New Axles

[montanaandy]

I am preparing to order a pair of new axles for my 78-31' Soverign because I have signicant droop and I want to upgrade the mangets, drums, etc. Can I have this service done (remove old axle and install new) at the tire center where I had new tires installed and balanced? It seemds that this would be a fairly simple procedure for them. The local RV dealer that I visit for other services will not perform this type of service. Thanks,

Montanaandy

[Pahaska]

The tire place I take my trailer to would probably do it. They do a lot of miscellaneous work on farm trailers and I have observed them welding on a hitch.

Do a search on this forum for appropriate threads and print off a couple of photos so that you can show them what needs to be done.

[Chas]

montana,

Just make sure they are capable of doing some fab work such as attaching and/or relocating the shock arms and any other misc. cutting, drilling and welding that will most likely need to be done.

As far as my experiences go the new axles don't just bolt in.

Chas

[montanaandy]

Thanks for the suggestions. I was under the impression that the old axles were simply bolted to the frame and that they were easly removed and replaced once you had access to the underside of the trailer via a jack or hydraulic lift. The tire place that I am thinking of going to installed new shocks that I had purchased from Inland RV without any problem but the axle swap sounds much more complicated. Thanks, Montanaandy

[Pick]

It is a really quite simple. Support the Airstream on 4 jack stands in the proper positions, remove tires. If you have two or more people, simply put a floor jack under the axle to be removed, and some blocks under the hub/drums to maintain balance. Disconnect electric brake wires. Remove the 4 bolts, and lower the axle. Very simple. I did mine with no help, but removed the hub/drums and brake plates to make it easier to handle the axles by myself.

[montanaandy]

Thanks for the info. I had read prior posts on either this board or another where the removal of the old axles and the installation of the new axles was fairly straighforward on a late 70's AS and was a bit confused when I read that there would be welding, etc. involved. I have also read posts where some owners have had diffculty replacing the old shocks and installing new shocks but the tire center that performed that service didn't have any trouble at all with that and I would think that the axle removal/replacement would be along the same lines in terms of removal and installation. Montanaandy