Breaking Axles

[Greta Gorsuch]

Hi, I am new to this forum, and have owned my teardrop (made by an individual in a neighboring state just last October) for less than a year. I bought it new. I love the teardrop but there have been so many problems with it and now I fear I can no longer use it, nor sell it. The problem I am most concerned about are the axles, which are spindle axles, rated for 930 pounds ( my teardrop weighs 940 pounds I checked it at a truck stop last week). Both axles keep bending, particularly the left. The top edge of the tire then bends inwards towards the trailer. On a busy highway in Arkansas last June the tire finally committed suicide against the side of the trailer and I had a blowout. I replaced both axles (the left axle was truly good and broken) and now the axles are bending again. The trailer service guy here has no idea why they would. We could go up to a 1300 lb rated axle but he thinks it could shake the teardrop apart. The maker will not answer my contacts but with an earlier problem (it leaked like a sieve) he asked me "what did you do to it?" and said "we've never had this problem before."

Please advise me on how to correct the problems with the axles.

[Leon]

I assume since you mention separate axles that you have torsion units. You could go with the heavier unit (it won't shake your trailer apart) or replace them with a solid axle and tune the suspension with the springs. Get that detail worked out and you'll love it.

[MOKI SEAKER]

Hi Greta, don't sell your tear, sounds like you use it a lot. I live in Utah so I can't help much. But I am sure one of the fellow's in Texas would be glad to help. You might also try sending pictures. I think the reason we all like these trailers is the fact that they are so easy to fix. Tks teach. Jim G

[Greta Gorsuch]

Hello to you both, and thank you. Yes the current axles are independent torsion. The next rated-up axle is 1300 pounds. Are you quite sure this won't damage the teardrop body by giving it a stiffer ride? It's a woodie. I disturbs me a little, too, that axles rated for 930 pounds are bending with a trailer only a little more than that. I would have though they would be engineered to take a few more pounds.

On the option of putting in a through-and-through axle, how do I even begin? I thought of that too, because everyone I've talked to assumed that's what I had to begin with.

How do I find someone not too far away who can work with me on this? The local RV repair guys won't work on it. The other guy at the trailer repair place said he could do some refitting but that would add 200-300 pounds to it, which means I won't be able to pull the teardrop with my car (rated for 1100 pounds).

I do love the teardrop but it has become a hole for money, problems, and worry. I travel in a lot of remote areas (well ALL of west Texas is remote) and don't want anything major to happen way out there. The first time the axle broke I was lucky to be in Arkansas. I was still stuck there two days and two nights.

Any commentary or information would be most welcome on how to make the axles safe!

[S. Heisley]

Hi, Greta:

It might be that the trailer doesn't have enough cross support members built into the chassis. If so, the axle is doing double work. If the axle broke or bent from its dual duty, that might cause an unnoticed slump in the cabin body which could be enough to cause things to start to pull apart and allow water leakage.

I don't think it would hurt to bolt in a couple 2x4's parallel to the axles (but not too close) and see if that helps. If it works, it would be a cheap and fairly easy remedy. Without seeing it, nobody but you or your mechanic can really say for sure. If you decide to try this, remember to check the underside regularly for damage to both the wooden 2x4's and the axle until you are certain that this has resolved the problem. Also, it's best to treat the added wood with roofing tar or a good boat grade epoxy to protect it from rot.

If you could lay on your back on an old blanket or tarp or put it up on a mechanic's rack and get a couple pictures of the underside to post here, maybe folks would see the problem and offer more suggestions.

Just a thought....

Another thought: The cabin may weigh 940 pounds but, if you're carrying a lot of things inside, they add weight. Also, let's say you weigh 160(?) lbs. Add that to the 940 and you have 1100 pounds on that axle. If you've got to replace the axle anyway, a stronger one would be the way to go.

[Greta Gorsuch]

Greetings, and thank you Sharon. This really makes a lot of sense to me. I got onto the maker's website where they show the chassis without the teardrop on top and I noted the lack of cross supports (like I'm an expert!).

The 940 pounds was what it weighed at the truck stop with bedding, etc. in it. The water tank was empty. It is true that lately, when I get into it ('I'm not QUITE 160 lbs) the trailer seems to flex and make a little protest sound, like a little "crack!"

I will take this back into the trailer guy with everyone's comments! AND get pictures to post.

Sincerely, Greta

[S. Heisley]

Greta wrote:

The 940 pounds was what it weighed at the truck stop with bedding, etc. in it. The water tank was empty. It is true that lately, when I get into it ('I'm not QUITE 160 lbs) the trailer seems to flex and make a little protest sound, like a little "crack!"

No, I just picked a number for the weight...don't even know what you look like. It was just easier to calculate and have the poundage come out even. But, add in some extra clothes, a jacket, a water bottle, good book, flashlight, and some water in that tank(9 lbs per gallon) and the trailer might be getting up near that.

This may be stretching things; but, the previous owners may not have had a problem because there were two(?) people sleeping in it and each slept closer to the sides. If just one person is sleeping the middle.... It could maybe make a difference, especially if the axle is already stressed.

Good Luck with your fix!

[Rigsby]

I would deffinately go for the uprated axle units and a couple of extra cross members. As lower rated suspension units never last long at there rated weight.In my experience, building cargo trailers, it shouldnt shake about as you will be over 50% of the axle rating. Even still you could reduce the tyre pressures slightly
steve

[MOKI SEAKER]

I really don't think a full axle and springs are going to weight 300#. you don't need brakes on the Tear and I can lift my axle and tires by myself, and I am an old man. With the springs on maybe 100#. The guys from East Texas are at a gathering this week-end but should be on this site by monday. If you are in East Texas? Jim G

[looped]

i was at northern tool in bedford today getting a spare wheel and spare mounting u bolt and they have everything there for mounting a leaf spring setup onto a trailer.. the axle was maybe 30 lbs and the springs were something like 5 lbs each. the shackles all together probably weigh another 2lbs.

i was glancing at the leaf springs and they have some there that were rated at 960, 1300 and 1500. there were more there than i looked at though.

i guess get the materials and find a welder to put them on and you will be set i gather.

[Greta Gorsuch]

I can't tell you how helpful these comments and observations have been. I am calling my trailer guy tomorrow and hope to take the teardrop in, along with everyone's comments, Tuesday. I hope to accomplish two things: Get the 1300 pound rated axles put in, and put at least one cross support in. That second might be ticklish to do. We shall see. While they have my little woodie up on jacks I'll nip under and get pictures and then post them.

I loved taking the teardrop from West Texas to as far east as Pittsburgh last summer. Then all the axle trouble started (in Arkansas on the way back home--even though the leaking, possibly caused by lack of cross support, started the previous May). Since then I've despaired of taking it on longer trips again. What is life for, if not to drive around seeing new country with a teardrop?

[George Kraus]

I would put on a solid Torsion Axle. I have one on my tear (under construction) and another on a Utility trailer I retrofit one to. A neighbor borrowed the utility a couple of months ago, I have a 2200# rated Dexter, and the trailer empty goes 400#. He said that was the smoothest riding trailer when empty that he has ever experienced. I had been thinking the same thing, but I am partial to a torsion axle. If you go this route it is the same as adding a cross member and they are made for the trailer dimensions. Just a thought.

George

[brian_bp]

I agree with George. If the problem is that the trailer's structure is bending (good analysis there!) buying both sides of the suspension as a single unit with its own steel tube running across the trailer is the simple and efficient solution to the problem... if you can get one of the right track width (distance between the tire centres). Unless there is a dropped floor section between the suspension units which would interfere with the cross tube, a choice in track width is the only reason to consider the separate suspension units (despite their popularity in among members in this forum).

Of course, this trailer is already built with mounting points for the separate suspension units, and it may be easier to patch it up with extra frame crossmembers than to adapt to the type of suspension it should have had in the first place... and again, the right width of suspension may not be readily available.

[Esteban]

A solid axle will not weigh as much as you fear. My Dexter #9 torsion axle with brakes made for a 5' 1" wide trailer frame weighed about 104 pounds on a digital bathroom scale. Your individual axles probably each bolt onto a flat mounting plate attached to each side of your trailer frame. I'd think a continuous torsion axle could probably be bolted to the same mounting plates. You might need new bolt holes to be drilled into the mounting plates for the continuous axle to attach to them.

What kind of trailer frame do you have? Tubing. Angle. C channel. Is the frame covered or exposed?

HTH a little

[starleen2]

A solid axle will not weigh as much as you fear. ...weighed about 104 pounds on a digital bathroom scale. . . I'd think a continuous torsion axle could probably be bolted to the same mounting plates. . .

Unless you are faced with a vehical towing requirement of about 1500 lbs, the addition of the above mentioned axle should solve the problem. There is a difference however in total weight versus sprung weight - so that addition of the solid axel only factors into the total weight