Newbie with Axle Question

[Camp]

Just picked up our '77 Argosy 26 and threw away the tent! Not sure what I've gotten into but I'm excited about it. I realized quickly my f150 makes a poor TW, so I found a 2000 Excursion to do the hauling. Now I'm working on the trailer wheels, bearings, shocks, etc. Anyway the axles seem OK to me, but can anyone tell from these photos how bad the 'sag' is? Right now the trailer is lifted so I don't have any close ups. I really prefer to tackle an axle swap next year - I'm over my head already! Thanks.

[Aage]

Hello Camp, and welcome to airforum.com! Your Argosy's exterior is looking good, will you show us the interior, too?

Airforums members will have lots of answers for any question you can dream up, you'll see

I'm curious why you feel a Ford F150 isn't a good TV (tow vehicle). There are tons of members here that might dispute that. Is there something wrong with yours that prevents you from using it to pull your TT?

Aage

[tkasten]

It looks like you found a great deal. Axles - there are some easy tests that you can do that will give an idea of the condition of your axles. Go to:
Inland RV Center - The Nations Leading Expert in Airstream Innovations

Look for the Articles section on axles.

[Camp]

Thanks for the welcome, Aage. My 08 F150 is only a V6 and I have 33 inch tires on it. It's a great little truck and will be my daily driver. The excursion has the 6.8L V10. It is a limited so in addition to the power it's a sweet ride. I'll be picking it up today. Here are some pics from the day I first saw the trailer. I was looking on craigslist for a few months, but this one was the first one I looked at in person. Love at first sight (mainly because it was in my price range, original and still available). It was out in the country in GA and owned by a young man who's father and uncle had it before him since '91.

[blickcd]

That's a sweet looking Argosy. I replaced the axles on my '79 a few years ago so I would guess yours are due. Like someone else said, check Inland RV's website. They tell you all you need to know for a self-inspection.

Axle replacement can be a DIY job, though it isn't much fun. It took a friend and I about four hours though I had soaked all bolts for days with PB blaster and done preliminary work such as disconnecting brake wiring, lower shock mountings, and temporarily removing the LP line back to the water heater. A search here will turn up plenty of photos of jobs that were done and many helpful tricks.

Christopher

[JitneyBead]

I did an axle swap last weekend.

Check out this video to see exactly what a bad axle looks like.

YouTube - 1964 Airstream Axle Swap - Why we needed it.

[Aviator]

Camp,

Check the Inland website as Tim said. Also, my axles sorta looked OK, but when I jacked the trailer onto jackstands, I found the axles frozen in position (bad). I replaced all three in my driveway. The thread for that is located here: http://www.airforums.com/forums/f437...ion-72600.html I live on the North end of PTC and am happy to be of any help I can.

[overlander63]

I think it is more important to check how much travel the axles have, rather than what the at rest angle is. The man that was gm of Henschen before they closed has stated a torsion axle will be at or near zero angle when loaded, no matter what condition they are in.
If you raise the trailer off its tires and there is little to no movement from them being unloaded, then chances are they will require replacement, as stated in the above post.

[3Ms75Argosy]

That was a steal! It looks like a very nice Argosy.. the paint (from here) looks to be in great shape. About the axles... yes... they probably will be found to be needed to swap. That said, I've gone up and down the west coast with my "shot" axles and have only lost some rivets inside... do the replacement as you $$ can.. but don't sweat it if you can't right now.

How old are those tires? If they're more than 5 yrs old, I'd worry about changing those first rather than the axles. Blowouts in any Argosy or AS can be costly.

About your truck... can you just go back to stock size tires when you tow? 33's are pretty big.. even for an unloaded truck and possibly change the axle ratio in the rear (I'm assuming a 4x2 truck).

If you got the Excursion already.. disreagard the above. Welcome to the Forums!

[Mikethefixit]

Great Lookin Argosy Inside and out. At first glance,unless you have that trailer jacked up. it doesn't appear it needs axles yet. If you would bring up Inland Rv website,Andy has a gauge as what to look for and at what angles the trailing arms should be at. I think someone has already said,jack it up between the axles on the mounting plate and see how much travel you have.
I did the job 2 yrs ago PEICE A CAKE. I didnt really have any specialized tools except some PB Blaster and a good impact and some good box end wrenches. Oh did I mention I was 70 yrs old when I did the 2 axles change. NOT HARD AT ALL.
GOOD LUCK GREAT FIND FOR THE PRICE.
Roger

[Camp]

Thanks for all the info. I'll do some tests on the axles and maybe get to together with Aviator and see if I can get by 'as-is' for a year. New Shocks, tires, and bearings are a must. While I was underneath I noticed a propane line was bent by debris at some point. I also have a sprung outer door at the bottom. By the time I went to see the trailer another interested party showed up, so I bought it right on the spot. I really haven't dug into it yet other than plugging in 110v and checking the power supply, lights, etc. They work! My goals for this year are: make it safe and mobile. After that, new cushions, running water and a working toilet would be a real luxury.