User Tag List

Page 2 of 4 FirstFirst 1234 LastLast
Results 11 to 20 of 36
  1. #11
    King Pin
    Join Date
    Feb 2014
    Posts
    6,521
    Blog Entries
    10
    Mentioned
    41 Post(s)
    Tagged
    1 Thread(s)
    My plan is to call LCI in the morning to see if they will cover it under the six year warranty on the axle beam. I'm expecting to them to deny my claim, but will be pleasantly surprised it they decide to honor the warranty. I don't mind doing the labor if they'll provide the parts.

    If LCI denies the claim, my next step will be to visit Arizona Spring in Tucson. According to their website, they can perform alignments and bend axles on all kinds of RVs from Motor homes to trailers. Even if LCI provides a new axle, I think I'll take it to these guys and have them check the alignment after the replacement is made.

    http://www.arizonaspring.com/wheel-alignment.html

    Jim

  2. #12
    Site Sponsor
    Join Date
    Feb 2014
    Location
    Kerrville, TX RV parks through April 2020
    Posts
    1,194
    Mentioned
    0 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    There are differences of opinion on bending/correcting axle beams. My years with Hunter Engineering were where I heard their position that axles out of specification should only be discarded as bending them did weaken them significantly. My go to alignment shop in Colorado Springs has lots of experience with Lippert axles, much of it bad, because many Lippert axles are out of spec and Lippert sends them replacements. They will not bend axles I do not know what are the limits of acceptability, but I know that they are checked with Hunter equipment. I KNOW Hunter checks all angles. Others have stated that laser equipment is fine, but I do not know whether it truly checks all angles. I do agree it will be best to have the alignment checked should you get them to supply an axle. The results hopefully do not create a follow up issue.
    AKA Steve and Lynne
    Storm the Black Lab
    Reflection 337 RLS vin 573FR3628E3300393
    2008 Dodge Ram 2500 Quad Cab Longbox
    6.7 Cummins, 68 RFE transmission
    B and W Companion, Air Lifts

  3. #13
    Site Sponsor Steven@147's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2017
    Location
    Texas Fulltimers
    Posts
    2,552
    Mentioned
    32 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    Dang Jim, can't you get a brake? I wonder if it has anything to do with the spring hangers? I have restored a few old 50's Dodge and Ford straight axle pickups that needed their axles adjusted / bent for alignment. There is a semi / dump truck alignment shop here in Austin that I use. I know is not the same kind of axle and they most likely wouldn't work on trailers but uyou never know. Looks like you found someplace in Tucson, all you can do is talk to them. Around here there are a lot of Big Tex (and others) trailer shops and fabricators, many guys around here are hot shot trailer haulers. Got any of those around you?

    Hoping for the best.
    Steve & Tami Cass - Escapee's, FMCA Members, Texas Fulltimers Since July 2020
    2019 Solitude 3350RL S-Class, 2018 Ram 3500 DRW, Laramie Longhorn, B&W Companion, Texas Class A Non-CDL Drivers License
    Sharing the Fulltime Lifestyle - www.youtube.com/@tsrvadventures3219/videos, Nonprofit Channel

  4. #14
    Big Traveler
    Join Date
    Oct 2016
    Posts
    1,539
    Mentioned
    13 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    Jim, you could have a camber issue. LCI had the shop measure the camber of my axles by placing a 4 ft straightedge on the bottom of the axle and measuring the gap in the center. Both axles were replaced. I talked GD into locally sourced 6k Dexters.
    I had the same tire wear on the left rear. Spring hangers were an inch out from side to side and camber issue.
    Last edited by Chiefblueman; 07-22-2018 at 08:55 PM. Reason: Added some stuff

  5. #15
    Site Sponsor
    Join Date
    Feb 2014
    Location
    Kerrville, TX RV parks through April 2020
    Posts
    1,194
    Mentioned
    0 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    Kim, I am glad you got the axles replaced. There are methods that give you a direct and accurate camber measurement, to me it is quite puzzling that manufacturers do not use the modern approach of specialized alignment equipment. You know who I am always talking about.
    AKA Steve and Lynne
    Storm the Black Lab
    Reflection 337 RLS vin 573FR3628E3300393
    2008 Dodge Ram 2500 Quad Cab Longbox
    6.7 Cummins, 68 RFE transmission
    B and W Companion, Air Lifts

  6. #16
    King Pin
    Join Date
    Feb 2014
    Posts
    6,521
    Blog Entries
    10
    Mentioned
    41 Post(s)
    Tagged
    1 Thread(s)
    Well, the discussion with LCI went about as expected. I explained the issue, and the LCI representative "Tom" explained that it is a "bent spindle", and the axle needs to be replaced. He said they'd cover it under the six year warranty. When I gave him the information off my axle tag, he stopped me and said that the six year warranty did not start until January 1st, 2017. Since the axle on my 2017 297RSTS was built on 9/21/16, it only had a one year warranty and that I was no longer in the warranty period. Grrrrrrr!

    Jim

  7. #17
    Long Hauler Canyonlight's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2014
    Location
    South Dakota
    Posts
    3,371
    Blog Entries
    1
    Mentioned
    22 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    Quote Originally Posted by TucsonJim View Post
    Well, the discussion with LCI went about as expected. I explained the issue, and the LCI representative "Tom" explained that it is a "bent spindle", and the axle needs to be replaced. He said they'd cover it under the six year warranty. When I gave him the information off my axle tag, he stopped me and said that the six year warranty did not start until January 1st, 2017. Since the axle on my 2017 297RSTS was built on 9/21/16, it only had a one year warranty and that I was no longer in the warranty period. Grrrrrrr!

    Jim
    Jim - one would think that Jerry McCarthy will take care of you and send you what you need.

    Dan
    Dan & Carol
    2014 303RLS Reflection #185 (10/2013 build)
    2012 Silverado LTZ Crew Duramax 2500HD
    2700/16K Pullrite Superglide

  8. #18
    Site Sponsor Cate&Rob's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2014
    Posts
    8,880
    Mentioned
    85 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    Jim - Just a thought on "bending the axle" to solve this . . .
    Most of the truck and trailer alignment shops are used to working on heavy machines. I don't know what the wall thickness is on those axles, but I would bet that it is a lot more than the 1/8" tube wall thickness on an LCI or Dexter 5200 lb axle. I think replacement is your best plan. If you have a new axle and your problem axle out of the trailer and sitting side-by-side, it would be interesting to know if you can measure any alignment related differences.

    Rob
    Last edited by Cate&Rob; 07-23-2018 at 09:30 AM.
    Cate & Rob
    2015 Reflection 303RLS

  9. #19
    King Pin
    Join Date
    Feb 2014
    Posts
    6,521
    Blog Entries
    10
    Mentioned
    41 Post(s)
    Tagged
    1 Thread(s)
    Quote Originally Posted by Cate&Rob View Post
    Jim - Just a thought on "bending the axle" to solve this . . .
    Most of the truck and trailer alignment shops are used to working on heavy machines. I don't know what the wall thickness is on those axles, but I would bet that is is a lot more than the 1/8" tube wall thickness on an LCI or Dexter 5200 lb axle. I think replacement is your best plan. If you have a new axle and your problem axle out of the trailer and sitting side-by-side, it would be interesting to know if you can measure any alignment related differences.

    Rob
    Rob - Yeah, the more I research, the more I don't want them to try and bend the axle to correct it. I'm definitely going to replace the axle. I will compare, measure and photograph the two side by side.

    Jim

  10. #20
    Site Sponsor gbkims's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2017
    Location
    Pearland, TX
    Posts
    1,709
    Mentioned
    15 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    Jim,
    I don't know about the 5200# axle wall thickness, but with the Dexter 6000# there is medium wall .25", heavy wall, .333" available.
    I got the heavy wall b/c I wondered if the thicker wall could help with getting bent spindles.
    Axle, Inc in Elkhart were pretty knowldgeable.
    If I ordered another axle, I'd have the idler drums option to help protect the spindles in shipping and I'd only have them shipped via freight.

    Gene
    - Gene

    Kim & Gene
    2015 Reflection 317RST
    2017 Ram 3500 CC LB 4x2 6.7 CTD AISIN 3.73 DRW Auto Level Rear Air, BD3, Prodigy P3, Aux Tank

Page 2 of 4 FirstFirst 1234 LastLast

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  

DISCLAIMER:This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by Grand Design RV, LLC or any of its affiliates. This is an independent site.