Drop Axle vs Straight Axle

[CaptGregg]

My trailer has a drop axle and I'm sure it's to get the boat deeper in the water during launch but this past weekend, I had a flat tire and ends of my u-bolts were in the ground. If I have a blow out going down the road, there's no telling what will happen. I am thinking about going to Tractor Supply and getting a straight axle for like $160.00 rated at 3500 lb and putting under the trailer to raise it up a bit going down the road.

Has anybody got any experience in this Modification?

 

[KingAirDriver]

I have had thoughts of doing this myself, my axle is rusty and has weak spots. I have launched and recovered with little issue without using the extendable tongue. I feel that with a straight axle and the tongue extension, there would be little reason for concern.

Do you have an extendable tongue on your trailer?

 

[CaptGregg]

Unfortunately no but I've been thinking about making one, my trailer has an A-frame hitch and there's no center tube to put a tube inside to extend so my extender will have to be a separate bar with with a ball and hitch on each end. I've been told that longer than 4 feet on this type of extender puts too much strain on the receiver mounted on the Jeep but I'm going to have to do something.

 

[Chris Patterson]

A lot of the reasons for drop axles on these trailers is for clearance on the keel. Look under it and see if you have enough room between the axle, and the keel. Bearing in mind that the axle can spring up about three inches or so, (just a guess on the springing part). If you have plenty of room, why not?
I considered this at one time, and would have had to raise the bunks to clear it.
Another thought on the U-bolts. Can you flip them up the other way, to get the threaded part turned up? The belly of the U-bolt would do much less damage than the threaded end..

 

[Squidd]

Disagree...Between the springs there is no difference so straight or drop won't affect keel/bunk height...(drop is outside the spring perch)

Straight axle will raise you 4"-6" so you have to go deeper to launch (maybe 3'-4' further back??)

If you want to keep the U bolts from dragging.. Get bigger "wheels" which will raise axle/boat only an inch or so...

 

[CaptGregg]

I've been leafing through pictures of where the axle rusted through and bent up on the way home from the Manteo trip and it seems the PO did everything possible to drop the boat lower in the water while launching and retrieving. The drop axle sits on the springs instead of the springs on the axle, attaching a pic (not a good one either) but it gives you an idea.

 

[CaptGregg]

Well, that was not the one I intended to post so let's try this one.

 

[agprice22]

Remember when you are trailering to let your keel winch out enough to let your keel rest on the trailer. It'll save damaging the winch, cable, and/or keel bolt when you hit a bump in the road.

 

[jfrench]

It's interesting to see these postings. I've wanted to switch from my straight axle to a drop-type. Here's a link to some thorough info about axle availability:
http://www.championtrailers.com/spdlubax.html

and another to a bolt-on tongue extender for those who are interested:
http://xtend-a-hitchnorthwest.com/

 

[Chris Patterson]

The Squid is right, I don't know what I'm thinkin'. I haven't looked at my trailer in some time, the boat is slipped. There was some compelling reason I didn't want the axle straight when I put a new one in, and for the life of me, I can not remember why.
Maybe is was the ride height.

 

[CaptGregg]

It's interesting to see these postings. I've wanted to switch from my straight axle to a drop-type. Here's a link to some thorough info about axle availability:
http://www.championtrailers.com/spdlubax.html

and another to a bolt-on tongue extender for those who are interested:
http://xtend-a-hitchnorthwest.com/

Yes, I've looked at that site. Looks like the extension bolts around/to the center beam on the trailer, my problem is there is no center beam on my trailer, it's an a frame trailer, bolting that extension to one of the sides of the a will put the actual hitch about 3 feet to port or starboard of my JEEP HAHAHA

BUT that is something along the lines of what I was thinking, although those prices were NOT what I was thinking (think back yard welding and scrap yard metal).

 

[CaptGregg]

Disagree...Between the springs there is no difference so straight or drop won't affect keel/bunk height...(drop is outside the spring perch)

Straight axle will raise you 4"-6" so you have to go deeper to launch (maybe 3'-4' further back??)

If you want to keep the U bolts from dragging.. Get bigger "wheels" which will raise axle/boat only an inch or so...

I like your idea of bigger wheels/tires and turning the U bolts up if possible, I really don't want my boat higher out of the water than it is now when launching.