New Member - Hanger Club

Lou_and_Bette · Jul 16, 2018

Well, we just joined that small minority of HL owners who have experienced Hanger failure. Left our campground in Vermont with some rough roads and tight turns until we got back to the Throughway. Thought I heard a pop and did notice some “different” noises while towing but didn’t feel any change in ride or increase in tire temperature that old indicate increase tire dragging. Also, we were traveling with the Marigliano’s following right behind us and they didn’t report anything being out of the ordinary. After towing for about 5 hours, pulled into rest area and while there found the broken hanger. I showed the problem to Jim and asked him to keep a close eye on me while we traveled the remaining 3 hours to our destination. Campground recommended local RV repair shop that had mobile unit. O’Halloran’s called, spoke to owner, called me back in 20 minutes with time to expect mobile tech to arrive at my sight. Tech was early, was very personable and immediately understood problem and my proposed repair. Mike outlined repair procedure and, I’ve had a little welding experience, seemed to really know his way around a welding rod. 90 minutes, repair done and appears better than OEM for slightly less than $500. First 3 photos before and last 2 after repair. BTW, poor shock position probably accounted for rear axel remaining in close proximity to original position.

P.S. title should read “new Mbr - Hanger club

jbeletti · Jul 16, 2018

Sorry to hear about your new membership Lou!

I've observed that a good many of the spring hanger failures I've seen this year were those with Correct Track on them. Pretty sure it's not the Correct Track cam that's making them fail. Wonder if it's the taller hanger that's contributory to the failures?? That, poor weld penetration and road/turn induced forces.

Happy to hear you got fixed up good. $500 sounds a bit steep compared to another repair like this I witnessed in Alberta this year, but when you're broken down, you don't split hairs over a couple hundred dollars.

Travel safe and hugs to Bette and the Marigs!

Lou_and_Bette · Jul 17, 2018

Thanks for the comments, Jim. Look closely at the photo I am attaching to this reply and there is a very small percentage of the frame/base area of the hanger that looks shiny. Thinking this breakage has been slowly progressing without being visible until final letting go. Cost was a bit higher than I have seen on other post regarding this issue, the service call out fee was $150 alone, but it is what it is. Happy it could be repaired quickly and on our site.

porthole · Jul 17, 2018

From the first correct track I saw installed at Goshen (WDK450 Bill) I had my doubts that it could hold up to the added stress from the increased "lever"

BusManRG · Jul 17, 2018

porthole said:
From the first correct track I saw installed at Goshen (WDK450 Bill) I had my doubts that it could hold up to the added stress from the increased "lever"

Well we are in the middle of an interesting situation. After sending photos to Performance Trailer Brake and their installer to make sure the right disc brakes/shackle kits are ordered, they reported back that we do not have Correct Track on our Big Horn. That was news to us and to Heartland! When I called Heartland to question it, everything in the record shows that our frame should have come from Lippert with correct track! Now they’re trying to figure out where we go from here. Given the hanger failures that have posted lately, I’m not even sure what I should hope for!! On the plus side, we’ll have disc brakes with upgraded wet bolts and shackles by early August!!

Sandy

TravelTiger · Jul 17, 2018

Here's a Correctrack hanger without the bolt or Correctrack cam in place. Our hanger doesn't seem to be as long as yours.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

SNOKING · Jul 17, 2018

Lou_and_Bette said:
Well, we just joined that small minority of HL owners who have experienced Hanger failure. Left our campground in Vermont with some rough roads and tight turns until we got back to the Throughway. Thought I heard a pop and did notice some “different” noises while towing but didn’t feel any change in ride or increase in tire temperature that old indicate increase tire dragging. Also, we were traveling with the Marigliano’s following right behind us and they didn’t report anything being out of the ordinary. After towing for about 5 hours, pulled into rest area and while there found the broken hanger. I showed the problem to Jim and asked him to keep a close eye on me while we traveled the remaining 3 hours to our destination. Campground recommended local RV repair shop that had mobile unit. O’Halloran’s called, spoke to owner, called me back in 20 minutes with time to expect mobile tech to arrive at my sight. Tech was early, was very personable and immediately understood problem and my proposed repair. Mike outlined repair procedure and, I’ve had a little welding experience, seemed to really know his way around a welding rod. 90 minutes, repair done and appears better than OEM for slightly less than $500. First 3 photos before and last 2 after repair. BTW, poor shock position probably accounted for rear axel remaining in close proximity to original position.

P.S. title should read “new Mbr - Hanger club
View attachment 58615 View attachment 58616 View attachment 58618 View attachment 58620 View attachment 58621

I sent you a PM. Chris

NWILSON · Jul 18, 2018

Lou_and_Bette said:
Thanks for the comments, Jim. Look closely at the photo I am attaching to this reply and there is a very small percentage of the frame/base area of the hanger that looks shiny. Thinking this breakage has been slowly progressing without being visible until final letting go.

Ours looked quite similar, Lou! It did not happen in a day. I wonder if there was a batch of bad brackets?

Lou_and_Bette · Jul 18, 2018

NWILSON said:
Ours looked quite similar, Lou! It did not happen in a day. I wonder if there was a batch of bad brackets?

Neale, our rig is a 2015 so I would doubt the bad batch theory. The shiny, new break area, seems to be towards the outside edges and I believe these brackets are cut or formed from a solid piece of steel, so...my thinking is that the original welder, when attaching the bracket, got the center portion too hot and created a void in the seam that let go when a certain amount or direction of force finished the job.

- - - Updated - - -

SNOKING said:
I sent you a PM. Chris

I got the message Chris, hopefully you got my reply.

mountainlovers76 · Jul 18, 2018

We have had the same thing happen twice now. In April this year the left rear hanger snapped off just like yours did. I went to a trailer manufacturer to try and find a spring hanger and was informed they did not have one for Correct Track and further more they would NEVER use a 5 inch hanger like mine are because it is too long and flexes to much side to side. I therefore ordered two new hangers from Lippert, one to replace and one as a spare. When the welder came to repair it for me, he informed me that the original welder at Lippert had cut too deeply into the metal of the hanger as well as being to long. The welder at one time worked for Caterpillar and also informed me that the I-Beam was not sufficient for this heavy of a trailer. He found two fractures starting above the rear hangers where the welds for the reinforcement pieces were due to the thin I-Beam frame flexing.

Now we are on our trip trough the lower 48, Canada and Alaska and two weeks ago the rear hanger on the right side snapped off as well. Glad I had the extra hanger with me. Found a welder and had it repaired that evening at the campground we were going to. After he repaired the hanger I also had him "box" in the hangers for added strength. Picture attached. Come October 1st all this Lippert axle and hanger junk is going away and the "MORryde IS" is being installed.

mrcomer · Jul 19, 2018

So I'll jump in here regarding the hanger brackets on RVs. I've always been disappointed with the thin bracket that Lippert uses as a hanger. I cannot figure out why these are not heavier steel. I think it is ironic that Lippert and Dexter both sell these heavy duty wet bolt kits that have very thick plates but mount to the thin hanger bracket on the frame. I realize that the quality of the material and the welding has a lot to do with the success or failure of the bracket. This industry seems to market well but does not want to up their standards to match. Maybe the percentages are too low regarding hanger failure to get them to consider changing this feature but why not push for better quality?

porthole · Jul 19, 2018

mrcomer said:
So I'll jump in here regarding the hanger brackets on RVs. I've always been disappointed with the thin bracket that Lippert uses as a hanger. I cannot figure out why these are not heavier steel. I think it is ironic that Lippert and Dexter both sell these heavy duty wet bolt kits that have very thick plates but mount to the thin hanger bracket on the frame. I realize that the quality of the material and the welding has a lot to do with the success or failure of the bracket. This industry seems to market well but does not want to up their standards to match. Maybe the percentages are too low regarding hanger failure to get them to consider changing this feature but why not push for better quality?

View attachment 58680

Maybe the heavy duty wet bolt kits are not the panacea they would have us believe?

Could be that the heavy duty shackles may actually increase the likelihood of the hanger and or weld or frame failing.

At least when the shackle or bolt fails, they can easily be replaced by the user, wherever they may be.

danemayer · Jul 19, 2018

Having had the a standard shackle bolt wear out and break, I would say that's a very different failure from a hanger break, or hanger weld failure. The shackle bolt holes elongate, reducing the amount of material available to resist the stresses of towing. The heavy duty shackle links with wet bolts reduce the wear that leads to shackle link failures. So I think the heavy duty shackle links and wet bolts are doing what they're supposed to do. Panacea for all problems - no way.

The bushings still seem to be an area that could use improvement.

But I don't see how any of that would help if the hanger weld is defective. Happily, it looks like Lippert is covering these repair costs, even long after warranty expires.

I do think lengthening the bracket and lowering the mounting bolt that goes through the hanger has to put more stress on the hanger material and on the weld and even on the I-Beam. The after-market Correct Track extends the hanger quite a bit and looks very problematic to me. I considered installing it some years ago and if I had, based on what I know now, I'd probably remove it. Note the factory installed Correct Track is different and doesn't change the bolt position nearly as much.

All-in-all, I'm very glad I had the MorRyde IS installed.

SNOKING · Jul 19, 2018

As part of an I-beam repair document, Lippert included these instructions to reinforce the hangers. Chris

porthole · Jul 19, 2018

SNOKING said:
As part of an I-beam repair document, Lippert included these instructions to reinforce the hangers. Chris

What does that tell ya ?

New Member - Hanger Club

Lou_and_Bette

Well-known member

Attachments

jbeletti

Well-known member

Lou_and_Bette

Well-known member

porthole

Retired

BusManRG

Well-known member

TravelTiger

Founding Texas-West Chapter Leaders-Retired

SNOKING

Well-known member

NWILSON

Kentucky Chapter Leaders - retired

Lou_and_Bette

Well-known member

mountainlovers76

Mississippi Chapter Leaders

mrcomer

Past Ohio Chapter Leaders (Founding)

porthole

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danemayer

Well-known member

SNOKING

Well-known member

Attachments

porthole

Retired

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