Damage with old axles?

[Ag'71]

Okay, so I'm a newbie. I've got a '71 Overlander. I know that it needs new axles, but I can't afford it just yet. What kind of damage or safety issue, if any, can occur if I just take short trips--like less than 50 miles one way? I drove it home--about 225 miles without incident towing with just a ball. I now have a Reese Dual Cam but haven't gone anywhere yet.
Thanks for the advice. BTW, I hope to be able to get the new ones in the spring, then head out on a 1000 mile trek!

[Inland RV Center, In]

Originally Posted by Ag'71

Okay, so I'm a newbie. I've got a '71 Overlander. I know that it needs new axles, but I can't afford it just yet. What kind of damage or safety issue, if any, can occur if I just take short trips--like less than 50 miles one way? I drove it home--about 225 miles without incident towing with just a ball. I now have a Reese Dual Cam but haven't gone anywhere yet.
Thanks for the advice. BTW, I hope to be able to get the new ones in the spring, then head out on a 1000 mile trek!

Bad axles will cause the trailer to bottom out.

That in turn, can cause rear end separation, cracked frames, broken wires, broken AC lines, damaged outriggers, fatigue cracks in the shell, shearing of rivets, water leaks, and the list goes on and on.

Andy

[dwightdi]

The damage will be dependent on the quality of the roads you travel and the speed you tow at. Too big a set of bars on the Reese might make the damage worse. Take it easy and you be able to enjoy your trailer while you are saving up enough money to have it fixed properly. The trailer was likely pulled by the Previous owner a number of years with the axles in not the best of shape.

[Silverhobby]

Don't allow the axle situation to keep you "homebound". I towed my 1972 Ambassador to several local camps and had NO ill effects with the trailer. Enjoy your new trailer and camp as often as you can.

[Mikethefixit]

The shearing of rivets like Andy says,We lost the mirror off the back of the bathroom door.SHEARED the rivets off,that mirror broke,U can imagine the mess. Popped rivets in the skin over the axles. OPENED the frig and drawers in transit. Unrolled the toilet paper and roll towels. Things were just a shambles when arriving from after a 100 mile trip.
I replaced the axles and that stopped.
Make it easy on yourself HOW MUCH DAMAGE can you AFFORD.?????
I went OEM,it wasn't cheap but it was an easy fix, only 8 bolts 4 wires and about 3 hrs labor and WaLA no more problems. WHAT'S IN YOUR WALLET???
GOOD LUCK
Roger

[TG Twinkie]

Short of everything shaking apart inside the rig. How can you tell if the axles are bad? It may be just bad shocks. Will the tires wear in a different pattern if the axles are bad? Is ther some kind of test I can run?

[Inland RV Center, In]

Originally Posted by TG Twinkie

Short of everything shaking apart inside the rig. How can you tell if the axles are bad? It may be just bad shocks. Will the tires wear in a different pattern if the axles are bad? Is ther some kind of test I can run?

All torsion axles, have rubber rods in them.

Rubber must be exercised to stay alive.

Lack of the exercise, allows the rubber to deteriorate.

One of two things happen when the rubber goes bad.

The trailer will settle reducing the ground clearance, and it will bottom out when hitting even small bumps. Not good.

Or, the rubber solidifies, resulting in the road shock going to the chassis and shell, since the shock absorbing rubber rods are now solid and will not give, resulting in bottoming out from most any bump. Even worse.

You can learn how to check them out yourself, in less than a minute, without needing any tools.

Read the axle article in Airstream Central, which is a part of this Forums.

Andy

[tkasten]

Yesthere is an axle test. Go to Andy's Indland RV Center website and look for his notes on checking and axle. It is a very simple test.....Tim

Inland RV Center

[Lumatic]

Ditto on Andy is the axle man.

I don't agree with the take it easy it it will be OK approach. Damage to the coach is cumulative as in metal fatigue. Yeah you can gamble nothing is going to show up on the next trip, or the one after that, but you are weakening the structure and setting yourself up for problems later on. I learned the hard way.

[Lumatic]

Originally Posted by TG Twinkie

It may be just bad shocks.

If the axles are bad road shock is tranferred directly to the coach. The worse they are the more shock. If they are good or not is moot as the more rigid the axles are the more the shocks can't do their job.

[goransons]

You may get away without noticing damage, but damage is taking place. Good example is our 63 safari, years of bad axle virtually destroyed every interior skin rivets, most cabinets had pulled out of the wall etc.

[TG Twinkie]

In the article about axles it was mentioned that trailers prior to '74 had specific problems. What about '74 and newer? What should we look for in these units. I have a '74 26' Argosy, from reading the article, then looking at the trailer, everything seems to be OK. I plan to replace the shocks and take the trailer for a tow with me inside to watch and listen for problems or excessive vibration. Would you recommend 6ply (or equivalent) tires? It's gross vehicle weight is 6200#. Dry weight right at 4000#. Would you recommend an equalizer hitch for this trailer? My tow vehicle is a '98 Dodge 3/4 ton extended cab long box pickup with air bags on the rear axles. I bought the trailer in October and towed it home (450 miles) with no problems, it sets level when hitched to the truck and pulls like a dream.

[Inland RV Center, In]

Originally Posted by TG Twinkie

In the article about axles it was mentioned that trailers prior to '74 had specific problems. What about '74 and newer? What should we look for in these units. I have a '74 26' Argosy, from reading the article, then looking at the trailer, everything seems to be OK. I plan to replace the shocks and take the trailer for a tow with me inside to watch and listen for problems or excessive vibration. Would you recommend 6ply (or equivalent) tires? It's gross vehicle weight is 6200#. Dry weight right at 4000#. Would you recommend an equalizer hitch for this trailer? My tow vehicle is a '98 Dodge 3/4 ton extended cab long box pickup with air bags on the rear axles. I bought the trailer in October and towed it home (450 miles) with no problems, it sets level when hitched to the truck and pulls like a dream.

All 1974 and older axles will fail, because of the incorrect composition of the rubber rods.

From 1974 and newer, the rubber rods still can fail basically from old age, or lack of use.

Rubber must be exercised to stay alive. If not, the rubber rods can just simply give up, offering no support, which lowers the trailer to the ground, or the rods can solidify.

In either case, a rough ride for the trailer will result. There is an article of how to check them out in Airstream Central's web site, but for some crazy reason, it's down right now. I am sure that it will be fixed, but I have no idea when.

A load equalizing hitch is always a very wise and prudent idea, unless you use a semi truck for a tow vehicle.

Take a ride in the very rear of your trailer, at 60 mph. When you exit the trailer, your knuckles may be white, and/or you need a good drink, if you can hold the glass.

Andy 9

[Lumatic]

Originally Posted by TG Twinkie

In the article about axles it was mentioned that trailers prior to '74 had specific problems. What about '74 and newer? What should we look for in these units. I have a '74 26' Argosy, from reading the article, then looking at the trailer, everything seems to be OK. I plan to replace the shocks and take the trailer for a tow with me inside to watch and listen for problems or excessive vibration. Would you recommend 6ply (or equivalent) tires? It's gross vehicle weight is 6200#. Dry weight right at 4000#. Would you recommend an equalizer hitch for this trailer? My tow vehicle is a '98 Dodge 3/4 ton extended cab long box pickup with air bags on the rear axles. I bought the trailer in October and towed it home (450 miles) with no problems, it sets level when hitched to the truck and pulls like a dream.

1.Axles- Same thing. The rubber rods inside the axles can become rigid reducing the shock absorbing and spring of the axle
2.Tires- 6 ply ST or LT sounds about right
3. WD hitch- yes, I would. More important is sway control. You will find strong opinions on both side of the fence. Another problem is a 3/4 and 1 ton will transfer more road shock to the trailer tongue. I use a Air Safe hitch bolted to my WD hitch. Most people don't. You can also put rear air supspension or remove the helper springs on the truck to soften the ride.