Axles on or off?

[dinotoad]

I have a 1970 single-wide. The axles (and tires) are still on it. My contractor says the axles should be removed when he re-sets the piers because of their weight.

My neighbor says "Don't let them remove the axles because if you decide to move the mobile home, then they will charge you much more to re-attach the axles."

What is the answer? I do know that the wheels should be removed.

[Greg]

I'm with the neighbor on this one. The axles & springs may add 100 lbs. each. If the piers won't support that little bit of weight you have bigger problems. It IS easier to move around under there with no axles, but there should not be any weight issues. Greg

[Groo]

If you take the tires off, you can set it lower. If you take the axles off, you can go lower yet, but at that point, you wont be able to access much underneith. I'd make sure it wasn't sitting with any weight on the tires, or they will be garbage very quick. If you are fine with haveing it up in the air to the point were the tires are unloaded, that would be about the perfect place to store them, assuminging sunlight isn't getting to them.

I agree with Greg in saying the weight is a non issue. Sounds like he is trying to get more money out of you. Knowing that, watch him very carefully.

[Greg]

I was thinking along the lines of him offering to "Dispose of" the axles for a small fee and selling them. Greg

[dinotoad]

The contractor was happy to leave the axles on. I had the concrete block piers that were falling down replaced with steel jacks placed on 16x16x4 pads. Overall it looks much better.

The level back to front was out by 3 inches. It has a porch which is attached at the metal roof. The did not want to bring it to full level because it would likely rip the porch to mobile roof interface. I guess the porch was built to the unlevel mobile home. So they brought the level to 1.5 inches out. They suspected that it was out of level from the installation. They said that 40 years ago it was common to level with a 6 foot level (which by the way did show out of level anyway). They said that since I had not noticed the 3" out of level, I should be happy with the 1.5" out of level. It is level side to side. They will do one free re-level within one year.

Thanks for all the advice!

[JD]

Your situation is not uncommon. Often times homes are severely out of level from end to end or they may have a bent beam, not allowing for that "perfect level". Lifting the home another 1.5" is not hard but this could cause problems with decks, awnings, skirting, etc. The side to side level is much more important. Sounds like your contractor did the right thing. I am glad to hear you got someone with experience.

Sometimes a home can be lowered at one end and raised at the other to limit the amount of total movement of an end, but the same rules apply in watching out for decks, skirting, etc.

JD