Trailer Axle Broke!

[Rhale 80]

Before leaving town for a few days I pulled the boat out for storage at the dealers. I went to back up into a space and noticed that my wheel on the tandem axle on the drivers side wan't moving. I hopped out to see if it was a low tire or maybe just a weird low spot in the parking lot. To my surprise the tire was stuck up and wouldn't come back down and the trailer fender had cut into the the tire about 1/2" from the edge and down in about 1/4-3/8"! Service rep came out and said the torsion axle had broke! I have a Sport Boat Trailer and he said the axle is like $700.00. Anyone else ever deal with this?

[DrNate 426]

Sport Boat Trailers are the worst. I have had nothing but problems with mine. Never a broken axle, but mine is bent due to a flying wheel (long story). I will have to replace my axle also. Good to know it's not a break the bank repair, but still

[Rhale 80]

Well, lets hope it's not the first in a line of more crap. Some possible good news is that I got a 1 year warranty on the boat from the finance company and it expires on August 6th! So even though it's not a big ticket item, i'll happily let them pay for it and use my money for a new surfboard!

Edited August 1, 2015 by Rhale

[jester 111]

On my last boat I had the torsion axle fail. Required a new axle. It was a Boatmate trailer. If you have the warranty have them do it. It was a pain to fix.

[chadr 328]

Well, lets hope it's not the first in a line of more crap. Some possible good news is that I got a 1 year warranty on the boat from the finance company and it expires on August 6th! So even though it's not a big ticket item, i'll happily let them pay for it and use my money for a new surfboard!

Upgrade the Axles to heavier if allowable. I think the ones they install are underrated! Should be heavier!

[viking 491]

Boatmates with torsion axles had issues around 2006-2007 year trailers. Luckily mine never broke but several I knew had failures.

[boatnut 230]

Not really the fault of the trailers, the torsion axles are made by dexter I believe

[stoked 1,039]

Before leaving town for a few days I pulled the boat out for storage at the dealers. I went to back up into a space and noticed that my wheel on the tandem axle on the drivers side wan't moving. I hopped out to see if it was a low tire or maybe just a weird low spot in the parking lot. To my surprise the tire was stuck up and wouldn't come back down and the trailer fender had cut into the the tire about 1/2" from the edge and down in about 1/4-3/8"! Service rep came out and said the torsion axle had broke! I have a Sport Boat Trailer and he said the axle is like $700.00. Anyone else ever deal with this?

Don't pay it!!! The same thing happened to me with both axels. It turns out 2007 and earlier boatmates were known to have bad axels so they replaced them for free (I think I just paid shipping) call them up with the serial numbers from the axel and they'll tell you if you qualify or not

[Rhale 80]

Mine's a Sport Boat trailer not a boat mate. Either way, I'll know something by Monday and can figure out what's gonna happen. Chad, it would be nice to get heavier axles. We'll see...

[WakeDoc 471]

I have seen spring suspension trailers where the spring cradle will flip raising the axel like you are describing. Usually happens when the boat is not on the trailer. Might look at the cradles on the other axel and make sure they are all positioned the same way.

[DarksideR 1,679]

I have seen spring suspension trailers where the spring cradle will flip raising the axel like you are describing. Usually happens when the boat is not on the trailer. Might look at the cradles on the other axel and make sure they are all positioned the same way.

 

Yep, had this on my old VM twice. Once with the boat on and once without. Was super sketchy getting it to flip back.

[jayz-23 12]

Had a torsion axle fail on me when i was pulling it home after i purchased the boat last year. boatmate 2007 boatmate. It was out of warranty but they honoured replacement as they knew it was an issue. I paid for shippind, paint and install.

[Rhale 80]

Mine doesn't have the springs/perches. It's the torsion axle style. I don't believe that the Sport Boat trailers have had any recall that I can find similar to the Boatmates. Got a call into the service dept of my dealer, but they're at lunch!!!

[stoked 1,039]

Mine doesn't have the springs/perches. It's the torsion axle style. I don't believe that the Sport Boat trailers have had any recall that I can find similar to the Boatmates. Got a call into the service dept of my dealer, but they're at lunch!!!

 

I wouldn't be shocked at all if the boatmate and sport boat axles are from the same company.

[Rhale 80]

So to answer that question...yes. I just talked with the service dept and UFP makes the axles. I know they make them for extreme trailers and I'd bet you they make them for boat mate. They were aware of the recall issue but aren't sure about if they'll still cover it. They had to leave a message with UFP as no one answered. She also said they emailed them as well.

[daz28iroc 73]

this happened on my trailer. torsion axle. took a while to get the replacement. but it was warrantied

[FargoDawg 8]

my old Moomba had a torsion axle fail. I was the third owner and the trailer was 8 years old, they warrantied but I had to pay shipping and paint. did the work in my garage with pneumatic tools not impossible. get a good jack and some solid jackstands. im trying to find my correspondence with the trailer guy, easy to work with outside of laying flat on your back with your smart phone trying to get the serial off the axle

[stoked 1,039]

my old Moomba had a torsion axle fail. I was the third owner and the trailer was 8 years old, they warrantied but I had to pay shipping and paint. did the work in my garage with pneumatic tools not impossible. get a good jack and some solid jackstands. im trying to find my correspondence with the trailer guy, easy to work with outside of laying flat on your back with your smart phone trying to get the serial off the axle

 

X2 I did it in my driveway, hardest part was bleeding the brakes again

[FargoDawg 8]

I bled them wrong and took it to a trailer shop, $25 worth of security.

[Rhale 80]

Still waiting to hear from UFP....