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Quote: Originally posted by jayjay31 on 12/11/2009

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Hi all

I have a 20 year old caravan , the trailer body is galvanised but the axle looks rusty , is it safe ? any tips to sort it out ?

regards

jamie

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Rust can hide a multitude of sins and if you are concerned at all, you really should have a proper caravan service engineer check it out.

Really the axle should be removed and sand blasted. Only by doing that will it show any cracks or weak points, however I doubt if you will want to go to that expense.

Hi there,

I've sen hundreds of caravan axles, and it was common practice to galvanise the chassis and have the axle not galvanised, just sprayed black, so now many years of touring on there all appear rusty while the chassis is more or less pristine.  Like others have said painting will always help and prevention is better than cure, but I've yet to see rust cause a problem, just wear, tare and abuse.  Sand blasting will show some defects but will also impregnte the bushes etc with sand.  Why not just go the extra mile and have it X-Rayed to look for micro cracks and non metallic inclusions within the smelting of the steel?  Just joking.  What you're seeing is quite normal, but if you're concrened then always take a very close look or take it to an 'expert'. 

Hi BSA man, I think I would need to have a zip up the back of my head before I would sandblast an axle without protecting the bearings!!!!!!

If Jayjay 31 is concerned about his axle, then he should have it checked out. If he brought it to me, I would sandblast it for nowt and then he could check it himself before painting it.

Good stuff, I know where to get a bit of cheap blasting done! Just joking.  You can't dismantle a caravan axle, has to go back to the factory to be set up right, and I was refering to the rubber bushes, not the bearings.  And I'm not disagreeing that if he is concerned then the best thing is to have it checked out.  I am saying though that rust on the axle of an old caravan is common.