Broken Spring Hanger!

[MidwestCamper]

I have only today became a member of the GD Forum. I have several friends with GD trailers and suspension failures have become the norm. Last year I had the springs replaced after identifying spring fatigue and this year a hanger broke and the two springs on that side again require replacing. GD and Lippert are working with me and I sure appreciate their help. However, I am not feeling confident with the reliability of my 303RLS trailer and I am 2,000 miles from home.

Is the broken hanger on the rear?

Jim

[ncitro]

Is the broken hanger on the rear?

Jim

Mine was rear drivers side.

[Cate&Rob]

Mine was rear drivers side.

Most of the reported broken hangers have been right rear . . . on rigs that are heavy on the left side. I know . . . this doesn’t make any sense. Does your 28BH have a side-to-side weight difference?

Rob

[ncitro]

I've not had it weighed side to side yet but I'd say it's balanced pretty close fridge is on the driver's side, along with both slides, but the passenger side is all cabinets and countertops, so that's where I'd think a lot of the weight is.

[MidwestCamper]

Mine was rear drivers side.

There is a method of supporting the hangers where the most critical is the rear hanger of the rear axle. The method is to have a V clip welded into the hanger. There is a pic of this in this string where Rob of Cate & Rob had this done by Lippert. There are many theories on why this occurs but what we know is when hard braking is encountered, the rear axle will torque over from the opposite action from braking. This torque will rotate the equalizer and will result in front axle rise. Once this occurs, the front may lock up from lack of traction and the rear will bare the brunt of the braking action. Since the rear hanger is the solid anchor point on the trailer to the rear axle, this little bracket becomes over stressed. Axle wrap can also cause a force in the forward direction on the hanger during the axle torque, followed by a reversal on this braking action. This action also adds to the fatigue of the rear hanger. So the V clip will strengthen the hanger in the fore and aft directions to help prevent failure.

[MidwestCamper]

Most of the reported broken hangers have been right rear . . . on rigs that are heavy on the left side. I know . . . this doesn’t make any sense. Does your 28BH have a side-to-side weight difference?

Rob

Rob,

What about the right being the side that may leave the road on occasions? This is the side where most wheel bearings on autos fail as well. I could see braking with the right side in some rough territory adding to the hanger stress.

Jim

[Dorwinion]

Well, to be honest, I was going to join the GDF a while back after suffering from a brake failure, a slide-out motor failure and consistent refrigerator & LP system issues as well as a leaking roof.
I have no photographs to post of the broken hanger because we arrived in Minnesota in the rain, took the trailer to a RV service center (because I knew something was wrong) on the next day and then went to our daughter's graduation. We had planned to use the trailer for our daughter while she is doing a clinical 100 miles North. Instead we are waiting for the parts from Lippert and our daughter is now staying at a hotel. (We are at her house.)
The last set of springs were replaced by a reputable semi truck & trailer shop and had less than 3,500 miles on them.

[Cate&Rob]

There is a method of supporting the hangers where the most critical is the rear hanger of the rear axle. The method is to have a V clip welded into the hanger. There is a pic of this in this string where Rob of Cate & Rob had this done by Lippert. There are many theories on why this occurs but what we know is when hard braking is encountered, the rear axle will torque over from the opposite action from braking. This torque will rotate the equalizer and will result in front axle rise. Once this occurs, the front may lock up from lack of traction and the rear will bare the brunt of the braking action. Since the rear hanger is the solid anchor point on the trailer to the rear axle, this little bracket becomes over stressed. Axle wrap can also cause a force in the forward direction on the hanger during the axle torque, followed by a reversal on this braking action. This action also adds to the fatigue of the rear hanger. So the V clip will strengthen the hanger in the fore and aft directions to help prevent failure.

Hey Jim,

This is the best “everything considered” theory on what’s going on, that has been presented so far! I think you may have figured out what is going on here. This explains why the hanger breaks are always “fatigue” from being cycled back and forth rather than deformation or tearing from being one-time overloaded.

Rob

[Joseph143]

Are the grand design dealers aware of this and able to do any of this welding to PREVENT these from failing?

[ncitro]

Are the grand design dealers aware of this and able to do any of this welding to PREVENT these from failing?

My dealer is pretty great, but I would trust them with welding about as far as I can throw them.