Wrong axle received, new axle also received. case closed.

high-and-dry

Active member
Okay I ordered a dexter torflex axlw thru bend trailers in oregon. I specified on the order form the weight I wanted. I spoke to 2 people there, which is a total night mare out of a few calls. I left 4 or 5 messages never received a return call.

The axle is a number 10, was supposed to be rated around 2k. I just received it and its rated 3500. I have left a message, but they are not great by my history of returning calls.

how screwed am I for weight rating?
 
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john61ct

Adventurer
The only downside

assuming its physical dimensions work for you

is a little bit of added pulling weight

and a stiffer ride for the contents - maybe more bouncing - when loaded "too lightly".
 

high-and-dry

Active member
Its almost 100 % over weight. Trailer should weight around 1700 dry. The axle will weigh the same, its the weight rating, not the weight of the axle. It might as well have no suspension with that amount of over rating.

And John, I have wondered what your back ground with all this stuff is, scary thing is your on a lot of the same website I have been on, sailnet etc etc. Do you actually have a trailer, or is the vanlife, sailboat life what you want to do so your are reading and learning. You do know some good info, but to me it seems that you read enough to have some knowledge, but no real experience.

Back to the drama

I looked up the owner of the company between phone calls of trying to get someone. They dont have the best reviews of returning calls or taking care of problems. So I decided to take the hard approach if I got someone. I did.

I managed to get a person ( only called about 10 times) , So I explained the issue with a polite voice. I was informed that the "axle specialist" was out until next monday. I then stated with a sternness in my voice, due to the number of voicemails with no return calls, I had left during the order process they had until tomorrow to contact me or I was filing a charge back on my card. The lady said let me look into this and I will call you right back, I said ok.

She called me back 10 mins later, and said she looked at my order and it was "all over the order for the derating". She said they messed up and would send a new order tomorrow as a rush order, but that would take 10 days. That phone call I was as polite as a preacher, and stated that would be fine, I was willing to accept that. They did offer a refund but I was trying to give them a chance, which I now see I should have taken the refund

I have no doubt that they where looking at the order to make sure I was not ambiguous on the rating so I could be told tough luck. I also have no doubt jumping right to the charge back lite a fire under their butt. I say this based on the reviews I read about them on the internet
 
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NatersXJ6

Explorer
I don’t think I would plan to run an axle that close to its weight rating on a trailer intended for any sort of rough road.

Is the spindle on the 2k smaller? Will you actually de-rate anything metal or just get a lighter torsion element?

My suggestion would be to run the heavier wheel hub and spindle combos and then make up any spring rate needed in the tire pressure.
 

high-and-dry

Active member
I don’t think I would plan to run an axle that close to its weight rating on a trailer intended for any sort of rough road.

Is the spindle on the 2k smaller? Will you actually de-rate anything metal or just get a lighter torsion element?

My suggestion would be to run the heavier wheel hub and spindle combos and then make up any spring rate needed in the tire pressure.

The #10 axle default is 3500lbs. They just did not pass the info to down rate it. They do that by the type and amount of rubber in the tube. So the hubs, bearing etc are rated to 3500, the sprininess would be closer to a 2k rated axle. I went with the #10 axles so I could get 6x5.5 lugs to run toyota rims.
 

NatersXJ6

Explorer
The #10 axle default is 3500lbs. They just did not pass the info to down rate it. They do that by the type and amount of rubber in the tube. So the hubs, bearing etc are rated to 3500, the sprininess would be closer to a 2k rated axle. I went with the #10 axles so I could get 6x5.5 lugs to run toyota rims.

I understand what you are after. I would run it as is and make up any difference with tire adjustments. If you are coming in around 1700-2000 lbs on a 3500 axle system, that feels “about right” to me.
 

high-and-dry

Active member
Update number what ever. They are ordering a new axle, today. weight rating 2300 is the lowest they can do on a number 10. I am fine with that rating. The lady I am dealing with Julia is trying to be helpful, she just does not know much, she did not even know the axle can be down rated. She was saying oh you want a #9 for the 2k, she said that whats she would have ordered if I did not explain to her how dexter axles work.

Only issue is they are saying 4 weeks.... that sucks. They said they will figure out a way to get the old axle back.
 

old_CWO

Well-known member
That is very frustrating and often exacerbated by not having a good local purchase option. I buy my axles from an out of town place because he's literally 1/3 the price of the local guy for the same exact thing. I prefer to shop local, but at some point they've got to be competitive on cost. Sad thing is, I showed them the price difference and they just shrugged. Fortunately I've never had a problem but I know it could happen and then it will be a pain in the neck.

Your situation is another reason why I drink the leaf spring Kool-Aid. Adding or removing leafs to tune rate is easier for me than dealing with idiots, incompetents and return shipping...
 

high-and-dry

Active member
Yeah I understand the price stuff vs local shopping. I called 3 trailer places locally to try to get them to order the axle, one said he would not order it for just because he was not making my trailer, another one tried to add 50% of the price on top, and the last one told me dexter axles suck. Guess what every trailer the guys sells has for axles... dexter.

Now I will say the price I got for the axle shipped is less than dexter wanted for the axle alone. At this point the extra 200 bucks might have been worth it.
 

high-and-dry

Active member
Ok, minor update. They called this morning and said they where reordering. I told them I wanted to be copied on all info. She said she will copy me on what she can, there was an email an hour later about the min weight being 2300, I said that was fine, she sent me the order sheet showing it was right. Well an hour after that the actual place they deal with sent over the confirmation. They had the wrong axle type, wrong bolt pattern, and the wrong weight I cant contact them direct because they only deal with dealers.

I am deciding how to go from here. I called etrailer to see what a timbern will wind up costing me. And I am deciding if I should escalate it to dexter axle direct. I have the name and contact info for the director of operations. I wonder if they would be interested in knowing the history of one of their resellers. I doubt it.
 

NatersXJ6

Explorer
Where are you located? It sounds to me like you need to have a local place you can walk into and talk to someone at a counter.
 

high-and-dry

Active member
Maryland, I spoke to several local shops, I posted that above. Tex trail is the primary reseller, but they wont deal with the public, accounts only and they are also the closest place listed on dexters website.
 

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