Axle bend

Message Share Topic Printable Version Google Delicious Digg StumbleUpon Windows Live Yahoo Bookmarks reddit Facebook MySpace Newsvine Furl Topic Search Topic Options Post Reply Create New Topic

   More trials and tribulations of the Carolavan. Half way home to South Carolina from Florida, got squeezed by a semi on a left turn, clipped the curb with the driver side trailer wheel. Result - slightly bent axle. Good Sam roadside assistance found us a trailer repair shop so we took it there.  Needs a new axle. So we returned home minus the Carolavan. It will probably be a week before they get it repaired and we'll have to drive the five hours back to get it. Hopefully the learning curve will flatten out for us soon. 

Author	Message Share Topic Printable Version Google Delicious Digg StumbleUpon Windows Live Yahoo Bookmarks reddit Facebook MySpace Newsvine Furl Topic Search Topic Options Post Reply Create New Topic
Carolavan Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Newbie Joined: 25 Sep 2016 Location: South Carolina Online Status: Offline Posts: 39	Topic: Axle bend Posted: 19 May 2017 at 8:04pm
	More trials and tribulations of the Carolavan. Half way home to South Carolina from Florida, got squeezed by a semi on a left turn, clipped the curb with the driver side trailer wheel. Result - slightly bent axle. Good Sam roadside assistance found us a trailer repair shop so we took it there. Needs a new axle. So we returned home minus the Carolavan. It will probably be a week before they get it repaired and we'll have to drive the five hours back to get it. Hopefully the learning curve will flatten out for us soon.
	2015 R-Pod 179 2016 Nissan Pathfinder Platinum "It's a good thing we are going slowly because we might be going in the wrong direction." Ashliegh Brilliant

StephenH Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List podders Helping podders - pHp Joined: 29 Nov 2015 Location: Wake Forest, NC Online Status: Offline Posts: 6285	Posted: 19 May 2017 at 9:52pm
	Sorry to hear about your bent axle. It is not fun being squeezed by a semi. Hopefully, repairs will go quickly and you can get your Carolavan home without additional incidents. It dows get easier with more experience. part of that is keeping an eye out for situations like you encountered and backing off if needed to avoid getting squeezed..
	StephenH Happy is the man that findeth wisdom,... ouR escaPOD mods Former RPod 179 Current Cherokee Grey Wolf 24 JS

lostagain Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 06 Sep 2016 Location: Quaker Hill, CT Online Status: Offline Posts: 2586	Posted: 19 May 2017 at 10:00pm
	Carolavan, when you say you were squeezed by a semi while making a left turn, were you able to obtain his insurance info or identify him? Did he leave the scene? You may want to give your insurance company a shout to see if you have some coverage for the axle. Since the trailer was presumably connected to your TV, you may have an uninsured motorist claim if the truck driver disappeared. If there was not contact, it may get a little complicated, but what the heck, it's worth looking into.
	Never leave footprints behind. Fred & Maria Kearney Sonoma 167RB Our Pod 172 2019 Ford F-150 4x4 2.7 EcoBoost

Carolavan Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Newbie Joined: 25 Sep 2016 Location: South Carolina Online Status: Offline Posts: 39	Posted: 20 May 2017 at 5:40am
	Lost again - I don't think I can blame the semi driver. It was more that I felt like I was in a tight situation and momentarily forgot about the 20 feet of trailer hanging out the back. It was very complicated - GPS was being a little obtuse and I was distracted, so not the trucker's fault. I am a bit concerned that it seems that every time one hits a curb it might ruin a trip and cost a thousand bucks.
	2015 R-Pod 179 2016 Nissan Pathfinder Platinum "It's a good thing we are going slowly because we might be going in the wrong direction." Ashliegh Brilliant

StephenH Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List podders Helping podders - pHp Joined: 29 Nov 2015 Location: Wake Forest, NC Online Status: Offline Posts: 6285	Posted: 20 May 2017 at 3:37pm
	Part of it is the speed and angle at which the curb is contacted. I have gone over a couple of them, but it was in parking lots at very low speed. I've also hit some significant potholes in our travels. So far, the axle on ours is still in good shape.
	StephenH Happy is the man that findeth wisdom,... ouR escaPOD mods Former RPod 179 Current Cherokee Grey Wolf 24 JS

lostagain Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 06 Sep 2016 Location: Quaker Hill, CT Online Status: Offline Posts: 2586	Posted: 21 May 2017 at 8:37am
	In the words of a famous person: "Opps." You may still want to contact your insurance company. Though it's not likely your collision coverage may help. But on the other hand, you may not want the claim in the loss history. I guess you can find the silver lining in this unhappy situation; you can find a better stronger axle.
	Never leave footprints behind. Fred & Maria Kearney Sonoma 167RB Our Pod 172 2019 Ford F-150 4x4 2.7 EcoBoost

Carolavan Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Newbie Joined: 25 Sep 2016 Location: South Carolina Online Status: Offline Posts: 39	Posted: 13 Jun 2017 at 4:59pm
	Update - we are still waiting for an axle replacement. Over 3 weeks now. Is this typical? Do I just have be patient and just let the summer slip by while my trailer sits in a shed in Alabama. The repair shop says they are chasing it as hard as they can. Any clues on how I can get this resolved would be appreciated. After waiting over 3 months to get the fridge repaired this R-pod is really testing our patience.
	2015 R-Pod 179 2016 Nissan Pathfinder Platinum "It's a good thing we are going slowly because we might be going in the wrong direction." Ashliegh Brilliant

mcarter Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List podders Helping podders - pHp Joined: 07 Apr 2016 Location: Greenbrier, TN Online Status: Offline Posts: 3419	Posted: 13 Jun 2017 at 5:28pm
	I would ask where they went for a replacement. Do you know what axle your have? If so you can assist it finding a source. To my knowledge Pods use 2 axles, neither is hard to find. Also many FR travel trailers use the same axle. My axle is marked with a Surveyor stencil. Best to be armed with info.
	Mike Carter 2015 178 " I had the right to remain silent, I just didn't have the ability."

codycountry Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 26 Jan 2014 Location: Wyo Online Status: Offline Posts: 168	Posted: 13 Jun 2017 at 5:42pm
	If you check around there are frame and axle repair places (metro areas especially) that can bend the axle and set the camber, castor, and toe in for not much money. Way less than labor and parts to replace. I bent a horse trailer axle to look like a U and I took it in to be fixed, and the trailer pulls better and the tires wear better now than before I bent it. I can't recommend a brand name company, but if you check with your local alignment shop they will know who can fix it. Or talk to a semi truck repair place. The dealers sure won't share the info in most cases. They'd rather lighten up your wallet. Torsion axles can only be worked on once or twice due to the rubber inside and the tubing getting kinked from what I hear. Good luck.

Carolavan Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Newbie Joined: 25 Sep 2016 Location: South Carolina Online Status: Offline Posts: 39	Posted: 14 Jun 2017 at 6:14pm
	Apparently it is being made by the Forest River factory supplier, whoever that is. Still no word on when it will be available. I can't exactly take it somewhere else - it has no wheels on it. I guess I am just fortunate that it is only 5 hours from home and not in California or Canada. I am very disillusioned about this whole RV hobby. It is supposed to be fun - instead all I get is frustration and stress - not to mention the rapid and apparently unrestricted outflow of cash. We could stay in some pretty classy hotels for what this is costing us. Grrrrrr. Rant over - for now.
	2015 R-Pod 179 2016 Nissan Pathfinder Platinum "It's a good thing we are going slowly because we might be going in the wrong direction." Ashliegh Brilliant