Axles

Snuffy2

Advanced Member
Joined
Oct 30, 2017
Messages
52
Location
Gulf Coast
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?
 
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.
 
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.
 
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.
 
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.
 

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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
 
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.

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.

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.
 
Last edited:
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.


[FONT=&quot]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.
[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]
[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]
[/FONT]
 

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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.

[FONT=&quot]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.
[/FONT]

This is from the online Owner's Manual (pg. 17) which agrees with the above.
 

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