Does this count for anything? Pops you are in the minority on those of us with and opinion or experience of using this junk or getting parts easily, it is clear that your mind won't change and that is just fine. But to the original poster, I think you should have the info now to make a sound decision. THEY SUCK and getting PARTS FOR THEM EASILY, SUCKS MORE
Yeah Joe I see I'm in the minority and I doubt anyone's mind will be changed one way or the other. That's OK. All I can say is I've gotten very good service from the ones I've used, and I know a whole bunch of roundy round guys that have had similar experience to mine. Are there better options these days? Absolutely. As far as parts availability you can get nearly any part for them from dexterpartsonline.com I did learn something looking at that site. There were 4500# MH axles. All my MH have been 6K or 7K and I've had some 7K UTG as well. No sense beating a dead horse any longer.
take from the dexter axle web site: AXLES - Can axles be used without suspensions? Axle capacity will be reduced by at least 50% when used without a suspension system (axles or stubs attached directly to the vehicle frame). This is NOT a recommended configuration as it transfers load directly to the frame rails and is a very harsh ride. AXLES - Can mobile home axles be reused? The Dexter MH (mobile home) type axle is designed for limited usage in the delivery of manufactured homes and has a one-time limit use. The axle has steel forged spindles that are not precision ground. The brake assembly is welded onto the beam and not intended to be field replaced. Additionally, the bearing package is smaller than the more expensive service type axle. Most MH axles are also equipped with a single leaf spring suspension for very heavy loads. We do not have components that would convert MH axles to serviceable assemblies. AXLES - Where can I find replacement parts for mobile home axles? Many Dexter distributors do not stock components for mobile home style axles because the axles are intended for limited use in the delivery of manufactured homes. Replacement parts for manufactured home axles are not available.
I am glad you guys told me how sorry the M H axles are. I have a car hauling trailer duel axle that I have been using over 20 years and no problems.. I repack the bearings 1 time a year and keep up the air pressures. Some of these tires do not have the NOT for hwy use marking on them. This is a secondary trailer that get less than 5000 miles use a year.
You are correct! Never thought I'd ever meet another person that knew anything about the 'old'er 'house' trailer axles. In the movie "It's A Long Long Long Trailer" With Ball and Arnez. That is a '52 or '53 Moon Trailer, with 5,500# axles! The design of the old house trailer axles back then, was over built. In the early '70's I found one of those old Moon trailers out in the woods that had THREE axles under it! Got all three of 'em. Gave one to my cousin, and I used the other two. The suspension system, rockers, spring eye and shackles, ALL have brass bushings AND grease fittings! The springs themselves had some sorta grease between each leaf, and was wrapped. The hubs have slots machined in each end to place a round punch in, to get straight directly behind each bearing race. (I changed the old orginal Ball bearings and pressed felt hub seal, for later roller brearings, and a rubber seal.) The brake size was humongous. I forget the size, 2" X 11" 12" or 1 3/4" X 12" The orginal wheels size was big also. I still have one of the wheel/tire off those axles. 17.5 6 lug split rim. 5.50 or 6.00. A squiggly line tread pattern. I found if I machined exactly a 1/16" out of the center of a 6 lug Chevy Blazer/PU wheel, it would fit snugly on the factory machined surface of the hub. Meaning. The wheel/hub held the weight, and the lugs held the wheel on. Not like ones now, when the lugs hold the weight AND the wheel on! Also, there was only an 1/8" 3/16" clearance between those brake drums and the 15" Chevy Blazer/Pu wheels. Another 'con' to those older axles, the rocker spacing was longer than what it is today. I forget what the differnce is. I had to add just under a couple of inches in the middle of the standard issue aftermarket fenders. The longer axle spacing gave a more stable ride. Also, those older axles had to be widened. The trailer axle width in the '70's was 8' to the center of the trailer tire. Now, it's 8' 6" to the outside. When I built that trailer, all the plans I found said to place the center of the rocker 55% back. I went 60% back. Found out, old biased belted trailer tires handle better than radial trailer tires. The old F-350 signle rear wheel PU I used to pull that trailer has 517K on it, so there HAS to be 150K on the trailer!
<TABLE id=post9016498 controls --></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE> Read what EMS Customer Service posted and then decide. Bob
It's been almost 40 years, so I don't remember a lot from back then. I ended up with a career in a different aspect (engine engineering). Motor Wheel was the other main oem wheel supplier, besides Kelsey. I believe all of those companies have gone through several mergers and reorganizations in the last 40 years. I do remember the anguish throughout the company whenever there was an accident or lawsuit with reused MH components. Dexter may have been the other trailer axle supplier, but I don't remember who actually made their brake assemblies.
Good info. I knew they existed but didn't have much info on them. I'm with ya on the bias ply trailer tires. Probably in the minority on that too. The brake size on my inferior axles is 2X12 and I can get all the parts off the website I mentioned earlier including the weld on backing plates.
Did the lawsuits primarily result from wheels coming off or other problems? I've always agreed with the complaints about the way the wheels mount, and of course the MH tires. The other issues (wheel bearings, brakes, parts availability), not so much. I suspect the 1 use disclaimer they have now is a CYA move to discourage DIY'ers from re-using the axles but it's common within the MH industry to re-use those axles many times. Or at least it was. Things may be different now. Dexter supplied a huge part of the MH market.
I don't remember the details, but the brake linings were really thin and cheap, and the surface finishes were really marginal on the bearing running surfaces so the bearings didn't last and the wheels would fall off. The magnets were also softer than normal so they would wear fast. They really are (or were at the time, as things may have changed) a half assed way to make a cheap trailer. The states didn't outlaw them because they worked well and didn't kill or maim people. Someo
Just for kicks, I'm going to add fuel to the fire! My old car trailer had 2 mh axles under it. I had it built brand new in about 1980. It had 5 on 5 1/2" bolt pattern wheels. The open car trailer logged over 100,000 road miles, made 6 trips from IL to the east coast, and 4 trips to the Colorado state line in a matter of 2 years, plus weekly trips to the dirt tracks in my area, before I had to rebuild the spring shackles, bolts and bushings. Then it was used for local trips (within 200 miles of home) for several more years. I sold the trailer in 2001 when we moved into town, probably with well over 150,000 miles on it. During all those miles and years of service, I replaced the brakes 2 times, and the wheel bearings once, all of which was done as maintenance service. The trailer was highly maintained. The guy I sold it to didn't keep up with maintenance and one of the hub bearing races got spun and he had to replace the drums on that axle as a set. He still has the trailer and he uses it occasionally. All that said, would I build another trailer with motor home axles? No, I can buy new axles with specific weight specs for less money. I have seen a lot of junk motor home axles, but I've also seen a lot of junk aftermarket axles, and a lot of junk tow vehicles, for that matter. What I spend my money on depends on the condition of the object I'm looking at, and what my intended use of that item will be. I have a small building filled with items that were deemed as junk by someone, that I bought for a specific reason. Gene
It's like the purpose of this thread went over everyone's heads. I need a trailer, I'm going to buy a used one, and I don't want to buy someone's piece of shit that's going to fall apart and kill me - but I won't rule out something cheap if it can be improved with better parts. Particularly if I can swap out hubs to get a common wheel bolt pattern and at the same time use the matching bearings. Would be nice to have some way to tell the difference as someone who really has no idea what the difference is, between purpose built and just old, and junk. I get that newer mobile home axles are single use and are junk - so far I'm seeing to look for small bearings and welded brake components as keys to tell what they were before the trailer was made.
2 3/8 diameter axles are 3500# rated, generally are five lug but can be six and if equipped w brakes will be 10" diameter. 3" diameter are 5200, 6000, 7000, etc rated. Generally the 5200# are 6 lug, 6000# are 8 lug and the beam is thicker wall tubing, then 7k use different magnets and I can't remember if they go to 9/16 studs on those or if its only on the 8k. That should get you started. Commonly the five luggers are 5 on 4.5 but can be 4.75, 5, 5.5. I have seen several manufacturers use the six lug wheels on the 3500# axles, I think as a way to look as if its rated higher or that way they generally only have less tires/wheels to inventory. Hopefully this gives some insight.
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