Forum Discussion

Draggo's avatar
Draggo
Explorer
Jun 16, 2017

Changing an Axle

Hello,

I think I have a bent axle on my dual axle trailer because on the rear tires, the insides are wearing faster than the outsides. So I've been calling a few places locally to get it done and am realizing that I can do it a lot cheaper and on my own timeline if I do it myself. I also need to do the brakes on the trailer and plan on doing that myself as well because that looks fairly simple.

So my question is how complex is it to change an axle? From the little research I've done so far it looks fairly simple, unbolt the old one and bolt the new one on. Am I missing something or is it really that simple? Should I change out the leaf springs (they are fine as far as I can tell) or just replace the axle itself? Any suggestions? Any good YouTube videos to watch on how to do it?

Thanks,
Mike
  • Turtle_n_Peeps's avatar
    Turtle_n_Peeps
    Explorer
    Jun 16, 2017
    It's really that simple.

    Some things you need to think about. If you have two floor jacks it makes things a lot more simpler. Or some REALLY GOOD jack stands.

    The nuts on most U-bolts are REALLY stuck. I mean REALLY stuck. They really weld themselves on. Some I have dealt with if not most need heat to get them off. Or I cut them off and get new ones.

    I would not get new springs; but that's just me. Good luck and have fun.
  • Ivylog's avatar
    Ivylog
    Explorer III
    Jun 16, 2017
    I would try bending the axle by jacking in the middle until it has the same amount of arch as the front one.
  • Ron3rd's avatar
    Ron3rd
    Explorer III
    Jun 16, 2017
    Very simple job if you're mechanically inclined and have the tools. Yes, you unbolt the axle and bolt a new one in.

    Remember to replace your u-bolts with new ones as they're not supposed to be re-used. Now is a good time to upgrade to wet bolts, bronze bushings, etc, but that's a discussion for another day.
  • Draggo's avatar
    Draggo
    Explorer
    Jun 16, 2017
    Thanks. I think I have all the tools that I would need to do it (jack stands, etc) and I'm fairly mechanically inclined so it doesn't sound too bad.
  • mbopp's avatar
    mbopp
    Explorer
    Jun 16, 2017
    It's good practice to replace the U-bolts when changing springs or axles. If you run into a bind for parts try Thruway Spring.
  • mbopp's avatar
    mbopp
    Explorer
    Jun 16, 2017
    Another thought - call Hawk Frame & Axle in Fairport and ask them about bending the original axle.
  • Hiking_Hunter's avatar
    Hiking_Hunter
    Explorer
    Jun 16, 2017
    I spoke with an experienced trailer repair guy (not an RV repair place, but a "real" trailer mechanic) about poor tracking in my son's 5th wheel. He said most of the time it's not the axle, but the spindle that is bent. You may want to check that first. The "axle" is just a hollow tube supporting the plate that the spindle is bolted to.

    Also, if you do replace the brakes, check out etrailer.com - they have a complete auto-adjusting replacement brake with backing plate, magnet, and all the brake parts including shoes for $50-$60 each. Five bolts and two wire connections and you're done.
  • Ron3rd's avatar
    Ron3rd
    Explorer III
    Jun 16, 2017
    ..and pull off a leaf spring and check the bushings; if they're the cheap plastic ones, you'll find that they're gone, ie, completely worn out. Good time to go with the bronze bushings and wet bolts.

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