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Location: Athens, Ohio | I got two new tires on the Gambler's boat trailer yesterday, along with some (more) bad news. You might remember a couple months ago, Mauser and I went fishing and had a deer run into the boat and trailer. This collision knocked the fender off the mounting bolts, and since we didn't re-attach it well, it came off on the way back home and beat the crap outta one tire.
Now, I find out that it also bent the axle right at the wheel. You can see it, it is toed out at the 1-3 o'clock position. Soooooooo, the boat is now at a frame repair shop, the guy there is also a dealer for the brand of axle I have. If he can't straighten it out, he'll replace it.
Anyone had a bent axle fixed properly, or is replacement always the best option?
Before I left my boat in his lot, I swear I heard it wimper, "Take me fishing!" m |
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Posts: 7087
Location: Northwest Chicago Burbs | Cant help ya, but on the way in to work I saw a white jeep cherokee pulling a 20ft.+ cherry red (super sparkley) Gambler with a 250XS Merc on the back....I guess that wasnt you?
Good luck with the repairs! |
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Posts: 2384
Location: On the X that marks the mucky spot | Get a new one. You may save a few $$$ in the short run, but what happens when you're driving up to MN at 1am and it locks up? If it's anything I've learned is that whenever I try to skin the cat, the cat always finds a way to come back and skin me.
There's 2 ways of fixing something. Doing it the cheap way and then spending the money later to fix it again the right way or just fix it the right way to begin with.
Just my $.02 |
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Posts: 21
| Mikie,
If the repair shop you took it to is good, it can be repaired, usually by cutting out the bent axle spindle, (the shiny part that the bearings ride on), and welding in a new spindle. The tricky part is getting the two spindles perfectly straight. It certainly can be done, but unless the axle is something special, the price to replace the axle vs. repair is usually not much different. Most axles, leaf or torsion are commercially available in the $300-$400 range for a 3500lb setup. The repair job I described should not take more than 4 hours, or about $200 in labor, plus a $30 spindle, and $30 in bearings/seals. I have seen it done both ways. You will know almost immediatly if the repair job was done correctly. Watch for abnormal tire wear on the repaired side. This is the clearest indicator of an spindle slightly toe'd out. If this happens, don't despair. Take it back to the repair shop and the tech will heat and tweak it a smidge.
Good Luck
Lonewolf
Back in School at 30 ugh |
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Location: Athens, Ohio | That's a great explanation - simple like I need it!
Thanks so much, I'm guessing that once the insurance company gets involved he may lean toward replacement, we'll see. At least it happened during this heat wave, can't get out much anyway (although that Gambler sure has a good air conditioner!). m |
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Location: Athens, Ohio | update: the durn deer bent the spindle. Moonshine Trailers is no longer in business, so the axle company is going to make an axle, take another 3 weeks to get 'er done. Thank God for insurance, the job will run about $700. Fortunately, with this heat wave and high gas prices, I've been using my smaller Basstracker on small streams. The Gambler will be road-worthy just in thime for fall muskie season! Whoo-hoo! m
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