Dexter Axle Issue

Originally Posted by mjlaupp

Two thoughts here:

1) I don't think that TM started welding axles on until at least the 2004/05 model year.

2) Any alignment shop that can repair and align a Ford Twin I Beam suspension should have the necessary equipment. This suspension realignment sometimes requires cold bending.

Mike

I agree with both statements. I just installed a lift kit on my 2003 TM 2720, and mine was just bolted on.....that made things much simpler.

I had a 79 Ford 150 (purchased new, and just sold it), and I had to have the front end aligned because the Twin I Beams never "settled in" to the proper camber. They had to bend the I beams.

Check with Ford dealers.

mtnguy

[Civil_War_Buff]

Originally Posted by mjlaupp

Two thoughts here:

1) I don't think that TM started welding axles on until at least the 2004/05 model year.

2) Any alignment shop that can repair and align a Ford Twin I Beam suspension should have the necessary equipment. This suspension realignment sometimes requires cold bending.

Mike

Hi Mike,
Thanks, you have given me a ray of hope.......if TM didn't start welding the axles until later, I might be able to replace the beam. I was surprised thet company that told me they couldn't align the axle does work on big rigs, etc. and I woul think that they could "cold bend" if needed...I am trying to check back with them, to see if they do, or if they know of a shop that does...... what a hassle this has become...

[Civil_War_Buff]

Originally Posted by mtnguy

I agree with both statements. I just installed a lift kit on my 2003 TM 2720, and mine was just bolted on.....that made things much simpler.

mtnguy

That is quite interesting, when people put lift kits on their TM they unbolt the axle from the trailer correct? If so, how do you ensure that the trailer axle is aligned properly after doing so? I am curious.......

Originally Posted by Civil_War_Buff

That is quite interesting, when people put lift kits on their TM they unbolt the axle from the trailer correct? If so, how do you ensure that the trailer axle is aligned properly after doing so? I am curious.......

That was big concern of mine also. I figured even a 1/8th inch or so of misalignment might cause the TM to track bad. When I was tightening the bolts back, I did so gradually, alternating sides, and moving the axle some so that it would "find" something close to its orginal position. The tolerances are close between the frame holes, the bolt size, and the lift kit holes. I then took the TM out for test run, sighted down the side of the TM and compared it with the lines on the road through the mirrors. I also sighted down the middle roof seam through my inside mirror. It seemed to tracking true. I then retorqued the bolts 1 final time, and everything seems to be OK. Tire wear over time will tell the tale if something is off.

I did notice that the tires are about 1/4" closer to 1 side of the fender skirts than the other, but didn't check out the original measurements, so I have nothing to campare to. Also, my fender skirts are bowed somewhat, so that could be a little of the problem.

mtnguy

Before I installed my lift kit I scribed marks on the frame and the axle mounting hardware in such a way that I could verify alignment after the kit was installed with a straight edge. I installed one side at time so as to never "loose" the original placement. Afterwards I read something on the web about measuring the distance from each side of the axle ( pick a point, maybe one could use the grease nipple ) to a common point on the front of the trailer. Somewhere near the hitch. I did not do this so I have not looked for a good " center " part of the frame or hitch near the front. But at any rate these lines would form a triangle. The axle being the base line. As long as the sides of the triangle are the same length you should be good to go I would think.

When I worked at a trailer shop that is exactly how we aligned the axles on semi-trailers. We had a ring that attached to the "King" pin and we had a tape attached to the ring and measured to a specific point on the axle or axles. It's even more important to have the alignment right when you have tandem axles, because if it's off the tires will wear very rapidly. Toe in and out are also very important and I think a lot of the problem with Dexter axles is more toe than camber. If your tires are toed out, it will wear the inside of both tires, and if toed in it will wear the outside of both tires.

A lot of good information about the lift kit installation here......I couldn't find out much when I did a thread before I added the lift kit.

Scribing marks sounds like a great idea.....and needless to say I didn't do that. And even though my TM tracks good after the installation, I will do the triagulation measurements on my axle for additional piece of mind.

In a previous post to this thread, I stated that I thought my axle might be off about 1/4 inch side to side, measured to the fender skirt (but my fender skirts are bowed some). I used a straight edge across the tire, and measured to the frame today.....and it was exactly the same......whew!!!

And on those bowed fender skirts.....I am going to run a piece of aluminum across the back to straighten them out.....ought to cause a better seal with the shell gasket doing that, and a little more tire clearance room.

mtnguy

Freedom,
Just for my education what is the "King" pin?

The "King" pin is the big "pin" on the semi-trailer that hooks into the 5th wheel on the truck tractor.

[Civil_War_Buff]

I decided to take a look at the wheel bearings to see if they were OK, and it has been a year since I repacked them. Anyhow, I used the approved process of pre-loading by tightening the nut to 50 ft-lbs and then backed the nut off and hand tightened. My question for this forum is, when I finger tightened the nut the locking tab fell perfectly at a nut slot, so I locked it down there however ther is no "slop" in the nut in that I cannot move the nut back and forth, yet the wheel spins freely. Is this OK? Or should I loosen the nut to give the spindle some end play? I am preparing to hit the road on Friday, so a quick response would be appreciated.