Re: [VAL] Axle dimensions

["Roger Moseley" <rmoseley@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Heavy duty tube, eg, 3" instead of 2-5/8". First, my trailer already has 
a 3" tube, so there wasn't any question. I guess I'd only get the 3" if 
your frame cutout is 3". I have seen other mail where a trailer had a 
smaller tube but had the larger cutout. Price difference is minimal and 
I'd always go for extra strength, even though the cantilever arm 
distance on the axle is small. The other thing that would make me select 
the 3" tube is that it provides a substantial increase in the torsion 
arm length inside the tube for the insert and rubber tubes to act on. 
Can't be bad.

I used 22.5 degrees down, the original Airstream angle. I've been 
wishing I had the money to buy two axles, the other with 45 degrees 
down. That would give maybe two more inches of floor height (and maybe a 
little bit strange looking place for the tire in the wheel well--down 
and slightly forward), not a big deal, but from the aspect of shocks 
imparted to the trailer, a steeper angle would tend to put some of the 
shock from a pothole into the aft direction instead of the up direction. 
I don't think this is a big deal for the short trailers, but the 
butt-end separation on the longer trailer is due to frame bending 
deformation from the "up" impact shock when the tires hit a pothole. The 
question is, would the benefit even be measurable? I guess I wouldn't 
spend the money unless I was a serious dirt roader. That will have to 
wait until I get a perfect seal on the back window and the back access door.

Roger