Axle/ spindle advise

[chartersj]

I have an aluminum tandem venture trailer for my 26ft boat which I have had on going issues with the axles on it since I bought it 2 years ago. The spindles were shot, the races where chewed up and letting water into the hubs every use. So end of last year i bought 2 new complete axles and hubs ready to bolt on from a local trailer shop. They had made in China on them but the shop reassured me he has been using them for a long time without issues. They were rated for 3500lbs each but after using it a few times the axles are clearly over rated. Looking down the side of the trailer the tops are leaning in and bottoms out. Also i use this trailer in salt water and the axles are painted steel not galvanized. I still have the axles I took off and considering using them again, but wondering if it's possible to cut the old spindles off and weld new ones on or can you change the races where the seals ride?

 

[blamtro]

If its just the seal running surface, get a speedi sleeve to repair each spindle.

 

[Starcraft5834]

get rid of them and install proper axles to handle your load.......nothing worse than having old, faulty or over loaded axle(s). I've been there... i installed new axles with proper load capasity on the V hull I use to have....after installing new axle nexer had a problem again... welding something up.. or messing around with your current rig which is problematic only seems like folly to me...........you indicate your current rig is causing tires to toe in.......wear problems.. or your axles may have been installed upside down. axles properly installed have a "cambre" offset or pitch of a few degrees, so when the load is applied it's level, flip it over 180 degrees... if your axles were installed correctly and you still sag causing tires to toe in,, get new axles

 

[Silvertip]

Are you certain the trailer is not overloaded? Two 3500# axles does not mean you can haul 7000#. The rating is GVWR (gross vehicle weight rating). This means the all up weight including the trailer weight and everything in or on the boat (fuel, adult beverages, gear, etc) must be included in the weight. Weight the rig two determine if overweight is the issue.

 

[chartersj]

get rid of them and install proper axles to handle your load.......nothing worse than having old, faulty or over loaded axle(s). I've been there... i installed new axles with proper load capasity on the V hull I use to have....after installing new axle nexer had a problem again... welding something up.. or messing around with your current rig which is problematic only seems like folly to me...........you indicate your current rig is causing tires to toe in.......wear problems.. or your axles may have been installed upside down. axles properly installed have a "cambre" offset or pitch of a few degrees, so when the load is applied it's level, flip it over 180 degrees... if your axles were installed correctly and you still sag causing tires to toe in,, get new axles

And that is exactly why I bought new complete axles because I didn't want to have to be worried about it...and still having problems lol.
I have wondered about my axles being upside down. When I picked them up from the shop the leaf springs were already on the axles. I put the axles in myself and it does seem like the bow to the axles is down causing the tires to look tilted in

 

[chartersj]

Are you certain the trailer is not overloaded? Two 3500# axles does not mean you can haul 7000#. The rating is GVWR (gross vehicle weight rating). This means the all up weight including the trailer weight and everything in or on the boat (fuel, adult beverages, gear, etc) must be included in the weight. Weight the rig two determine if overweight is the issue.

The original venture axles where rated at 3500lbs as well and held the boat up fine, I only changed them out because the seal running surfaces where chewed up bad. I have tried to put a picture on here to show but it will not upload

 

[chartersj]

If its just the seal running surface, get a speedi sleeve to repair each spindle.

Thanks I wasn't aware of these repair sleeves. I may end up doing this if my new hubs fit the old axles

 

[Silvertip]

If you installed the axles with the bow down, you installed them incorrectly. The axles should curve upward so under load the wheels will be straight/

 

[chartersj]

If you installed the axles with the bow down, you installed them incorrectly. The axles should curve upward so under load the wheels will be straight/

That is what I am wondering. I was never told about the bow when I picked them up. And the new springs were already installed on the axles when I picked them up from the shop. I know there is a pin on the top of the spring packs, can you just flip the springs to the other side of the axle?

 

[Starcraft5834]

That is what I am wondering. I was never told about the bow when I picked them up. And the new springs were already installed on the axles when I picked them up from the shop. I know there is a pin on the top of the spring packs, can you just flip the springs to the other side of the axle?

YES.. removed the boltsn U bolts and plate and flip the axle 180 degrees... use jack stands under the rig after you jack it up.. i used jack stands and I used blocks from the ground up,, just in case the jack stands fail the rig wont fall on you and potentially kill u....

 

[Silvertip]

The term for an axle with a bow in it is called a "cambered" axle.

 

[chartersj]

I looked at my axles and they have a flat spot on the bottom for where the springs are mounted. The axles are round. So I don't see how I could flip them without modifying them

 

[ahicks]

The axles need to be mounted with the "bow" going in the up direction. Period, no exceptions.

You mention the springs are mounted on the "flat" side. That's probably as it should be, but consider the arch on those springs can probably be installed pointing up or down, with spring located below the axle or above?

Point being, you may have received the wrong axles for your application. The axle can be ordered with the spring perch above or below the axle. There's an outside chance a decent trailer repair facility, or a good welder that knows trailers, can fix what you have going on without replacing the axles.

 

[Alumarine]

The last axle I bought had spring perch's on both the upper and lower part of the axle to provide options.
As ahicks said you can buy perch's and get them welded on the other side.

Can you post pictures of your setup?

 

[chartersj]

The last axle I bought had spring perch's on both the upper and lower part of the axle to provide options.
As ahicks said you can buy perch's and get them welded on the other side.

Can you post pictures of your setup?

I have tried to add a picture multiple times and it just tells me "unknown error"

 

[achris]

I have tried to add a picture multiple times and it just tells me "unknown error"

Your pictures are too big. Try reducing the size. That should fix that problem.

The problem with the new axles is 3 words, "Made in China".... You probably paid half what you would have for a quality product, and that's why you got rubbish.

Chris.....

 

[chartersj]

Your pictures are too big. Try reducing the size. That should fix that problem.

The problem with the new axles is 3 words, "Made in China".... You probably paid half what you would have for a quality product, and that's why you got rubbish.

Chris.....

Yep. Should of left them there and got them from the manufacturer. Lesson learned.