Dexter Axle wheel studs
My 5th wheel has 5200lb Dexter axles with 6 wheel studs that are 1/2 x 20. On one occasion all six studs broke and I lost the right rear wheel. On three other separate occasions, I have had one or t...
Forum Discussion
Mont G&J wrote:
Too many good suggestions to reply to each poster, but I sure appreciate all of your inputs. Right now the trailer is in storage, so information will provide me a good starting point this spring. I’ve had the trailer since new in 2005, the first time I had a stud failure was 2008 on the right rear. Since then I usually break one or two on the Rt rear when I travel from Montana to Texas. This last trip the Lt rear broke one.
Some additional info that I should have supplied in my OP is; I changed the standard lug nuts to the chrome acorn type. The trailer is about two inches higher in the front. The axles are 5200 lb, and the scale weight on both is 9250, I didn’t weight each axle separately, but I should have.
You are stressing the rear axle/suspension greatly with the nose high setup. That in combination with over torqueing the lug nuts is probably causing this problem.
For best ride -the trailer frame should be level when hooked up to the tow vehicle. Trailer frame level puts the rear axle suspension in a neutral position allowing maximum suspension travel. With nose high the rear axle has very little suspension travel to absorb roadway defects before bottoming out. it is easy to see when hooked up -look at the position of the equalizers and spring hangers. Set up right on fairly level straight area -proper set-up will have the equalizer in a neutral position.
I agree with another poster in the thread - only re-torque lug nuts at 50 or so miles after install.
