Is there a life expectancy for an axle

polk county

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Jan 22, 2008
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128
I have a 15 ft. aluminum boat with a 25 hp motor and a continental trailer with a square, tube axle and 12 in tires. The axle bent and now the tires are wearing unevenly on the insides. It took 8 years and over 400 local fishing trips for the axle to finally bend. Is this a long life span for an axle? Should I replace it with a heavier duty axle? Thanks for the help.
 

H20Rat

Vice Admiral
Joined
Mar 8, 2009
Messages
5,199
Re: Is there a life expectancy for an axle

That is a fairly light load, that shouldn't have bent an axle. Axle life isn't limited by time, it usually rusts away first. If it bent, it was overloaded at some point. In your case, the boat is relatively light, but is it stored with the plug out? One good rain storm could easily drop a thousand pounds of water into the boat.
 

polk county

Petty Officer 2nd Class
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Jan 22, 2008
Messages
128
Re: Is there a life expectancy for an axle

Hit the nail on the head. There was one time where the plug was left in and the boat filled up with water. I llooked at tractor supply and say mostly round axles with the hubs already installed. It there an advantage to round axles verses the square tube?
 

lckstckn2smknbrls

Lieutenant Junior Grade
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Sep 18, 2008
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1,114
Re: Is there a life expectancy for an axle

Is it square or is the axle "U" shaped with an open bottom?
I would replace it with a 2000 lb axle.
 

polk county

Petty Officer 2nd Class
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Jan 22, 2008
Messages
128
Re: Is there a life expectancy for an axle

thanks for the reply, it is a 4 sided square tube
 

lckstckn2smknbrls

Lieutenant Junior Grade
Joined
Sep 18, 2008
Messages
1,114
Re: Is there a life expectancy for an axle

Round things are generally stronger than things of other shapes. If the axle is rated at 2000 lb's square or round won't matter.
 

MH Hawker

Vice Admiral
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Jul 13, 2011
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5,516
Re: Is there a life expectancy for an axle

well my old boat trailer was a1968 that i put around 100,000 plus miles on it all on the same axle
 
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