My SW Tourer has sagged, lying at an angle to the left side. Apparently the rubbers in the axle are damaged.  The repair options are to either:

• replace the axle with a new one, or
• recondition the axle by replacing the rubbers with silicon ones. 

The latter costs about a third of a replacement axle.

Are there any issues with having the axle reconditioned?

Comments from caravan owners who have had an axle repaired or replaced would be much appreciated.

Ek sou net die rubbers vervang. Ek self het my rubbers laat vervang. As jy nuwe as gaan koop, gaan jy ook net nuwe rubbers kry....niks beter as waarmee hulle gaan vervang nie

Ons het die afgelope kuier by Enn-n-Flow mense met so n karavaan ontmoet met DIESELFDE probleem. Blykbaar is daardie n probleem met NET EEN versending in EEN jaar. Almal waarsku jou oor daardie karavaan.

Dansan wrote:

Ons het die afgelope kuier by Enn-n-Flow mense met so n karavaan ontmoet met DIESELFDE probleem. Blykbaar is daardie n probleem met NET EEN versending in EEN jaar. Almal waarsku jou oor daardie karavaan.

Dankie vir jou boodskap. Watter jaar model SW Tourer was die persoon by Ebb and Flow se karavaan? 

Dink nie dis n spesifieke sending probleem nie, dink meer dis n algemene probleem op Alko aste. My broer het dieselfde probleem gehad en ons karavane is 6 jaar uitmekaar

As ek in die situasie sou wees, sal ek ondersoek instel of n bladverrstelsel nie dalk sal pas nie. Ek vertrou die rubbergedoente gladnie. Bladvere hou so lank en langer as die voertuig.

Alko have a branch / depot in Milnerton in cape town, I have recently replaced both axles on my exclusive which I got through them, they will refurbish yours however they send them to the factory at Vereeniging jhb , which takes up to 4 weeks, 

Had the axle of my Fleetline refurbished 3 years ago at Alko factory in Vereeniging. Booked  2 days beforehand. Took the complete caravan there and collected it the next day after 11h00. Replaced rubbers, brakelinings and wheel bearings as well as braking cables. Also upgraded the axle by 200kg to 1600kg. Job was perfectly done.

I also had rubbers replaced by Alko.

My friend had his replaced but thorough a caravan dealer, the premium he paid in price was ridiculous.

As to the leaf spring suspension, I say NO. The Rubber Torsion suspensions give a significantly better ride. So much so that fitted a rubber torsion axel to my 19' boat trailer, it was chalk and cheese. Could not believe the improvement.

Andrew wrote:

I also had rubbers replaced by Alko.

My friend had his replaced but thorough a caravan dealer, the premium he paid in price was ridiculous.

As to the leaf spring suspension, I say NO. The Rubber Torsion suspensions give a significantly better ride. So much so that fitted a rubber torsion axel to my 19' boat trailer, it was chalk and cheese. Could not believe the improvement.

Thanks for your helpful advice, Andrew. I agree with not changing the suspension to leaf springs.

What guarantee, if any, does Anko give on the rubber replacement, and what was the cost? 

It was too long ago I simply cannot remember, it was around 2013.

What actually happened is that I bent the stub axel on the Penta. I then had Sunseeker replace the entire axel as I had intentions for the original one, my boat trailer.

I sent it to Alko and asked them to make it "new" so they did both bushings (do both so they are even) and they replaced the stub axel. R 4 600 rings a bell, but I don't have many bells up there that ring anymore.

When I had my caravan axle done at Alko I was informed by the  person at the service dept that the rubbers last for approximately 10-12 years depending on the loads they carry, road conditions etc. The rubbers tend to develop cracks and eventually could cause the stub axle to become adrift and the whole wheel to fall off

This happened to my neighbour whilst travelling between camps at the Kruger Park. Luckily he was travelling slowly and was able to have the axle repaired at Nelspruit.

There are a few members that I know of that recon their caravan axles.  Most of them here on the forum.  As you can see with the feedback given it is worth the effort.

How ever a big cost saver would probably be to remove them and install the recon ones your self.

I had a bent stub axle (pothole) and had the axle replaced with a leaf spring axle not wanting to risk another pothole expenditure. My insurance does not pay for road surface claims. 

Interessant Pieter.  Soos ek genoem het dink ek ook 'n bladveerstelsel is meer duursaam.  Het jy pryse vergelyk van die vervanging teenoor die koste om die rubberstelsel te laar  hernu of te vervang met 'n nuwe rubber asstelsel? Was daar moeilike veranderinge nodig om die nuwe as aan te heg?

Fred, die rubbers het niks makeer nie, maar die stub axle was gebuig met die gevolg dat die een wiel windskeef geloop het en albei bande vinnig afgeloop het want die een wiel wou regs gaan en die ander een reguit met die gevolg dat die karavaan soos 'n krap skeef geloop het.

Die koste was destyds omtrent dieselde as 'n rubber as, maar aangesien ek twee bande moes vervang het ek besluit om terseldertyd groter wiele op te sit met bande bakkie bande wat die potholes kan hanteer. Die nuwe as se vering is stewiger en die nuwe remme is uitmuntend. Ek wou ook 'n paar grondpaaie gaan ry wat ek destyds met my ou bladvere Jurgens kon doen. Die karavaan is nou effens hoër.

Kanneman wrote:

I had a bent stub axle (pothole) and had the axle replaced with a leaf spring axle not wanting to risk another pothole expenditure. My insurance does not pay for road surface claims. 

I was fortunate then, as mine did pay for the replacement after hitting a pothole and it had to be imported 😬

Dit is dus heeltemal ekonomies om 'n bladveer-as op te sit as die rubber-as probleme gee.  Die rubber-as het myns insiens twee groot tekortkominge:

Eerstens die rubber wat verseker nie lank gaan hou nie en tweedens die vierkantige as binne die vierkantige buis wat in werklikheid die wiel, en dus ook die stampe en stote wat die wiel op die pad ondervind, moet hanteer en dan buig.  Albei die aspekte op 'n bladveer-as kom nie voor die. Ek raai dit is ook wat met jou karavaan gebeur het, want as dit werklik die 'sub axle' is wat gebuig het, sou die wiellaers onder geweldige druk verkeer en baie vinnig vernietig gewees het.

Veerblaaie hou so lank as die voertuig en nog langer en die heelwat dikker as hanteer die stampe en stote van die wiele baie beter.  Die band sal eerder beskadig as daar deur 'n slaggat gery word as die bladveer-as, en 'n nuwe band is aansienlik goedkoper as herstel of vervanging van die as. En die band sou in elkgeval waarskynlik ook beskadig word in so 'n geval op 'n rubber-as

Ek dink steeds die swaai-arm, kronkelveer-skokbreker stelsel op vroeëre Gypseys, Sprites en ander, karavane, was die heel beste.  Ek aanvaar dit het in onbruik geraak omdat dit vanweë sy ingewikkelder ontwerp, vandag aansienlik duurer sou wees.

Daar is terloops al verskeie kere op hierdie Forum geskryf van probleme met rubber-aste maar ek kan nie onthou dat daar al klagtes oor bladveer-aste was nie.  Maar elke ou moet maar sy eie oortuigings volg.

BrianB wrote:

I was fortunate then, as mine did pay for the replacement after hitting a pothole and it had to be imported 😬

Mine paid out aswell a short while ago for 2 new axles.

Terloops, die moeilikste deel van my as ombouing was om skokbrekers te monteer.