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Topic Closedtrailer tilt

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malkbean2 View Drop Down
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Direct Link To This Post Topic: trailer tilt
    Posted: 31 Aug 2020 at 9:00am
Does anyone know the maximum amount of trailer tilt before corrective measures are necessitated under guarantee. ie trailer tilt while setting on flat ground without slide out.
rpod 178
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offgrid View Drop Down
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 31 Aug 2020 at 2:55pm
Do you mean how high one side is vs the other? 1/2 inch difference isn't unusual. I'm assuming the slide side is lower?

You might have a bent axle if one side is significantly lower than the other. That is more of a concern than just a difference between the two sides. Do your wheels have negative camber (wheel tilted inward at the top)? Run a string line along the bottom of the axle from one side to the other. You should have a gap in the middle (axle crowned upwards) of about 3/16 inch or thereabouts. If you have noticeable negative camber or no crown in your axle then its bent. 
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StephenH View Drop Down
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 31 Aug 2020 at 4:02pm
Or, what would be much worse, look at the floor of the trailer from underneath, sighting from one end. Does the floor look level all the way from front to back or is is sagging anywhere? If it is, that is a bigger problem that needs to be resolved before it gets worse. I added two outrigger supports to our 179 because I noticed it was sagging a little under the slide-out. If this is the problem and you don't have the capability (equipment or ability) to add outriggers yourself, you may want to contact Forest River about the problem. If moisture has gotten into the floor, it could have weakened it which would be a likely cause. However, the design is partly to blame also. There is just too much cantilevered floor outside the frame. That is one of the risks of minimizing weight.
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offgrid View Drop Down
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 31 Aug 2020 at 4:25pm
Good point. Here's a question, not having seen a trailer with a sag in the floor,  does a sagging floor look like the whole trailer is tilted to one side? Or does it appear as level trailer with sagging wall/slide on one side? I would have thought the latter?
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Tars Tarkas View Drop Down
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 31 Aug 2020 at 4:32pm
All kinds of possibilities here I suppose, but the first thing to check is the simplest.  Are the tires aired equally?

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mcarter View Drop Down
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 31 Aug 2020 at 4:38pm
When I experienced a saggy floor, the trailer never exhibited a tilt. The floor sagged and separated. I would look at frame and suspension, not floor, first, if trailer tilts.
Mike Carter
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malkbean2 View Drop Down
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 17 Sep 2020 at 3:03pm
Thanks for the comments.   According to  information obtained from Forest River,  for  the 178 Rpod with the slide in "The unit should not be tilted at all. It should be level. "

To answer some above inquiries.
The slide side is lower by about 1" measured at the rear in various locations.
There is no visually noticeable camber issue at the wheel.
Tires are inflated at 50 psi equally.
The floor looks straight (as much as can be seen without removing the tanks).
From a simple eyeballing view the axle appears to be  slightly crowned upward in the middle.
rpod 178
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offgrid View Drop Down
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 17 Sep 2020 at 5:47pm
1 inch is a bit high. I'm surprised that FR would say that the height on both sides should be exactly equal. I've seen other reports that they allow around 3/4 of an inch. It would seem to me that they would be picking up an unwanted warranty liability by stating that they should be equal. For reference my 179 is about 1/2 in lower on the slide side.

You might want to get under there and measure the actual axle crown to be sure its really there. 
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Toyanvil View Drop Down
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 17 Sep 2020 at 5:49pm
I would measure at the wheels, ground to frame to check suspension. The best way to check camber is with a 24" bubble level, wheels should be plumb with sides of the trailer.
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 24 Jan 2021 at 10:34am
Final resolution for trailer tilt: Axle was bent. Extended warranty (American Guardian) was useless.
New axle with brakes etc ~$375
Shipping ~$130
rpod 178
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