Bent Axles?

[Avenger61]

I was under my Shamrock 23IKSS last weekend installing the SteadyFast stabilizers and happened to notice that my axles look a little bowed in the middle. I have had this trailer out at least a dozen times since I bought it last year and never noticed any vibration or problems at all. Is this normally how they look? I'll try to get a picture between rain storms.

[BBBlue]

Originally Posted by Avenger61

I was under my Shamrock 23IKSS last weekend installing the SteadyFast stabilizers and happened to notice that my axles look a little bowed in the middle. I have had this trailer out at least a dozen times since I bought it last year and never noticed any vibration or problems at all. Is this normally how they look? I'll try to get a picture between rain storms.

I believe they are all bowed by design.

[Davidceder]

They should have some bow to them. The thought being when they are loaded with additional weight they will straighten out to some degree. Of course more weight, more straight. I could never figure out how all that affects how the tire rides. My tires were wearing unevenly and I had the axles adjusted (actually bent back into spec), put on new tires and so far after 2000 miles all is well. Best thing to do is measure and track tire wear every 1000 miles. I looked at wear and measured depth in three places on each tire and recored the data.....

Hope that helps some.

[Avenger61]

Yeah it's not a lot and you really don't notice it unless you are looking for it. I never noticed it anyway; actually my 14 year old Son noticed it first! I swear the boy has a knack for finding problems for me to worry about and fix, but he can't see dirt in his bathroom to save his life!!

[Avenger61]

Here is a picture if I uploaded it correctly.

[Davidceder]

No picture!!!! If you are concerned place a 4 foot straight edge, I use a 4 foot level across the bow and measure the bow in the center. If it is a Lippert frame they have a spec for the bow.

[Avenger61]

Second attempt

[Avenger61]

Originally Posted by Davidceder

No picture!!!! If you are concerned place a 4 foot straight edge, I use a 4 foot level across the bow and measure the bow in the center. If it is a Lippert frame they have a spec for the bow.

Great idea, I'll try that. Thanks!!

[Davidceder]

Here is a picture of one of my axles. I think I had 1/8 inch on one and 1/4 on the other. Might also want to weigh your rig at some point. I did that after two years and could not believe how heavy my hitch weight was.

[Avenger61]

Will do; thanks for the great info David.

[Hicks43]

It is normal to have a bend in them it's for camber

[RCCS]

The axle on our 23IKSS has a slight bow also, this in normal. Have you used your camper yet since you installed the steadyfast stabilizer system? We have used ours 3 times since I installed them on ours and what a difference it makes. The only thing I have to remember to do is loosen the clamps when cranking the stabilizers up and down. On our last trip I forgot to loosen the clamp on the one to the rear of the camper and could not figure out why the stabilizer cranked down harder than normal. Once I remembered that I had not loosened the clamp and then done so it worked much better. I think the stabilizer system was worth the money spent on it.

[67cudafb]

How is tire wear? If wearing even then I wouldn't be concerned.