epanzella

Not at all. Sometimes a typed sentance can give a different impression than what the poster meant. I never try to bend an axle. The spindles have a turned section on the end that slides into the appropriate tubing. The 3500 lb spindles fit a 2 1/4 tube, the 5200's a 3 " tube with 3/16 wall and the heavier ones use a 3 x 1/4 inch tube. I use 3 x 1/4 for everything.(which requires putting a 2 1/4 tube inside the 3 inch when using 3500 lb spindles) because on multi-axle setups I hate it when the axles get all tweaked when making a sharp turn. When welding the spindles into the tube, there is some play and that's how I set up my camber. After tacking the spindle into the tube at the 6 oclock position I bolt a piece of angle to the hub and tap it untill I see it lean out 1/8 to 1/4 inch about a foot above the hub. I use a level so the trailer frame also has to be level. Then I tack it at 12 oclock to lock it in. The spindle will still move forward and aft with enough encouragement so this is when I set my toe in, then tack weld at 3 and 9 oclock. BTW, when I'm doing this the tubes are already mounted and aligned to the trailer. The perches are sitting on the axle but are not welded yet. The perches and the axles are held by the ubolts. The final step when you're happy with all alignments is to tack the perches in place. Then you take the axles out and full seam weld everything. All the camber does is get the wheel standing straight up with the weight of the load on it. Try to keep your springs as far apart as you can. The load on the axle tube increases as the span between the spring and the spindle increases. Good luck.

__________________
Ed Panzella
"BAITS MOTEL"
2450 MAYCRAFT PILOTHOUSE
Higganum, Ct

nautiduck

I have refitted several axles moving perches and shortened axles with new spindles, but never built one from scratch, I never thought of building camber into the axle the way you do. Sounds like it would work as well as the bowed axle. The spindles I bought sleeved into the axle tubes about three inches I think, do you just weld the circumference of yours? I drilled a hole through the top and bottom of the tubes and plug welded the spindles to the tubes as well as a circumfrential weld. I dont know if this is over kill ( I tend to overbuild) or not.

epanzella

It sounds like you've already done all the things required to build an axle from scratch so it should be no problem for you. There's just less cutting with new.
The only time I plugweld is when I use 3500lb spindles with a 3 inch tube. This requires shoving a 2 1/4 tube inside the 3 inch as a reducer but the fit is not all that great so I plug weld them at the inside to prevent any movement. When using the spindles that are designed to go into 3 inch tube I just seam weld. That's all the factory does. By the time I put in camber and toe in the spindle is jammed pretty tight in the tube anyway.

__________________
Ed Panzella
"BAITS MOTEL"
2450 MAYCRAFT PILOTHOUSE
Higganum, Ct

Stim

You can do a quick alignment check by using a tape measure and measuring front rim to rear rim. Make sure rims have no damage first then measure the outside lip to outside lip at the center/spindle height. Either front of rim to front of rim or back of to front of. Check measurement side to side and compare.
Dog tracking won't wear tires as long as it is not severe.