trailer axles different lengths, ok?

Idaho Spud · 08-12-2022, 03:33 PM

I would like some advice from the great folks here. The long story. I bent an axle on my Jayco trailer in the middle of a long trip. With the current supply chain issues I was not sure if i could even find one. I had a shop in a small town try to straighten it but kinked too much. I finally found a Dexter axle about 100 miles away. The only problem was hub face was 1 1/2 inch less than my current axle. We checked no issue with rubbing. I drove to there picked up the axle and brought it back to the shop where my trailer was. Great folks there by the way. They went all out to get us a back on the road. Since installing the new axle i have put almost a thousand miles on the trailer with no issues. The tires on one axle are in about 3/4 inch different on each side. I can tell no difference in the way it pulls. No wandering no jerking. No unusual tire wear. I have done some research. Some folks say absolutely do not do this, ( some of these comments come for companies wanting to sell axles). Other folks with all kinds of trailers have many miles with axles of different lengths with no issues.
What do all of you think? Thank you

BuddyRay · 08-12-2022, 04:06 PM

One piece of advise that I'm handing out regularly now.
If you need axel, bearing or brake work on your trailer - check into companies that sell and service landscape, construction, motorcycle and other types of trailers. They are actually more numerous than RV dealers.
At least here in north Georgia I've found several that do excellent work, have a huge stock of parts (including whole axel assemblies) and DO NOT have a service backlog.
I tore up a spindle on one of my axels when a bearing came apart and since it wasn't a replaceable spindle the whole axel needed to be replaced.
Local RV service center quoted months wait and a huge price.
Local construction trailer company got me in a week, replaced both 6k axels with 8k axel assemblies (new brakes and everything) for less than RV center wanted for a single 6k axel installed.
I wouldn't let this kind of shop work on anything above the floor - but on undercarriage stuff they are outstanding and probably more knowledgeable than the RV mechanics.

ARoamer · 08-12-2022, 06:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Idaho Spud

I would like some advice from the great folks here. The long story. I bent an axle on my Jayco trailer in the middle of a long trip. With the current supply chain issues I was not sure if i could even find one. I had a shop in a small town try to straighten it but kinked too much. I finally found a Dexter axle about 100 miles away. The only problem was hub face was 1 1/2 inch less than my current axle. We checked no issue with rubbing. I drove to there picked up the axle and brought it back to the shop where my trailer was. Great folks there by the way. They went all out to get us a back on the road. Since installing the new axle i have put almost a thousand miles on the trailer with no issues. The tires on one axle are in about 3/4 inch different on each side. I can tell no difference in the way it pulls. No wandering no jerking. No unusual tire wear. I have done some research. Some folks say absolutely do not do this, ( some of these comments come for companies wanting to sell axles). Other folks with all kinds of trailers have many miles with axles of different lengths with no issues.
What do all of you think? Thank you

I think you are fine. If axle capacity is correct, nothing rubs, spring mounts line up it should not be a problem. Roll on!

skids · 08-12-2022, 07:22 PM

I would think that the leaf springs need to remain parallel with the frame to prevent weird wear at the pins, but I really don't know.

**Midnightmoon** · 08-12-2022, 10:00 PM

This is really interesting to think about.

I've driven an bunch of different tri-axles over the years that had a narrower tag axle than the drives. Standard duals on the drive axles and then set of super singles on the tag that sit slightly inboard. I'm sure you've all seen them setup that way.

I can't honestly say if I've ever pulled a trailer that had anything but equal track width axles, even if they had a tag. There may indeed be some out there setup that way, but I've never seen one in person. Just thinking about the physics of it for a second. But, I'm wondering if there is a reason why trailers always seem to be setup square.

ttavasc · 08-13-2022, 08:03 AM

Last year I had one of the axles on our ORV replaced due to it being bent. The trailer shop upgraded from the 5200lb axle to a 6K axle which is 1/2" wider than the 5200 axle. As long as there are no clearance issues and your tires are wearing appropriately there shouldn't be any problem.

Idaho Spud · 08-13-2022, 11:10 AM

thanks to all of you who responded. I have seen no ill effects so far. Being an old truck driver i have seen the offset tag axles. The springs are parallel. welded the spring perch to center the axle. I was a little worried about roads with ruts causing the trailer to hunt. so far none of that.

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