How to Determine if Trailer Axle is Not Aligned and How to Measure to Replace Trailer Axle

Question

Question:

I have a 6x12 carry on trailer, one of my workers jack knifed the trailer the other day now it seems to have more trailer on the driver side then the passenger side, it looks like the tires are tweaked it bit could it be the axle the is tweaked and if so what dimensions do I need to replace the old axle with the new one.

asked by: David

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Expert Reply:

If the trailer wheels scrubbed (dragged and scrapped the ground instead of rolling) when jack knifed then it could have thrown something out of alignment or damaged something. First, inspect the suspension. Look for any elongated holes where suspension is bolted/hanging. Elongated holes can cause things to shift from the proper positions.

You can check axle alignment by measuring from the center of the coupler back diagonally to the center of one of the wheels. Then take the same measurement to the other wheel center. They should be identical or within 1/8 of an inch, give or take 1/16 of an inch. If the measurements are off you can loosen up the suspension and straighten the axle.

There are multiple ways to measure the length of an axle beam, but the hub-face-to-hub-face and spring-center-to-spring-center lengths are the most accurate. Hub face refers to the length of the axle measured from the base of one wheel stud to the base of the wheel stud on the opposite side of the axle (when hubs are mounted on the beam).

The spring center is the approximate width of your trailer. It is measured from the center of the spring seat on one side of the axle to the center of the seat on the other. I have included a link to the axle options we carry. If we do not have a match you can order an axle to the specifications needed from a local tractor or trailer supply store.

expert reply by: Michael H

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Answer 1

In order to determine which replacement axles you need, I will need a few measurements. I will need hub face to hub face measurement, spring center to center dimension, inner and outer wheel bearing reference number, and the axle capacity. Take a…

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Answer 2

To adjust the hitch latch on your trailer's coupler, you will want to adjust the nut at the bottom of the latch. This nut will be tightened or loosened depending on what you need for your coupler. I have attached a diagram showing you the…

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Answer 3

Hey Mark, thanks for reaching out! I see you purchased the Dexstar Steel Spoke Trailer Wheel #AM20353. Were you wanting to get a 205/75R14 tire as well? I wasn't able to find anything online referring to the part number you mentioned, but I'd…

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Answer 4

Thank you for the images. This shows me you currently have the Dexter Electric Trailer Brake Kit #23-105-106 on your 2007 Airstream Safari. I recommend upgrading to the Dexter Nev-R-Adjust Electric Trailer Brake Kit #23-458-459 as this will give you…

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Answer 5

Typically, when the outside edges of a tire are showing wear its because the tires are under-inflated. The solution is to inflate the tires to the maximum pressure listed on the sidewall. Now if the outside of tires have what looks like gouges are…

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Answer 6

If you have more of the weight in the trailer on the left side then that could explain the uneven wear. Axles have a bow or camber in the middle. When weight is in the trailer it straightens out the axle some and the tires should wear evenly. When…

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Answer 7

My guess would be that your trailer is sitting a little nose down which is putting excessive wear on the front axle instead of the rear. If you look at the trailer when hooked up does the suspension equalizer sit level or is it angled? If it's…

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Answer 8

Trailer brakes can be either self-adjusting like the Dexter #23-468 or may require periodic manual adjustments like #23-27, depending on the particular model assemblies you have installed on the trailer. An easy way to tell if you have self-adjusting…

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Answer 9

Pull the hub off on the problem wheel. I bet your brake assembly has a mechanical problem and just needs to be replaced. For a replacement Dexter brake assembly for the right hand side of a 10k Dexter axle you would want the part #23-451.

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Answer 10

If you have 3,500 lb axles the best choice would be 3,500 lb springs so that you could take advantage of the full axle capacity (assuming the trailer is rated similarly). The #e54SR is a great choice for you as it is a 3,500 lb axle leaf spring.

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Answer 11

Hi Dan; you can definitely switch to 9/16" diameter U-bolts using the U-Bolt Kit for Mounting 5,200-lb to 7,000-lb, Round Trailer Axles #APUBR-9. These are designed for 6k axles like yours with a 3" diameter.

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Answer 12

A 6,000 lb axle is usually going to be 3" in diameter. Therefore, for the u-bolts you can use part #APUBR-8 for 7" long or part #APUBR-9 for 7-1/4" long. You can measure your existing u-bolts or from the bottom of the axle to the top…

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