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Old 05-24-2017, 07:00 AM   #1
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1976 31' Sovereign
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Airstream supply discounted axles

Was wondering if anyone has gotten these axles and had success with putting them on? Talked to a guy from AS supply and he said you have to weld the bracket to the frame instead of the standard bolt on.
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Old 05-24-2017, 02:04 PM   #2
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I would go with Colin Hyde for them no welding required.
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Old 05-24-2017, 02:07 PM   #3
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Inland RV or Colin Hyde. You do not want to weld on an Airstream axle.
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Old 05-25-2017, 08:18 AM   #4
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I called them about the axles too.
Priced at $195 vs $475 they are a heck of a deal, as long as you are willing to deal with their quirks.

They are standard drop. (IIRC 22.5°)
They are 5000lb rated axles
They do not come with brakes/hubs/bearings.
The discount axles cannot be used in stock configuration.
In order to use them, you have to either cut off the axle mount tabs and flip them, OR you can use them with an axle lift kit. (I plan on adding a lift)

And they said I would have to cut my old shock mounts off and weld them onto the new axles.

If it wasn't for the delivery fee, I'd have ordered them already.

To those of you saying not to weld on the axles..
How do you think that tab gets affixed to the axle?

Thats a rhetoric question, they are welded on.

I'd take them to a professional, but I wouldn't give a welded on shock tab a second thought. And with the amount you'd be saving on the axle, you'd still be money ahead.
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Old 05-25-2017, 05:28 PM   #5
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It is not worth the effort to cut off the brackets and re weld them on new axles, does anyone have a jig th keep them aligned and straight?..I have the equment and know how, ain't worth the effort, if you pay someone with a $100 an hour shop rate you loose.... You always get what you pay for..
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Old 05-25-2017, 05:46 PM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by phlegm View Post
>>>>snip>>>

To those of you saying not to weld on the axles..
How do you think that tab gets affixed to the axle?

Thats a rhetoric question, they are welded on.
<<<snip<<<
Think the manufacturer might do the welding on the axels before the rubber rods are inserted?

Heat of welding will damage the rubber if the square tube that contains the rubber is welded onto. If there is a flange, tab, or bracket that the manufacturer intends to receive welding, then yes one can weld to that.

Post #1 says "weld the bracket to the frame" not to the axle.
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Old 05-25-2017, 05:49 PM   #7
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Fear perpetuated by folklore.
A tape measure will get you where you need to be.
Any competent welder can buzz them on in less than a half hour heck, charge an hour. AND buy new shock mount plates @ $25 each and it's still cheaper buying the cheap axles.

400 for axles
100 for brackets
100 labor
600 total.

Or
$950 for axles only.

Math.
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Old 05-25-2017, 05:49 PM   #8
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Call Colin Hyde.
Period
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Old 05-25-2017, 10:53 PM   #9
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I would expect the axle mount brackets welded to the axle tube before the insertion of the rubber rods.

Here is the link to the axles in question.
http://airstreamsupply.com/New-Axles?product_id=6259

The closeup pictures were provided to me from AirstreamSupply.com
The one with the vertical section of the axle mount bracket toward the outside is Aistream specific and how all vendors sell them.

The ones with the large flat portion away from the axle is "standard Dexter" mount style. And that is how the discounted axles are configured.

The third picture I snagged off their website because it shows the welded on shock mount tab.

From the phone conversation with AirstreamSupply
If you want to use the discounted axles in a stock configuration they said the mount brackets would have to be cut off the axle tube and flipped.

When I called them, they made no mention of any modification required to the trailer frame itself. I would never weld an axle to the frame. I'm sure it would work, be ugly and make future repairs more difficult if you had to remove thevaxle arvalign it. (Just don't do it)
.
If you use the axles with a lift kit (as I would) no axle mount modification is necessary because the lift kits use the TOP mount holes not the side ones.

If you want to use them in stock configuration, the welding on the axle tube *could* cause issues with the internal rubber rods, because you would be welding right next to them. If I were going to use them in a stock configuration I would NOT cut off the old brackets, instead I would create a new c-shaped bracket that is bolted and welded to the existing bracket, and the new bracket would have "stock" mount holes in it. It would only be welded to the mount bracket not the tube, that way the heat should not affect the rubber rods.

Any competent welder should be able to add the shock mount tabs to that hefty cast iron downleg without generating enough heat to cause any issue with the rubber rods inside the axle tube.

Axle mods are not for the faint of heart.
If any of this makes you feel concerned.
Buy one of the many commercially available ones.

Here's the link to Colin Hyde's website.
(I've never used any of his products, link provided because he was referenced in a previous post)
https://sites.google.com/a/colinhyde...ions.com/home/
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