Dang, that was my favorite axle, too
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URL: http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=12900
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Topic: Dang, that was my favorite axle, too
Posted By: Happy Tripping
Subject: Dang, that was my favorite axle, too
Date Posted: 03 Jun 2019 at 3:04pm
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We live in West Virginia. A couple of days after coming back from a trip to the Gulf of Mexico and in preparation for a trip to the Outer Banks of NC, I was backing up into our driveway at about 1 mph when I heard a sudden sharp scraping sound. Since I have had trouble elsewhere with the rear stabilizer jacks, and since it had stopped, I resumed backing up when it did it again. That was enough for me. I got out to find my axle had broken off and the wheel had damaged the right fender. Although the left side wheel was also cocked, the black tank and outlet on that side was not involved. (Our neighbors don't know how lucky they are.) The axle shop told me initially that a weld had failed but that they couldn't work on it right away. Today the axle shop go it up on their rack and they confirmed that a weld between the frame and riser failed on the right side. We consider ourselves to be very fortunate that it happened in our driveway. At highway speeds the accident could have been catastrophic, both to us and to other drivers. Of course I informed Forest River immediately. Their initial response was that a bolt that I was responsible for had loosened. It will be interesting to see what their response is now. I am reporting this to the National Highway Safety Traffic Administration (www.nhtsa.gov) as a crash, albeit 'only' a little one. ------------- "There comes a time in the affairs of a man when he must take the bull by the tail and face the situation" - W.C. Fields |
Replies:
Posted By: GlueGuy
Date Posted: 03 Jun 2019 at 3:37pm
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Wow. That was a lucky break! Sorry to hear it happened, but glad for the circumstance. Which R-pod and how old? ------------- bp 2017 R-Pod 179 Hood River 2015 Ford F150 SuperCrew 4WD 3.5L Ecoboost |
Posted By: mcarter
Date Posted: 03 Jun 2019 at 5:03pm
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Wow +2. ------------- Mike Carter 2015 178 " I had the right to remain silent, I just didn't have the ability." |
Posted By: StephenH
Date Posted: 03 Jun 2019 at 6:01pm
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Wow! +3 I'm glad it happened at home. That could have been really bad.
------------- StephenH Happy is the man that findeth wisdom,... http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=7712 - ouR escaPOD mods Former RPod 179 Current Cherokee Grey Wolf 24 JS |
Posted By: GlueGuy
Date Posted: 03 Jun 2019 at 6:17pm
I guess that makes one more item on our pre-flight checklist...  ------------- bp 2017 R-Pod 179 Hood River 2015 Ford F150 SuperCrew 4WD 3.5L Ecoboost |
Posted By: mcarter
Date Posted: 03 Jun 2019 at 6:51pm
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How do you check a weld that is about to break? ------------- Mike Carter 2015 178 " I had the right to remain silent, I just didn't have the ability." |
Posted By: lostagain
Date Posted: 03 Jun 2019 at 7:55pm
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Sorry to hear about the weld breaking. At least it happened before you left home. What bolts did FR say were involved if the local shop identified a weld? I guess FR takes the position that all welds and bolts should be subjected to destructive testing as part of the routine maintenance. ------------- Never leave footprints behind. Fred & Maria Kearney Sonoma 167RB Our Pod 172 2019 Ford F-150 4x4 2.7 EcoBoost |
Posted By: marwayne
Date Posted: 03 Jun 2019 at 8:45pm
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I'm sorry that happened to you, however I'm confused. There is only one weld and that is the bracket on to the axle and if that is the weld that failed yes FR should cover that under warranty. However if the riser was welded to the axle bracket and to the pod frame that is not the way FR installs risers. I have axle risers, there 2 bolts holding the riser to the axle bracket and 2 bolts holding to the pod frame. ------------- If you want something done right, do it yourself. 2011 RP172, 2016 Tundra 5.7 Litre, Ltd. |
Posted By: podwerkz
Date Posted: 03 Jun 2019 at 9:52pm
Wow.....I hate when that happens.... ------------- r･pod 171 gone but not forgotten! |
Posted By: offgrid
Date Posted: 04 Jun 2019 at 5:47am
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Sorry about the failure. From the hints you've been giving about what happened is not a surprise. i suggest that you go to your axle shop and take some detailed photos before all the evidence disappears. Try to get photos of the broken weld, where it was and how the crack propagated. Also it would be good to have them confirm that the riser bolts were indeed tight (it they were) and not lose as apparently FR has already tried to claim. From what you're describing, this failure likely wasn't sudden, (backing up a trailer at 1 mph isn't particularly stressful to the suspension system) so the crack has likely been there for awhile and has propagated along the weld to the point where backing up one final time broke it. That is typical with fatigue cracks in metal joints. If so, there might be corrosion on part of the crack but also a section which is fresh and doesn't show corrosion, so you might be able to tell where the crack started and ended. Since Lippert makes both the axle and the frame of the rPods (at least on mine) either way its probably on them. The risers do increase stress on the frame and on the frame bracket welds because they create a longer moment arm (think lever length) between the wheels and the frame, so that could be a contributing factor. ------------- 1994 Chinook Concourse 1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft 2015 Rpod 179 - sold |
Posted By: Happy Tripping
Date Posted: 04 Jun 2019 at 6:06am
Thanks. I don't know much about welds or where exactly the weld is, when I do I'll let the forum know.
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Posted By: Happy Tripping
Date Posted: 04 Jun 2019 at 6:09am
Thanks to all for responses. Yes, I've asked the shop to take pictures.
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Posted By: Happy Tripping
Date Posted: 04 Jun 2019 at 6:17am
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Our R-Pod is a 2014 171. We've been quite happy with it. A question - I've been going thru tires at a 2X the expected rate. Years ago, a tire place told me the axle was bent. However, this axle shop, which presumably should know what they're doing, tells me its not. So the question is - ?Could there be 'harmonic vibrations' or whatever, set up by the incomplete weld that would shake the tire and make it wear unevenly? If so, Forest River owes me some $$ for tires.
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Posted By: offgrid
Date Posted: 04 Jun 2019 at 6:31am
I would think not. If you were getting that much vibration the weld would fail really quickly. Can you describe what the tire wear looks like? Is your axle shop saying the axle isn't bent even now, after it came off on the right side? That would be extremely surprising considering that you're saying that the tire hit the fender. Its hard to see how that would be possible unless the axle was bent or twisted.
------------- 1994 Chinook Concourse 1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft 2015 Rpod 179 - sold |