Dexter Axle?

[bg]

...it really depends on the dealer...locally, my welding supply house is a RedNeck Trailer dist and will sell me a Dexter #9 with hubs for around 160 bucks...that is a really good deal. So shop around cause you can order a Flexirde for 229 plus shipping from etrailer...
madjack

One thing about etrailerparts, If you order by phone, Make sure to specify fedex ground shipping! otherwise, that $40 shipping you were expecting turns into a $75 charge and you have to go pick it up at the freight terminal.

Total bill for a 58" frame width flexiride came to $313, including tax and shipping.

[Nitetimes]

The frame and brackets will take the weight, not the bolts,

I knew someone would say that. If you believe it try this. Put the axle under the frame and clamp the rear of the brackets to the frame, put the tires on and sit the frame down and see what happens. You have to keep in mind that the swingarm is behind the axle itself so it is always under some twist, that's why there are large holes in the brackets, big bolts.

[angib]

I thought it might be useful to start a new thread on how to chose your start angle so that it can be easily found by its title:
How to pick your axle start angle

This thread has also got some Dexter catalogue illustrations of mounting brackets that might be useful.

And I apologise if I've made this look like a case of the one-eyed leading the blind.

Andrew

[cracker39]

Rick, point well taken. Yeah, I plan to use as large a bolt as the holes in the axle mount allow. I just checked the holes, and a 1/2" bolt goes in with a little slop. A 5/8" bolt won't go in the holes. I don't think you can get a bolt between those two sizes (9/16"?), so I'll find some 1/2" in grade 8 if I can, grade 5 if I can't find the grade 8s. I suppose that I could drill the hole out a tiny bit to take the 5/8" bolt. There's enough metal there to do that safely. I also checked the bolt pattern, and 2" x 2" angle won't do it. It will need a piece of 2" x 3" angle in order to have enought metal to drill the bolt holes and keep the strength of the bracket.

BTW, the bracket welded to my axle tube is 1/8" steel. But, the mounting bracket to weld to the frame should probably be heavier. I'll check tomorrow on prices for the steel vs. price of a pair of brackets shipped here to see if I want to make them or buy them. Making them would only take cutting an opening in the angle for the axle tube and drilling 6 mounting holes...not all that much work really.

[Nitetimes]

I really can't recall if we used 1/2" or 9/16" bolts, it's been a while. You can get 9/16" bolts, that's the size in most spring hangers. The 2x3x3/16" would probably be plenty for your use, I've made my own mounts before it's not that tough. (got a torch?)
BTW - I didn't mean to be a smart a$$ in the earlier posts, just didn't want you to underestimate the importance of the bolts and making sure it all fits up tight.

[cracker39]

Andrew, revisiting that diagram of the axles revealed to me that only two bolts are to be used per side, not 3. The 3rd hole is for brake wiring to pass through.

I used that Dexter info to come up with my start angle of 0 degrees. If anything, my frame might ride a little higher than wanted, not lower which would be worse. I can adjust the hitch ball height to level the frame it if need be. If the rear dips on bumps and hits the pavement, the bumper will hit as it is welded under the rear cross member, so I have that added security to protect the cabin materials from dragging.

[angib]

If anything, my frame might ride a little higher than wanted,

Which I would guess is because your trailer doesn't weigh as much as the capacity of your tires or axle. Which you wouldn't want it to - so you've got some spare load capacity left over.

This is why I've suggested people add a bit on to the published numbers which are all based on everything being loaded up to the maximum.

Incidentally, it would seem that overloading torsion axles may not be too big a worry. If you listen to the guys with Scamps and Bolers over on the FiberglassRV forum, some of those trailers seem to have been built in the past with axles loaded up to the maximum even with the trailer empty and no options fitted. Most of the axles seem to need replacing after 30 years but the overloaded ones don't seem to fail after 5 or 10 years as you might expect.

Andrew