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Broken axel

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hewebb
Admiral

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USA
761 Posts

Initially Posted - 11/06/2011 : 05:12:21

My boat came with a custom made trailer with two 3500-pound axels. All seemed OK. When we went to the ramp a tight turn caused one wheel to break off the axel. We found that the axel tube had rusted through about a third of the way around the bottom of the tube from the inside. According to the trailer title the trailer is five years old. I sure did not expect that. I am replacing them with two 5200-pound axels with brakes on all wheels. What I wonder is what to do to stop the new ones from having the same problem. My current thoughts are to drill drain holes in the axels and coat the inside of them with paint before I install them. Another thought was to fill them with foam but not sure that will help as much as getting the water out.

Your thoughts?

1988 WK/SR w/inboard diesel Joe Pool Lake
Hobie 18 Lake Worth

Life is not a dress rehearsal. You will not get another chance.

Edited by - on

Happy D
Admiral

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921 Posts

Response Posted - 11/06/2011 : 08:33:51

I would replace the axles with like in kind. No need to go up in capacity.
I would not drill any holes. I do not want salt water inside my axles. Make sure they are 100% sealed so no water gets in. That way, any corrosion is visible from the outside. No hidden rust.
My two cents.

Edited by - on

dmpilc
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4593 Posts

Response Posted - 11/06/2011 : 08:53:44

Agree, no need to go to heavier capacity axles. Discuss the rust problem with your supplier of the replacement axles. They may have a solution to the problem.

Edited by - on

Happy D
Admiral

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921 Posts

Response Posted - 11/07/2011 : 04:27:26

Freedom Axle has 3500 lb axles on sale for $105.99.
http://www.freedomaxle.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=catalog.catalog& catId=802

Edited by - on

hewebb
Admiral

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USA
761 Posts

Response Posted - 11/07/2011 : 04:44:32

The reason for the heavier axels is to prevent the axels from bending. I think the weight of the boat and trailer is at the max load rating for the 3500-pound axels. There is an awful lot of steel added to the trailer to support the boat. Plus, I am in the process of adding some more to facilitate the tongue extension and adding some loading guides. I like the idea of sealing the axels if that is possible-I will check on that. Thanks for the sale information on the 35oo-pound units. When I am finished with the trailer modifications I will weigh it to determine if I need the heavier axels.

Edited by - on

sweetcraft
Admiral

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USA
816 Posts

Response Posted - 11/07/2011 : 20:36:05

My 79 C25 was weighed some years ago and it came in at 6,000 lbs. I do travel to the NorthWest from CA and bearing trouble. The EZ Loader has the 3500lb axles with bearings you can buy at Walmart. Tried disk brake with same size bearings and same trouble for the long trip. Members with newer trailers have the larger size bearings and no trouble. Storage trailers the 3500lbs ok but I had trouble with the long trips. Yes used bearing buddies and the best grease but would count on replace bearings after the NW trip. Drain those axles and wash and repaint is my method once a year. I have heavier axles for next season so more stories.

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GaryB
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4303 Posts

Response Posted - 11/07/2011 : 21:22:52

Jim,

Can you clarify, does the 6,000 lbs include the trailer? Did you clean out the boat before weighing it?

Edited by - GaryB on 11/07/2011 21:23:23

pastmember
Master Marine Consultant

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2402 Posts

Response Posted - 11/08/2011 : 10:38:19

Make sure they are drop axles, I had a trailer with 5k axles but they were not drop axles and it made a huge difference in height.

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cshaw
Captain

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USA
460 Posts

Response Posted - 11/09/2011 : 06:20:01

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by GaryB
 Jim,

Can you clarify, does the 6,000 lbs include the trailer? Did you clean out the boat before weighing it?
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Jim and Gary,

Good to hear someone else's 70's vintage boat weighs in at 6k! Confetti is a 1976, and I weighed the trailer and boat and then re-weighed the trailer alone and found the boat weight. Same scale and re-weighed the next day. All scales have a bias, but it was a certified scale, so it was the best I could do. I assumed that the scale was fairly repeatable also. The boat came in at about 6100 lbs. That includes the motor (9.9 OMC) and gas tank with 3 gal gas, and the sails/mast/boom, rudder/tiller battery, one anchor/chain and rode, interior cushions and head (a porta-potti at the time). So the net weight of the boat without "my stuff" but with the stuff that I would think would get counted against the boat displacement would be something around 5700# to #5800.

The trailer I had her on had two #3500 axles, and those babies really bowed (trailer weight came in at about #1850 by the way). I towed that boat every 2 years from Ventura up to Vandenberg AFB for haulouts and used it to haul her from California to Texas. However I found a triple axle trailer (two #5000 axles with brakes and a 3rd #3500 axle) for just a bit more than I was able to sell the tandem axle. Boy the heavier axles sure give me a lot more peace of mind!

If you are replacing axles, and the #5000 axles are not a lot more, and they are drop axles also, you may want to really consider going a bit heavier for the peace of mind.....No matter which size axles you get, get hubs with the largest bearings you can.

Cheers!

Chuck

Edited by - on

At Ease
Admiral

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672 Posts

Response Posted - 11/09/2011 : 13:06:09

Seems to me 3,500# axles would be marginal. Many forget to add the weight of the trailer itself. So, if you have a loaded boat...sails, mast/boom, anchor/chain/rode, outboard, fuel, battery, PFDs, misc equipment, etc, then add the weight of the trailer, you'll be near the GW of 7k.

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dmpilc
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4593 Posts

Response Posted - 11/09/2011 : 13:34:31

I've taken another look at my trailer, a tandem axle 1977 Trail-Rite for a C-25 fin keel. The label on the frame is still easily readable. It shows a GVWR of 9999# and maximun load capacity of 8899#. The rated weight for each axle is 4999#, and the trailer weighs 1480#. That tells me that I have, or should have, 5K axles. Both are drop axles, and the front one has surge brakes. So I'll reverse my earlier comment, and maybe you should go with 5k axles.

What confuses me about my trailer, however, is that the axles are 2" square and have 5-lug hubs. All of the 5k axles I see on the net are either round or 2"x3" and have 6-lug hubs. Have the standards changed?

Edited by - on

dmpilc
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4593 Posts

Response Posted - 11/09/2011 : 14:21:20

I called Trail-Rite, gave them the trailer id number and described my axles to the guy in their service department. He seems to think that a PO has probably replaced the axles on my trailer with 3500# axles. So, unless I decide to change them, I'll hit the maximum weight if the boat and gear reach 5,500#. The design weight for a fin keel C-25 is 4,550#, and the swing keel is 4,250#. I guess that with outboard, fuel, head, sails and other gear, the total weight could approach 5,500# fairly easily in the fin keel configuration.

Edited by - on

WesAllen
Navigator

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USA
222 Posts

Response Posted - 11/09/2011 : 19:19:58

My swinger weighed in at almost 5500 with 9.9 motor and gear. If you load more in the weight goes up faster than you think. That is why I opted for a trailer that had 5000# axles. Big difference than the old 3500# axled trailer. Just my observation/experience.

Edited by - on

sweetcraft
Admiral

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USA
816 Posts

Response Posted - 11/18/2011 : 21:26:55

Getting the boat weighed by the travel lift is without the trailer and it was not loaded yet for the cruise. Fuel tanks were not filled, food was not loaded. The long trips with the 3500 lbs axles has been frustation. This next NW cruise will be with the larger bearing axles and disk brakes. The project is to complete the 2nd axle using Ford front axles, 3/4 ton spindles, with the disk brakes. I have the 10 ply tires on Ford wheels ready to mount which means truck and trailer will have same tires. I had talked to EZ loader right after taking delivery about the marginal trailer axles and I was told they were ok. I did see later trailers with larger axles and they had no problems. So the axles are mine. Couple of inches of snow today so project is put away until Spring.

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The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.