Bust

[Ultradog MN]

I had the loader tractor on my trailer and broke a 6K axle on my trailer two weeks ago - two blocks from the house.
I unloaded the tractor and drove it home. Then walked back, pulled the tire off and limped the trailer home.
Someone was looking out for me that it didn't occur at 60 mph and 60 miles from home.
I decided to replace both axles and put new walking beams, U bolts, saddles and new bushings and shackles in the springs.
Talk about the cost of living going up.
Over a Grand right there.
I had just replaced the brakes - drums, backing plates, bearings, etc and new breakaway kit last October. I'll get that stuff back on maybe tomorrow.
Hopefully I'll be done fixing on it for a while.

 

[stevieb49829]

At least it didn't have to head to a shop to fix it for you. Just think of the savings by being able to do it yourself. That's what most of us live for, whether we admit it or not. Proud to be a "FIXIT man"!!!

 

[da.bees]

I'm no authority on the subject but wonder what if anything welding heat's effect on tube to spindle bead contributed to breakage. I would think spindle was welded onto tube then as saddle was being welded the bead holding spindle was heated. A question that begs to be answered is "would a cap bead tying previous beads together help prevent this"? I suspect it would.

 

[jon f mn]

That had been repaired before by someone. Those saddles weren't welded like that in the factory either.

 

[Ultradog MN]

That had been repaired before by someone. Those saddles weren't welded like that in the factory either.

I wondered about that too.
Used homebuilt trailer I bought 15 years ago so who knows. It has been good to me tho. I've pulled it a lot of miles and hauled some pretty heavy loads.

 

[DennisDW]

I wonder who hasn't been a little guilty of overloading their trailers? Not me of course. We gotta test things once in a while.

 

[matthies]

Was using the FIL's gooseneck and noticed the evener between the axles didn't look right. Took it apart and the bolt on the pivot was 2/3 gone on one side and 1/2 gone on the other side. Glad I caught it before it broke, doubt he would have seen it, trailer was used when he bought it. Shocked him when I showed him the parts.

 

[showcrop]

Friends had borrowed my tandem trailer and were around 100 miles away when they got a flat with no spare. (I told them to take it). They rolled the flat up onto something raising it up a few inches, then fed a load strap down between deck boards, around the axle, back up and around a tractor axle and cinched it up tight. Off they went to the tire store.

 

[DoubleO7]

That had been repaired before by someone. Those saddles weren't welded like that in the factory either.

Looks like wider original saddles (or the same size) were torched off and moved inboard.
Looks like torch cut into axle tube on the other axle where they were overzealous torching them off.

 

[MSD]

looks like a groove was wearing in on the good one in the same spot where this one broke.

 

[DoubleO7]

looks like a groove was wearing in on the good one in the same spot where this one broke.

When assembled, there is nothing there to wear a groove.

Looks like torch kerf to me.

 

[wore out]

When assembled, there is nothing there to wear a groove.

Looks like torch kerf to me.

View attachment 106881

Yep, somebody in the past torched the spring perches off and moves 'em inward and welded 'em back down.

 

[MSD]

When assembled, there is nothing there to wear a groove.

Looks like torch kerf to me.

View attachment 106881

Yep, about exactly where it broke too.