How to Check for a Bent Trailer Axle Spindle

Question

Question:

Other than by looking, is there a way to measure or determine with some level of precision if a welded on spindle is bent? I think maybe I can take a carpenters speed square and put it on the spindle and the other side against the brake drum backing plate and that will give me a pretty good idea if its bent. Any ideas? Thanks.

asked by: Mark

0

Expert Reply:

Assuming your tires are in good shape without any bulges the easiest way to determine if you have a bent spindle is to take a straight edge that is longer than the tire and lay it across the tire parallel with your trailer frame and then measure the distance from the frame to the straight edge in front and back of the tire. If the distance is the same then the spindle isn't bent.

Beyond that your best option would be to take the trailer to someone qualified in trailer repair to have them check the spindle alignment.

expert reply by: Jameson C

0

Greg D.

2/6/2020

I have a Midwest boat trailer that keeps wearing the inside tread of the right tire only left side wears perfect, I do have a kicker motor on the right rear of my boat any thoughts, my thinking is that the axle must be bent is there any way of checking this

Jacob H.

2/7/2020

There's a few different things that could be going on. You could have a bent spindle which is most commonly caused by curbing or overloading. The bearings could be going out on the right side which would cause the inside of the tire to wear unevenly. And lastly your axle may be bent. To check if your bearings are going out, you will need to lift the tire off of the ground and if there is any movement side to side then that means that there is play in the bearings and they need to be replaced. To check the spindles you can take both wheels of and compare the right side to the left and make sure they are at the same angle. Lastly, checking if your axle is bent you will need to take the wheels off and make sure the axle is level and sitting on level ground. You will then take a measurement from the ground to the end of the spindle. If the measurements are different, it means that your axle is bent.

Cliff M.

8/25/2026

What if the tire wear is on inside of tire? Wouldn't the spindle be bent inward? If so the measurement would be the same on each end of tire to frame? My spindle is scored on the inside toward backing plate. Spindle could still be straight not bent?

Jameson C.

8/25/2026

@CliffM If the tire is wearing on the inside that would imply that the spindle is bent up or out.

Answer 1

Hey John, thank you for all of the info from your 3,500 lb trailer axle. The correct bearing kit would be the part #DX76ER that you referenced. Did you have a bearing fail or are you wanting to have a backup set on hand?

view full answer...

Answer 2

Hello Jeremy, For your ST175/80R13 tire, you will want to go with a 13" x 4 1/2" to 5 1/2" wheel. I do not currently see that we have the Viking series #AX02550545BML available in that size, but I am reaching out to the manufacturer to…

view full answer...

Answer 3

Hey Tyler! The Goodyear Endurance ST205/75R15 Radial Tire w/ 15" Eagle Aluminum Wheel #GY37QB does not come balanced. This is the case for almost every trailer tire. Since they're designed to support the weight of the trailer, and not…

view full answer...

Answer 4

Ron, you’ll be fine with two people. Each Thomas Payne Rest Easy Trifold Loveseat - whether it’s the Dellmead #TP49KR, Driftwood #TP69KR, or McCoy #TP79KR - weighs around 153 pounds, and it ships in two manageable sections (the base and the back), so…

view full answer...

Answer 5

I would be happy to help you determine the correct replacement axle for your 2000 Bass Tracker Pro Team 175 and Trailstar trailer but the axle length is actually measured hub face to hub face so you will want to put your hubs back on temporarily and…

view full answer...

Answer 6

I can't recommend using a Dexter brake shoe on a Hayes/Al Ko brake assembly. The parts haven't been tested together for fit, so I honestly couldn't say if they'd work or not. The same would go for the return spring. Our usual…

view full answer...

Answer 7

The standard six lug bolt pattern for trailer wheels is 6 on 5-1/2 inches. If you have a six lug bolt pattern this would be what you'd have. The pilot diameter wouldn't be an issue either as the 6 lug wheels use a large enough pilot diameter…

view full answer...

Answer 8

For your Lippert 3500 lb axle on your 2018 Stealth trailer, the Dexter electric brake assemblies will work. I recommend the Dexter Nev-R-Adjust Electric Trailer Brake Kit - 10" - Left and Right Hand Assemblies - 3.5K #23-468-469 which will…

view full answer...

Answer 9

I would recommend Dexter Torflex axles the highest for torsion axles. And then put Al Ko and Lippert at about the same in quality. I was searching around online and the common consensus among the trailering forums is that the Dexter axles are…

view full answer...

Answer 10

A Dexter 3,500 lb axle will have a hub that uses 1/2" lug nuts, so the correct part is the CE Smith Trailer Wheel Lug Nut - Zinc-Plated Steel - 1/2" #CE11051.

view full answer...

Answer 11

The Taskmaster Provider tires like part #TTWTRTM2257515D that you referenced are the best from Taskmaster and have proven to be a reliable and popular choice among trailer owners. This tire specifically features a load range D (2,540 lbs at 65 psi)…

view full answer...

Answer 12

Hello Blake, thanks for reaching out. So trailer tires typically are not balanced the same way as vehicle tires. With trailers every wheel and tire has a high (heavy) and low (light) spot. The manufacturers offset the high spot on the tire with the…

view full answer...

How to Check for a Bent Trailer Axle Spindle

Product Page this Question was Asked From

Continue Researching