Trailer axles

[gcarter]

I took my truck to the only specialty front end shop in Leesburg the other day. :smash:
I got into a conversation with the manager about aligning trailers. He had a very negative opinion about Torsion axles. From his viewpoint (as a mechanic) sprung axles offer much more leeway as to alignment versus Torsion axles. He said the only adjustment that could be made to Torsion axles is tracking while sprung axles could be adjusted in a number of different ways. I commented that springs rust really badly, his answer was that they were also very inexpensive. He said that if the Torsion axle ends fail the trailer sits on the ground.
I like the look of Torsion axles, but I think I can see some validity to some of his arguments.
Does anyone here have any comments on this subject? :boat:

[olredalert]

--------What Poodle said!!!!!......Also, In more than 150,000 miles of towing my 26 foot enclosed trailer with rubber axles I have never had a problem. I have never done anything other than new shoes and a squirt of grease for the bearings every now and then. Thats with generally about a 9000 to 10500 Gross trailer weight. The axles are rated 5250 apiece. Someone who tells you that sounds to me as if he has a vested interest. He must not sell trailers with rubber axles. Come to think of it, among my racer friends I have never heard of a rubber axle failing, ever!............Bill S

[Lenny]

Bill, what is a "rubber axle". Now I am confused.

I have torsions. Tandem and single.

[BUIZILLA]

I had about 115,000 miles on my last 28' car trailer, and now about 25,000 on my newest one.... wouldn't trade 'em for the world.

JH :garfield:

[gcarter]

Actually Bill, he doesn't sell trailers. He does alignment work on trucks and trailers.
I think his main complaint is he can't set camber on torsion axles like he can with sprung axles. He showed me how they bend/ or re-bend axles that have been overloaded to set camber. :smash:
There is an aluminum boat trailer mfg. in Wildwood (Classic Trailers). I dropped by to talk to him several months ago. In front of his shop were a stack of failed axles, some were because of brake issues, and some were torsion axles. Now I wished I had asked him what was wrong with them.
Has anyone here ever had a torsion axle fail?

[MOP]

George does this guy bend the axles like we did years back on the straight axle front ends? How else would he adjust camber, a trailer is usually juist trued measured from a central point well forward to the forward edge of each axles backing plate. There is not a hell of a lot you can adjust on a trailer.

Lenny the axles on a torsion set up ride in rubber within the support tube, both of which are square shaped so they cannot rotate can just sqush the rubber. I have seen spindles break but never once have I seen an axle fail, maybe over the long haul the rubber will get tired by that time it is time to change them out anyway. Note you will have gone through a ton of springs, and even new springs will break at times. Go Torsion!!!

Phil

[BUIZILLA]

If the sprung style trailer axles are bent that much, the rest of the trailer can't be worth anything at that point, if it's been that overloaded...

anonymous.... again

[olredalert]

--------My bad, Lenny. Should use the correct term "torsion" but have just called them "rubber" for too darn long.
-------- If a "torsion axled trailer is out of alignment I would think it would be a manufacturers problem that the manufacturer would repair. Im sure the alignment guy is a good guy as you wouldnt go to him otherwise, but Im still a bit confused. Believe me, Im no expert here as I have simply never had any problems, but the correct camber is built into the equation when built. Im guessing that these alignment problems must be from owner error (curbs and such). I guess Im a bit incredulous because I have really walloped some curbs in the past 9 years and still never had a camber problem. I pretty much destroyed an Alcoa forged rim out in California years ago and that rim (after a bit of work) is still on the trailer and it never (seemingly) bothered the camber as the tires still wear evenly. Hit the curb so hard I instantly blew the tire right off the rim.
--------Moral is (I guess) dont worry about "torsion" axles................Bill S

[gcarter]

If the sprung style trailer axles are bent that much, the rest of the trailer can't be worth anything at that point, if it's been that overloaded...

anonymous.... again
Yep, you're right, utility and equipment hauling trailers, tractors and such.

[MOP]

Since we have several that have had torsion axles for a long time I wanted to see if you feel the same way I do. Mind you the trailer under the 22 is my first T/A it has maybe 4,000mi on it so I am a mere puppy and speak from little experiance. I have had spring trailers for about 40 years, Is it my imagination that torsion seems to ride so much smoother almost as if it had shocks? My spring trailers seemed to bouce and sway more.

Phil

[olredalert]

Phil,

-----A torsion axle trailer will ride very smoothly with somewhere near the weight the axles are recomended for. The trailer will bounce around a bunch with no weight on it all, but that shouldnt be much of a consideration with a boat trailer, do you think? I just happened to notice years ago that all the little stuff that one would leave in an enclosed race-trailer between races (tools, jack, engine pieces, slicks and wheels, etc.) was ending up all over the trailer after a couple of miles. I had to strap everything down good and tight!...............Bill S