a welded on (If your present one is welded on).

Reason: In the future you could install a new bolt on yourself in just a couple of hours vers finding a welder to cut off the old one and weld on a new one.

This is a perfect time to consider raising it a few inches should you want to.

[Raz]

Originally Posted by Darwin Maring

Do yourself a favor and do a BOLT on instead of a welded on (If your present one is welded on).

Reason: In the future you could install a new bolt on yourself in just a couple of hours vers finding a welder to cut off the old one and weld on a new one.

This is a perfect time to consider raising it a few inches should you want to.

Also if the axle is welded, in the event of a warranty claim, Dexter will not cover the cost of removal or installation of a replacement. Raz

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[Darwin Maring]

Scamp 5rs had some bad axle installs on 5rs. Do you have a 5r.

[Paul Richter]

I have a trillium

[Friz]

I'm presently having to replace the axle on my 16' Casita.
The Torflex #9 is the one the factory recommends.
Also I plan to have it bolted on. Welding around fiberglass trailers is a fire hazard if proper safety precautions are not taken.
I plan to remove all valuables before the job begins.
It would have been nice if the spindles were removable, that's what cracked.

I may have to live with the little 7" brakes, I was hoping to have 10" drums. May be overkill, but have more working room inside.

[Darwin Maring]

Lifting the camper a few inches may give U the extra room for the 10" drums and a larger size tire. Check Portable Generators, Sprayers, Power Tools, Welders | Northern Tool + Equipment for great prices on drum / brake parts.

[floyd]

Originally Posted by Darwin Maring

Do yourself a favor and do a BOLT on instead of a welded on (If your present one is welded on).

Reason: In the future you could install a new bolt on yourself in just a couple of hours vers finding a welder to cut off the old one and weld on a new one.

This is a perfect time to consider raising it a few inches should you want to.

Once again I'm gonna swim upstream on this one.
I say weld it on.
It is simpler to reweld the axle in place and it becomes part of the frame.
I see the merits of both approaches and the advantage of bolt ons in subsequent axle changes, but hey... twenty years is a long time to wait for a benefit.

[Darwin Maring]

Floyd and I have different opinions on axle connections and I respect his opinion but in defense of my opinion I say 20 Years of use between axle swaps is provided the rubber flex stuff doesn't wear out, provided you do not bend an axle by hitting a curb, gas station island, or big pothole. We see these problems each year on this site.

Welding takes the work out of the hands of the camper owner if they are not a welder and it is a costly option.

I could replace a single axle in less that 3 hours using the bolt on option.

Jack the egg up and place on jack stands.
Remove tires and disconnect electric brake wires.
Unbolt and remove old axle.
Install and bolt up new axle (Using Lock Washers, Locktite, Lock bolts)
Install tires.
Connect the brake wires.
Remove the jack stands.
Job done.

[floyd]

Originally Posted by Darwin Maring

Floyd and I have different opinions on axle connections and I respect his opinion but in defense of my opinion I say 20 Years of use between axle swaps is provided the rubber flex stuff doesn't wear out, provided you do not bend an axle by hitting a curb, gas station island, or big pothole. We see these problems each year on this site.

Welding takes the work out of the hands of the camper owner if they are not a welder and it is a costly option.

I could replace a single axle in less that 3 hours using the bolt on option.

Jack the egg up and place on jack stands.
Remove tires and disconnect electric brake wires.
Unbolt and remove old axle.
Install and bolt up new axle (Using Lock Washers, Locktite, Lock bolts)
Install tires.
Connect the brake wires.
Remove the jack stands.
Job done.

Your first axle must be cut off and parts purchased and installed. [I would prefer to weld the brackets in place rather than drill the frame] so any benefit will have to wait until the third axle, which should be a while, assuming there is no wreck and you don't use the "Logan's Run" method or a "fist test" for axle replacement.
Having a MIG welder in my shop does help, but hiring the "bolt on" method the first time would cost more labor and parts than simply having it welded on.
Still, properly done with welded brackets, the bolt on method has long term advantages for the DIY folks who can't weld, and possibly a small long term labor savings for those who hire it done.
I think 3 hours is more than needed for an average tech to weld in a new axle, but it might take me that long just to contemplate such a task these days.

[Roy in TO]

Originally Posted by floyd

hiring the "bolt on" method the first time would cost more labor and parts than simply having it welded on.

Floyd,
I'd have to look up my receipts but the brackets cost somewhere between $20 and $40. They come attached to the axle from Dexter. There should be no difference in cost for welding an axle on with or without the brackets. The key difference is, the axle only needs to be welded on once, less chance of damage to the frame or metal fatigue etc.

[Andrew Gibbens]

As it doesn't seem to get mentioned here much, it's worth pointing out that all custom-ordered rubber torsion axles can be ordered with a specific load capacity. The ranges for Dexter axles, for example, are:
#9 : 1000-2200 lbs
#10 : 2300-3500 lbs

So if you want a 2500 lb axle, you can order a #10 derated to 2500.

[Roy in TO]

Thanks for correcting me Andrew.
I knew I bought the max for my #9, so I must have a 2200 lb. I found my original axle swap post which says the original axle was 1200 Lbs, the replacement was 2200.
http://www.fiberglassrv.com/forums/f...arm-37248.html

[Harvey]

Having just replaced the axle on my '84 Scamp 13 last August, I went with the 'weld-on/bolt-on' philosophy . My original torsion arm axle had gone from either 10* or 22.5* down angle leading arm, to more'n 10* up. Had NO flex at all other than tire sidewalls . Since I wanted to add brakes (& didn't want to go to the trouble of changing to a trailing arm arrangement I just ordered the Dexter #9, 2K#, in 22.5* down, leading arm axle w/7" electric brakes. I measured my existing axle very carefully & ordered the 'weld-on' side mount brackets so the new hubs/tires/wheels would fit in the same place. Wasn't real sure of the thickness or strength of the Scamp chassis but the existing axle bracket was a 1/4 thick piece of steel angle, already welded to the chassis so I did my computations so I could merely cut off the vertical side of the angle & weld the new side mount brackets to it.

When the new axle arrived my grandson & I set the trailer on jack stands in his shop, torched off the old axle/brackets at the pre-determined line, and dressed the torch cut with a grinder. With the side mount brackets (think they were about $16 ea??) already bolted to the new axle we lifted it into place with a floor jack, squared the axle/spindles up to the frame & coupler center, clamped it in place & spot welded the new brackets to the part of the old ones still welded in place. We then unbolted the new axle from the brackets, welded them completely to the old bracket (along with a couple of small reinforcing filets at front of new bracket & chassis joint), re-bolted the new axle in place, mounted the new wheels/tires (I went from 4 on 4" wheels to 5 on 4.5" with the new hubs), hooked up to my TV & brought it home.

Even tho the trailer had towed well with the original axle, the difference was like night & day with the new one. Using part of the existing mounting bracket made it lots easier to align & install the new axle, & it'll be easy to replace 20yrs down the road

Old axle showing where we 'torched' off the bracket, & pic of new installation

[Darwin Maring]

When I changed our 5r to bolt on axle we found out that the welded on axle from the factory was not TRUE to the frame. It was off so when we installed the new axle we trued up the new axle by measuring from the front center of the hitch to each side of the axle.

The original axle was tearing away from the welded on bracket that the factory installed. The factory paid for our new axle and about 1/2 of the welding work.

[Harvey]

Originally Posted by Darwin Maring

When I changed our 5r to bolt on axle we found out that the welded on axle from the factory was not TRUE to the frame. It was off so when we installed the new axle we trued up the new axle by measuring from the front center of the hitch to each side of the axle.

The original axle was tearing away from the welded on bracket that the factory installed. The factory paid for our new axle and about 1/2 of the welding work.

That's exactly how we trued up the new axle. I've done that when building several other trailers. I always establish the 'front dead center' of the coupler & then measure from that point to the same spot on each spindle (usually either the 'live center cone' or the inner bearing journal). Surprisingly enough (to me anyway) the old axle brackets were pretty close (within 1/16") to true. That may be because the old axle was 'butted' against the lowered floor chassis which is apparently pretty true. I've encountered axle/chassis that were a lot more difficult to align properly than this one...

[floyd]

Originally Posted by Roy in TO

Floyd,
I'd have to look up my receipts but the brackets cost somewhere between $20 and $40. They come attached to the axle from Dexter. There should be no difference in cost for welding an axle on with or without the brackets. The key difference is, the axle only needs to be welded on once, less chance of damage to the frame or metal fatigue etc.

Exactly what I said. I doubt I'll ever need more than one axle replacement given our respective life expectancies (me and the axle)
Any chance of screwing up the frame or metal fatigue is either controllable or minimal, at least offset by the possibility of broken or worn bolts or wallowed out holes. Both are remote and both are viable choices.
I own a MIG and I like what amounts to an additional frame member.