Axle stands vs concrete blocks

Kelpie

Kelpie

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Thinking ahead to the winter... the boat is going on a trailer for the winter and I want to take the load off the wheels by propping the trailer up.
I was just going to buy a bunch of concrete blocks but they're surprisingly expensive. I could get axle stands for about the same cost, and they'd be much more convenient to store afterwards. But my gut feeling is that using axle stands is a bit precarious- they seem a bit spindly. Am I just being paranoid?
 
Axle stands are designed for the job. And if they should somehow collapse, presumably the trailer will just land on its wheels anyway?

Pete
 
Axle stands do need a decent base to stand on. Very high point loads compared to concrete blocks spreading the weight.
Depends where you are stroring the trailer.
Good idea to relieve the weight on the tyres and also the indespension-type units as well. They don't like being stood, loaded, for long periods.
 
Beware! Concrete blocks can crumble and break quite suddenly especially if they are unevenly loaded (eg by a trailer chassis lying across them.) This is at least one of the good reasons why you see lots of timber blocks being used in boatyards.
 
Concrete block are usually frowned upon for supporting loads but for just relieving the load from the trailer wheels I dont see much of a problem.

Put a piece of wood on the top to actually cushion the trailer weight perhaps.

Axle stands as LS says will need a decent base to stand on but if the correct size ( load rating) should themselves be fine. They are after all what would be recommended to support a car if you had to work underneath it.

Personally I'd not go out and buy axle stands, nor concrete blocks either. I'd find something suitable kicking around the garage or garden.


I think last time I had the boat at home on its trailer I did use some blocks that are of a cement and sawdust mix topped off with some wooden packing
 
Jacking the triler

I have always used wooden blocks in my case just under the axle itself to raise the trailer and tires. I do this to give me more room underneath to work (paint) the hull.
Mine is a single axle so by jacking and blocking the back of the trailer then jacking up the jockey wheel I can also relieve some of the load on the tires. I have never thought it necessary however.
I recently bought new tires for my trailer simply because they were 35 years old and had a lot of sun damage. Not because they had carried the boat load for 5 months every year.
good luck olewill
 
Most axle stands, even the "cheap" ones, are rated at 2 tonnes.

I'm in the same predicament with my twin axle trailer with a 1500kg boat on it. I was going to cut up a railway sleeper that I have lying around and use that as blocks. Four axle stands are going to set me back £40-50 unless anyone can recommend me some cheaper ones :confused:.
 
Don't use concrete blocks they can crack/crumble, it's the reason wood blocks are normally used for chocking anything up. I use railways sleeper size blocks that have been shortened to chock anything for any length of time or axle stands for a temporary job.

You don't need to do all this however, just move the trailer up and down every now and then to stop the tyre from flat spotting :)

If you do put your trailer on chocks put them in the right place or you'll damage the trailer. Not easy to position sometimes, there is no place to put chocks under mine easily without bending the frame, the load can only go on/under the axles where the load is designed to be. I'd rather have the load on the wheels that choking up the actual axles. Some of these Alco axle casings are not that strong, also you have to be careful where you chock or jack up for that matter when you get a puncture!
 
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I have used 4"x4" fence posts cut into 18" lengths to chock up the front end of my trailer.

There is a stack of building blocks under each of the rear corners of the trailer too.

The axle stands are still under the middle bit from when I took the wheels off to store them in the garage.

I wanted to get the wheels off to stop the tyres flat spotting and get them out of the sun but mainly so it would slow a tealeaf down if they wanted to nick the lot.
 
agreed about the concrete blocks that they are not a good idea for props. Blocks absorb rainwater; rainwater freezes and ice expands and the blocks become fragile especially if there is any uneven or localised loading, as under a beam or axle of a trailer.
 
Cheers for the replies.
The trailer has bonded rubber suspension so I really do want to relieve the strain on that.
Blocks appear to be a pretty poor choice, thanks for the info on that.

I was thinking of getting two pairs of these:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Silverline-..._1?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1349389593&sr=1-1

The hardstanding area is gravel, so perhaps there is a risk that the axle stands wouldn't be happy sitting on this?

Looks like old railway sleepers is the way to go then... where the heck do you get them from??
 
it is important to chock up the frame and not the axle to take the strain off the torsion rubber unit.

eggs, suck, sorry, if.
 
Robwhelton said:
Cheers for the replies.
The hardstanding area is gravel, so perhaps there is a risk that the axle stands wouldn't be happy sitting on this?

Looks like old railway sleepers is the way to go then... where the heck do you get them from??
Click to expand...

Ask at your local timber yard or boat yard and see if you can pick up some decent lumps of wood. You can buy the modern equivalent of railway sleepers but you should be able to find something free knocking about, you won't have to chop it up either ;) Chocks are better long term, they won't rust and you don't need spreaders - usually wood anyway! I could sort you out with some if you fancy popping down one evening!!!!!
 
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bluemoongaffer said:
I'd use a piece of ply (or two) under each axle stand on gravel - allows you to do final levelling
Click to expand...

Gravel is a bit of an issue.
Axle stands need a pretty level base to be stable. They have a small base area, designed to be used on a concrete floor.

Unless it's good plywood, it could be rotten by January.

Large chunks of wood are the traditional solution because it works.
 
Robwhelton said:
Cheers for the replies.
The trailer has bonded rubber suspension so I really do want to relieve the strain on that.
Blocks appear to be a pretty poor choice, thanks for the info on that.

I was thinking of getting two pairs of these:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Silverline-..._1?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1349389593&sr=1-1

The hardstanding area is gravel, so perhaps there is a risk that the axle stands wouldn't be happy sitting on this?

Looks like old railway sleepers is the way to go then... where the heck do you get them from??
Click to expand...

Our local purveyor of garden sheds sells them; that's where I'd look first!
 
don't use old railway sleepers ! They are extremely heavy, very slippery (old oil and general crud) and very expensive for that they are.

(Our local supplier says that they are told by H&S to wear gloves at all times when handling them, as they can be contaminated with human sewage. :eek: )
 
For anyone who doesn't have otrsional rubber suspension, caravans are often stored with the wheels replaced by stands which bolt onto the hubs.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/PYRAMID-CARAVAN-WINTER-STORAGE-WHEEL/dp/B000W4EJUG

Gravel, of course, isn't necessarily not flat, but an axle stand or even a breeze block will settle into it. Following the usual theme of lowest possible price, Why not look around for some broken paving slabs (free) as a base whichever method you're going to use? I've used building blocks with wood spreaders, but as said only where the load is squarely applied. I believe that garden centres' sleepers are mostly fake, due to the preservatives used in them killing plants! Whether wood or concrete, the whole assembly will be less prone to sideways loads/tilting if the blocks are squarely placed under the trailer frame, close to the axle and at the corners.

Rob.
 
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