Dexter 4400# axle issues

[Wicked ace]

Insult to injury.... The 260 was worked on Thursday morning, I found brakes that while not an exact replacement fit and would stop the trailer safely. The mechanic called at lunch time, I had my truck loaded and ready. Later in the afternoon I arrived at Assategue and hooked the trailer to my truck. While I was retracting the landing gear I heard what I thought were some funny noises and noticed the top section of the legs not in sync but they were up. I had a reservation at Trap Pond SP about 45 minutes away and in a home-bound direction. When I got there my suspicions were confirmed , the landing gear failed. I could peak under the front hatch door and see the shear bolt is broken. Fortunately I was in a level site and only an overnight stay so the trailer remained hitched. Yesterday when home in the driveway I used a jack under the failed corner to assist. I raised the trailer off the truck and back down onto blocks.
BTW this landing gear failed last March when I was in Georgia. The passenger side leg was replaced with a presumed stripped bevel gear, I never got around to opening it up to see.
I'm leaving for Brunswick Ga. Monday and had intentions of taking the fifth wheel, in fact I've been planning it for several months. Not now, not ever, enough is enough.

[Petrovsky]

I got parts for my 4400 axles from "Redneck Trailer Supply". They had everything in stock and shipped overnight (even though I didn't need it that quickly)

A brand new trailer and you needed parts for the axles? Did you encounter some kind of failure?

[jleonard]

A brand new trailer and you needed parts for the axles? Did you encounter some kind of failure?

No failure, I bought some spare parts. We had planned on taking a trip out west but that got stopped short last May when our 2021 trailer got T boned and was totaled.
The 2022 unfortunatly has Lippert axles so the Dexter parts won't fit.

[Grandesigner]

And I was just about to post asking if I should repack my bearings at only 7500 miles of use over a full camping season and then some.
This inspires me to do so and inspect everything down there. What would I look for in this situation, OP?

[dryfly]

And I was just about to post asking if I should repack my bearings at only 7500 miles of use over a full camping season and then some.
This inspires me to do so and inspect everything down there. What would I look for in this situation, OP?

Have you pulled the bearings yet since buying the trailer? If not, might be a good time to at least pull the hub off and take a look.

I've heard all kinds of opinions on how often the bearings should be inspected or pulled, cleaned and repacked. I don't know the answer, but at 7K miles it would at least be good the pull the hub off and take a look at the bearings even without taking the rear seal off. Just to make sure there is still lots of grease in the bearings and the hub and backing plate look structurally good.

I'll be curious as to what others think. And by the way, I've got the 4400 lb axles and have not had issues except for a hub assembly torn up by the brake parts failing. Mine did not come with the self-adjusting brakes.

[Grandesigner]

Have you pulled the bearings yet since buying the trailer? If not, might be a good time to at least pull the hub off and take a look.

I've heard all kinds of opinions on how often the bearings should be inspected or pulled, cleaned and repacked. I don't know the answer, but at 7K miles it would at least be good the pull the hub off and take a look at the bearings even without taking the rear seal off. Just to make sure there is still lots of grease in the bearings and the hub and backing plate look structurally good.

I'll be curious as to what others think. And by the way, I've got the 4400 lb axles and have not had issues except for a hub assembly torn up by the brake parts failing. Mine did not come with the self-adjusting brakes.

About a year ago I had a warranty issue with one brake locking up, so they found the magnet unattached and fixed it along repacking that one and electrically balancing all 4. Last time I repacked my previous 5W, all the seals needed replacing since they did not survive the pulling and yes they were the cheapest ones around. Replaced those seals with much better ones.

[Hoopy Frood]

If you've not examined the brake hardware and bearings since the trailer was new, then it is a good idea to check them out. After that, every couple/few years is fine, IMO anyway.