Dexter Axle info. - Montana Owners Club

OntMont · 04-06-2007, 06:29 AM

I had been considering upgrading my axles to 7000lb to get a stronger axle and better brakes. Before doing this, I copied down the numbers off the axles and consulted Dexter Axle for their advice on the proper selection. Their response was both surprising and interesting. With their permission, I am sharing it with you.

Quote #1 from Dexter...

"The axle number indicates that for the most part you already have a lot of the 7000 pound rated components/features on your current axles. Therefore, "upgrading" to our standard 7000 pound product line will not gain you anything different.

The 6000 pound and 7000 pound product line uses many of the same base
components like the tube and the spindle. But the main differentiation
usually is the hub choices and brake options. The 6 bolts hubs are rated for 6000 pounds and would probably be the most common choice for 6000 pound applications. The 8 bolt hubs are rated for 7000 pound applications and has already been selected for your axle. The brake that was specified is the more aggressive lining that is normally used in 7000 pound applications. Upgrading the axle beam, brakes and hubs will not achieve a capacity increase unless you also change your leaf springs which are rated for only 3000 pounds per spring assembly. ...
...Jumping up to 7200 or 8000 pound axle models may cause some clearance issues due to larger brake size. Typically users will have to also go to larger wheel/tires to actually gain increased capacity beyond a 16" wheels capacity and again this may cause interference issues with existing trailers not originally designed to accommodate them".

end of Dexter quote #1.

Dexter also sent me the spec sheet for the actual axles installed on my trailer. I noticed that they were shown as "CSA approved". (CSA = Canadian Standards Association) (If you check the Dexter web site on line catalog, you will notice that Dexter offer two 6000lb axles, one "CSA-approved" and one "DXQ". I asked about the difference, and here is their response to this question:

Dexter quote #2:

"The axle configuration (combination of the customer's selected features and options) must meet certain criteria to be qualified as a CSA rated axle. It will only be LABELED or identified as a CSA axle again if the customer at the time of order has specified it to have the CSA rating. The Dexter 6000 pound DXQ brake is only rated for 5200 pounds by CSA standards. Dexter has a different 6000 pound brake design that uses our lining from our 7000 pound brake to get the CSA rating of 6000 pounds. In order to achieve a 7000 pound CSA rating with electric brakes, the trailer builder will need our 8000 pound 12-1/4" x 3-3/8" electric brakes."

end Dexter quote #2.

Since we bought our trailer in Canada, it was built to CSA standards which may explain the CSA designation on our axles, but it is possible that Keystone use CSA axles on all their units, so it may be worth finding out exactly which 6000lb axle you have. Keystone should be able to provide that information. On the other hand, it may be that the extra dollars we had to spend to get that CSA approval sticker, actually bought something we did not know we had in the way of brakes.

illapah · 04-06-2007, 07:34 AM

Thanks. I just went out and counted lug nuts. We have the 8-lug bolt pattern. Axle is stamped 6000 pound unit.

Cat320 · 04-06-2007, 08:03 AM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by illapah

Thanks. I just went out and counted lug nuts. We have the 8-lug bolt pattern. Axle is stamped 6000 pound unit.

Same here.

Montana Sky · 04-06-2007, 09:43 AM

I have the 8 lug bolt pattern on my axles and they are stamped at 6,000 lbs on my GVWR sticker on the coach. I might have to go back and reread this section again. Some very interesting info here...

Wrenchtraveller · 04-06-2007, 12:48 PM

My 06 2955Rl , the smallest Fiver in the Montana Line up, only has 5080 LB axle ratings but still has the 8 bolt wheels . It does have lovely brakes. The trailer only has a 12140 pound GVWR but loaded up with full fresh water, waste tanks empty, I was 12300, just over.
2600 is on the pin so my axles only had 9700 on them, 460 pounds under the max.
Dexter springs and axles are tough. I have a box trailer I haul gravel in and I pay by the pound.
The loader will slip and dump in too much. That trailer has only a single 3500 LB dexter axle and I have had over 5000 pounds on that axle several times. The pit I go to is only 5 miles from home and it is all 30 MPH limit so I have taken a chance and snuck home with the box trailer over loaded and the 15" truck tires are awful low and very wide but I have never broke anything so far.

sreigle · 04-07-2007, 08:59 AM

John, is this CSA rating indicated somewhere on the axle (where?) or do I have to call Keystone with the VIN to get that information? Our 3400 has the 8-bolt hubs and per the sticker has 6000 lb axles but I've never crawled under to check the axle tags. Since it snowed this morning and it's wet outside I'm not crawling under there today, either. Thanks.

OntMont · 04-07-2007, 10:31 AM

Steve,

It was a few months ago when I first copied down the axle numbers, at the time I was not aware of the significance of the CSA mark, and now I just don't remember if it was there or not.

Today is not all that much better here, than where you are. Considering that it is April, and we are in the Rio Grande Valley, it ought to be close to 90, it is 50 now and raining, so I don't think I will go check just now either! We leave here on Monday, hope things improve!

rlrich · 04-07-2007, 10:41 AM

Here's my axle tag - what have I got? My VIN tag says 6000# axles and I have 8 bolt wheels. Thereby the D60-8 numbers? 2006 3650RK w/build date of March 2006.

OntMont · 04-07-2007, 12:39 PM

The numbers I found were embossed right into the metal of the tube, I think the label you pictured is just for shipping ID purposes. The D60 indicates a 7000 lb rated axle tube, it is what is attached to that tube that determines to whole suspension rating, D60 seems to mean 6000lb springs, while D70 means 7000lb springs.

richfaa · 04-07-2007, 01:50 PM

So the major diffference would be it seems bigger springs to make them 7K axles???

Cat320 · 04-07-2007, 02:08 PM

This is a good discussion, but like a lot of weight issues, it comes down to what axle rating is on the sticker on the left front of the rig. Mine says 6000.

OntMont · 04-07-2007, 02:31 PM

Bert is right of course. You have to consider the whole suspension system (at least the manufacturer does). That means tires, wheels, hubs, brakes, springs and the actual axle tube. My interest was simply to improve braking and reduce potential alignment problems. I am satisfied with weight rating as it is. I started down this road thinking I might upgrade to a 7000lb axle. It seems I already have more or less what I was looking for, a 7000lb axle tube and brakes.

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