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Old 06-14-2016, 03:38 PM   #1
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1978 25' Tradewind
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New axles - they're here, and they will require...

...a change from lug bolts to lug nuts.

Just thought I'd post this in case anyone else is changing axles.

Finally! New axles!
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Old 06-14-2016, 04:00 PM   #2
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Looks good I need to order mine soon
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Old 06-14-2016, 04:40 PM   #3
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Originally Posted by SpletKay06 View Post
Looks good I need to order mine soon
I got these from Colin, and as you can see they came with all the required hardware and totally assembled. I'm anticipating a pretty smooth installation.
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Old 06-14-2016, 09:29 PM   #4
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Looks good I tried a different source and ....

Did your receive all the bolts? The vertical nuts? The nuts and washers for the shock?
Looks like you are welding on the shock mounts, be sure and keep them plumb, just saying.
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Old 06-14-2016, 10:11 PM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by drboyd View Post
I got these from Colin, and as you can see they came with all the required hardware and totally assembled. I'm anticipating a pretty smooth installation.
Quote:
Originally Posted by sgschwend View Post
Looks good I tried a different source and ....

Did your receive all the bolts? The vertical nuts? The nuts and washers for the shock?
Looks like you are welding on the shock mounts, be sure and keep them plumb, just saying.
What exactly is a vertical nut? There are four nuts and four bolts for mounting each axle. Looks like he said all required hardware is included, and they are totally assembled. Totaly. Including all brackets.
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Old 06-14-2016, 10:15 PM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by sgschwend View Post
Looks good I tried a different source and ....

Did your receive all the bolts? The vertical nuts? The nuts and washers for the shock?
Looks like you are welding on the shock mounts, be sure and keep them plumb, just saying.
I didn't check for the shock mounts, but they're supposed to be there. I think I see one in a photo, but I'll double-check tomorrow. There's a packing list showing a whole pot-load of nuts and bolts, and a bag that I believe they're in.

I take it you got yours from somewhere further west...? How did that work out?
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Old 06-14-2016, 10:39 PM   #7
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You will want to bolt your shocks to the brackets during install . Makes it so much easier than after the axles are bolted to the frame. Ask me how I learned .....
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Old 06-15-2016, 01:10 AM   #8
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The axles from Collin Hyde come with the shock mounts welded on before the torsion axle is assembled. That way it doesn't alter the rubber inside the axle.
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Old 06-15-2016, 06:26 AM   #9
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They might have came with shock brackets but you will have to come up with the shock studs. I helped a friend cut off the old and weld them to the new brackets..... It is not a big deal to put the shocks in place before the axle mounting.
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Old 06-15-2016, 07:53 AM   #10
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Originally Posted by crispyboy View Post
They might have came with shock brackets but you will have to come up with the shock studs. I helped a friend cut off the old and weld them to the new brackets..... It is not a big deal to put the shocks in place before the axle mounting.
With axles from Colin if you don't mount shocks on axle before raising axle you will have to drop axle and start over or figure out some other way to mount them, don't ask how I no this.
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Old 06-15-2016, 08:48 AM   #11
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Originally Posted by crispyboy View Post
They might have came with shock brackets but you will have to come up with the shock studs. I helped a friend cut off the old and weld them to the new brackets..... It is not a big deal to put the shocks in place before the axle mounting.
Actually, the shocks that Colin recommends come witih the mounting studs in the box. And yes, I opened the box to check.
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Old 06-15-2016, 11:44 AM   #12
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I got my new axles last year from Andy. My trailer is an old one, circa 1966. On that frame I had to weld on new shock terminations because the shock orientation had changed from vertical to horizontal. I found it best to put the axle in an unloaded condition and then extend the shock to its full length to locate the position for the frame side termination.
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Old 06-15-2016, 12:02 PM   #13
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Colin

hOW MUCH DID YOU PAY FOR THE PAIR, SHIPPED?
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Old 06-15-2016, 12:58 PM   #14
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1960 24' Tradewind
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Hi morganobenn
When you replaced axles and changed the orientation of the shocks, how did you select new shocks? size?
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Old 06-15-2016, 01:19 PM   #15
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1974 25' Tradewind
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Axles and shocks

We have our axles from Colin.....he knows his axles....they went on perfectly.
Just as a caution.......the shocks recommended were Monroe Gas Magnum #555003.
I shared this info on this forum and one of the response' I got was that I should be using the shock specifically that Airstream uses made by Gabriel that is sold by AS or can get from Vintage .
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Old 06-15-2016, 03:34 PM   #16
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Quote:
Originally Posted by featherbedder View Post
With axles from Colin if you don't mount shocks on axle before raising axle you will have to drop axle and start over or figure out some other way to mount them, don't ask how I no this.
I don't have to ask, as I just learned the same thing from experience, that most unforgiving of teachers. It would have been nice if instructions had accompanied the axles alerting one to this potential problem. There is no way that I can see to get a wangle a bolt of sufficient to fit into the space

Another problem is that the shock brackets on the axles only have 9/16" bolt holes, whereas the shock mounts on the old axles had 5/8" studs. I'm assuming I can find shocks with rubber inserts that have 9/16" holes, but, if not, will have to drill out the 9/16" shock bracket holes to 5/8". This, of course,after dropping the axles just to get to them.

Ah, well, nobody ever said being an amateur was easy.
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Old 06-15-2016, 04:30 PM   #17
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TLBIJOU View Post
hOW MUCH DID YOU PAY FOR THE PAIR, SHIPPED?
$1340 including self-adjusting brakes, easy-lube axles, and freight from Elkhart, IN to a depot near me in Phoenix, AZ.

Clearly, your mileage may vary.
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Old 06-15-2016, 04:33 PM   #18
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Originally Posted by sgschwend View Post
<snip>
Looks like you are welding on the shock mounts, be sure and keep them plumb, just saying.
I checked this afternoon, and the shock mounts were already factory installed on the axles. The lug nuts are 1/2".
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Old 06-15-2016, 04:35 PM   #19
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Replaced orig. axles on my '67 Overlander last December with 3500 lb Dexter axles from Inland RV. Upgraded from 2800 lbs to retain 12" brakes. The newer 2800 lb axles have only 10" brakes whether Dexter or Axis. The shock brackets had to be welded on which took about 10 minutes each. The experienced welder I used said that given the mass of the arm there was no risk to the rubber inside the tube. It was necessary to modify the trailer frame side plates slightly to accommodate the larger axle tube which took only about 10 minutes per side per axle and the trailer was raised only about a quarter inch plus about an inch less sag when we set her back on her wheels. Two new holes had to be drilled thru the side plate and each axle bracket per wheel position which was done after the axle was in place. I paid $675 for each axle assembly plus $100 for four shocks. Shipping was free but I had to drive to the nearest Dexter distributor to pick them up which was about 50 miles. The axles came fully assembled with self adjusting brakes.
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Old 06-15-2016, 04:39 PM   #20
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Quote:
Originally Posted by The Twinkie View Post
<snip>
Just as a caution.......the shocks recommended were Monroe Gas Magnum #555003.

I shared this info on this forum and one of the response' I got was that I should be using the shock specifically that Airstream uses made by Gabriel that is sold by AS or can get from Vintage.
I've got the Monroe shocks ready to go on. There's all kinds of opinions on the forums, and all kinds of different motivation$ for those opinions.
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