tig weld damaged trailer axle spindle?

jacks

Member
I am rebuilding an equipment trailer that has two 6,000 lb dexter axles. At some time before I owned it, there was a bearing failure which caused a cut into the taper portion of one of the spindles. It is cut maybe a quarter of the diameter. The dexter website does not recommend any non-factory welding of replacement spindles on to their axles, so replacing the entire spindle is not an option. I noticed that there is a you tube video showing a guy TIG welding an identical type of damage on a spindle. He builds up the area slightly above the original thickness, and grinds it back down to the proper diameter, checking with a micrometer as he removes material. I have a couple of friends with TIG welders who would help me out with building up the spindle. Before I go this route, has anyone had any experience with doing this kind of repair, and if so, has it held up okay? From what I know of TIG welding, it may not weaken the surrounding area as much as MIG or stick welding. Any advice would be appreciated.
 
There is a company called Axle Surgeons that weld on new spindles all the time . They will even come to you to do it. Right on the vehicle. SO yes it can be done with success.
 
Tig welding is unnecessary. 7018 would be my choice. If it didn't damage the part where the bearing sits I would leave it alone. Welding on one side will likely pull the spindle out of square. A better plan to fix it would be to have a machine shop turn you a new spindle and weld that in at the axle tube. Before you spend too much on repairs make sure you price a bare axle as you should be able to get an axle shaft and u-bolts for about $200.00.
 
Put a new axle under it . Way cheaper then having it pulled during welding and eating tires off or worse case having it snap off and send the tire and wheel thru someone's windsheild and killing someone. Yes axle sergons do install new spindles and repair them on the unit . But i can tell you first hand buy the new axle even two new axles for that matter as just one visit from them your still money in the bank. Years back while driving for a guy he sent my tractor out for a brake job to a company due to the fact he had no shop to work in and in the dead of winter . Got my tractor back and hooked to my dumpy trailer and went on down to the Coke plant and loaded a big load of coke and headed for Cleveland . Just past the Breckville exit the right rear drive tires locked up and just about cause me to loose control , i was able to hang on to it and get it off the side . The other truck that the guy owned was wright behind me and saw it all . This was before the days of cell phones and our short range company radios were of no use that far from home . Well Bob the other driver madde sure i was ok , yep engine still runs i have heat i have lunch i am good go dump your load and drop your trailer and come back with a chain and we will drag my tractor out from under my trailer , Then he starts with i don't have the control for the air axle , So what you got twelve miles to go it is cold out and your not going to over heat the tires with only 61000 on . . So he went a dumped his load called the boos and came back and got my trailer . Now this guy i worked for was so cheap that instead of calling for a wrecker , No he comes up with tools in hand and thinks we are going to fix this on the road . Well we get the axle out and the two nuts off and that is as far as we got . The bearings were welded to the axle so now he takes a chain and chains up the right read drive and tells me to lock the power divider in and drive it HOME OK so we drive it home . HE does not own a set of torches so he borrows a set and HE tries to cut the bearing out , yea that did not go well . I told him that i could do it but NO he would do it . Well we get the hub and drum off and the spindle is toast So he called axle surgons and they sent a guy in a van with a welder and a special grinder . He worked on it for better part of a day and got it fixed . I asked him how well will this repair be as we haul really heavy , he said they did a lot of work up in Mich. on them boys truck and they haul heavy . Great . All was well and good till the guy handed OlD John the bill. Like 1170 bucks .
 
New spindle ends are welded on all the time, not a barnyard job, im talking properly done on a semi trailer etc. What trouble is the notch causing? It sounds like it has been running up until now so im curious why you are trying to fix it. If it didnt damage where the bearings sit then nothing to worry about
 
The damaged place on the spindle is not where either bearing is located, and it has never caused a problem. Just one of those things that could cause a problem in the future, and I thought that I would like to get the spindle back to 100% strength.
 
Hi.....There are some parts of the world that if you weld on a SPINDLE and the application is them used on public highways ....hope you never have an accident that would cause the DOT to check said failed spindle...

Bob...
 
They are, except for the small 1,000lb axles made from a solid square shaft with the ends turned down
for the hubs.
 
The spindles on these older dexter axles were welded to the round axle
tubes at the factory. Based on the response to my question, and the
fact that I have used the axle like this for 20 years, I am not
planning on trying to do any repair to the spindle.
 
(reply to post at 20:21:11 02/17/16)

that will work but don't try grinding to the final fit When you get close get out a good file and take your time and measure alot dont need a tig if you can run a stick
 

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