| Author | Post |
|---|
Arctic-Okie
Member
| Joined: | Sun Oct 7th, 2007 |
| Location: | Tulsa, USA |
| Posts: | 51 |
| Status: |
Offline
|
| Mana: |  |
|
#1 Posted: Wed Jul 1st, 2009 15:21 |
|
After a recent trip to Missouri (230 miles), I noticed severe wear on the inside of the drivers' rear tire. Advice from many people on this forum and from the factory is that I must have an alignment problem.
Took the trailer yesterday to a local truck frame alignment shop (Tulsa Auto Spring) that was recommended by several local RV dealers. Tulsa Auto Spring confirmed that the trailer axles were out of alignment--especially the rear axle on drivers side. They did comment that it is very unusual to have a rear axle so far out of alignment when the front axle is not. Most curb strikes or pot hole damage are front axle.
To straighten the axles, they were removed from the frame and put on an axle alignment machine. This was common practice in the "old days" of solid front axle trucks. The bigger 18 wheeler tractors still have this, and this is where Tulsa Auto Spring (in business since the 1930s) still makes most of their money.
The cost to align both axles was $270. Hopefully going to make it up with reduced tire wear and maybe with reduced fuel consumption.
____________________
2008 Arctic Fox 32D (new 12 Dec 2007).
2005 Ford Excursion 6.0L PSD (60,000 miles)
SOLD 2003 Ford Excursion 6.0L PSD (180,300 miles)
Hensley Hitch
V, B code spring upgrade to 05 Ex
|
Burt Gifford
Member
|
#2 Posted: Thu Jul 2nd, 2009 07:40 |
|
| Okie, did you talk to the factory about this? I would think that you had a warranty issue unless you did go bump in the night some where
____________________
Burt
2007 AF 29V
05 GMC 2500HD Gas 6.0L W/ 4L80;
Equal-i-zer 1400lb bars; Prodigy
|
Arctic-Okie
Member
| Joined: | Sun Oct 7th, 2007 |
| Location: | Tulsa, USA |
| Posts: | 51 |
| Status: |
Offline
|
| Mana: | |
|
#3 Posted: Thu Jul 2nd, 2009 14:07 |
|
I spoke with Cody at the factory. He did not volunteer to step in on this one. My 18 month warranty expired June 12.
____________________
2008 Arctic Fox 32D (new 12 Dec 2007).
2005 Ford Excursion 6.0L PSD (60,000 miles)
SOLD 2003 Ford Excursion 6.0L PSD (180,300 miles)
Hensley Hitch
V, B code spring upgrade to 05 Ex
|
BZawlocki
Member
|
#4 Posted: Thu Jul 2nd, 2009 23:41 |
|
Arctic-Okie wrote: The cost to align both axles was $270. Hopefully going to make it up with reduced tire wear and maybe with reduced fuel consumption.
I think you got a heck of a good deal. $270 to remove and align both axles seems pretty cheap.
We had an axle alignment problem (uneven tire wear) - after alignment no problem. And I know mine was bad from the factory. But we didn't notice it until the tire wear difference was obvious. Oh well, not sure I could have proved it was "their" problem so I paid.
After awhile, I'm sure you'll say it was money well spent.
Bill
Last edited on Thu Jul 2nd, 2009 23:42 by BZawlocki
____________________
2004 Dodge 3500 CTD, 6-Speed, SRW. AF 27-5L.
|
RAY MARTEL
Member
|
#5 Posted: Fri Jul 3rd, 2009 02:03 |
|
I just had a similar proceedure done on my 22H. Right rear wore badly in a short period of miles. The "shoppe" we went to charged over $450.00 to R & R the springs and related equipment. Notice I said "shoppe"---- Shoppes charge more then shops, I guess.
Anyway they stated to check and tighten the u-bolts after 500 miles, due to wear in. I wonder if we all should crawl under the unit and retourque the nuts. We just put on 1700 miles with no problems.
____________________
'04 F 250 diesel, '06 22H, many bicycles, Karen (the bride), and Bailey the Aussie
|
Arctic-Okie
Member
| Joined: | Sun Oct 7th, 2007 |
| Location: | Tulsa, USA |
| Posts: | 51 |
| Status: |
Offline
|
| Mana: | |
|
#6 Posted: Sun Jul 5th, 2009 04:50 |
|
Are the U-bolt torque settings on the Dexter website?
____________________
2008 Arctic Fox 32D (new 12 Dec 2007).
2005 Ford Excursion 6.0L PSD (60,000 miles)
SOLD 2003 Ford Excursion 6.0L PSD (180,300 miles)
Hensley Hitch
V, B code spring upgrade to 05 Ex
|
BigFoot
Member
|
#7 Posted: Tue Jul 7th, 2009 01:31 |
|
Arctic-Okie wrote: Are the U-bolt torque settings on the Dexter website?
In the information package that I got with the new TT was a booklet from Dexter. It had all the torque settings for all the bolts plus other good information. If you didn't get that booklet a call to Dexter should provide you with the numbers. And maybe request that booklet while you're at it.
When my left rear tire showed a lot of wear on the inside a trip to Bear Alignment supposedly fixed the problem but I won't know for a few more miles. They didn't remove anything, just "bent" the axle in place by pushing and pulling it with big hairy thingies (technical term) which they operated from underneath. This is their special set-up for big buses and trucks, or so they say.
____________________
2005 AF 22H with Onan GenSet and Electric Jack.
Local security provided by S&W Classic in .44 Magnum.
2004 Nissan Titan LE 4X4 Off Road and Tow Package
Equal-i-zer and Prodigy.
Local and trail security provided by Ruger Alaskan in .454 Casull.
|
Current time is 01:25 | |
|
