My rear axel on my trailer was bent it had about 3/4" toe out. I priced a new one 325 ouch. So I cut it about half way and bent it back then tig welded it back together. Now it has about a 1/8" toe in. I will make inspection of the weld part of my pre use inspection. Do you think it will hold?
I'd be more concerned about why it was bent than how you fixed it. Maybe you need a stronger axle for the stuff you do?
Yeah considering that it broke before and you hacked it back together without beefing it up...no.
$325 might seem like a lot now, but it will seem an insignificant amount if something goes seriously wrong.
I bought a used trailer it was bent before I got it. I didn't think to put a level on the wheels the tires all looked good. I haul between 3-4k on it. Mostly below 3k.
You guys are the best.
I'd still worry about past abuse. My mom once had both wheels break off at the hubs when pulling a trailer. My dad had repeatedly overloaded it and it got to oscillating and they just popped. The metal fatigue at the breaks was pretty interesting. Clearly abused trailers have sort of scared me since then.
I would weld some angle iron or something around the weld.
Gusset the weld joint....
toe out.. sounds like whomever had your trailer before backed it axle first into something -hard-. Generally axles are the lowest part of any trailer, so they do take most of the abuse
I do not wish to formulate and opinion based on the meger amount of information you have provided. My gut though says I'd plan to buy the $325 axle.
The fact that you TIG welded it gives me hope that your fabrication skills/experience are such that you would have correctly diaganosed the situation and fixed it in a good maner. Also of encouragment is the fact that you said Rear axle implying that the trailer in fact has a 2nd axle to help check your work if you will.
A friend of mine has a 10 ton trailer with both axles butt welded in the center. I've personally hauled 10K pounds on it from Charleston SC to the Outerbanks of NC. It's heaviest load was a 25000 pound sail boat from SC to FLA. If it's welded right it should hold.
I'll second what Toyman said. I have welded axles to narrow or widen them with no problems.
Yes is a dual axel trailer. I won't buy another used though but finances dictate to repair.
As an add, don't pay $325 for something you can build yourself for less than half. I built the 3000# axle for my utility trailer. Total cost was $90.
Somehow I missed the dual axle part. You'll be fine.
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