Determining the Weight Capacity of Axle on 5th Wheel Trailer

Question:

How can I determine the weight rating for the axle on a Jayco 5th wheel trailer?

asked by: Bruce

Expert Reply:

The first step I recommend taking is to look for any tags, stickers or embossed numbers on the axle itself. The information on the tag or sticker can help determine the axle's capacity if it is not listed.

The next step is to measure the diameter of the axle because capacities are directly related to axle diameter. For instance a 2-3/8 inch axle diameter is traditionally a 3,500 lb axle but a 3 inch diameter may have a 5,200 lb, 6,000 lb, or 7,000 lb capacity.

The next step is to remove one of your trailer hubs and check the spindle measurements. This can be narrowed down with bearing numbers found on the face of the inner and outer bearing as well as the seal. If you can't read these numbers or if they are not present, then you can measure the spindle where the bearings are positioned with a digital caliper to the nearest thousandth. (3 decimal points.)

I've attached a photo to assist with these measurement locations.

expert reply by: Jason S