dexter axle replacement

[anthonyjwi]

Hi all,

We had a broken leaf spring on our 2014 5.0 TA which resulted in uneven tire wear, so we will be needing a new set of tires. The shop who did the repair said that one of our axles will need to be replaced "soon." We are heading out to Yellowstone this summer from northern Indiana, so I'm wondering about that axle replacement and if I should bite the bullet and replace other parts as well, such as the other axle and the other three leaf springs. Don't want to spend the money on new tires and then have them ruined by another suspension failure. Also, not sure what else would automatically be replaced with a new axle. Would appreciate any advice on the subject. Thanks!

Note - my profile was incorrect when posting this. It is a 2014 5.0 as the post says, not the 2021 on my profile. I'll be fixing the profile.

[Centex]

Noting this is your first post, welcome to the forum!

Also noting that your 2014 5.0 has leaf spring Dexter axles, not the later Dexter rubber-torsion axles.

Originally Posted by anthonyjwi

.... The shop who did the repair said that one of our axles will need to be replaced "soon." ....

If that leaf spring repair was done by a trusted spring / axle shop I'd go back to them with the trailer an ask them to go over the suspension and axles / brake assemblies to give you an itemized list of things recommended (and 'why') to bring everything to top condition. If not them, another spring / axle shop.

Given your post I'm assuming you don't feel competent to make that evaluation yourself, no worries. IMO it is very difficult to do that from afar via a forum.

I'll note, for example, that complete end-to-end axles assemblies of this type with bearings and brakes can be surprisingly cost effective, but that may be unnecessary overkill. Complete axle assemblies need to be carefully ordered to get the correct length, etc, but the net installed cost with labor may be competitive with more labor-intensive 'piecemeal' component replacement.

If the axle stub-ends are in good shape but there's significant issues with the bearings and brakes, complete bearing and brake 'end plate' assemblies may be cost effective.

It all depends on what a careful, complete, and competent inspection reveals (you may only need a few easy to remediate individual components) and that's best done 'eyes-and-hands-on' IMO.

Yours is after all a 10-years old trailer; things do wear, age, and sometimes suffer road damage. We on the forum have no idea (can only guess and speculate) about the condition of your trailer's components, the diligence / effectiveness of maintenance, and incidental component replacements over that time.

Just for your consideration, enjoy your Yellowstone trip!

[HABBERDABBER]

He covered all the options and the difficulty of remote evaluation. Ask around and find a reputable shop that specializes in axle and running gear repairs for an evaluation of your rig.
And asking the "why" something needs attention is important.

good luck,

[Ron in BC]

Originally Posted by HABBERDABBER

And asking the "why" something needs attention is important.

good luck,

I agree. I'm having a hard time seeing the relationship between the broken leaf spring and replacing the axle. Definitely have to establish exactly what is potentially wrong with the axle.

Ron

[CharlesinGA]

Tube/leaf soring axles do not wear out (the springs do, but not the axles). Only if the axle is damaged in some way would it need replacing. ie. Bearing burned up and destroyed the spindle, or you hit a curb or something and bent the axle.

In this case, you are going to replace the axle and U bolts and nuts.

On the Bigfoot Forum we have had a spate of bent axles. For years, BF used axle tubes that were 2-3/8 inches outside diameter, and curbing a wheel or hitting a good pothole can bend the axle just outboard of the leaf spring. Sometime in the past several years BF switched to 3 inch axle tubes. I still have the smaller axles so I am careful to not hit anything.

Springs should be replaced in sets, so it would be wise to replace all of the springs with a matched set, and also new "wet" bolts and bronze bushings in the spring eyes, plus 1/2 inch thick shackles. If you already have the fat shackles, and bolts with grease fittings you would only need new bushings with the new springs.

The fat shackles make the trailer a lot more stable, eliminating side to side wobble that you don't even notice until its gone.

Charles

[anthonyjwi]

Thanks for the advice and insights from all of you. We will definitely get a thorough evaluation before our trip.