Posted 2012-02-08 10:56 AM (#140646) Subject: axle problem ?
Regular
Posts: 67
Location: georgia
Just bought a 2005 silver star 2 horse GN slant last night and today when I unhooked it it does not set level. The right rear tire is closer to the fender than the left rear tire.
Is this a common probem for the right rear side of a Torsion axle to go bad since this is where the horses load and unload?
Posted 2012-02-08 11:59 AM (#140647 - in reply to #140646) Subject: RE: axle problem ?
Expert
Posts: 3802
Location: Rocky Mount N.C.
Are all the tires the same size? Is that right rear tire a larger diameter? It may have a bent spindle. What does the wheel's camber look like? Is the bottom of the tire outward and the top inward? Is it parked on level ground? Did you buy it in the dark? I don't think I've ever seen the rubber bushings inside a torsion axle that went bad, not to say it can't happen.
Did you buy from a dealer, Craigslist, Ebay, Newspaper, word of mouth local, etc..?
The trailer was 10 hours away from me and as it worked ut the seller met me 1 hour away from their home so I only drove 9 hours one way. It was almost dark when we met up and everything looked great. I did not see that the trailer sat low on the right side untill I unhooked it this morning and looked at it straight on from the front. IT was hooked to the owners truck when I inspected it.
The trailer is sitting on level ground and there is 3 and 1/2 inches difference from one side of the gooseneck to the other. ON the back end at the bumper it is 1". The tires are all the same size and the axle does not apear to be bent. The trailer pulled great all 400 miles home. It just looks like the rubber has lost its spring and let the trailer drop on that side.
right rear tire hand will not slide between tire and fender, this photo was taken after I jacked up this side and it did not return to quite as low of a position.
Posted 2012-02-08 2:11 PM (#140651 - in reply to #140646) Subject: RE: axle problem ?
Expert
Posts: 3802
Location: Rocky Mount N.C.
I can't open the photo bucket pics. The Ebay picture make it appear OK hitched to the truck. One thing I do notice is, for some reason, it looks like the tires are too wide for those wheels. Pull that wheel and jack that hub up with a seperate jack. No more than that trailer weighs, it shouldn't flex hardly at all. There are others that will be along shortly that may have more and better suggestions as of what to do/look for.
Appears to have 5200# axles. This is the space between the tire and fender it should have with the correct size tires.
Just checked back before I made this post.... Seems as though the seller may have known that there was a problem, specially when they have already offered to kick in some cash to replace axle...
Posted 2012-02-08 3:24 PM (#140653 - in reply to #140646) Subject: RE: axle problem ?
Regular
Posts: 67
Location: georgia
The factory rep at Dexter told me that the axles are #10 with 6 lug hubs rated at 2,200-3,500 pounds each. I am thinking of replacing it with #11 rated at 4,000-6,000. On these really short trailers the rear seems to catch the bulk of the load. Tires are 235-85-16 same as the unused spare so I am guessing the tire size is correct.