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Topic Closeda few issues

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offgrid View Drop Down
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Direct Link To This Post Topic: a few issues
    Posted: 10 Aug 2021 at 5:27pm
It does sound like the axle is bent.
Is the trailer weight 4250 or is that the axle weight? Do you use a wdh, that increases trailer axle load, about 100 lbs, maybe a bit more.

If you have not overloaded it or hit some big potholes or curbs the fix should be on them. If some negative camber is considered normal then ask them for the max acceptable spec on that. At least you've raised a claim, make sure that gets documented in the event it gets worse.

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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11 Aug 2021 at 8:15am
Remember that the dynamic loads of hitting potholes, curbs, speed bumps, etc. can be much higher than the static weight. I'm pretty sure that is what happened to ours. I did not have a weight, but the 179 is heavy and the axle is only rated 3500 lbs. Even if we are under that, some of the roads we have been on can dynamically exceed that as the RPod bounces. Personally, I think that the engineers underestimate the forces and so specify an axle that is marginal at best and totally inadequate at worst.
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11 Aug 2021 at 9:47am
Stephen. I agree, and believe that may be our issue. We drove carefully, but sometimes you cannot avoid bumps or potholes. On backroads I slowed way down, but on highways you cannot safely drive if you are going too slow. I hope they will beef up the axles. I will probably try to stay under 4000 lbs going forward, meaning no water while traveling. I already carry my heavier articles in the back of the pickup. thanks.
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11 Aug 2021 at 10:27am
Reinforce the axle when you have a chance. That will increase the margin of safety with it. Use the advanced search to look for posts older than 6 months to see what I did and others have done to reinforce the axle. You can also look at my mods.
StephenH
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11 Aug 2021 at 12:48pm
StephenH, I don't think the reinforcement we did on our 179s will help on a 196, because that axle isn't cantilevered like ours are The frame rails on the 196 are outboard, right? I suspect it's more likely that the negative camber on the 196 is due to bent spindles/torsion arms. Reinforcing the axle won't help with that. So it's important to find out what's bent before selecting a fix.

Re the cause of the axle bending, yes I agree that it is due to hitting potholes or bumps. Passenger vehicles are designed for much higher g loads, probably 3-5 g's , than the trailers are, which are lucky if they are designed to 2 g's.

But that doesn't make a bent axle the owner's fault. Potholes are a normal condition. FR/Lippert have chosen to design trailers with marginal ability to handle g loading. So if there hasnt been overloading or abuse by the owner he or she is justified in making a warranty claim and there have been several instances where that has been successful reported here.   

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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11 Aug 2021 at 3:39pm
Since I have not seen one of the newer trailers and have no idea how much overhang there is between the frame and rail, I recommended reinforcing. I'll yield to your information and hope that the owners of such axles get better results than I did when mine lost camber. I ended up paying for a new axle that wound up being defective (bad weld for brake mounting flange). That one did get replaced under warranty.
StephenH
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ouR escaPOD mods
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11 Aug 2021 at 9:09pm
I haven't seen one either but I understand the frame rails are more outboard/wheels inboard.

If someone with a 196 wants to get the measurements I'll run the load calc on the axle when I get a chance. Id need the total length of the axle tube and either the distance from the axle to frame attachments to the ends of the tubes or the distance between attachments. Also please confirm the tube dimensions and thickness.
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