Axles - Escape Trailer Owners Community
Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×

Go Back   Escape Trailer Owners Community > Escape Tech > Maintenance, Winterizing and Routine Care
Click Here to Login
Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
 
Old 02-04-2018, 03:41 PM   #1
Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: Gulf Coast, Mississippi
Trailer: 2014 Escape 21
Posts: 52
Axles

I have been looking the trailer over for a few weeks now. After reading about the tender axles on these trailers and the pains some say changing the tires are I actually looked at my axles. My axles under the 21 are more square than round and they have to be able to withstand the torsion springs/rods inside them to support the weight of the trailer. My question is:

Does anyone seriously think jacking the wheel up under the axle where it is supported by the frame will damage it? If the tubing was that thin/fragile I don't see how it could survive being towed at 75 MPH over the roads we have in this country.

If that is the case how do you jack it up to remove all four tires for replacement?
Snuffy2 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-04-2018, 03:52 PM   #2
Senior Member
 
AKCamper's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: Juneau, Alaska
Trailer: 2016 Escape 19
Posts: 555
I haven’t looked at our axles that closely, but we have a trailer aid to lift our trailer. If I wanted all four wheels off the ground I wouldn’t try to pick by the axles I would use the frame with a jack and use jack stands.
AKCamper is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-04-2018, 04:04 PM   #3
Senior Member
 
gbaglo's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: North Vancouver, British Columbia
Trailer: 2009 Escape 17B 2020 Toyota Highlander XLE
Posts: 17,136
Not sure why you need all four wheels off the ground at the same time. If you are rotating tires, Reace says to rotated front to back and back to front, not side to side.
__________________
What happens to the hole when the cheese is gone?
- Bertolt Brecht
gbaglo is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-04-2018, 05:53 PM   #4
Senior Member
 
Eggscape's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: Kelowna, British Columbia
Trailer: 2018 Escape 19
Posts: 2,716
Most people I think just change one wheel at a time...however I see if your taking all four in to get new rubber (and not the trailer) that this may be the case.
My last trailer had the same axles and it is plenty strong where it attaches to the frame to be put on blocks or jacked. Did it many times for brakes and bearing checks.
__________________
So many modifications...so little time.

https://www.escapeforum.org/forums/f8...ape-12918.html
Eggscape is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-04-2018, 07:01 PM   #5
Senior Member
 
Kent's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2016
Location: Bozeman, Montana
Trailer: 2018 5.0TA / 2018 GMC Canyon/Duramax
Posts: 561
If you have Dexter torsion spring axles, then yes you risk damaging or bending the axles. You should jack the trailer up using the frame of trailer. You can also use the Anderson Rapid Jack on tandem axle trailers.
Attached Thumbnails
rapid-jack-under-skid-steer-trailer--removing-wheeljpg20170503124620.jpg  
Kent is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-04-2018, 11:07 PM   #6
Senior Member
 
Iowa Dave's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Benton County, Iowa
Trailer: 2013 Escape 21 Classic Number 6, pulled by 2018 Toyota Highlander
Posts: 8,234
Jacking

When I need tires, I jack up one side and put that side on jackstands. Then I take those two to the tire shop. While they mount, balance, and replace the valve stems I go for a nice hamburger or tenderloin. Take them home, reinstall on trailer. Then take other side off. Go back to the tire store and drop off. Go for a
Dairy Queen. Return to tire shop, settle up and take my second pair home. Takes the better part of the day. Geez I love being retired. Tire guys like not having to jack up the trailer. I like no crushed axle tube, no trailer scratches, wheels and tires professionally washed by me. And finally, perfectly torqued lug nuts and properly thumped in hub cap covers.
Dave
Iowa Dave is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-05-2018, 02:53 AM   #7
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Edmonton, Alberta
Trailer: 1979 Boler B1700
Posts: 14,935
Quote:
Originally Posted by Snuffy2 View Post
I have been looking the trailer over for a few weeks now. After reading about the tender axles on these trailers and the pains some say changing the tires are I actually looked at my axles. My axles under the 21 are more square than round and they have to be able to withstand the torsion springs/rods inside them to support the weight of the trailer.
Yes, Torflex axles have a square (with very rounded corners) steel tube in which the suspenion arms pivot. It supports the weight of the trailer, but only over the very short distance from the end of the tube (where the arm comes out) to the bracket attaching it to the trailer's frame.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Snuffy2 View Post
Does anyone seriously think jacking the wheel up under the axle where it is supported by the frame will damage it?
I wouldn't jack on the tubing, but jacking on the bracket makes structural sense. That's hard to reach, because the wheels block access.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Snuffy2 View Post
If that is the case how do you jack it up to remove all four tires for replacement?
If you want to take all four wheels (plus the spare?) in to get new tires mounted in one trip to the tire store, you do need to pull them all off at the same time. The solution, as AKCamper said, is to jack up the trailer by the frame, and leave it on jack stands with the suspension hanging. I would want the stands under the frame, as close behind the trailing axle brackets as you can reach.
Brian B-P is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-05-2018, 04:03 AM   #8
Senior Member
 
cpaharley2008's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Central, Pennsylvania
Trailer: Escape#5 2022 E19
Posts: 26,268
I just take the trailer to the RV shop and let them mount 4 new tires, simple but $$$.
__________________
Jim
Sometime life gets in the way of living.......
cpaharley2008 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-05-2018, 04:04 AM   #9
Senior Member
 
Great Eggstrications's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: Redmond, Washington
Trailer: 2015 E19'
Posts: 311
Here's the gospel (complete with picture) directly from Reace:

When jacking the trailer, the best spot is on the vertical bracket that the axle is bolted to (see photo) For supporting the trailer, you use the frame on either side of the tires.


I lay a strip of 3/4" plywood across the cup of the floor jack to distribute the load along the full length of the bracket, extending in front of and to the rear of the axle.




Attached Thumbnails
jacking.jpg  
__________________
Critical Thinking and Moderation - The Other National Deficit
Great Eggstrications is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-05-2018, 09:33 AM   #10
Senior Member
 
rubicon327's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: Burlington Twp., New Jersey
Trailer: 2010 Escape 19
Posts: 7,126
Quote:
Originally Posted by Great Eggstrications View Post
Here's the gospel (complete with picture) directly from Reace:

When jacking the trailer, the best spot is on the vertical bracket that the axle is bolted to (see photo) For supporting the trailer, you use the frame on either side of the tires.

I lay a strip of 3/4" plywood across the cup of the floor jack to distribute the load along the full length of the bracket, extending in front of and to the rear of the axle.
This is from the online Owner's Manual (pg. 17) which agrees with the above.
Attached Thumbnails
Jacking the Trailer.JPG  
rubicon327 is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off




» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Disclaimer:

This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by Escape Trailer Industries or any of its affiliates. This is an independent, unofficial site.


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 12:24 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Copyright 2023 Social Knowledge, LLC All Rights Reserved.