Dexter axle disassembly

[jeffscarstrucks]

Well, After searching for a while I have come back to my trusted source....I have a couple of Dexter torflex axles that have bent ends on them and I would like to disassemble them but I cannot find any info on how they are put together originally. I know that the standard answer is to replace the unit but that is the same as saying that you should buy a new truck because your 6-5 isn't running right....not in the spirit of why we are all here! I have the fab skills and tools to do what ever it takes and I would like to know if any one has any first hand experience with these units. I would like to build one axle out of two so that I can build a small trailer that uses the same wheel and tire combo as my gooseneck trailers do. Thanks in advance, JEFF

[Yukon6.2]

Hi
All the touqe flex axel's i have seen either have the stubs welded in or the arm that the stub is welded in can come clamped to the torsion bar.
i hav never seen a replaceble stub on these.
i have straighteened a few stub axles on these,with good results so long as the trailer isn't overloaded.I don't use any heat,you need to be creative with your blocking to suport the axle and get the stub on some thing solid to hit it with a big sledge.
i run a nut over the threads and set it on an anvil,and the axle on something as hard and heavy,use a straightedge to find the bend in the stub,then hit the high spot between the bearing surfaces,hit then check with straight edge,con tinue till you are happy with the straightedge.the hub should slide on and off with the bearings easyly.
then i bolt on empty rims to check the alignment,i like to have the axles toed in about 1/16",i use a chain with a hydrolic jack to tweak the alignment
to where i want it.wrap the chain around the axle outside the mounts,and place the jack in the middle of the axle,tighteen the chain,the start jacking,take mesurments,jack,repet till you are happy.The tourqe flex are a little harder to line up but can be done with patience.
I actually have to do this to a sled trailer i just bought,got sold because of a bent stub,these axles are very expensive up here.Got the trailer cheep,all aluminum,tilt,led lights,and easy to move around by myself.
Have fun

[a5150nut]

If you are talking about the short axels I would believe they are under EXTREAM spring load. I would be VERY CAUTIOUS releasing anything on these. My guess would be some kind of coiled spring or torson bar inside.

Have you looked at RV.com there are a lot of knowlagable people there. Or maybe RVTech will chime in here.

[jeffscarstrucks]

Yukon, Thanks for the ideas. The axles I have are both bent where the arm welds onto the square piece right at the point that it enters the axle tube. The actual square part is what is bent. I am wondering what it takes to slide that part out of the housing. It was assembled in some fashion so it seems like it should come out UNLESS there is some magic glue that is used in the assembly process.
5150. I have not tried that forum but I will as soon as I get a chance, Thanks.
As always, thanks guys for taking the time to write as it will give me a couple of new ideas to roll around., JEFF

P.S., Yukon, I am having this vision of using the Cat dozer in some form to straighten the unit with out taking it apart...I can't really make it worth any less at this point!

[K. D.]

If just the square part is bent, find a hydraulic press and press it straight.

K.D.

[jeffscarstrucks]

KD, That is my intention but it is the solid square that rides inside of the outer square housing that i need to straighten and I am afraid that pressing on the arm while the outer housing is fixed in a jig will not be solid enough as the inner rubber will flex or be damaged....but i might try it anyway. Thanks, Jeff

[jeffscarstrucks]

Well, I hooked the spindle to the 977 Cat and pulled on the housing with the back-hoe and it came apart fairly easy. The "bent" axle was a case of over stressed rubber in the housing. Nothing metal was bent at all. I think that the long term viability of the axles is in question as is the ability to cope with the occasional over stress caused by sharp turns or curbs. These axles are discarded daily as unrepairable (true) because they are bent (not true). I am not too happy with my findings as my Featherlite car trailer and my 10k flat trailer have these under them. Any thoughts or ideas appriciated...JEFF

[Yukon6.2]

Hi
Got any pic's to show how it came apart?
Thanks Thomas

[jeffscarstrucks]

I will take some pics and get them on here by the first of the week. JEFF

[TheJDMan]

I also have Dexter 5200# Tor-flex axles on my toy haluler. Those axles are not field repairable. You can get them apart, but you will NEVER get them back together with new rubber becasue the rubber is not for sale seperately. Even IF you could find new rubber, I have no idea how you would reassemble them. I suspect it requires a very specialized press that only Dexter has. Despite the sprit of this forum some things simply are not possible. Bottom line is that you have to buy new axles. That is one reason I jack my trailer up and take the weight off the axles when it is not in use. Dexter may have a rebuilding service but I have not found it if they do. I have already decided if I need to replace my axles in the future I will replace them with conventional leaf spring axles that can be worked on.