Leaf Spring Failure

We just returned to our home park from the Heartland BC Chapter Rally. When I went to install the Roto-Choks on the door side there was no space between the tires.... it appeared that they were rubbing together. Also, both tires have 3 major groves around the complete tread area.

I crawled under the unit and discovered that the top leaf on the door side rear axle had broken in two right at the shackle. The smaller piece had penetrated the undercarriage. Also, the non-door side's leaf springs were flat (the leaf springs on the front axle seem to be okay but I'm going to get an expert to look at them).

I consider that this is a major fault as potentially there could have been a serious accident caused by the tires rubbing together & bursting.

Tomorrow morning (too late today) I'll start the process to see if either Heartland and/or Lippert will stand up to their obligations to correct the suspension failure.

Eh!

We just left the rally in Goshen and discovered that the left side tires were very close together. One of the Lippert techs checked it out and they replaced both spring sets for me at no cost. I paid for the wet bolt kit, to keep the suspension lubed.

I can't tell a difference pulling, but it does sit about an inch higher.

geeksrus said:

We just returned to our home park from the Heartland BC Chapter Rally. When I went to install the Roto-Choks on the door side there was no space between the tires.... it appeared that they were rubbing together. Also, both tires have 3 major groves around the complete tread area.

I crawled under the unit and discovered that the top leaf on the door side rear axle had broken in two right at the shackle. The smaller piece had penetrated the undercarriage. Also, the non-door side's leaf springs were flat (the leaf springs on the front axle seem to be okay but I'm going to get an expert to look at them).

I consider that this is a major fault as potentially there could have been a serious accident caused by the tires rubbing together & bursting.

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geeksrus said:

Been there and done that on my last rv at 60 mph. Leaf spring broke and the two tires did rub together. Don't know how they didn't start a fire and burn my rv up, guess I was lucky. Got a local rv dealer to come out and fixed it on the side of I-10 west of Houston.

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sping failure-more

We were stop for the night headed for the Goshen Rally when spring failure was spotted on our 3400RL. At a local Heartland Dealer I was given kind of a song and dance about having to wait couple of, two weeks or more, to see what Lippert what do. I would have to bring the trailer in, have photos taken and then wait, some where, while somebody, in a A/C office, look things over.
Went to a spring place with my own photos. "Yep" those springs are overloaded. The short versions for the rest of the story is the springs were replaced (not at a Heartland dealer) with 5 leaf rather then 4 leaf. The springs are cheap, but having them install was the big bill.
I did not look to Lippert for assistance.
Now at the Goshen Rally Lippert people were crawling under everyone's unit and weak springs were being replaced.
and I had to paid for mine, oh well, it is just money.
I did talk with a number of the guys who were from Lippert. They were all working hard and were very knowledge about their work and our problems. If you have the time contact Lippert and see what they can do. It would be worth it.
Mariposa
Bob

Bob
What was the model number of your repolacement springs? Lippert make?

geeksrus said:

I've been in touch with Lippert & they have agreed to send replacement of 4 leaf springs, set of Equa Flex, 4 tie plates, and new bolts/shackles. (I hope when they say leaf springs they mean the whole sets).

They have only agreed to pay for 2.5 hours of work to install the above (I'm not sure that this is adequate time). Additionally, they have only agreed to pay about 1/3 of the price for the replacement of the tires (Michelin XPS Ribs which were purchased 17 months ago).

After the above hardware is installed, I want to take the BH to an axle specialist to check the axle condition & alignment. Also have them check the brackets that hold the leaf springs as one of them appears to be bent. Lippert has stated that they won't cover any of these costs.

I really feel like a victim. I'll contact Lippert's General Manage on Monday to see if they are prepared to provide a better compensation plan.

If you have other ideas where I can get assistance to resolve my dilema, please let me know.

Eh!

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Now I feel like the victim. They sent me the springs and u-bolts and said you're on your own bubba!! Not one word of compensation for my time.
Good luck trying to do that in 2.5 hours. Might as well get the wet bolt kit now that you're going to be under there. Wait till you see those plastic bushings , if there's much of them left to see. Their parts are total junk and you may, being nice, have the same problems in the future.

Geeksrus, I have a suggestion to solve your problem--- Mor-Ryde.

What yall are talking about is exactly why I went with the Mor-Ryde IS (independent suspension) and never lube bearings, and disc brakes. Expensive, well it is cheaper than what you are going through. The rig can stop, I don't have to grease the bearings, and no more worry about bent axles, broken springs, or shackles. My opnion is Mor-Ryde IS is the way to go. After all it is only money and I have wasted more than the cost of Mor-Ryde in my life. LOL

We had 3 shackles fail - Heartland and Lippert recv'd pictures and complete description of the failure. Neither company took any responsibile
action with us. We had the unit in for a recall earlier. The company that the Rv dealer outsourced to used the word ALIGNMENT in the work order.

This was lipperts out - it classed this action - being the alignment - to VOID all warranty on the shackels. Dave at Lippert is a loophole worker and Heartland did nothing to supprt us. SO, do not use the word alignment of any sort after your work is done - and be careful when you recv parts from lippert - they will build in the shipping cost some of the goodies they are sending you. And make sure they put inwriting what they promise you.

If I could find a RV with no lippert parts I would buy that brand.

Based on the other comments since I posted yesterday, I feel I'm more of a VICTIM... thanks for your thoughts.

Eh!

jmgratz said:

What yall are talking about is exactly why I went with the Mor-Ryde IS (independent suspension) and never lube bearings, and disc brakes. Expensive, well it is cheaper than what you are going through. The rig can stop, I don't have to grease the bearings, and no more worry about bent axles, broken springs, or shackles. My opnion is Mor-Ryde IS is the way to go. After all it is only money and I have wasted more than the cost of Mor-Ryde in my life. LOL

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How expensive???? I would appreciate if you could send me an Email at; cgawkk@gmail.com letting me know the approximate price for each of the 3 items you had installed.

Eh!

geeksrus said:

How expensive???? I would appreciate if you could send me an Email at; cgawkk@gmail.com letting me know the approximate price for each of the 3 items you had installed.

Eh!

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I would be interested too.

porthole said:

I would be interested too.

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If you are interested in the Mor-Ryde IS system, disc brakes and/or never lube bearings you will need to contact Mor-Ryde directly. Here is the link to their website where you can request a quote
http://www.morryde.com/
It is not that I mind talking about how much it cost me it is just that the cost depends on several different factors.

I will say the Mor-Ryde IS, neverlube, and disc brakes was worth every penney we spent on it.

Gezzz, just tell em! It's gonna set ya back about 2 grand. Replacing the springs is not a big deal, jack up the rv and set it on blocks and start removing bolts. Not as complicated as you think it is.

Pulltab said:

Gezzz, just tell em! It's gonna set ya back about 2 grand. Replacing the springs is not a big deal, jack up the rv and set it on blocks and start removing bolts. Not as complicated as you think it is.

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BUT... would the replacement springs provide me with a safety comfort level, over the long haul, or would I be at risk that the replacements would snap again, putting us and the coach at risk.

If you could see the damage to the tires you also would be wary of depending on the Lippert leaf springs (From what I understand Lippert examined & replaced a number of spring sets at the Goshen rally. Did they do this out of the goodness of their hearts or did they know that they had been supplying inferior material & decided to take this action instead of a recall). I believe that the only reason that the tires didn't explode & provide further damage was that they were of Michelin's excellent quality.

So the price of going to a safer suspension system makes a lot of sense even though I really don't want to pay those kind of dollars.

Eh!

geeksrus said:

BUT... would the replacement springs provide me with a safety comfort level, over the long haul, or would I be at risk that the replacements would snap again, putting us and the coach at risk.

If you could see the damage to the tires you also would be wary of depending on the Lippert leaf springs (From what I understand Lippert examined & replaced a number of spring sets at the Goshen rally. Did they do this out of the goodness of their hearts or did they know that they had been supplying inferior material & decided to take this action instead of a recall). I believe that the only reason that the tires didn't explode & provide further damage was that they were of Michelin's excellent quality.

So the price of going to a safer suspension system makes a lot of sense even though I really don't want to pay those kind of dollars.

Eh!

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Ok so lets say you buy the IS suspension. If you have ever messed with any of the older cars you should be aware that getting rubber to bond to metal is a fairly tough job as motor mount failures were a plenty and Moryde I don't believe has the answer yet. At the Heartland rally the very same suspension they were boasting as being so great had a severe failure pull into the campground. One of the rubber blocks had collapsed which in turn throws all the load on the other tire. There is no perfect system. But I can tell you that rubber blocks pretty much went the way of the model t. Springs fail and there is no way around it. If you can't get satisfaction why not go to the local spring shop and have them make you a set. Who will be to blame then if it fails?