bent axel on trailer

[redone]

I have a 89 cajan trailer aprox 20ft(true trail) with a cajan maverick 16ft bass boat 115 marineer. now the axle has a definite bow in it aprox 1 1/2 -2" in the middle .tires are wearing on inside .can this be fixed or do i neeed a new axle ? was it made this way? thanks in advance russell

 

[DJ]

Re: bent axel on trailer

I assume the bow is downward?<br /><br />Have you loosened and retightened the spring to axle clamps to see if it changes?

 

[Silvertip]

Re: bent axel on trailer

This is a classic case of a sprung axle. Check the ID plate on the trailer for its capacity. Too much weight on a light axle or weak springs will cause this problem. Axles when new have an upward bow so the tires actually tow in at the bottom. The axle can be straightened, but it will likely bend again unless reinforced. The option is to replace it. By 1989 most trailer manufacturers had begun using better quality axles but sometimes trailers get overloaded and this is the result.

 

[Jzervos]

Re: bent axel on trailer

I had the same problem recently, my trailer was old and had more than just a bent axle. If I wanted to replace the axle, the cost would have been about $100, plus labor. I have a 16ft boat that weighs about 1500lb, the trailer easily handled the weight, but I am always putting in saltwater. The axle had been rusting from the inside out, and was in bad shape.

 

[redone]

Re: bent axel on trailer

found out why axelis bent (bowed) compaired it to an axle at tractor suply and the new one has the same bow if the axle was under the springs it would work better .

 

[Silvertip]

Re: bent axel on trailer

Whether the axle is above or below the spring makes no difference. It still carries the load the same way. Most axles are made to be "over" or "under slung" and are built with an upward bow. They can't simply be flipped if spring perches are welded on. Some square tube axles are straight and have a hole for the spring center bolt so those could be flipped and mounted above or below the spring. It is possible that at some point someone replaced the axle with the wrong type or simply installed the current axle with the bow down instead of up. Is this a round axle, square, or a "U" channel.

 

[redone]

Re: bent axel on trailer

this is a round tube and is the origanal axle. it seems to match the tractor suply axle for under spring mounting. but is moumted above the springs. fliping it over would require changeing the pins in the spring that locate the axle but it dose seem to be an under slung axle. also a oversprung axle with the same bow would probly hit my hull when springs compressed. so i'm guessing that this was done intentionaly to keep the trailer low to the deck (this is a drive on trailer)