Spindle & Axle Repair / Replacement
When your heavy-duty truck or trailer shows signs of spindle or axle damage, you need a repair partner who can mobilize fast — because every hour off the road costs you money. At TJ’s Fab & Mobile Repair, we specialize in on-site spindle repair and axle replacement for drive, steer and trailer axles in the West Memphis / Memphis area. Rather than towing your vehicle shop-side, our fully-equipped mobile unit comes to your location and performs everything on-site: we inspect the axle housing, check bearing journals, remove the damaged spindle, install a precision-welded replacement (often using or compatible with the United Axle process), reassemble bearings/seals/hubs, align the assembly and road-test for safety and durability. Our approach reduces your downtime, saves costs on full axle replacement, and ensures a stronger-than-failure repair. We handle spindles that are bent, cracked, worn from bearing/seal failure or knocked out of alignment. Quality parts, certified welding, and adherence to heavy-duty tolerances are our standard. Customers trust us because we deliver rapid turnaround, on-site convenience and heavy-duty results you can rely on. Whether you’re an owner-operator, regional carrier or fleet manager — if your axle is compromised, call (901) 607-6688 and we’ll dispatch a mobile spindle/axle technician right away.
Spindles are one of the most stressed parts of a truck or trailer axle assembly. Over time, heat, friction, and load stress can cause significant damage that leads to failure. The most common reason for spindle wear is bearing failure. When bearings overheat or lose lubrication, they can seize or spin on the spindle, grinding into the metal and leaving deep grooves or “blueing” (heat marks). This heat distortion weakens the metal and can cause bearing journals to go out of round, leading to loose hubs or complete wheel separation.
Another frequent cause is seal failure — when seals dry out, crack, or are installed incorrectly, they allow dirt, water, and debris to enter the hub assembly. Contaminants act like sandpaper, gradually scoring the bearing and spindle surfaces. Once the surface is pitted or worn, it won’t hold proper preload, and the bearing starts to walk, eventually destroying the spindle.
Overloading and improper torque also accelerate wear. Axles carrying more than their rated capacity or running with unbalanced loads put excessive strain on the spindles, bending or cracking them over time. In some cases, improper bearing adjustment or installing a bearing too tight or too loose can cause metal fatigue and premature spindle failure.
Lack of preventive maintenance — skipping hub inspections, not replacing seals regularly, or ignoring excessive heat coming off the wheel end — allows minor wear to become a catastrophic failure. A failed spindle can damage the entire axle housing, requiring complete replacement if not repaired early.
That’s why on-site spindle repair or replacement is such a cost-effective fix. Instead of pulling the entire axle, a professional technician can cut out the damaged spindle, install a precision-machined replacement, weld and align it, and get you back on the road the same day.
SIGNS OF A WORN OR DAMAGED SPINDLE
Drivers and fleet managers can often spot early symptoms before a major failure. Watch for:
Excessive wheel-end heat or burnt-smelling grease after a trip
Grease leaking past the hub seal
Wheel wobble or vibration at highway speeds
Uneven or accelerated tire wear on one side of the axle
A grinding or scraping noise near the hub assembly
Blue, black, or discolored spindle metal (a sign of overheating)
Hub movement when rocking the wheel side-to-side
If you notice any of these signs, shut down the unit and call for on-site spindle inspection before the damage spreads to the axle tube or hub assembly.