Trailer axle upgrade
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They build a hell of a trailer.
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02-26-2013, 10:50 AM
#13
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Thanks Ill put them on the list to call.
Ziemer you right it was a very well built trailer, mine also had 8 lug 6k axles. Never broke one did loose a couple wheel bearings but after 25 years thats to be expected without repacking them..... ever
02-26-2013, 11:38 AM
#14
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So they are 5200 lb. axles under it now w/ 6 lug. I found & will probably go get these friday.
Brand new set of Dexter 5200 lb axles with disc brake setup, leaf springs, ubolts & bolt on spring mounts to bolt to the aluminum trailer. No welding required & I will have to order 2x matching wheels & tires. That will put me a little overkill at 15,600 lb axle capacity but thats ok better the better. I think.
Total cost: $525 + 40 mile trip to pick them up & a couple hour installation time. Seems like a well spent $600 & cheap insurance for the long trips.
Thanks again for all your help!
Brand new set of Dexter 5200 lb axles with disc brake setup, leaf springs, ubolts & bolt on spring mounts to bolt to the aluminum trailer. No welding required & I will have to order 2x matching wheels & tires. That will put me a little overkill at 15,600 lb axle capacity but thats ok better the better. I think.
Total cost: $525 + 40 mile trip to pick them up & a couple hour installation time. Seems like a well spent $600 & cheap insurance for the long trips.
Thanks again for all your help!
Last edited by GTOKILLER; 02-26-2013 at 11:52 AM.
02-26-2013, 11:39 AM
#15
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1. Find out the weight of the boat/trailer, and how the weight is distributed b/t the tongue and axles. I'm betting you don't have enough weight on the tongue because your engines are completely behind the axles and your bow is race boat light.
2. Find out what axles you have on the trailer. Most likely Dexter 5200 lb axles with a 4" drop.
3. If your load weight is less than 10,000 pounds on the axles, than you need to reconsider if you need to do anything with your axles.
4. If you tongue is not at least 5% of the load, you need to transfer more weight to it. 10% will pull even nicer, if your lifted truck and over-sized tires can handle that.
Right now, you want to spend money and effort on something you're not even sure is a problem. And if it is, how big a problem? You need to do more analysis first.
But, as for buying axles, get your weight needs, eye bolt measurements, drop figures, lube style, length, etc all figured out, and go to your local heavy trailer service center / Dexter dealer and order what you need. If you need to have it shipped to your home, they can be delved by UPS. It's easy. Dexter probably has their catalog in PDF on their website so you can get the part numbers you need and call around for the best price.
Oh, one other point, if you do buy axles, consider torsion axles instead of leaf springs. But that involves a bit more engineering to specify the axle you need.
2. Find out what axles you have on the trailer. Most likely Dexter 5200 lb axles with a 4" drop.
3. If your load weight is less than 10,000 pounds on the axles, than you need to reconsider if you need to do anything with your axles.
4. If you tongue is not at least 5% of the load, you need to transfer more weight to it. 10% will pull even nicer, if your lifted truck and over-sized tires can handle that.
Right now, you want to spend money and effort on something you're not even sure is a problem. And if it is, how big a problem? You need to do more analysis first.
But, as for buying axles, get your weight needs, eye bolt measurements, drop figures, lube style, length, etc all figured out, and go to your local heavy trailer service center / Dexter dealer and order what you need. If you need to have it shipped to your home, they can be delved by UPS. It's easy. Dexter probably has their catalog in PDF on their website so you can get the part numbers you need and call around for the best price.
Oh, one other point, if you do buy axles, consider torsion axles instead of leaf springs. But that involves a bit more engineering to specify the axle you need.
02-26-2013, 11:50 AM
#16
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1. Find out the weight of the boat/trailer, and how the weight is distributed b/t the tongue and axles. I'm betting you don't have enough weight on the tongue because your engines are completely behind the axles and your bow is race boat light.
2. Find out what axles you have on the trailer. Most likely Dexter 5200 lb axles with a 4" drop.
3. If your load weight is less than 10,000 pounds on the axles, than you need to reconsider if you need to do anything with your axles.
4. If you tongue is not at least 5% of the load, you need to transfer more weight to it. 10% will pull even nicer, if your lifted truck and over-sized tires can handle that.
Right now, you want to spend money and effort on something you're not even sure is a problem. And if it is, how big a problem? You need to do more analysis first.
But, as for buying axles, get your weight needs, eye bolt measurements, drop figures, lube style, length, etc all figured out, and go to your local heavy trailer service center / Dexter dealer and order what you need. If you need to have it shipped to your home, they can be delved by UPS. It's easy. Dexter probably has their catalog in PDF on their website so you can get the part numbers you need and call around for the best price.
Oh, one other point, if you do buy axles, consider torsion axles instead of leaf springs. But that involves a bit more engineering to specify the axle you need.
2. Find out what axles you have on the trailer. Most likely Dexter 5200 lb axles with a 4" drop.
3. If your load weight is less than 10,000 pounds on the axles, than you need to reconsider if you need to do anything with your axles.
4. If you tongue is not at least 5% of the load, you need to transfer more weight to it. 10% will pull even nicer, if your lifted truck and over-sized tires can handle that.
Right now, you want to spend money and effort on something you're not even sure is a problem. And if it is, how big a problem? You need to do more analysis first.
But, as for buying axles, get your weight needs, eye bolt measurements, drop figures, lube style, length, etc all figured out, and go to your local heavy trailer service center / Dexter dealer and order what you need. If you need to have it shipped to your home, they can be delved by UPS. It's easy. Dexter probably has their catalog in PDF on their website so you can get the part numbers you need and call around for the best price.
Oh, one other point, if you do buy axles, consider torsion axles instead of leaf springs. But that involves a bit more engineering to specify the axle you need.
I was thinking about upgrading to torsion my 24' cover trailer has those & bounces way less!!
The main reason I want to change the set up is the front axle is slightly bent from a previous owner so that needs to be replaced anyway. I put heavier duty tires on it in TX were I bought it, blew 3 on my way back to MI (bent axle). It still looks like the wheels, tires, axles are struggling whenever its turning which I understand is normal just seems excessive.
The ones I have now are strait 5200 not 4" drop. 3" tube disc brake 93" wheel center 2" x 24" springs
02-26-2013, 12:35 PM
#17
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Sounds like you know the specs on your current axles. EZ-Lube spindle or normal? Can't address the excessive struggling in turns without seeing it, but will agree that it looks awful when you have to turn the trailer tight at slow speeds. I live on a cul-d-sac, and can only leave my driveway with the trailer going that direction due to the mailbox. So I have to do a 180 every time, and it looks awful on the tires and hubs and springs and bearings to see how deformed the tires are while doing that. But everything is rated for the weight, and they come through fine.
Another point to consider: tire PSI and loads. Tires run coolest when fully inflated. But, they ride harder and bounce more that way. If you don't need the third axle for the load, but you get it for the redundancy, and you inflate your tires fully for the blowout-prevention that provides, you'll be giving your boat a rougher ride then its gotten in the past. Not sure the ride harshness is linear, but if it is, then 50% rougher ride than before.
You may need a third axle, but if that trailer was spec'ed for that boat, maybe not. Either way, you're guessing in the dark without actual weights and weight-distribution to guide your decision.
Oh, and I should have mentioned before, that is a great looking boat.
I too had to replace a front axle on my trailer due to a bend in the spindle. It was very easy to do in the driveway with a floor jack, 4" angle grinder to cut the old U bolts, and basic tools. I was expecting it to be a half day project, and took maybe a couple of hours.
Another point to consider: tire PSI and loads. Tires run coolest when fully inflated. But, they ride harder and bounce more that way. If you don't need the third axle for the load, but you get it for the redundancy, and you inflate your tires fully for the blowout-prevention that provides, you'll be giving your boat a rougher ride then its gotten in the past. Not sure the ride harshness is linear, but if it is, then 50% rougher ride than before.
You may need a third axle, but if that trailer was spec'ed for that boat, maybe not. Either way, you're guessing in the dark without actual weights and weight-distribution to guide your decision.
Oh, and I should have mentioned before, that is a great looking boat.
I too had to replace a front axle on my trailer due to a bend in the spindle. It was very easy to do in the driveway with a floor jack, 4" angle grinder to cut the old U bolts, and basic tools. I was expecting it to be a half day project, and took maybe a couple of hours.
02-26-2013, 12:51 PM
#18
Torsion
Thought I read on Tie-down Eng. website literature, that 3 axle torsion were not recommended. Any truth to this?
Found it:
Torsion Axles - Can I use 3 Torsion axles under my trailer?
Tie Down Engineering and other major axle manufacturers do not recommend triple Torsion axle applications.
Torsion axles are totally independent and are not equalized like a typical leaf spring set of axles. Torsion axles
have many benefits over spring axles but they do not have the ability to transfer loads from one axle to another as
in a spring axle set that has equalizers between the spring mounts. The entire load of the trailer can be put on one
torsion axle when hitting a pothole, curb, uneven surface, railroad tracks or speed bumps. Rear axles can experience
overload on boat ramps where a rear tire drops off the end of the ramp and the full load of a wet boat and tow
vehicle is placed on the one axle. The weight transfer can be exaggerated even more if the trailer is not towed
level. Even though the overload may be short lived, it isn’t reasonable to expect one axle to carry the entire load of
three axles when these conditions occur.
Found it:
Torsion Axles - Can I use 3 Torsion axles under my trailer?
Tie Down Engineering and other major axle manufacturers do not recommend triple Torsion axle applications.
Torsion axles are totally independent and are not equalized like a typical leaf spring set of axles. Torsion axles
have many benefits over spring axles but they do not have the ability to transfer loads from one axle to another as
in a spring axle set that has equalizers between the spring mounts. The entire load of the trailer can be put on one
torsion axle when hitting a pothole, curb, uneven surface, railroad tracks or speed bumps. Rear axles can experience
overload on boat ramps where a rear tire drops off the end of the ramp and the full load of a wet boat and tow
vehicle is placed on the one axle. The weight transfer can be exaggerated even more if the trailer is not towed
level. Even though the overload may be short lived, it isn’t reasonable to expect one axle to carry the entire load of
three axles when these conditions occur.
Last edited by 97FASTech; 02-26-2013 at 01:04 PM.
02-26-2013, 07:44 PM
#19
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iTrader: (5)
Untill last year Triple axles Torsion was NOT recommened but tons of manufactures used them anyways.
Dexter has a NEW TRIPLE TORSION 7K that is designed to be used on triple axle trailers. Hard to find online but call Dexter and they will give you the updated info.
OP, sounds like you made a great choice, looking forward to hearing the results!
Dexter has a NEW TRIPLE TORSION 7K that is designed to be used on triple axle trailers. Hard to find online but call Dexter and they will give you the updated info.
OP, sounds like you made a great choice, looking forward to hearing the results!
02-26-2013, 08:09 PM
#20
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Sounds like you know the specs on your current axles. EZ-Lube spindle or normal? Can't address the excessive struggling in turns without seeing it, but will agree that it looks awful when you have to turn the trailer tight at slow speeds. I live on a cul-d-sac, and can only leave my driveway with the trailer going that direction due to the mailbox. So I have to do a 180 every time, and it looks awful on the tires and hubs and springs and bearings to see how deformed the tires are while doing that. But everything is rated for the weight, and they come through fine.
Another point to consider: tire PSI and loads. Tires run coolest when fully inflated. But, they ride harder and bounce more that way. If you don't need the third axle for the load, but you get it for the redundancy, and you inflate your tires fully for the blowout-prevention that provides, you'll be giving your boat a rougher ride then its gotten in the past. Not sure the ride harshness is linear, but if it is, then 50% rougher ride than before.
You may need a third axle, but if that trailer was spec'ed for that boat, maybe not. Either way, you're guessing in the dark without actual weights and weight-distribution to guide your decision.
Oh, and I should have mentioned before, that is a great looking boat.
I too had to replace a front axle on my trailer due to a bend in the spindle. It was very easy to do in the driveway with a floor jack, 4" angle grinder to cut the old U bolts, and basic tools. I was expecting it to be a half day project, and took maybe a couple of hours.
Another point to consider: tire PSI and loads. Tires run coolest when fully inflated. But, they ride harder and bounce more that way. If you don't need the third axle for the load, but you get it for the redundancy, and you inflate your tires fully for the blowout-prevention that provides, you'll be giving your boat a rougher ride then its gotten in the past. Not sure the ride harshness is linear, but if it is, then 50% rougher ride than before.
You may need a third axle, but if that trailer was spec'ed for that boat, maybe not. Either way, you're guessing in the dark without actual weights and weight-distribution to guide your decision.
Oh, and I should have mentioned before, that is a great looking boat.
I too had to replace a front axle on my trailer due to a bend in the spindle. It was very easy to do in the driveway with a floor jack, 4" angle grinder to cut the old U bolts, and basic tools. I was expecting it to be a half day project, and took maybe a couple of hours.
First off thank you! its my first cat I hope I like it.
Im starting to rethink & just replace the bent one & run it for a season. I have no idea if the trailer was made for the boat or just stuck on there, seems to fit perfect but who knows. As u mentioned earlier the tongue weight seems about perfect maybe a little light but I never get any tail sway so it should work. I put new tires on it about 1200 miles ago & used the recommended PSI as per the tire. But your right the flex & look terrible, guess as long as they pull strait & dont shake they will be ok.
As far as changing the axles im not to worried about it I have a large shop with tons of tools. I built the airbag lift on the orange truck above from scratch in my shop because I could only buy a 18" lift so I built a 24" airbag lift it was a challenge but well worth it!! Thanks again you brought up a lot of good points I had overlooked.
