50mm Square Slimline Axle – Bare

50mm Square Axle Caravan Trailer Boat

A 50mm square axle is the axle of choice for towing your rig straight and true. Vibration fatigue will never happen on this axle loaded to 2.25t.

Couplemate manufacturers axles from BlueScope steel in our Wynnum, Brisbane workshops.

Question: What is the difference between a good and bad axle?

A bad axle will have a bearing tolerance of more than 0.05mm. A good axle will have a bearing tolerance of 0.02mm to 0.04mm. Less than 0.02 tolerance is considered a tight fit and is usually reserved for ball bearings,

If your bearing has a bearing shadow under the bearing on the journal, that indicates a gap between the bearing and the journal. This gap significantly lowers bearing life. A good axle may have a bearing life of between 20,000 klms or more.

Solid Axle rating

• Holden Bearing Profile – 1,000kg Max
• Ford Bearing Profile – 1,450kg Max
• Dexter Bearing Profile – 1,590kg Max
• Ford Parallel Bearing Profile – 1,600kg Max
• Al-ko Bearing Profile – 2,250kg Max
• Dexter Bearing Profile – 2,250kg Max
• Al-ko Bearing Profile – 3,000kg Max

Note: Please advise your axle length, either tip to tip length or face to face measurement and axle profile after ordering. Example 2t, 3t, parallel, slimline.

So, where does this steel come from?

Newcastle, in New South Wales, continues its rolling bar mill, which pulls its feedstock from Whyalla, South Australia.

Australian Steel is a fascinating story. It is a pity that the television media’s reporting on Australian success stories is not better supported.

Calculating The Correct Axle Measurements

1. Measure the offset wheel. The wheel offset is the distance between the hub’s inside and the rubber’s outside.
2. Add 50 mm to the offset. Alternatively, choose your own distance between the rubber and the chassis.
3. Multiply by 2 for both sides. Add your chassis width to the above number.

Still unsure of what measurements to take? Check out this handy guide below:

[P] – Check material specifications. What size and profile is the axle (for example, 45mm Square)
[T] – Overall axle length (tip to tip)
[F] – Hub face-to-hub face measurement
[A] – Chassis width
[C] – Tyre clearance
[B] – Back offset
[H] – Tyre to chassis
[G] – Axle pad centres

Identifying Bearing Combinations

You will also need to identify your bearing combination, which can be done by pulling off a hub and bearings and locating the number laser engraved onto the bearing. You will require both the inner and the outer bearing number.

How to calculate total axle length

The Face to Face measurements to calculate Tip to Tip measurement is as follows: –

• S/L 10” Electric Drum – 103mm
• S/L 150mm Lazy – 100mm
• 10” Disk Rotor  – 98mm
• PLL 10” Electric Drum – 122mm
• 2T 12” Electric Drum – 172mm
• 2T 205mm Lazy – 172mm

Solid Axles rarely cause problems.

The price of a 50mm square parallel axle can vary greatly. Axles are manufactured in various places, including India, China, Malaysia, and Australia.

The only real problems come from imported steel, which causes steel fractures along the beam and consistent hardness.

Other Common Problems and Tips:

If your 50mm square parallel trailer caravan axle is not properly engineered, you may experience excessive bearing wear.

1. Rough seal journals can cause a loss of grease through the rear seal.
2. Some suppliers supply non-virgin or scrap steel and forge this steel into a solid square or round shape for axle production. Always ask for Australian Steel.
3. Chinese bearings are the second most significant cause of axle failure.
4. If you plan to get onto a highway, use Japanese bearings.
5. Combining Japanese Bearings and 50mm Square Axle will significantly help you with lower rig maintenance.
6. Are your tandem tyres wearing unevenly? How to Align Caravan Wheels
7. Axle Steel explained.

Solutions:

We rarely have problems with these larger kits.

A Couplemate assembled axle with Japanese bearings gives you our unconditional guarantee of a well-made, well-backed axle assembly.

Caravan upgrades are explained here.

More axles and their maximum rating can be found here.

• 39mm Round Axle – 750kg
• 39mm Round Galvanised Axle – 750kg
• 40mm Square Axle – 1000kg
• 40mm Square Galvanised Axle – 1000kg
• Round Axle 45mm – 1450kg
• 45mm Round Galvanised Axle – 1450kg
• Square Axle 45mm – 1450kg
• 45mm Square Parallel – 1600kg
• 45mm Galvanised Square Axle – 1450kg
• 50mm Galvanised Square Axle – 1450kg
• 60mm Round Axle – 3000kg
• 60mm Galvanised Round Axle 

Other Square Axles

• 50mm Square Stub Axle
• Parallel Axle (Bare) – .50mm Square
• 2T Axle (Bare) – 50mm Square
• 50mm Square Overlay Axle Parallel
• 50mm Square Galvanised Lazy Axle
• Mechanical Galvanised Disc Brake Axle – 50mm Square
• 50mm Square Overlay Axle 2t – Galvanised
• Unbraked Lazy Axle Kit – 50mm Square
• 50mm Square 10-Inch Electric Brake Axle Kit
• 50mm Square Galvanised Axle
• 45mm – 50mm Square Overlay Axle
• 50mm Square Hydraulic Disc Brake Axle

Finally, a hollow axle is a lightweight solution to a heavy-duty square axle.