Dexter or AL-KO Axle?

Sgtjohn

I bought a 2015 T@B S in Oct 2014 and the brochure that came with the T@B refers to an AL-KO axle.   I know this subject is trite but if all T@Bs produced since ~2013 has the newer American made Dexter axles, why would the factory put an AL-KO booklet in the trailer packet?  This is disconcerting to me in that the Dexter axles apparently have a grease zero and the AL-KO has sealed bearings from what I've read.  I can't crawl under the trailer at present since it's about 2" off the garage floor (door clearance).  So what do you experts think I have?

ChanW

I'm pretty sure I looked and found it to be an Al-Ko, on our 2014. Too dark and snowy to go out there right now. :-) 

Ours has zerks for the bearings, not sealed, but nevertheless very easy to grease.

bigmatt

Our 2014 cs has the Alko axle,there are Grease fittings on them,( not sealed bearings) the grease fitting is located behind the cap on the hub. FYI ,even though there is a fitting,Bearings should still be inspected,lots of times only the outside bearing will get grease with these fittings,Its best to pull the hub a least once a year to visually inspect,to make sure they are getting grease.I really would have preferd Dexter axle ,much easier to find parts,and a better axle IMO. The good news Dexter just acquired AlKo ,so parts should become easier to get,From what I understand Dexter axles are now being used

bigmatt

You should be able to look through the holes on your rim,to the hub,the hub will be stamped,ALKO or Dexter,that's howvI found out which axle I had.A little easier then crawling under the trailer,

RZRBUG

2013 with AL-KO axle, grease fittings, non-sealed bearings.  Ditto what bigmatt said.

Michigan_Mike

If you have a 2015 T@B you have a Dexter axle beneath the unit.  To my knowledge none of the prior axles mounted on the prior Little Guy trailers have sealed bearings.  Some AL-KO axles did have the threaded grease Zerk port, but many did not actually have the Zerk installed as that was the way they were built.  

The Dexter axle has the EZ-Lube system on the end of the axle and a grease Zerk as well.  

As for why you were given an AL-KO booklet, who knows?   It was probably just an error on the dealer's part.   

If you look under the trailer you should be able to verify the type axle on your unit.   Additionally, here is a link (below) to the Little Guy forum video resource area and we have assembled a ton of information on the trailer axles that should help everyone, so take some time and look around.  I have not had the time to drop these videos into the T@B forum area and should someone want to duplicate what I have done in the other forum area it would help out.  

Little Guy Reference Information

Normfun

My 2015 tab CS-S has an ALKO axle. The factory must be using a use up and go to inventory system. No problem though as I believe Dexter just purchased Alko.

Sgtjohn

I just checked as much as I can tonight and the rubber seal over the bearings says Al-Ko.  Based on that I think I have an Al-Ko axle.  Tomorrow I'll remove the rubber seal and see if a grease zero is beneath the seal.  I really want to be able to grease the axle myself and don't want the sealed bearings....I think.

Normfun

Sgtjohn You mention your trailer being 2 inches off the ground???? Did you remove the wheels and use something to get it in the garage? Just wondering as our trailer is about 6inches too tall to fit through the door.

Cyclonic

All of the LG T@Bs with Al-Ko axles do not have the sealed bearings, they must be maintained with fresh grease each year or 5000 miles or so.  Only the Dutchman T@Bs have the sealed bearings.  They are supposed to be maintenance free, but still need to occasionally be replaced.

With your Little Guy, you are good to go with just repacking the grease each year.  I did mine last spring, and plan to again in a few weeks as I am taking  along trip in January.  Easy job, only takes a couple of hours.  For those that don't think it is something they can do, any RV dealership will be able to do it for a couple of hundred dollars.

Michigan_Mike

normfun said:

My 2015 tab CS-S has an ALKO axle. The factory must be using a use up and go to inventory system. No problem though as I believe Dexter just purchased Alko.

Thanks Norm as I wasn't aware of this.....  That probably explains things and I fired off a note to the factory asking for an explanation.  I'm guessing that people should be good to go with the Al-KO axles and will receive great service should an issue crop up.  

Here is the information I found:   Dexter purchases AL-KO

Sgtjohn

normfun said:

Sgtjohn You mention your trailer being 2 inches off the ground???? Did you remove the wheels and use something to get it in the garage? Just wondering as our trailer is about 6inches too tall to fit through the door.

Normfun, I had a heck of a time  I live in an HOA neighborhood and couldn't leave the T@B in the drive so I went to salvage yards looking for a used rim and they wanted $30 and up. I checked on EBay and they had them for $15 each plus $14 shipping so I bought new ones on EBay vs used ones at a salvage yard.  (Remember it's 5 on 4.5" lug size for the T@B).  I then took the rims to a welding shop that had a Plasma Cutter and they cut the flanges off pretty as you please and the trailer fits in the garage without even taking the top seal strip off of the outside garage frame.  Now, the T@B sits in the garage, clean, no hail or storm concerns and, I don't have to winterize it because the garage never gets below freezing-plus it is has electricity and the grandson and I are going to speed in it one night when he is here.   I even tried out the Alde system and it takes about 1/2 hour to heat the T@B.  To me it was worth $60-70 to buy the rims and place it in the garage.  I looked into covered storage and it was $85 per month so over  years time, we will receive many times the cost of rims and cutting them down vs storage fees.  Let us know if you do the rims, more people are interested and I like to see other people figure out the details that aren't mentioned in the manual. 

normfun said:

Sgtjohn You mention your trailer being 2 inches off the ground???? Did you remove the wheels and use something to get it in the garage? Just wondering as our trailer is about 6inches too tall to fit through the door.

normfun said:

Sgtjohn You mention your trailer being 2 inches off the ground???? Did you remove the wheels and use something to get it in the garage? Just wondering as our trailer is about 6inches too tall to fit through the door.

Normfun

Thanks for the input.  I am in a similar situation and had thought of a dolly to rest it on and removing the wheels.  I like your solution.  The investigation begins.  For now I am storing it at my sons house, but that is a long ways away.

Sgtjohn

Normfun, I tried those cheap dollies from a place that sells a lot of tools etc from China and it was very difficult to move the T@B on those (I think I paid around $45 after 20% off).  The wheels didn't turn as they should and flat spots occurred on the wheels in using the dollies.  I took them back for a refund. And then I tried the cut-down rims which I should have tried first.  I alone can move the T@B out of the garage but need a second person to push to enable the rims to go over the small weather/water lip on the garage entry.  I'm not that tough.

Normfun

Thanks again.

Normfun

Fyi my axle info. 2015 T@B

mash2

It's interesting that the rated capacity of the Dexter axle is 2,200 pounds while the Al-ko is 3,000....

Sgtjohn

mash2 said:

It's interesting that the rated capacity of the Dexter axle is 2,200 pounds while the Al-ko is 3,000....

So which is the better axle?  Germany used to excel in their products and perhaps still do-I'm not sure.  But I like the idea of being able to grease the bearings thru a zerk.  Many, many years ago as a foolish teenager I remember I had an old Ford and the front end began squeaking and after a few miles the entire wheel spindle came off with the wheel and the Ford hit the dirt.  Another time when I was going on leave in the military at 3 AM the little Rambler began squeaking from the front end and I stopped a felt the grease cup on the front wheel and it was hot.  Luckily I carried a can of grease in the trunk and tools so I took care of the problem and was on my way.  It is vital that the hubs are greased on any vehicle, disaster can occur.

But back to the T@B, which is ht abetter axle?

Normfun

My experience with ALKO axels is you can grease them through the zerk. Mine is not nearby so I can't take a picture. However they are NOT sealed bearings.

mash2

The older ones had a sealed bearing (no zerk...) but the Little Guy manual on line indicates that there is a zero for greasing.  Send an email to Little Guys to confirm that the manual (dated December 2013 applies to the axle... it certainly appear so). 

Michigan_Mike

From the factory and for the record:  AL-KO axles have been installed on all the factory T@B's.  They did switch to Dexter axles for Little Guy trailers two years ago, but have been placing AL-KO's on all T@B's from day one....  And now Dexter owns and makes both axles.  

Deltaboy59

My 2014 t@b has an Alko u 29 axle rated at 3000 lbs. with 2 1/4 hub/ drum

Deltaboy59

Parts diagram and list

Deltaboy59

Brake diagram and parts list for above.

Nomad

Had my bearings lub'd today - They also had to replace the rear seals as they were leaking - Had it done while enroute at Trotters RV Service in Kingman, AZ - $80 + Parts = $105