Extreme Boat Trailer. Wheel seized, locked up

[kirklandmalibu]

I have 2007 extreme trailer for 23 LSV. Trailer gets very little use...50 miles/year. Today the front driver side wheel locked up. It is sitting 1-2 inches off the ground and stuck in wheel well.  (Unable to remove wheel). Any ideas how to "unlock" and repair.

 

 

[wdr]

Is it a torsion bar trailer? If so, and the torsion bar is locked in the up position the axle shaft may have spun inside of the bedding inside of the actual axle frame. If it did you will have to buy a whole new axle as they are not repairable. Pictures will definitely help.

Edited March 17 by wdr
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[kirklandmalibu]

Have plenty of pics. Dont know how to attach with URL

[Steve B.]

You have to upload to a host like imgur or photo bucket, then post that url. Only takes a few minutes. Or become a paid member here and you can post directly. Hope the trailer isn't stuck somewhere.

[kirklandmalibu]

[BvrGuy]

Try turning the wheel with a breaker bar on the lug nuts and see if it rotates down. I may just be trapped in the well. Or loosen the clamp on the torsion part. It may release violently though, so make sure no body parts are in the bite.

[wdr]

Looks like one of two things may have happened. The shaft has spun inside of the axle housing as previously mentioned. Or and possibly recoverable, the torsion arm retention bolt and nut were not tightened correctly and the torsion arm spun on the axle shaft. If that’s the case you will have to use a cold chisel or “other wedging device” to open the groove on the torsion bar arm to get it to slide off the axle shaft. Depending on the damage you may only hopefully need to replace the torsion arm and not the whole axle. Replacing the axle assembly is a 3 wrench and jack job even with the boat on the trailer and you will have to re-bleed the brakes though. 

Edited March 17 by wdr
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[dalt1]

My 06 did the same. It can be pulled back down and welded in place until a new one is sourced. I ran mine welded for over 300 miles before replacing both of them. UFP at the time warrantied both of mine even though one was still good.

[kirklandmalibu]

Oof. This situation seems like it might be out my league. Not sure what/where to cold chisel.

if anyone is willing to walk me through this via a call, I would be grateful. Here is another image. . I did notice fluid on tire and dripping from connection that I’m not seeing on other wheels.

908-963-0255

 

 

[Nick55]

Give me a little bit, I’ll run out and take some pictures of my trailer for you.  I have the same trailer and axles. There are options here for disassembly but unfortunately, there is some damage that may take some work to fix. 
That fluid appears to be brake fluid, which makes me wonder if the caliper is actually whats stuck and overheated the axle.  Hub bearings don’t usually fail and weld themselves on permanently, they fail in a way the wheel is loose on what’s left of the axle. 

[kirklandmalibu]

I made some progress. Was able to move the wheel down from fender and remove. Wheel was spinning fine when it was disengaged from fender. Updated pics.

[Nick55]

Ok so the hub is good.  I don’t know if the arm walked on the axle tube itself or if the axle tube itself has a failed part. This is the bolt you’ll need to loosen and take out to slide the torsion arm off the axle housing. You’ll need to remove the brake caliper bolts that attached the whole caliper to that same torsion arm. (Second pic).  Hang the caliper so it’s not suspended by the hose.  It does look like the arm pushed up far enough to cause a brake fluid leak which may be fixed by loosening and retightening the hose at that banjo nut on the caliper.  The brake system might need rebled but it’s a good idea to replace brake fluid every few years anyway.  

[wdr]

This might speed the diagnosis. Did you curb it or run over something? 

[dalt1]

That era was prone to failed torsion axles. It strips out inside the tube. No fix but replacement. As mentioned earlier, it can be welded until new axle is sourced.

[dalt1]

Back when I had the same issue.

[dalt1]

Mine did it as I left home and pulled into gas station to fuel truck for weeklong houseboat trip 120 miles from where I was. Was only 2 miles from home. Scrambled  and found info I needed about welding for temp fix. Pulled out welder and got it done. The drive into gas station has a pretty good up rise and when the front tires got compressed on the uphill. the one side never came back down.

[wdr]

That explains a lot. Wouldn’t want to be on I-24 with a trailer now days. No joke, I literally saw 7 cars on the side of road with busted tires between Exits 11 and 35.

[justgary]

10 hours ago, wdr said:

That explains a lot. Wouldn’t want to be on I-24 with a trailer now days. No joke, I literally saw 7 cars on the side of road with busted tires between Exits 11 and 35.

I'd say the same thing about I-59 between Birmingham and Chattanooga.  Maybe no blown tires, but definitely a suspension test track.

[kirklandmalibu]

Ok. Moving the process along. Seems consensus on Torsion axle issue for this thread and talking to local trailer experts. Talked to Extreme and have replacement axle on the way. It is unfinished. Any suggestions on painting?

[wdr]

When I replaced the front axle on my 2010 BoatMate I cleaned it, and rattle canned the primer and used some Mercruiser black lower unit paint I had from years earlier. Still looked brand new when I sold it 4 years later. It was stored indoors so I am sure that helped. 

[dalt1]

10 hours ago, wdr said:

When I replaced the front axle on my 2010 BoatMate I cleaned it, and rattle canned the primer and used some Mercruiser black lower unit paint I had from years earlier. Still looked brand new when I sold it 4 years later. It was stored indoors so I am sure that helped. 

Did the same on  my 06 with both front and ear axles when UFP warrantied mine. I picked them up from the factory 60 miles from home. Ground the weld off from my temporary fix and painted new ones. One time I got lucky with the outcome from a failure.