loose axle

**burraboy** · 28th October 2011, 05:12 AM

We lost a tyre on our camper trailer the other day. SWMBO was driving while I had a kip and said after that the car felt 'sort of funny' while she was driving. When we pulled up, the tyre had been rubbing on the trailer chassis and spring and was well worn, melted and dead. I took off both wheels and looked at the nuts on the U bolts. They were all very loose and the axle had slipped across, allowing the tyre to rub. I wonder if the dirt roads through the Flinders on our last trip have been the culprit? I also wonder how often I should check them and if spring washers as well as the Nylock nuts are necessary.
Your comments and suggestions are welcomed.

**two up** · 28th October 2011, 06:18 PM

Happened to my brother in laws trailer up the cape. Fit hd fish plates, spring washers and nyloc nuts, it shouldn't move again.

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**Yonnee** · 29th October 2011, 07:32 AM

Corrugations can loosen just about anything. Either nyloc nuts, or double nut and lock together would be recommended for any trailer / caravan travelling off the bitumen.

You were very lucky to find it when you did and all you lost was a tyre. I've had to fix a camper where one spring had snapped in half, allowing the axle to pivot out from under the trailer at speed, completely tearing the spring out from the other side and landing the trailer on it belly. On top of that was the towing cost just to get the trailer back to civilisation at over $1300.00.

**KBs PensNmore** · 25th November 2011, 11:08 PM

On the axle there should be a small plate that locates the axle onto the spring centre bolt, this can be tack welded to the axle to prevent it sliding across. Checking wheel nuts and U bolts should be done after about an hour into a trip, wheelnuts should ALWAYS be checked after about an hour when being replaced after a flat.
When tightening/checking wheelnuts they should always be done opposite each other, to spread the load similar to tightening a head down.
Kryn

**burraboy** · 26th November 2011, 06:09 AM

Originally Posted by KBs PensNmore

On the axle there should be a small plate that locates the axle onto the spring centre bolt, this can be tack welded to the axle to prevent it sliding across. Checking wheel nuts and U bolts should be done after about an hour into a trip, wheelnuts should ALWAYS be checked after about an hour when being replaced after a flat.
When tightening/checking wheelnuts they should always be done opposite each other, to spread the load similar to tightening a head down.
Kryn

Thanks for the input KB! (and others!)

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