Correct Track Alignment

[remoandiris]

Does the Correct Track come from the factory properly aligned or does it the unit need the normal load it will carry to be aligned properly? Are there only certain places with special equipment that can do the alignment?

 

[danemayer]

Hi remoandiris,

At the Goshen Rally I talked with the Lippert Engineer who developed Correct Track to find out about this very question.

The theory behind it is that the weight of the trailers is not evenly distributed; partly due to slides and other design choices, and partly due to your stuff. The weight differences cause different compression on the springs. Since the springs are anchored to hangers at front and rear, the difference in compression may cause the axle spacing to be different on one side from the other.

I asked when the alignment should be checked, and he was specific that it should be checked when you're fully loaded in the way you would actually pull the trailer (including holding tank content). Doing it at the factory was not his recommendation.

I had been under the impression that the factory build differences would be most significant, but our weigh-in results seem to contradict that. Our Landmark is carrying almost the same weight on each side - about 150# difference. The laser alignment check showed that the axles were off by about 1/8", which is less than the minimum adjustment of the Correct Track system. So the alignment check seems to match the weigh-in results.

Just to make sure, after leaving the rally, I checked the trailer and truck weights at a CAT Scale to see if they matched the weigh-in results. Less than 50# difference on each, relative to the rally weights. So I have no reason to doubt the weigh-in results with respect to side-to-side weights.

The alignment check as Lippert designed it involves anchoring a shaft to the kingpin. A laser pointer/distance reader is mounted to the shaft. They have a reflector that gets placed against the tire, which gives a consistent target to measure against. The low-tech version of this would be to start with a plumb bob to mark a spot on the ground directly below the kingpin, and then use a string drawn tight to determine the distance from that mark to the front of the tire.

My conversation with Lippert's engineer, combined with the results on our Landmark lead me to believe that checking alignment when fully loaded is the correct way to go. If it were aligned at the factory, without your stuff, when you added your stuff, it would likely be out of alignment.

And of course most RVs on the road don't have Correct Track and do just fine. This is just one more tool at your disposal to find out if you have a problem and to correct it without major surgery.

 

[oscar]

And where would one have this alignment done, reliably? A dealer? And is it part of the package, as in paid for?

All that said and the hassle it implies, I would like to hear the "DIY how to" in more detail.....

 

[wdk450]

And where would one have this alignment done, reliably? A dealer? And is it part of the package, as in paid for?

All that said and the hassle it implies, I would like to hear the "DIY how to" in more detail.....

The end of this flyer is recruiting dealers to do this alignment: http://www.themobileoutfitters.com/pdf/ct2.pdf

Here is Mobile Outfitters "Dealer locator": http://www.themobileoutfitters.com/index.php/dealer-locator

I went to my local dealer in Sacramento, and they didn't seem to know much about Mobile Outfitters, and didn't stock the cheap,simple stuff like Never Fail bushings or the Never Fail Whisper Disk kingpin disk. I was less than impressed.

 

[danemayer]

And where would one have this alignment done, reliably? A dealer? And is it part of the package, as in paid for?

All that said and the hassle it implies, I would like to hear the DIY "how to in more detail".....

Oscar,

Correct Track is an enhancement that Heartland has adopted to let you easily correct potential problems. On most trailers if the issue arises, it can't be easily corrected. Alignment is not free: no trailer comes with free alignment services and Correct Track doesn't change that.

You can get the laser alignment check at many Camping Worlds and other locations that are identified on the Mobile Outfitters Website. Camping World charges $99 for the check. If you watch for coupons, you might be able to get it for $49. Lippert did free alignment checks at the Goshen Rally.

If you want to measure it yourself, as I described in the earlier post, you can do it with a plumb line and some string. I'm sure you can make the adjustments yourself if you care to and Mobile Outfitters will probably be happy to answer any questions if you're not sure what to do.

Btw, there is a Correct Track II and also a Correct Track I. Correct Track I parts are welded directly to the frame at the time the frame is assembled. Correct Track II parts bolt onto the hangers of a trailer and do the same thing except that the coach is raised 2" by the new parts.

 

[bacaye]

I have a couple questions!! Girl ones but still questions. While at Goshen we had the Correct Track team check out camper. They found is off by 1.25. The guys decided to use the plumb line method but did not find it off as much as the Correct Track team. With their finding..not exactly sure of the number, but they said it was within limits. While asking others they did not think we needed to have anything done. We did not have anything done because at the time we had been thinking about upgrading campers. Now, we are second guessing because Bill is worried about the possibility of tire problems. What would you do if Correct Track told you one things and using the plumb method told you something else? Even if you buy a new camper and it has Correct Track on it are you saying you still have to have everything aligned? We are going to do the plumb line again to check for a third time, but getting pressed for time to make a trip back to Goshen to have level ups put on it if we decide to keep it. If we keep it we will also put new tires on it but Bill is afraid putting tires on before getting the alignment figured out will cause problems for them also. Would welcome any advice for my sanity!!!!

 

[jbeletti]

Barb,

I suggest you phone Sonny Dismuke (Correct Track guy) to discuss this with him. Give him a chance to explain why his team got what they got and how you may have gotten something different.

I think you're on the right track here to question these differences and others may have opinions too. But still, call Sonny in the morning.

Sonny Dismuke - (574) 361-9878 < that's his cell

 

[bacaye]

Thank you, Jim. We have to make some decision, like yesterday!! We have found a Big Horn 3585 but no level up on it. I keep saying we need to keep ours and add to it what we want but Bill thinks we should just order one with level up, etc. To use our Goshen Rally savings we need to do something right away. Thanks, again. Barb