How can I prevent axle from rotating on axle springs on trailer?

[lacofdfireman]

Not sure how this happened as I have my axle tightened down good but on this last trip my axle rotated on me breaking my brake wires. How can this happen. Did I do something wrong? Doesn't make sense to me how this could happen but it did. I can tell it spun as there are marks on my axle that shows that it rotated. I did notice something weird as I was driving as only one axle brake seemed to work. As I was breaking the jeep would pull hard right as the prodigy brake controller was engaged with the lever. Any ideas or suggestions on what to check? Have a trip to Moab this next week and will be doing about 8-900 miles. Need to get this sorted out. Thx.


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[IdaSHO]

Did you not use spring perches?

 

[Reikon]

Axle pads

sent from right here

 

[Kevin108]

Did you not use spring perches?

Did some digging in his thread. http://www.expeditionportal.com/for...r-and-Son-s-Off-Road-Expedition-Trailer-build

 

[cyclic]

Were the spring perches welded to the axle? I'm betting not.
If not, then you've been REALLY lucky so far. Get someone who know fabbing to do a good look over on your trailer.

 

[lacofdfireman]

Were the spring perches welded to the axle? I'm betting not.
If not, then you've been REALLY lucky so far. Get someone who know fabbing to do a good look over on your trailer.

Yep you are correct. Axles were not welded to the spring perches. Guess we can chalk that up to a learning experience. Wheels coming off today. Going to have a reinspect of my brakes and make sure I have the large brake pad to the rear of trailer then we will weld axle to perches. I knew it had to be something easy like that. Guess that's why these forms are so valuable.

Hauled it to the Overland West Expo and saw a lot of amazing builds. Not one I'd rather have over mine though. And the prices people want for them is astronomical. I can't believe people pay $15-25k for these. I'll admit some had a lot better fit and finish than mine but for an OffRoad trailer mine gets the job done. We took ours on some trails where I flexed out my lifted jeep so much on one side I had a coil spring pop out. The trailer did flawless. It's a beast. No issues at all besides the axle rotating but that's my fault. Love this trailer. I can't wait to build another one.


Thanks again everyone for the tips and tricks. It's a definite learning experience. But now I can say I've built a trailer from the ground up. Built not bought. Well besides the axles and wheels. Also my son came up with a great name for ours since we are both very tall. "Tall Boy Adventure Trailer. "

 

[thethePete]

...you've been REALLY lucky so far. Get someone who know fabbing to do a good look over on your trailer.

Quoted for emphasis.

The tube has a crown to it. Make sure it's facing up. And get someone to take a good look over everything. I stayed out of your build thread because of your attitude in your first post on there, but if this is any indication of what the build is like, you really should get someone to take a look over everything. You're putting yourself and everyone on the road around you at risk.

 

[lacofdfireman]

Quoted for emphasis.

The tube has a crown to it. Make sure it's facing up. And get someone to take a good look over everything. I stayed out of your build thread because of your attitude in your first post on there, but if this is any indication of what the build is like, you really should get someone to take a look over everything. You're putting yourself and everyone on the road around you at risk.

Thanks for the info. I will have someone look over it. This is an entire new thing for me to do so I'm learning as I go. Not sure why you think I have put everyone on the road at risk. I realize I had no brakes the last part of my trip but I wasn't going to put brakes on my trailer at all in the first place and to be honest I didn't really tell much of a difference with or without. The axle rotated maybe 3/4 of the way around. Don't think there was ever a risk of it coming off the trailer. Sorry about my attitude on my first post but when people comment on your sentance structure I'm sorry that's just BS. I'm hear to learn not be corrected on spelling and sentance structure.

I do appreciate everyone's help. I can assure you my trailer is way overbuilt for safety. Besides the axle thing. We took it on trails that most people wouldn't take a daily driver 4x4 and the trailer did awesome.

 

[IdaSHO]

Also, when welding those perches, make sure the axle doesnt have any significant weight on it, and quench it often with a wet rag.

It needs to be burned in good, but too much heat will pull the axle towards the weld side, essentially bending it.

 

[lacofdfireman]

Also, when welding those perches, make sure the axle doesnt have any significant weight on it, and quench it often with a wet rag.

It needs to be burned in good, but too much heat will pull the axle towards the weld side, essentially bending it.

Great info. Thanks. Will do exactly that. Was planning on lifting by the frame on all 4 corners of the trailer and then pulling the wheels and brake drums. That way I can make sure the axle is crown up and my brakes are facing the correct way with large pads to rear of the trailer. Then I'll make sure my axles are spaced evenly between the perches and weld them to the perches.

Thanks again everyone for your help. I'm relieved to know I did this wrong and that I can fix it now before anything bad happened.

 

[lacofdfireman]

Just wanted to give an update. Welded the axles to the spring perches like I should have done from the get go and then had a neighbor come over and look everything over that is a welder by trade and has built a bunch of ATV and boat trailers. He gave me the all clear and commended us on a job well done and assured us that we were lucky nothing catastrophic happened on our last trip.

We just came back from a Moab and beyond trip with the trailer and over 1k miles and it towed like a dream besides my Jeep Grand Cherokee with the 4.0 being a little underpowered. But the trailer is Awesome and I love it. Can't wait to build another one. Thanks again everyone for all your suggestions and help. Glad I asked the question even though I know some of you think I'm a complete idiot. I'm learning and sometimes the hard way. But all good now. Won't make that mistake again.


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