Fixing a bent axle?

[gstrom99]

Dexter is much better quality than Lippert is anyway.

I hope so.

 

[Lineman North Florida]

I am kind of late on this thread but I will add a little something about straightening out bent axles, I have a 20' equipment trailer with 2-7k axles, I was hauling my skid steer and brush cutter to a job when I hit a huge pothole in a curve and bent one of the axles on my trailer which caused the right rear tire to be towed out all out of whack. I took a chain and a 12 ton bottle jack and straightened it until the tire was back perfectly straight, I had my doubts as to how long it would last but it has been almost a year and it is still perfect, there are many videos on You tube about how to do it with a chain and bottle jack.

 

[gstrom99]

Everything swapped over just fine. I was ready to re-bend the original one, but for $165, I'm glad I replaced it.

I didn't weigh them, but the Dexter axle seems heavier, and has more camber curve built in. The axle nut is held in place by a cage thingy, rather than a cotter pin. No lube zerk (which is fine with me). The Lippert people sure skimped on the amount of grease it had. I'll need to remember to repack the bearings on the other one soon.

 

[repete]

I have always thought that in order to bend a piece of metal you must stretch the metal as compressing metal is really tough. If I am correct in that logic, then the only way to straighten the axle would be to apply an equal amount of stretch to the other side of the axle.
My recommendation is to get a new, unstretched, axle. Not an axle that has been stretched equally.

 

[nyone]

not questioning your bent axle conclusion but I had similar scuffed out tire on a 7k trailer I own

I had a scuffed tire after I replaced radial tires to bias ply tires on a trailer I had owned for about 9yrs. It turns out the manufacturer welded the spring hangers 1.5in out of square. I cut 4 of the 6 off and re welded. Then replaced the tires again with radials. That was an expensive lesson but found it on my pre/post trip inspection.

I too was for sure thinking I bent an axle.