It is tough to tell the differences if you don't know what to look for and without doing some disassembly. I'd look for a manufacturers ID tag on the axle first. There's no reason to remove such a tag, (usually riveted or spot-welded in place), unless the trailer builder does so on purpose...and why would they do that? The splicing is a dead giveaway, but lots of folks around here use MH axles
without cutting them to a "legal" length. Trailers are typically limited to a 102" overall width according to regulations, and I've had lots of conversations with customers over the years that tell me they won't need to rent a trailer when picking up a piece of equipment because they have one of their own. When asked what type/size trailer they have, they're not shy about disclosing the dimensions. Many with un-cut MH axles are 104", (or a little more), in overall width. Years ago, I built a three-axle trailer for a guy that had MH axles and insisted using them. He didn't want them shortened up, so I used them as-is. I told him that after I was done he would
have to have the trailer inspected by a highway patrolman that would need to sign off on the trailer's construction and road-worthiness before issuing a VIN. I said that since the 102" max width was on the books, I was sure the trailer would be measured. The owner thought it was worth risking and he lucked out because the officer never broke out the tape measure. To the outside edge of the tires, this trailer measured 104 1/4" inches wide.
My *opinion* would to be very suspicious of any trailer lacking a manufacturers' VIN or ID tag. Why? Simple....there are "good" axles that employ the rim-clamp style hubs and use the 14.5 tires. We have a couple of Dyna Weld trailers that are set up that way. But
those axles that
are serviceable and
do not have the 'limited-use" designation MH axles have are
expensive to purchase. I'd say it's likely they cost the trailer manufacturer
as much as more traditional "service type" trailer axles used by most manufacturers. In other words, if a DIY-er is building an equipment trailer, he very likely either used MH axles...or....he coughed up the $$ it took to buy a set of higher-quality non-MH axles like the Dyna Weld trailers use....which makes no sense at all given the additional compromises he'd wind up with by having to run the 14.5 tires.
MH axles
are chosen most often by DIY-ers because they're cheap and easy to find.
If the builder claims his rim-clamp style axles are not MH axles, I'd ask for a receipt for the axle(s) he purchased....and if he couldn't produce a receipt, I'd ask
where they were purchased from. A couple of specific questions is all it usually takes in order to weed out the BS-ers.
