Re: odd ball spindles, sell trailer or machine new hubs?
I'm in southern NJ, I just priced a 48" square tube axle for a boat trailer here and was told for a hub to hub axle, no bearing buddies, no springs, and no hardware would be $328 and they have to order it. Almost no one will build an axle due to liability and insurance issues here.
I priced four trailer centers and two marina boat stores and all were within a few bucks. If I had bought the new axle, the costs would be more than a new trailer in a hurry.
This is what the trailer place down the road wanted just for parts:
$328 - Axle
$32 - U bolt kit (4 u bolts and tie plate)
$20 - 9/16 spring bolts
$70 - two slipper springs, 1000lb each
$38 - (Old axle had Sure Lube spindles).
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$488 total,
$29 Plus 6% sales tax
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$517 total, not counting my time and labor.
The whole trailer only cost $550 brand new 5 years ago.
I ended up buying two 1" spindles online, about $40 total, and a length of 1 5/8" galvanized square tubing for $58 at the steel supplier, I found two good used hubs at a local junk yard, I bought new Timken bearings online for $40 shipped, and four new U bolts for $32 at the local spring shop. I also bought two Red Eye bearing covers for $24 at Walmart I built my own axle for $194 total. Plus my time and gas running around. If I wasn't in somewhat of a hurry to get it done this summer, I'm sure I could have sat back and sooner or later found some items cheaper either online or at any of the local flea markets each spring. Even at that, I'd be hard pressed to get the cost down to $150 for all the parts. I didn't have to buy two new hubs, only one was really bad, but both were pretty rough looking from saltwater use.
I did drill and fill this axle with Boeshield so maybe it'll last longer than the original.
The original axle wasn't very well waterproofed, there were gaps in the welds around the spindles and both spring center holes were drilled on top clear through into the tube, which no doubt filled up and held water for long periods of time after every launch.
This axle is water tight, galvanized, and coated inside to prevent rust.