HELP - Emergency with trailer near Elko, Nevada - Fixed, kinda!

[Highway Yacht]

Another place that carries some trailer axles, fenders, etc is Tractor Supply. Not sure if they carry Dexter Axles though.

[rv_safetyman]

Brian, I have been wanting to reply to this, but was not able to find the time in recent weeks.

Torsion type trailer spring systems have some pluses and minuses.  They seem to ride better (at least on paper), but they are demanding on trailer attitude.  If the trailer is not pretty darn level, one torsion spring will be asked to carry more of the load.  Trailers with two or more axles with leaf springs have a walking beam that distributes the weight between the two axles pretty well.

I understand that your load was pretty light and you probably had your trailer set up to be level, but I suspect that the previous owner might not have been as careful.

Jim

[belfert]

The axles themselves did not fail.  The welds holding the axle brackets to the trailer frame failed.  It appears the welding had not been done properly at the time of manufacture and it somehow held together for 16 years.  The previous owners had used the trailer to haul dirt bikes for racing so they didn't put much weight in the trailer.

The welding shop we took the trailer and axle to was disgusted by the poor welding job on the one axle that we still had.  It appeared as if though someone only tack welded the bracket on and then went on break or something and never did the final welding.

My towing setup is such that the trailer was nearly level.  It was just a bit higher at the front.  I am sick of people towing trailers improperly.  I see it all the time with the front of the trailer lower than the rear, or the back end of the trailer nearly on the road because the front is way too high.  If you're going to tow a trailer, spend the extra money for the proper ball mount or a weight distribution hitch if necessary.

[steve wardwell]

forgive me  belfert.......wasn't this the trailer you rebuilt from the ground up? and under a great pressure time frame to finish so you could work next on your dash wires ?.....do you not see the irony here?.........that your sick of people towing trailers improperly?..or using rusted, outdated obsolete equipment?.........just sayin

[Jeremy]

I don't think I see the irony...it seems clear that the failure which occured to Brian's trailer was not the result of any of the work he did, or the way he towed it - or because of rust or obsolescence come to that.

Jeremy

[belfert]

forgive me  belfert.......wasn't this the trailer you rebuilt from the ground up? and under a great pressure time frame to finish so you could work next on your dash wires ?.....do you not see the irony here?.........that your sick of people towing trailers improperly?..or using rusted, outdated obsolete equipment?.........just sayin

I didn't do anything to the frame or the axles.  The frame is just fine.  All of the work I did was basically cosmetic except replacing the brakes and drums along with some electrical.  Had I had any hint of a problem with the welding of the axles I would have had it fixed.  I'm not going to intentionally put something on the road that isn't safe.

I took the trailer to a trailer shop when I got home to get an estimate on replacing the second axle.  I talked to them about the axle problem and they said straight out they would not have found the axle welding problem had I brought it to them for inspection.  The welding shop that welded the one axle back on looked at the broken welds and said it wasn't welded properly to start.

[buswarrior]

Your local shop wants you back. They are influenced to say whatever you want to hear, and will work hard to have you amiable to the idea that "stuff happens" beyond their control.

The shop that will never see you again will slag the previous guy's work as inferior or otherwise deficient.

Those who pay to have the work done are easily misled for the purposes of profit.

Beware those who attempt to gain your confidence when your ca$h is involved...

happy coaching!
buswarrior

[belfert]

Myself and a bunch of my friends on the trip saw the bad welding on the axle mounting bracket so the guy wasn't lying about that.  The frame itself had no damage so the frame didn't fail.  The welding place I used in Elko does lots of work for the mines and they did the trailer almost as a favor for me.  I doubt they would have taken on the liability of welding the axles back on if they thought the frame was suspect.

Maybe the trailer shop did lie to me, but why would he do so?  Wouldn't he want me to bring my next used trailer to him for a paid inspection?  Why would I bring it to him if he admits an inspection wouldn't have helped?  I'm not having him replace the axle because his price is way too high on the axle.  There are a dozen or more trailer shops that can do the repair.

It is mostly speculation on why the axles came loose.  Nobody really knows for 100% certain expecially with one axle long gone.  I would certainly rather have spent $100 or whatever on extra welding than loose an axle and potentially kill someone on the road.

[steve wardwell]

there are huge quality differences in the trailers out there today.. missing 1 wield is a mistake, missing 4 is a crime.You had an angle on your shoulder that day (and a few more behind you)......................s....................

[Jriddle]

Sorry

We were in Ruby Valley with the BUS that weekend and missed this post till you were home. I live in Wells and could have helped you but seems as you made it through. Next time hope I am here.

John