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older horse trailer - axle swap

H

Hogleg

Member
I have a late 80's gooseneck horse trailer that sits significantly nose up when hitched to my 4x4 F350 (std height). Folks have suggested swapping the 4in drop axles to straight axles. Saw a trailer similar to mine with this done and it looked good.

The current axles are dexter brake axles, 3500lb. Brakes and hubs look quite good, no scoring or otherwise bad wear. Bearings look good also.

The question - would you swap the entire axle, brakes, springs etc or just buy new beams/ubolts and move the good parts to the new beams? A complete axles swap is going to be around $725 and will be very easy to do. Just the beams will be around $225 but a lot more work. Or should I go somewhere in between, say axles/hubs/brakes but reuse springs?

One of the old axles is bent so no a real good oppty to sell them used as a pair.

Ignoring the work aspect (my labor is free), what would you do and why?

John
 
Yours doesn't have these set screws in the hitch?

I was having trouble with this 95 WW after I beefed up my springs on my truck and put a flatbed on it. It was tipped up,pulled hard,blew rear tires,all kinds of nightmares. It's got the torsion spring suspension,not springs and shackles,so nothing "walks" to compensate. I finally came up with the good sense to hook on,take the pressure off with the jack,loosen the screws and let it down until it sat level. Pulls loaded now as easy as it used to empty.
a131224.jpg
 
nope, mine is all the way in. No more travel. I looked into one of the new bulldog shorter hitch posts, but it lets the trailer get too close to the sides of the bed...

And with the bent axle, I really need to replace... how is the question...

John
 
I've been in to those electric brakes up to my eyeballs this week. As long as yours work and will bolt up to the new axles,I'd use them. There are just four bolts on those backing plates. Those plates,complete with shoes,magnets,springs and all for mine are $98 per wheel,so even if you bought the bare axles,bought new backing plates and used your old hubs and drums it would be cheaper than buying entire new axles.
 
Axle swap would take the most time. Swapping the back plate and brakes is not all that big of a deal. I bought new brakes for my horse trailer backing plates and all. It was back in 2008 and I don't remember the time it took but it didn't take enough time for me to regret doing it.

HorseTrailer001-vi.jpg
 
Done that a few times. Buy axles and u-bolt kit
because it's rare to get the u-bolts all off with
out a gas wrench. As far as the brakes goes if
yours are good and only a few years old there is
no reason not to use them. If they are over say 5
years old you may want to get new backing plates
because it's probly not long til problems anyway.
If you think you need axles and backing plates and
yopu have a bad bearing or 2 it's probly better to
just go all new and be done with it. Also if your
going to go that far do yourself a favor and buy a
suspension kit as well. You will get all new bolts
and bushings and straps and if your trailers more
than a few years old it probly needs it. Most
people don't do that often enough. What ever way you go, there is no reason to buy new springs, so you can save that. You can get complete axles without springs or just the beam with nothing on it.
 
I like torsion axles for hauling horses. However, I don't think you can get them to raise the trailer height. I just changed a complete brake backing plate and all new brakes on one side of one axle. It took about 45 Minutes and required a torch for the old rusted on bolts. For the difference in price I'd buy all new axles, springs and brakes, as a unit. If the trailer is sound, that upfit is like having a new unit.
 
One of my 3500 pound axels broke this summer, it rusted
threw, I don't even use the trailer in the winter, this is how worn
out the equalizer was! About $530 dollars fir new axel, breaks
bushings and u bolts. I know this dident answer your question
but I did axel work this summer too!
a131258.jpg

a131261.jpg
 
dexter makes a axle "flip kit" where you mount the axles under the springs instead on top as shown in the second picture makes for apx. 4inch lift for around a hundred bucks
 
That is about the worst I've seen for worn out equalizers. LOL. That's why I suggested new bolts, bushings, and straps.
 
Second vote for the Dexter axle flip kit. Did mine a few years ago. I took three easy nights after work. I could have done it in two, but I decided to weld the new perches in. Directions say you should weld them, but not required. Didn"t like that piece of advice so they got welded.

Lifted about 4 inches, no problems trailering for the last 3 years. Around 7000 miles.

Rick
 
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