Sunline Satellite - Axle question

[wave_crusher]

Hi; first time actually posting on here; though i've used the site many times for other info.

I'm having some trouble find replacement axles for my sunline satellite. I believe it is a 1988, not sure on any other model numbers, they're not on the trailer. Just that it has Sunline Satellite on the side of it. It's about 20ft long, plus the tongue. 2 doors,

I got it for free, and it does not have any axles at all, or springs. So in measuring as best I can for spring perch center to center, I think I get about 68", and I can't get get any idea for WMS to WMS. I was able to get in touch with another guy that has a sunline coach and he gave me a couple measurements to help (75.25" back to back of hub), and 70.25" outside edge to outside edge of spring perchs.

Guess that the perch widths are 2", I figured the spring center to center is about 68". Barely a guess on the WMS to WMS.

Any help from another satellite owner? Couple measurements and a pic or tow of the axle? Are these axles something I can find off the shelf, or am I going to have to get a custom one made?

Thank in advance!

[JohnB]

Hi Wave crusher,

Welcome!

Trying to help here, but need more info to help better. First, you/we need to back in the gross vehicle weight of the camper to size the new springs. Here is how you can back into what model you have, then you can look up the camper specs in the Sunline brochures in our files section.

To get to the files section, you need to be logged into the forum.
At the top of the forum are tabs, look for the word "FILES" click it.


Once into the files section, scroll down to the "Sunline Brochures" section. Go in there and find a sale brochure for your year camper by year, and down load a copy. Then look at the floor plans for the Satellite, and back into the camper size, floor plan and then the model number.

Once you know the model, look for the GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating) in the specs. And look for the original tire size, need that so the new tires will fit in the wheel wells. Odds are high, an 88 Sunline in the brochure is on the old tire size. That old tire size can be converted to the new ST trailer tire size and load range. We can help on the conversion if needed.

By the 88 brochure, all the Satellite's had tandem brake axles which you want to get the brake axle with the brake drums and electric brakes on them. Not sure what wiring you have left, but it needs to be a 7 wire plug that goes into the truck and the blue brake wire sized correctly back to the axle area.

The springs sizing, each axle will have spring capacity (2 springs per axle = axle total spring rating needed) for "at least" half the GVWR. Both axles then add up to equal to or more than the GVWR. Since I do not know which model you have, I can't help tell you just yet. But we can help better when you figure out the model. Odds are high, your springs will be a level of stronger then the GVWR and that is OK as long as they are not grossly too large. They only come in so many sizes.

The axle itself, also only come in so many sizes. Odds are high, the axle will have more capacity then the GVWR, and the springs will be the weak link in the system to create the GAWR. (Gross Axle Weight rating) This happens a lot on campers. It is actually benefit to have a stronger axle so it doe not bend so easy if you hit a curb etc. But again, not grossly too big.

You are going to need the tire size so you can back into a wheel size and then the wheel you can buy to the brake drum hub size and number of bolt holes and centers that the brake drum has.

Then come the axle specs which the first need is, the machined brake drum hub face to brake drum hub face length across the axle. Hub face is what the wheel bolts flat against and is the machined surface. Trailer wheels on the camper have zero offset, means the mounting surface of wheel is in the middle of the tire. Then you have to sort out where the tire width is in the the trailer wheel well or close to the middle of the wheel well so there is good clearance for turning and not hitting the frame or camper body.

Next on the axle is the axle seat location left to right. The axle seat is what the leaf springs bolts too on the axle tube with U bolts. You back into the axle seat distance from the frame spring hangers, "center". Most leaf springs in this weight range are be 1 3/4" wide. The hanger might be 1 7/8" wide inside, maybe a little more. And the bottom of the hanger can be sprung out. You have to measure up by the frame where the hanger is mounted and to the "center" of the hanger regardless of the inside width. The axle seat dimension goes by center distances.

Next come, do you want a drop axle or a straight axle? Odds are high the original Sunline axle was a drop axle. But some people want more ground clearance and do what we call and over/under conversion to lift the camper up higher to not drag the backend so much going over bumps and driveways. Since you are buying new axles, you could check if the wheel wells will allow a straight axle to give you the lift in place of the over under kit on a drop axle. That is if you want the camper lifted and the wheel wells can accept it, If you want the original drop axle like Sunline had, then you buy the drop axle.

Brake drum sizing, again they only make so many sizes. The brakes need to be equal to or larger then the GVWR.

There is also the equalizer in the middle of the 2 sets of leaf springs and shackles that all line up and fit the spring hangers on the camper and the leaf spring lengths. And the spring bolts and U bolts for the leaf springs.

Those are the items to sort out. We can help you sort all that out, if you want to then shop around for the parts. Odds are you may not find what you want just sitting on the shelf. But don't think that custom axles are complex, knowing the right places to buy from makes this not so hard and the stuff just shows up on your door step.

I have bought new axle tubes for my camper from these folks. AXLE Inc. - Towable Trailer Axle Specialists They are very helpful and they can provide you all the parts too. Price wise, they are competitive, you are getting service with them verses sorting this all out yourself and figuring out what to buy and split up the orders for the best price on each. Some of us here on the forum have done just that, split up the order, but we have been through all this and we take the responsibility we spec'ed it comes out correct.

As to axle dimensions to buy, Axle Inc has sheets to fill out for that. On spring lengths and sizes, they need to know the centers of the spring bolt holes from hanger to hanger on all hangers and they can back into the spring length and the equalizer and shackle lengths. They also may need the hanger height, which is the main frame edge the hanger is welded to down to the hanger hole center vertically.

And, there is no "about" this size. They will build what you tell them exactly to those dimensions. Check 3 times, order once so to speak.

As to the brake of axes and springs etc. I would recommend Dexter.

This should get you started. We are here to help as needed, just ask.

Let us know how you make out.

John

[wave_crusher]

Originally Posted by JohnB

Hi Wave crusher,

Welcome!

Trying to help here, but need more info to help better. First, you/we need to back in the gross vehicle weight of the camper to size the new springs. Here is how you can back into what model you have, then you can look up the camper specs in the Sunline brochures in our files section.

To get to the files section, you need to be logged into the forum.
At the top of the forum are tabs, look for the word "FILES" click it.


Once into the files section, scroll down to the "Sunline Brochures" section. Go in there and find a sale brochure for your year camper by year, and down load a copy. Then look at the floor plans for the Satellite, and back into the camper size, floor plan and then the model number.

Once you know the model, look for the GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating) in the specs. And look for the original tire size, need that so the new tires will fit in the wheel wells. Odds are high, an 88 Sunline in the brochure is on the old tire size. That old tire size can be converted to the new ST trailer tire size and load range. We can help on the conversion if needed.

By the 88 brochure, all the Satellite's had tandem brake axles which you want to get the brake axle with the brake drums and electric brakes on them. Not sure what wiring you have left, but it needs to be a 7 wire plug that goes into the truck and the blue brake wire sized correctly back to the axle area.

The springs sizing, each axle will have spring capacity (2 springs per axle = axle total spring rating needed) for "at least" half the GVWR. Both axles then add up to equal to or more than the GVWR. Since I do not know which model you have, I can't help tell you just yet. But we can help better when you figure out the model. Odds are high, your springs will be a level of stronger then the GVWR and that is OK as long as they are not grossly too large. They only come in so many sizes.

The axle itself, also only come in so many sizes. Odds are high, the axle will have more capacity then the GVWR, and the springs will be the weak link in the system to create the GAWR. (Gross Axle Weight rating) This happens a lot on campers. It is actually benefit to have a stronger axle so it doe not bend so easy if you hit a curb etc. But again, not grossly too big.

You are going to need the tire size so you can back into a wheel size and then the wheel you can buy to the brake drum hub size and number of bolt holes and centers that the brake drum has.

Then come the axle specs which the first need is, the machined brake drum hub face to brake drum hub face length across the axle. Hub face is what the wheel bolts flat against and is the machined surface. Trailer wheels on the camper have zero offset, means the mounting surface of wheel is in the middle of the tire. Then you have to sort out where the tire width is in the the trailer wheel well or close to the middle of the wheel well so there is good clearance for turning and not hitting the frame or camper body.

Next on the axle is the axle seat location left to right. The axle seat is what the leaf springs bolts too on the axle tube with U bolts. You back into the axle seat distance from the frame spring hangers, "center". Most leaf springs in this weight range are be 1 3/4" wide. The hanger might be 1 7/8" wide inside, maybe a little more. And the bottom of the hanger can be sprung out. You have to measure up by the frame where the hanger is mounted and to the "center" of the hanger regardless of the inside width. The axle seat dimension goes by center distances.

Next come, do you want a drop axle or a straight axle? Odds are high the original Sunline axle was a drop axle. But some people want more ground clearance and do what we call and over/under conversion to lift the camper up higher to not drag the backend so much going over bumps and driveways. Since you are buying new axles, you could check if the wheel wells will allow a straight axle to give you the lift in place of the over under kit on a drop axle. That is if you want the camper lifted and the wheel wells can accept it, If you want the original drop axle like Sunline had, then you buy the drop axle.

Brake drum sizing, again they only make so many sizes. The brakes need to be equal to or larger then the GVWR.

There is also the equalizer in the middle of the 2 sets of leaf springs and shackles that all line up and fit the spring hangers on the camper and the leaf spring lengths. And the spring bolts and U bolts for the leaf springs.

Those are the items to sort out. We can help you sort all that out, if you want to then shop around for the parts. Odds are you may not find what you want just sitting on the shelf. But don't think that custom axles are complex, knowing the right places to buy from makes this not so hard and the stuff just shows up on your door step.

I have bought new axle tubes for my camper from these folks. AXLE Inc. - Towable Trailer Axle Specialists They are very helpful and they can provide you all the parts too. Price wise, they are competitive, you are getting service with them verses sorting this all out yourself and figuring out what to buy and split up the orders for the best price on each. Some of us here on the forum have done just that, split up the order, but we have been through all this and we take the responsibility we spec'ed it comes out correct.

As to axle dimensions to buy, Axle Inc has sheets to fill out for that. On spring lengths and sizes, they need to know the centers of the spring bolt holes from hanger to hanger on all hangers and they can back into the spring length and the equalizer and shackle lengths. They also may need the hanger height, which is the main frame edge the hanger is welded to down to the hanger hole center vertically.

And, there is no "about" this size. They will build what you tell them exactly to those dimensions. Check 3 times, order once so to speak.

As to the brake of axes and springs etc. I would recommend Dexter.

This should get you started. We are here to help as needed, just ask.

Let us know how you make out.

John

Thanks for all the info!

I didn't even think to look in the files section for the brochure. I found what I have, a 1988 Sunline Satellite T2260. GVWR of 4480lbs, a tire size of C78-14. Luckily I am pretty versed in measuring for axles, under normal circumstances, but that is at least usually with an axle already in place or at least springs lol

Looked at the conversion chart and that size tire converts to a 185/75-14. Which doesn't seem to be made anymore for a trailer tire. I've converted old trailer axles from that size tire to a more modern 205/75-15, and know they make a 205/75-14 as well. Looks like the 205 is just over an inch taller than the older 185/75-14s; so if I go with a straight axle and not a drop, that would be plenty of room. (Which is assuming, will need to take measurements before actually buying those and the axle; I know how much compression the springs would have, least enough to make a tire size determination).

Going by the measurements I already took, and the ones given to me from the other owner; I come with a 68.5" spring, center to center. Now that would just leave the WMS to WMS, which I could find relatively easily by just measuring from the center of the spring to the center of the wheel well, and using the offset of the wheel to adjust the size more or less, that will give me my distance, x2 and add it to the Spring C to C, and that's my axle WMS to WMS.

So, since I already have the spring mounts, I can just by the appropriate length tandem axle springs, already have an equalizer, install those, then I can 100% verify my 68.5" measurement spring center to center, then I can decide from there if I am going to do a spring over or under axle to make sure the wheels are going to fit properly in the wheel wells. I am going to go with a modern tire size, since they're relatively cheap and easy to find, so I'll know my tire size; then once I have the tires, and the offset and backspacing, I can get my WMS to WMS to finally order the correct axles.


.....that, or maybe the cards will luck out and someone will be parting out a 1988 sunline satellite T2260

[JohnB]

Originally Posted by wave_crusher

.....that, or maybe the cards will luck out and someone will be parting out a 1988 sunline satellite T2260

OK, you seem to have a plan. A few things to add, when getting the tires, make sure they are ST type tires (special trailer) and not normal car tires.

And to the above, parting out a 1988 camper. There is a 82 tandem axle camper here for parting out. https://www.sunlineclub.com/forums/f...tlc-20197.html

But, heads up, some of the 80's camper have the older Hayes axles where the brakes plates are welded to the axe tube. The axles and the brakes are obsolete and many have had to buy a whole new axle as they cannot get part to fix the old ones...

Point: Watch what you wish for. If you find a set of older axles, make sure you can get parts for them. We have had some really luck out and a new Dexter brake plate will bolt right on. Others, not so lucky and had to buy the whole brake axle.

To this:

Originally Posted by wave_crusher

Going by the measurements I already took, and the ones given to me from the other owner; I come with a 68.5" spring, center to center. Now that would just leave the WMS to WMS, which I could find relatively easily by just measuring from the center of the spring to the center of the wheel well, and using the offset of the wheel to adjust the size more or less, that will give me my distance, x2 and add it to the Spring C to C, and that's my axle WMS to WMS.

If I understand it right, you where thinking of changing the wheel offset to adjust where the tire goes in the wheel well. If I got that right, trailer wheels commonly come with zero offset. Not sure you can buy off set trailer wheels, as cheap, as zero offset to use as an adjustment method. And even then, they are still limited in the offset size you can buy.

As a thought, since you need the new wheels anyway, get the new wheel and tire, put it in the wheel well, eye ball where you want it, then back into where the brake drum hub needs to be.

Let us know how this all comes out.

John