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Forrest · 12-30-2002, 11:31 PM

I'll try to answer your question in the order posted.

John: I didn't notice any sign of hitting the stop, but I did notice a difference before and after while towing. The old axle and shocks passed along a jolt up through the frame into the tow vehicle whenever we drove over cracks and bumps in the road surface. The new axles and brakes are a higher rating than the old ones. That specifications are detailed at http:\\www.inlandrv.com and I drilled the frame using the bolts supplied by Inland RV. I don't remember what grade they are only that they have marks that indicate they are hardened.

Marc: The axle is ordered through Inland delivered direct from Henchen via Yellow Freight. The new axle has about a 1" more drop giving the unit a higher ride with more ground clearance (although 1" isn't that much of a difference). The new axle fit into the old "U-holes" or opening in the frame, although not as snugly as the old ones. This is because the mounting on the new axle appears to be a more "universal" fit. It has bolt holes for inserting bolts vertically. To use those holes I would've had to remove a section of the pan so as to have access to the interior of the trailer frame. The horizontal holes that I drilled (the bolts are visible in the photos) are closer together than the old ones, and the front hole is close to the bottom edge of the frame. Cost of axle (including OEM shocks and bolt hardware) ordered from INland was $869 (in September), Yellow Freight charged $83 (to Denver), my welder charged me $75, the gas shocks (from NAPA, part number 94008) was $40, and a $1 for some locknuts to bolt the shocks --- total cost $1,070 (labor was free).

The OEM shocks provided with the axle (shipped seperately) were Gabriels. They are good standard shocks, but the mistake was mine. I will not be asking INland for credit. I'll be selling them shortly on eBay (my mistake is likely a common one judging from the number of people selling new OEM shocks on eBay). The diagonal piece of metal with the mounting stud is the lower shock mounting and shipped with the shocks. When order your axle you may not have to do welding depending on you make, model and year of trailer. Call Inland for this information as they will ask you several questions to determine which axle you need.

qqq · 12-30-2002, 11:35 PM

Are all replacement axles the same size?
What is 10' oe 12'

qqq

Forrest · 12-30-2002, 11:55 PM

I think the axles are the same width, but they have different ratings and size brakes depending on your model AS. See Inland's web site. It has the details.

hex · 12-31-2002, 11:22 AM

Thanks Forrest, actually I was asking about the upper shock mount brackets. But I deduct from your description that they were factory installed. I assume they also have a stud.

I find the whole axle replacement situation very disappointing. To pay $850. plus for an axle and then have to customize welding is offensive to me. It is not the price of the welding, but the chance of mistake by some welder who knows nothing of trailer engineering or dynamics. And assuming there is a warranty on the new axles, will a welders mistake void it? For the life of me I can not understand why Henschen cannot,upon receipt of order, attach an OEM duplicated mounting bracket to the axle.

The fact that the lower shock mounting brackets were sent with the shocks is also disconcerting to me. Seems they should have been sent with the axle. Some one might want to use the existing shocks having recently replaced them trying to head off an axle replacement.

Haven't we been indoctrinated to believe that every angle and dimension of the sacred Airstream running gear was critically designed and engineered. To not keep this all fine tuned we were told could lead to pipes leaking, walls shifting, rivets wallowing, tires failing, tails sagging, and milk in the refer becoming butter.

So would a shock that is a few degrees changed in its angle of travel have any effect on balance or on anything?? Beats me!

And now they ship a "UNIVERSAL (cut to fit) AXLE" !!!
I only have to go up to InlandAndy's following statement in this very thread....
quote:
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"However, someone has gone to Southwest Wheel to obtain a replacement axle, who will sell wholesale. If you can engineer the axle and it's required attachment changes, shock bracket size and location, along with determining the necessary adjustments and attachments that you must make in order to install it, then you can get a complete axle, you determine the rating, along with hubs, drums, bearings and brakes for less than $300.00."
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OK thanks for the 500 dollars worth of replacement engineering, could we have 5 dollars worth of instructions on where to weld!
Go figure!.... and while at it send me Southwest Wheels phone number please.

__________________

Chas · 12-31-2002, 12:43 PM

I have one of those $800 plus axles under my Minuet. It was not a quick bolt on job. My shock brackets were already welded on but in the wrong place. I had to strip the axle to get access to the brackets and move them which was not the end of the world, I do have a mig welder and a torch. I can imagine what the typical do-it yourselfer would have felt when faced with welding and fab fees to take care of it. I did gripe at Inland about this and they said in the future they would be shipping the brackets loose, I assume with the axle. If I had to do it again I would probably go to Dexter and get an axle built to spec, or do my best at measuring and do some work to get a off-the-shelf unit of theirs installed. I fully agree it was a lot of money for something that I ended having to partially re-engineer. I am not really disgruntled about the whole ordeal, just feel it was a lot of money for the trouble.

Chas

Chuck · 12-31-2002, 01:51 PM

this raises the question: can we just go to Dexter? How would one go about that? if you've gotta go through all sorts of crap to get one of these expensive Henshen axles to fit, can someone please explain to me what the point is? I thought the whole idea of going through inland was to avoid this stuff. just unbolt the old, and bolt on the new. I guess not.

I know pahaska has mentioned more than once that his paperwork says "henshen", but the axle itself says "Dexter". I wonder what's up w/ that, too....perhaps if henshen gets backed up in their manufacturing, AS goes to Dexter? or perhaps Dexter is a customer of Henshen's?

hex · 12-31-2002, 03:12 PM

Dexter manufactures their own brake parts and sells them to Airstream and I believe Henschen who incorporate them onto their axles.

I have called Dexter and been told that they do not have an exact replacement axle for Vintage Airstreams. I talked to a number of their personel and was disappointed in the lack of Airstream knowledge, they were very cordial however. They asked me for a number of specs, and measurements that I had no knowledge of. I am not sure whether they would custom build with the right specs or not. Prob'ly would be cost prohibitive. If I find my notes I will edit this and add them to this post.

Forrest · 12-31-2002, 11:21 PM

Sorry to not understand the question regarding the upper shock mounting bracket/stud. The upper one is original and welded to the the trailer frame. Mine have to damage, so I left them as they are other than to clean them up. Here's a drawing of the studs dimensions. I don't know if thats a help for anyone, but here it is.

Pick · 01-01-2003, 08:45 AM

First, Henschen makes axles, not brake backing plates, and brake parts. Dexter makes the OEM backing plates and brake parts, and supplies the hub/drums to Henschen.

My axles came with the shock mounts welded on, and also a neat little clip to hold the brake wires.

Pick · 01-01-2003, 08:56 AM

Here is a neat tool I got from tooldesk.com for repacking wheel bearings. I am going to use Amsoil synthetic grease when I do mine.

Pick · 01-01-2003, 12:42 PM

All you do is place the bearing in the packer, they put the cap on and apply pressure. The old grease is forced out and replaced with the new grease.

Pick · 01-01-2003, 12:51 PM

By buying "bare" axles without the brake plate and hub/drums. That is how I bought mine. I just pulled one of mine off today. Well, I think I made the right decision. My drums are in great shape, and so is the backing plate and it's components. I saved $300 an axle this way. I hope the the other 3 are in as good a shape as the 1st one! I do have the round magnets instead of the new oblong style. I am not going to replace them, they are fine and the trailer stops fine. Drums have no ridges and are smooth. They look a little rusty in this picture, trailer has not moved since the last week in September.

Pick · 01-01-2003, 12:54 PM

Here's what I saw after I pulled the tire off. A tire that is 10 years old!! New set on order. I've got new shocks, of course. You can see this one leaks. Don't worry, I do have jackstands!

Forrest · 01-01-2003, 03:34 PM

Nice photos Pick!

Now I see what Inland RV meant when they asked me if my shocks were horizontal or vertical. Mine are vertical and so my axle came without the lower shock bracket welded on. Anyone ordering an axle where the shocks mount horizontally like yours gets an axle with the bracket already welded. That's to your advantage and savings, but I wasn't as lucky.

Forrest

john hd · 01-01-2003, 03:45 PM

"They asked me for a number of specs, and measurements that I had no knowledge of. "

i'd guess that's worth about 500 bucks...

john

Chas · 01-01-2003, 04:36 PM

John,

I guess if I needed 2 axles it would be worth a $1,000???

Chas

BobbyW · 01-01-2003, 07:37 PM

Off topic posts removed.

-BobbyW

Ken J · 01-02-2003, 08:57 AM

Forrest

After it was all said and done are the new axles a big improvement? It the ride difference noticeable, smoother etc?

Forrest · 01-14-2003, 12:17 AM

Well, yes the towing is better. This is a subjective judgement though, and I can't say that simply replacing the axle made the difference. I have new shocks, wheels, tires as well as the axle. Altogether I think there is a significant improvement, but the biggest difference is in having peace of mind.

Zeppelinium · 01-23-2006, 11:48 AM

I ran into a guy up in Yellowstone who said he got two new axles from an outfit (Axis) in Elkhart IN for about $750 for the pair. New as in completely new, including the square tube crosspiece.