Bent Trailer Axle(s)...

[Altissimus]

Two ...one is a true highway quality under the Morbark 7. , the other is an old agricultural under the trailer , both are wearing tires unevenly on the bent side.....Question, bodyshop to straighten or replace as straightening may be a stupid idea... discuss

 

[Adam_P]

You could kick the tires at a reputable place that does frame straightening. I'd beware any hillbilly with a torch who says they can do it.

What's each axle rated at?

 

[Al Smith]

Don't put a torch to it .Any good frame shop can do it .All you need is a tie down slab and a hydraulic jack--big one .

 

[treesmith]

I bent the axles under one of my 16' trailers...had it heaped with brush and cut a log onto it. (I usually cut the notch to stall so it hits gentler...but this one smacked right down.) I loaded my tractor into the trailer and jacked the bow out if the axles with no problem.

 

[pantheraba]

Hahahha...good show... an Alabama frame shop (in the sideyard)

 

[treesmith]

Hey...whatever works!!

 

[Al Smith]

My shop has a 20 by 20 foot area with buried tie down rods 2 feet on center anchored under 20 inches of tripple reinforced concrete .I've got a 10 ton floor jack that must weigh 300 pounds .I can pretty much straighten about any thing short of bowing a camber in a semi flat bed trailer .I've done several axles over the years .

 

[treesandsurf]

Cool setup sounds like,

 

[sotc]

My 7500 pound morbark has a 7500 pound torsion axle under it. The axle is always maxed out. I think the long term fix is a new axle or even 2 of them. ..

 

[Al Smith]

I have no idea why in the name of good sense the put those heavy as lead chippers on one axle .Those things will beat the pizz out of a pick up truck with one axle .The damned things will push a ton and half truck around too .

 

[pigwot]

When bicycling through France in the early 1970s I was staying in Paris for a week with friends. Down the lane was a very small auto repair shop, with anchors set in the concrete. A Citroen came in looking like it needed an entire front clip. Over a three day period one fellow with a hand winch and the anchors and chains straightened the frame and repaired panels and had it ready to paint. I was quite impressed with his work ethic. He said he only bought the new headlight nacelles and a replacement grill.

 

[Marc-Antoine]

My 7500 pound morbark has a 7500 pound torsion axle under it. The axle is always maxed out. I think the long term fix is a new axle or even 2 of them. ..

If it's a torsion axle with compressed rubber rolls, the axle may be not bent : the rubber rolls compressed in the main tube take permanent deformations from heavy loads. The connecting rod becomes no more coaxial with the main tube and the arms holding the wheels slightly rotate sideway, giving a look of a new born horse with spread legs. The tires don't like that at all.
You can change the rubber rolls yourself, hard job but doable.
The arm's connecting rod is just inserted between the rubber rolls, nothing hold it in place except the rubber's friction. So with a hard pull, it can go out.
It's way easier to gently torch the tube to soften / burn the old rubber. It doesn't smell very good though, but who cares?
Clean the mess, put halfway in place the new rubber rolls with some pasty soap as a lubricant, place the connecting rod and the arm in the middle and push.
I mean PUSH. Hard and well in line (not so easy).
Drive it in place to make the arm nearly touches the tube. That's all.

The trailer shops do it this way.
I made it on a boat trailer. It was only a 1500pounds axle though.
I used my cable puller, some slings and two trees in my backyard, a bottle jack and some home made clamps to hold it.
The trailer look way better after that and got again a good suspension.

 

[HolmenTree]

Two ...one is a true highway quality under the Morbark 7. , the other is an old agricultural under the trailer , both are wearing tires unevenly on the bent side.....Question, bodyshop to straighten or replace as straightening may be a stupid idea... discuss

My trailer has tandem leaf spring drop axles and over the years running over rounds and a few high stumps both axles got bent up pretty good.
One year's winter project I pulled both axles off ,cut off the pipe on both ends about 6" away from where their welded to the cast drop spindles. Then found some schedule 40 pipe with the same inside diameter size as the original's outside . Welded it all back together and haven't had a problem since with the heavier pipe.
The new pipe is about 2 3/8" outside.

 

[Al Smith]

I've taken 8,000 pound rated Dexters and basically done the same thing except I used schedual 80 pipe .Probabley a little over kill but I had the pipe in my pile of scrap any ways .

 

[HolmenTree]

I've taken 8,000 pound rated Dexters and basically done the same thing except I used schedual 80 pipe .Probabley a little over kill but I had the pipe in my pile of scrap any ways .

The last time I worked with schedule 80 Al was for a short stint in the oil patch . Heavy duty

 

[gf beranek]

We used sch 80 pipe for high pressure side hydraulics when I worked at Van Peer's boat yard. For anything tougher we used tubing.

Straightening rudder stems on boats that went aground was always a trip. Would weld the foundation for pulling the stem on the boat itself, and then use rosebuds to heat it and jacks sometimes to assist.

Boats.

 

[Altissimus]

So they can be straightened...Good ...the recycled Ag axle probably came off a manure spreader as trailer was home made. Really just a piece of I beam with spindles weleded on ends...The Morbark was a special orderfrom the factory...though it is a 7 it was built with the axle that is stock on the 9...probably smart. Even living in Hooterville there is a high quality body / frame shop at the bottom of the hill...hopefully it will not expensive

 

[ClimbMIT]

My trailer has tandem leaf spring drop axles and over the years running over rounds and a few high stumps both axles got bent up pretty good.
One year's winter project I pulled both axles off ,cut off the pipe on both ends about 6" away from where their welded to the cast drop spindles. Then found some schedule 40 pipe with the same inside diameter size as the original's outside . Welded it all back together and haven't had a problem since with the heavier pipe.
The new pipe is about 2 3/8" outside.

I have two bent on mine tandem utility. Sounds like a good option thanks for posting. I have sawzall to cut it with but was wondering if anyone had an idea roughly what it would cost to have it welded on?
thanks, Mark

 

[HolmenTree]

I have two bent on mine tandem utility. Sounds like a good option thanks for posting. I have sawzall to cut it with but was wondering if anyone had an idea roughly what it would cost to have it welded on?
thanks, Mark

I borrowed a pipe cutter [adjustable tool with rollers and round cutter wheel] from a plumber and cut my axles with that.
Welding shops here charge $80 and hr when I last checked . I have my own stick welder , now just got a mig also. Any one can learn to weld fast and good to have when you own equipment that takes the punishment what our trade gives it.

 

[Altissimus]

Took the trailer to the body shop...bend will need pulling on two axises to straighten...because trailer is old there is a smallchance that a couple of things bad could happen but overall he seemed confident that a half day on the frame rack should do it ...about 200 bucks

 

[ClimbMIT]

Thanks for posting guys. Nice to have options and ways to save money.

 

[802climber]

I am thinking of a brand new full replacement for my chipper axle. Single 7000# torsion axle. I already have to convert it from surge to electric brakes, and everything's pretty rusty and worn out down there. I see them going online for around 800 bucks.................?

 

[Altissimus]

...Rust grows good in Vermont

 

[802climber]

Yup! I will oil undercoat the piss out of it once it gets new paint and new axle.