Your thoughts on bent axle

[Proselect]

I have a bent axle on my boat trailer and is wearing the insides of the trailer tires. With the boat on the trailer with not much stuff in it it is bowed down in the middle when checking it with a straight level. The gvwr for the trailer is 2650. I have on it a 16 foot sylvan pro select aluminum fishing boat with a 112 evinrude on it. My father in law has a very similar boat and the same exact trailer and we load it up to the gills and travel places and he never has tire wear issues. My questions are: How do these axles get bent like this? Can it be repaired? Is total replacement the only answer?

 

[BaileysBoat]

Re: Your thoughts on bent axle

Get an opinion from a trailer shop. Might be possible to straighten and align.

There are other possibilities to account for tire wear. Are the bearings adjusted correctly, and tire pressures?

Many axles have a bow from the factory.

If you choose to replace the axle check this out.

http://www.championtrailers.com/spdlubax.html#axle_order

 

[Proselect]

Re: Your thoughts on bent axle

The tires were worn this way when i got the trailer. He had just repacked the bearings and now they are tight. He also moved the boat forward on the trailer to put more weight on the tongue instead of the wheels. He said it swayed pretty bad. Now that the boat is moved forward it pulls great even at 70. You can't tell its back there. I know some axles come with a bow in them, but they are bowed up in the middle and straighten out with weight and force on them. Mine is bowed down in the middle, which would wear more on the insides. I am going to sandblast and repaint the trailer this spring and I would like to fix the problem then thinking that would be the best time. I did replace the tires when I bought the boat and I have about 200 miles on them I would think. So far they look good. I have a buddy's dad who works at a trailer factory coming over to give his opinion and, if the price is right, I will just replace it I guess. Any other thoughts?

 

[lckstckn2smknbrls]

Re: Your thoughts on bent axle

The axle may have been installed wrong from the factory or has been replaced before and installed wrong at that time. See if you can flip the axle over.

 

[Proselect]

Re: Your thoughts on bent axle

The axle has the spindels welded to the top so it is definately in right and you cannot flip it. I thought about the same thing but not the issue.

I got talking to a guy today that said the tubes on those things are relatively thin and can bend pretty easy. He told me you can sometimes straighten them out and see how it goes for a while and if it tends to bow again then it needs replacement. I also thought about straigtening it and putting in a reinforcment of some kind to stiffen it up.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Your thoughts on bent axle

I would just buy a new axle and be done with it.

 

[Pez Vela]

Re: Your thoughts on bent axle

I would just buy a new axle and be done with it.

x2

I paid good money to straighten a bent 5,000# axle and it just bent again, in short order I might add. Unless you can do the straightening yourself, straightening a trailer axle is probably a false economy.

 

[Seon]

Re: Your thoughts on bent axle

I replaced my 5000lb axle for $125 new and did the work myself....piece of cake.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Your thoughts on bent axle

There are lots of places on-line where you can order a new axle. Just a few measurements is all you need and the web site shows you how. Champion Trailer is one, Northern Tool is another. Be sure you order one that has the proper load capacity.

 

[Proselect]

Re: Your thoughts on bent axle

The trailer is a shorelandr. The gvwr is 2650 and the load capacity is 2000 pounds. Does that mean it has a 2000 pound axle or bigger? I would rather go a little bigger and be safe than put another one in it like there was. Is there such a thing as going too big when it comes to replacing an axle?

My buddy's dad works for Karavan trailers and he is currently on the road delivering boat trailers and setting them up. My buddy told me he will stop by when he gets back and give me some advice and I will see what he can do for me on an axle.

 

[kend301]

Re: Your thoughts on bent axle

I agree , for like 150.00 replace the axle , go with a 3000lb axle for a few extra bucks and never have the problem again . Also when you remove the axle check the center bolts on the springs , if you break one of those it will allow the axle to move .

 

[Proselect]

Re: Your thoughts on bent axle

If I replace the axle I will probably replace the springs as well as long as I am in there. The trailer is about 15 years old as far as I know. I could sure fix it up for a lot cheaper than replacing it, thats for sure.

 

[Proselect]

Re: Your thoughts on bent axle

Now after really taking a harder look at the axle while laying under the trailer I have noticed a few things. First off the U-bolts have little to no rust on them. The trailer tube is still black with no rust, but the hubs did have some rust on them last summer so I painted them. The springs are rusty however. This makes me think the axle has been replaced before. Now I have to question if the previous owner replaced it because the tires were wearing goofy and just left those tires on it. I was measuring up the axle for a new one and ran across some interesting numbers. The axle I am looking at is a 3700lbs axle with a 2x2 beam. The one have in the trailer is 2x3. When looking at the axles on the website to buy new ones, the 2x3 axles are all rated at 5k to 6k lbs. Now I am confused, I wish I new how to get ahold of the previous owner to ask him whats up, not that he would for sure tell me the truth. Can you guys give me some sure fire ways to test if this thing is bent or not? Maybe I should snap some pictures this weekend and post them?

 

[Pez Vela]

Re: Your thoughts on bent axle

Can you guys give me some sure fire ways to test if this thing is bent or not?

Nothing I'm going to say is "sure fire," but having been through this before, I would suggest that you use your level and place it vertically along side each of your trailer rims/tires and have a look see. That's where the rubber meets the road, so to speak.

 

[Proselect]

Re: Your thoughts on bent axle

Nothing I'm going to say is "sure fire," but having been through this before, I would suggest that you use your level and place it vertically along side each of your trailer rims/tires and have a look see. That's where the rubber meets the road, so to speak.

I might try that and measure against the rim, but you cannot do it against the tire. Tires always are wider and bulge at the bottom where they sit on the ground and if measuring the tire from the side will give you a false camber reading. It has to be measured of the rim or hub.

 

[smokeonthewater]

Re: Your thoughts on bent axle

you want "sure fire" take it to an allignment shop and ask them to check camber and toe

Or for a couple hundred bucks pick up a new axle and head for the lake

you already know you have probs with the old one and straightening is less than ideal..... pick up a 3500 lb axle and be done with it

 

[jeffnick]

Re: Your thoughts on bent axle

Any money you spend on the 'bent' axle will be wasted. Get a new one.