Any Problem with Equaflex

[MMCDOVE]

We purchased a 2010 Elkridge 5th wheel new has anyone else had problems with the tires or Equalflex? We are a fist time buyer

 

[Ray LeTourneau]

Re: Any problems with Equaflex.

We purchased a 2010 Elkridge 5th wheel new has anyone else had problems with the tires or Equalflex? We are a fist time buyer

MMCDOVE, Welcome to the Heartland Forum & Family. You say a new 2010? Was it one left over on a dealer lot? The Equaflex has not had any issues that I can remember. The tires, if they are Tow Max, have been having some problems but mainly on the heavier trailers. The main thing to remember about any tire is keep them aired up and inspect prior to every trip. When stopping for fuel or rest breaks, feel the tires checking for one hotter than the rest. Remember too that the tires on the sunny side of the trailer will be warmer than the shaded side. If you decide to get a better tire, consider the Maxxis for a replacement.
Enjoy your new Elk Ridge.
Check our events listing for a Rally this summer in the Amana's. You'll meet many Heartland Owners and also considering joining the owners club. They are offering a free 1st year membership with limited benefits.

 

[danemayer]

Tires have a limited life, whether you use them or not. They could have 100 miles on them and look brand new, but they need to be replaced as early as 5 years from date of manufacture and no more than 7 years. I would suggest 5 years. Yours could be in their 4th year already. Check the sidewall of your tires to see when they were manufactured.

 

[Birchwood]

The rubber has disintegrated on my equaflex.I contacted the manufacturer and they say its
normal and have to be replaced after a period.I guess my period was 10,000 miles.Tires after
5 or 6 years.I have already replaced all but one of my 614's.When I have a spare $400 I buy
a 614 .

 

[TravelTiger]

We have a 2010 ElkRidge. Our tires were needing replacement shortly after our 1 year of ownership, due to irregular wear and belts breaking internally. If yours are TowMax, I would suggest you get them replaced sooner rather than later, as they have a history of unexpected and premature failures.

What are you specifically concerned about?


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[brianharrison]

I replaced out my TrailAir Equaflex with the Dexter EZFlex when I redid my suspension on the Landmark. It is a heavier trailer and I run about 11,000 -12,000 pounds on axles. I saw some lateral bending on my EquaFlex side plates which I attributed to the heavy trailer and tight turns.

My thread on suspension upgrades showed a picture. Once I get back to a desktop computer I will search and put in a link.

Brian

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[MMCDOVE]

The tires were checked and properly inflated we had the camper only one season. They baloon'd on us we found out that the tires on our new Eldridge were five years old. Plus the equa flex broke stranding us since the camper was without warrantee Customer service did not help. We finally got the manufacture to help us they sent us two new ones twice the size of old ones which was greatly appreciated. The tire blew on way back home causing damage to the side of our camper. We are considering buying another 5th wheel but disappointed with Elkridge . Any suggestions or pointers for us?

Tires have a limited life, whether you use them or not. They could have 100 miles on them and look brand new, but they need to be replaced as early as 5 years from date of manufacture and no more than 7 years. I would suggest 5 years. Yours could be in their 4th year already. Check the sidewall of your tires to see when they were manufactured.

 

[TravelTiger]

The tires were checked and properly inflated we had the camper only one season. They baloon'd on us we found out that the tires on our new Eldridge were five years old. Plus the equa flex broke stranding us since the camper was without warrantee Customer service did not help. We finally got the manufacture to help us they sent us two new ones twice the size of old ones which was greatly appreciated. The tire blew on way back home causing damage to the side of our camper. We are considering buying another 5th wheel but disappointed with Elkridge . Any suggestions or pointers for us?

I'm confused, did you buy the 2010 ElkRidge in 2010, and had these issues outside your 1year HL warranty period?

HL only warrants the coach for 1year. The frame, axles, etc may have a longer warranty, so that's why you probably had to deal with Lippert directly.

The tires, being 5 years old, and TowMax, were probably a recipe for an incident, sorry you had a blowout. how did the blowout occur, you mentioned ballooning? If you kept the tire or took pictures, you could try contacting TBC, the distributor, for some assistance.

As far as the equaflex, how did it break? The leaf-springs, shackles, u-bolts, suspension, etc. have to be maintained with proper torque and look for signs of wear or stress.

I am not sure these issues are reasons enough to warrant a new coach purchase. Unfortunately many RVs run these tires or similar. Lippert makes the running gear for most brands of lower-priced 5vers. Dexter would be an alternative, which is what Heartland now uses. If you replace the running gear with Dexter and tires with Maxxis, you would spend far less, and might have better peace of mind.





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[mobilcastle]

Put some LT tires on-St's don't cut it in my opinion. I put Equa-flex on my last rig and put about 20K with no problem. Good luck

 

[aatauses]

We had equaflex on our BH--you need to keep them greased and check your u-bolts. We never had an issue with ours. I did get a good deal to upgrade to center point (made by trail air) and did install it---it took some learning curve to get the right pressure for each side, but then it has performed very well.
al
currently in Kenai, AK