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Old 12-06-2018, 08:29 PM   #1
KSH
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Axles installed upside down?

I had a tow hitch put on the back of my trailer and had the bearings repacked. The shop that did it said my axels were installed upside down. He showed me some new lippert axels and they have a bow. He said the bow is supposed to crown upwards, but mine bow downwards. He said if my tires arent wearing unevenly i don't have anything to worry about...
Any input? It was raining so i didn't get under the trailer to take pictures.
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Old 12-07-2018, 05:03 AM   #2
Frank G
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There are several things to consider, Axles over time, load and miles tend to straighten out and even sag. Are the backing plates and brakes installed correctly? The 12inch backer plates only fit one way.

Assuming the manufacture assembled the axles correctly, if the unit is upside down the brake assembly would also be upside down.
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Old 12-07-2018, 06:26 AM   #3
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It would be helpful to know what year, make, model of trailer and what brand and size axles are on your trailer. Also, whether you are the first owner or if you bought the trailer used. The history of the trailer (in this case, the axles) is important. Has there been any damage or work done on the axles? Have the trailer axles been aligned or previously "worked on" ??

There "should be" a crown pointing upward when the trailer is "at its lightest weight" and that crown will decrease as the trailer is loaded. If the axles are overloaded, or if they have been damaged by excessive loading or have been through an accident, they may be bent or simply overloaded.

As stated, the axles can be assembled "one way" and the backing plates that hold the brake shoes, magnets and wiring will only fit "right side up", assuming the axles were assembled correctly at the factory or after any maintenance where all 4 brake assemblies were removed at the same time. It is possible to install the left side assemblies on the right side of the trailer and the right side assemblies on the left side of the trailer. They would be "backwards" not "upside down" and the axle tube "crown" would still be up.

Photos of what you see would be helpful in diagnosing your problem. In addition to trailer and axle information, the most recent trailer weight, axle ratings and maintenance history are probably most important to provide accurate help.
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Old 12-07-2018, 07:06 AM   #4
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Lots of people flip the axles to raise the trailer for driving down the beach ?
Did you buy it used
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Old 12-07-2018, 07:39 AM   #5
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2015 keystone springdale 240bhwe. Bought brand new. I've never over loaded it. This is the first time I've had work done to it. The shop repacked the bearings and added a hitch. He didn't mention anything about the brakes backing plate.

I had take these pictures previously when i was thinking of getting disc brakesClick image for larger version

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Old 12-07-2018, 07:51 AM   #6
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Here a few more pictures i had taken a while back. Click image for larger version

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Old 12-07-2018, 07:53 AM   #7
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A few more. Sorry if its too many.Click image for larger version

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Old 12-07-2018, 07:58 AM   #8
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Every thing looks normal to me. Nothing looks out of place.
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Old 12-07-2018, 08:03 AM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Frank G View Post
Every thing looks normal to me. Nothing looks out of place.


I agree, looks good.
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Old 12-07-2018, 08:20 AM   #10
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The shop i went to is very reputable, should i be concerned about going back there? It's not like he was trying to sell me anything more..
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Old 12-07-2018, 09:01 AM   #11
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Looks can sometimes be deceiving, but I agree with the above, your axles look normal to me. I'd suggest, for your own peace of mind, find a 4' "straight edge" (either a 4' metal rule or a 4' level) and crawl under your trailer. Place the level on top of your axles and use the straight edge to determine if there is an arch to your axle tubes. It looks like, in your photos that there is, but to be sure, if when you put the center of the straight edge on the center of the axle tube, the axle tube ends are lower than the center, then you do have an crown on the tubes.

The amount of crown (arch) will depend on how much weight is on the axles.

Your trailer empty weight is around 5700 pounds and the GVW is 7690. The "advertised tongue weight is 690" so as you can see, at GVW, with the advertised tongue weight, your axle weight would be 7000. Doing the math, that means your axles are "at their maximum GAWR of 3500 pounds" so you wouldn't expect to see much of the "crown" remaining at maximum weight.

At any rate, crawl under your trailer with a straight edge and confirm that there is "some crown" to reassure yourself that what we're seeing in the photos is what's there in "reality".... Only because, sometimes pictures can be deceiving......
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Old 12-07-2018, 09:50 AM   #12
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I would agree with everyone, they appear to be normal, the brake adjustment plug is on the bottom as it should be on the ones you can see. If the axles were upside down that plug would be on top as the backing plate bolt pattern only fits one way on the end of the axle tube.
If your tires aren't wearing abnormally then I wouldn't be too concerned, but I would probably find a different person to do the work if he can't tell the difference. If they are wearing I'd find an alignment shop to have them aligned.
I would also question whether they actually packed the wheel bearings as the location of the magnet would've been VERY obvious it was in the wrong spot if they did in fact remove the hubs to pack bearings, if they just pumped greased into the hubs from the spindles, if equipped, then that's NOT packing the bearings. Plus adjusting the brakes after packing would be PITA to do from the top inside of the brake plate from underneath.
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Old 12-07-2018, 10:04 AM   #13
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It's over redundant but I've got to chime in with the rest; I don't see anything wrong with those pictures. As far as the tech saying they were bowed wrong I would wonder how he said that exactly. Since they are almost flat maybe he just suggested that you check them vs saying they were upside down?
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Old 12-07-2018, 12:50 PM   #14
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I made sure he wasnt using the zerk, well i asked anyway. He said that's a bad way to grease them and they take them out to inspect them and grease them.

Is he supposed to adjust or do something to the brakes when he did the bearings?
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Old 12-07-2018, 12:55 PM   #15
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Quote:
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I made sure he wasnt using the zerk, well i asked anyway. He said that's a bad way to grease them and they take them out to inspect them and grease them.

Is he supposed to adjust or do something to the brakes when he did the bearings?
May have had to back them off to remove the hubs & should have tightened them up after reinstalling the hubs, at least that's the way I do mine.
Here's a set of right & left brake backing plates, note the magnets on the bottom of each, should always be on the bottom, if the axles were/are upside down that magnet would be up, the 5 bolts seen in the center hold this assembly to the axle tube & only fit one way onto the tube, shown in this pic is how they are mounted.

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Old 12-07-2018, 02:52 PM   #16
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[QUOTE=KSH;318100]I made sure he wasnt using the zerk, well i asked anyway. He said that's a bad way to grease them and they take them out to inspect them and grease them.

Is he supposed to adjust or do something to the brakes when he did the bearings?[/QUOTE]


I think that would depend on what he had to do to get the drum off and what your instructions were. If he had to loosen the shoes to pull it off then he should retighten/adjust the brakes. That said, it doesn't mean he did, or knew how to. Took mine in to have all the bearings pulled and repacked by their "expert" axle/bearing guy. I asked, unfortunately, that they just adjust the brakes while they had it up in the air. Mistake. After receiving the trailer back, the first time I hit the brakes it was obvious there were no trailer brakes. I drove back to the facility and found the guy that did it (I had already gone down to check him out on how he was going to "pack" and check the bearings). I asked him exactly how he adjusted the brakes....he said "they" said to just turn the little wheel in the hole. I said the "star" wheel? He said I guess. I asked which way did you turn it, how did you know it was tight? "I just turned the wheel several clicks and figured that would get it"??? Which way???? Didn't know. I told him how you adjust brake shoes, went home and adjusted them myself (after directing my happy little self at the owner before leaving). BTW, he had just loosened them all so they weren't even touching the drum. Long story to say, in this case, as in anything else, "trust but verify".
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Old 12-07-2018, 05:08 PM   #17
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One other question would be as to how he jacked up the trailer to remove the wheels and pack the bearings? If he was incompetent he might have jacked up under the axles and bent them himself.
That's one of the reasons I do everything I can myself. Some of these shops have inexperienced young people doing these kind of jobs.

BTW, it looks like your backing plates have a 4 bolt pattern, but it may just be how I see it in the picture? I don't remember from my experience if the 4 bolt pattern is square? If so they could be mounted the other way and the axle wrong?
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Old 12-08-2018, 08:13 AM   #18
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Quote:
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One other question would be as to how he jacked up the trailer to remove the wheels and pack the bearings? If he was incompetent he might have jacked up under the axles and bent them himself.
That's one of the reasons I do everything I can myself. Some of these shops have inexperienced young people doing these kind of jobs.

BTW, it looks like your backing plates have a 4 bolt pattern, but it may just be how I see it in the picture? I don't remember from my experience if the 4 bolt pattern is square? If so they could be mounted the other way and the axle wrong?
If I recall even the 4 bolt plates can only mount one way, the top 2 holes are spaced closer than the 2 bottom.
As to bending the axles with a downward bow while jacking it up they would've had to have the jack above the axle, would be very difficult to ever get the wheels off the ground that way.
Always when jacking up under the axles place the jack at the spring attachments, never inward any further.
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Old 12-10-2018, 08:05 AM   #19
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Some times the manufacturer installs them upside down for more clearance or fo lar ger tires. I wanted to put largertires on my Cougar and called Lippert and was told to flip the Axles
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Old 12-10-2018, 09:10 AM   #20
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Originally Posted by Brantlaker View Post
Some times the manufacturer installs them upside down for more clearance or fo lar ger tires. I wanted to put largertires on my Cougar and called Lippert and was told to flip the Axles

Flipping the axles does not mean installing them upside down. It refers to whether they are installed over or under the springs.
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