Now a bent axle????

[Hemifish69]

Bought a 2016 BH270 Aug of 2018. Used, from a dealer. Good looking trailer, but the durability and build quality is really starting to show. I'm starting to realize why the previous owner got out and why we got such a deal. Plumbing leaks, and the obvious lack of care when build was happening. Now the newest item: after a trip from stl to Strasburg Pennsylvania and back, determined that my eyes were not deceiving me.

My left rear tire always seemed to be kicked out, but I wrote it off to a preload from completing a turn. Nope. It finally got bad enough that I couldn't ignore it, and tire wear confirmed it.

A bent axle or worse. Haven't tore into it yet, but we got home. Never ran over anything, but it has progressively gotten worse.

This far out, I don't expect warranty help from anyone. What I would like are suggestions about retrofitting heavier axles. I'm a former aircraft mechanic, auto mechanic, machinist, and refinery employee, so this is doable here.

Im asking for suggestions on which axles from which vendors would be the best, and I'm not averse to overkill. 6 lug/8 lug.

This thing travels level, with nearly empty tanks, and a full fridge. Clothes and bed rolls didn't do this.

 

[NYSUPstater]

Picture appears sideways on my screen, but as you said, it's out of warranty, but IMO, call HL w/ VIN, be courteous, explain things to them and see what they say about all your issues. They may tell you to pound salt, but worth a shot.

 

[danemayer]

Dexter warrants the axles and you may still be covered under the Dexter warranty. In August 2016, they moved to a 5 year warranty. I'd suggest you call them directly.

Of course the warranty covers manufacturing defects. Bent axles are usually caused by road hazards. But phone calls don't cost much.

You'll probably need a picture of the label on the axle, which requires you crawl under the trailer. You may also need the trailer VIN #.

Dexter Service & Warranty. Monday - Friday 8am-5pm EST (574) 295-7888

 

[rhodies1]

Bought a 2016 BH270 Aug of 2018. Used, from a dealer. Good looking trailer, but the durability and build quality is really starting to show. I'm starting to realize why the previous owner got out and why we got such a deal. Plumbing leaks, and the obvious lack of care when build was happening. Now the newest item: after a trip from stl to Strasburg Pennsylvania and back, determined that my eyes were not deceiving me.

My left rear tire always seemed to be kicked out, but I wrote it off to a preload from completing a turn. Nope. It finally got bad enough that I couldn't ignore it, and tire wear confirmed it.

A bent axle or worse. Haven't tore into it yet, but we got home. Never ran over anything, but it has progressively gotten worse.

This far out, I don't expect warranty help from anyone. What I would like are suggestions about retrofitting heavier axles. I'm a former aircraft mechanic, auto mechanic, machinist, and refinery employee, so this is doable here.

Im asking for suggestions on which axles from which vendors would be the best, and I'm not averse to overkill. 6 lug/8 lug.

This thing travels level, with nearly empty tanks, and a full fridge. Clothes and bed rolls didn't do this.

In your pic it looks like axle is off front to back and not up and down off center..please confirm..
I had an axle issue that looks like yours, I contacted Dexter,sent pics and they said bent axle.Dexter sent new axle, no improvement.
After checking all measurements ,measuring spreads between axles,I determined I had a flattened spring on my rear axle on drivers side.the spring had lost its tension and was 1/2 In longer from shackle bolt to shackle bolt than the other 3 springs.
This caused the Equiflex suspension to collapse..this pulled axle out of center.Heartland shipped 4 new spring packs ,Equiflex Suspension and supplies to my home.Heartland replaced springs with heavier spring packs than OEM.
Since I installed new gear,,,,,no issues
Worth looking at maybe your issue.

 

[Hemifish69]

Got under the trailer and saw it plain as day. Back axle bowed down, front ok. Don't see cracked springs, but I won't rule out one flattening.

I'll be calling the axle manufacturer, per the replies, and eyeballing the springs harder.

The pic is hard to interpret, but the bottom is kicked out. Thanks for the suggestions, apologies for the harsh tone of my original post. I was really peeved about this when we got home. The rig is probably out of service for the season. Still cant believe the poor build quality I've seen inside this thing. Under the tub, and the sink.

Oh well, 8 trips since last August. That averages the purchase price to $2k per trip

 

[wdk450]

Got under the trailer and saw it plain as day. Back axle bowed down, front ok. Don't see cracked springs, but I won't rule out one flattening.

I'll be calling the axle manufacturer, per the replies, and eyeballing the springs harder.

The pic is hard to interpret, but the bottom is kicked out. Thanks for the suggestions, apologies for the harsh tone of my original post. I was really peeved about this when we got home. The rig is probably out of service for the season. Still cant believe the poor build quality I've seen inside this thing. Under the tub, and the sink.

Oh well, 8 trips since last August. That averages the purchase price to $2k per trip

You might want to contact a truck alignment shop to see if they can simply bend it back into alignment with their air jack/U-Hangar setup and laser alignment system. Believe it or not, this is the standard way to align tube axles. This You Tube Video shows a trailer in a truck alignment bay. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pRyTeqYuGBk I had this done in Nebraska in a small town along I-80 (don't remember the town name - It was BEAR alignment), but they used a 3 piece steel adapter plate setup for the jack that had fingers (like you hanging on a pull-up bar) that hung on the axle tube with slots for the crossbar that supported the air jack. The tech could easily swing this rig 90 degrees on the axle to do the other adjustment.

 

[Hemifish69]

I've heard of bending it back, but wouldn't it bend again?

 

[gwalter]

You might want to contact a truck alignment shop to see if they can simply bend it back into alignment with their air jack/U-Hangar setup and laser alignment system. Believe it or not, this is the standard way to align tube axles. This You Tube Video shows a trailer in a truck alignment bay. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pRyTeqYuGBk I had this done in Nebraska in a small town along I-80 (don't remember the town name - It was BEAR alignment), but they used a 3 piece steel adapter plate setup for the jack that had fingers (like you hanging on a pull-up bar) that hung on the axle tube with slots for the crossbar that supported the air jack. The tech could easily swing this rig 90 degrees on the axle to do the other adjustment.

Was it Bear Frame and Axle in Grand Island, NE? They fixed my bent axle on my boat trailer and also on friends boat trailer too. Very well respected company in that area. Once fixed I never had any problems.

 

[Gary521]

I replaced an axle last year. I went to a local trailer repair shop and they carried Dexter axles. It took me less than a day to replace the axle. Call Heartland to get the specs on the axle or check the axle label and call Dexter to get the specs. Fortunately for me, the local shop carried the axle in stock. They need to know the distance between the spring mounting flange centers and then they weld on the mounting flanges. The length of the axle is the distance between the brake mounting flanges. I took the old axle to a local recycling center.

 

[cookie]

I've heard of bending it back, but wouldn't it bend again?

Bending is how they do the alignment. Works great and it's done all the time.

Peace
Dave

 

[shevy]

we bought a northtrail 33 buds in Feb of 18. One year and a few months later, the Dexter Axle broke. My dealer went back and forth with Dexter because Dexter would not pay the labor to install the new axle. As it was mentioned below, I called and spoke to the VP of quality assurance. After a few days, they agreed to cover the labor but not the new goodyear tires I has put on to replace the stock (cheap Chinese tires). Northtrail should offer a step up on axle's as I'd gladly pay a little more for axles that are not near the max load from the factory.

 

[Gary521]

Which is cheaper spending 4 or 5 hours bending an axle or just replacing one? I have no idea but it could probably come down to this question.

 

[wdk450]

Was it Bear Frame and Axle in Grand Island, NE? They fixed my bent axle on my boat trailer and also on friends boat trailer too. Very well respected company in that area. Once fixed I never had any problems.

Yup, nice guy, knew his stuff, fit me in while I was travelling back to California from a national rally in Indiana.

I spent $1600 at the rally getting Correct Track installed by "Lippert" reps (they actually worked for a company that built walls for RV's), with Lippert and Heartland going back an forth about the correct position the spring hangars should be at. I ended up going West on I-80 with wheel alignment so bad that a lady trucker in Nebraska made sure to tell me about it at a freeway rest stop.

BTW, responding to another posting about new axle OR bending old axle back into alignment, that Bear alignment guy said that he always checks (and usually has to bend) any new replacement axles to get the alignment into specs.

 

[Gary521]

Yup, nice guy, knew his stuff, fit me in while I was travelling back to California from a national rally in Indiana.

I spent $1600 at the rally getting Correct Track installed by "Lippert" reps (they actually worked for a company that built walls for RV's), with Lippert and Heartland going back an forth about the correct position the spring hangars should be at. I ended up going West on I-80 with wheel alignment so bad that a lady trucker in Nebraska made sure to tell me about it at a freeway rest stop.

BTW, responding to another posting about new axle OR bending old axle back into alignment, that Bear alignment guy said that he always checks (and usually has to bend) any new replacement axles to get the alignment into specs.

When you get a new trailer with new axles installed, do you think that they were checked for alignment? If the Bear alignment guy is correct, that would mean that every trailer coming off the manufacturing floor would be out of alignment. Who knows, he could be right.

 

[CDN]

I have had Twin I Beams bent on Ford Vans in the past. Same method used in 1980 as today but they have laser levelling instead of light projectors on the wall.

 

[wdk450]

When you get a new trailer with new axles installed, do you think that they were checked for alignment? If the Bear alignment guy is correct, that would mean that every trailer coming off the manufacturing floor would be out of alignment. Who knows, he could be right.

Has anyone EVER seen a laser wheel alignment pit/system in ANY RV Brand's factory tours??? The answer is NOPE. They SHOULD be doing at least king pin to tires measurements, so that they can use the single wheel alignment factor that the Correct Track adjusts for.


A little websearching came up with this RVing article on the subject:
http://www.thisoldcampsite.com/This_old_campsite5/Trailer_Wheel_And_Axle_Alignmen.html

 

[mlpeloquin]

Had my axles aligned at a truck/trailer alignment shop twice. Each time getting back from a cross country trip. First time $380.00. Second time in January this year, $356.00. All laser aligned with the computer telling the tech just where to pull, push, or lift at. They take it slow so they do not have to readjust. Let it sit for an hour and recheck to make sure it does not spring back form the adjustment. First time they were not quite as bad as yours, but all do to the roads. Second time, one half inch off in the rear and one quarter of an inch in the front. It is do to the wonderful roads.

 

[Hemifish69]

Got the word back from the dealer. Basically, go pound sand.

Ordered 6k axles today. I'm not going to mess with these anymore. I'll be documenting the install with pics. If it goes well, I'll post them.

 

[For20hunter]

Are you sure that 6k axles are large enough? I thought that all Bighorns had 7k axles? 6k axles only gives you a total of 12,000 lbs. of weight on the axles.

Rod

 

[Hemifish69]

The BH270 gvwr is 7700. It came with 3500# axles, which I think is a mistake in the 1st place.

5200# was my next step, but the dealer said that was getting discontinued. 6k it is.