Bent axle - where to begin?

[UtahJay Baja]

2018 Jayco - Jay Flight SLX, 174BH.
Was making a hair pin turn and dropped the inside wheel, when I popped back up on the road and pulled over the tire and rim were destroyed and the axle is clearly bent. New to RVing but mechanically inclined, where do I even begin going about getting this repaired? Shop vs DY? First and foremost i guess I need to spec out a new axle just to get an idea of how much this might cost I suppose. Appreciate anyone’s feedback or commiseration as I’m sitting on the side of the road waiting for a tow truck…

[Grumpy]

A good axle shop should be able to repair it, but a new one may be just as cheap.

Call DEXTER or LIPPERT, depending on which axle is on your rig, to see what a new one would cost. There is a tag on it with the brand and serial#.

[ttavasc]

I ended up having one of the axles replaced earlier this year due to it being bent. Not sure when or how it got bent - the symptom was excessive tire wear on the inner half of the left rear tire. I took it to a reputable local trailer repair shop that I've had some hitch work done at in the past. Total cost for a new 6K axle and labor to replace it was $578. I've put a couple thousand on it since the replacement and so far so good. Still waiting for Dexter to respond to the claim, but that's a separate issue.

[UtahJay Baja]

Thanks for the response. That price would be great all things considered. Hopefully can find a reputable shop where I live. Will post an update once I get things figured out

[Midnightmoon]

I just took a quick look and, depending on your width and weight rating (I'm assuming that you have a 3500 lb), there are bare axles available online starting at a little over $200. If you don't mind swapping over your brake hardware, etc., it could be a pretty inexpensive repair.

[UtahJay Baja]

Update: got the trailer towed home. I can pull it very short distances if I treat the tire as expendable as it’s rubbing on the frame. anyone have any tips for a farm type repair to, without removing the axle, bend it enough to reduce the negative camber so it’s a little more drivable so I can get it to a shop?

[UtahJay Baja]

Originally Posted by Midnightmoon

I just took a quick look and, depending on your width and weight rating (I'm assuming that you have a 3500 lb), there are bare axles available online starting at a little over $200. If you don't mind swapping over your brake hardware, etc., it could be a pretty inexpensive repair.

Any tips for inspecting the hardware to make sure it’s all still functional, true, etc?

[Midnightmoon]

Without seeing it in person, I can't make any assumption on the brake hardware etc. My guess is that it is probably fine. Usually, the axle gives at one point and doesn't effect anything else. But, you never know for sure.

[Cincinnati Kid]

Look for frame damage. It's very fragile, too. Look for broken welds in areas near the axles. If you can, drop the cloroplast bottom enough to slip your camera in there to take a bunch of flash photos at different angles.

[mrmom]

I would have to agree with Cincinnati Kid, if the axle bent that much there is probably other frame/suspension damage. I would take a closer look at everything to determine the extent of repairs needed.

[SkyBound]

Take this opportunity to upgrade to a heavier duty axle. The ones they put on from the factory are often barely adequate for the weight of the trailer. I upgraded both of mine when one bent and have never had a problem since and don't even have to think about it.