Axle Alignment

anijet · 09-17-2011, 06:38 PM

DW had the opportunity to follow the Suites going down the freeway. I had notice in the mirrors the trailer seemed to be doglegging. She confirmed it and said it was really bad. I have visually checked all the suspension parts and components and don’t see anything wrong except that when I stand behind the rig and site down the outside edges of the wheels they do not track straight. Left and right wheels seem to be parallel to each other so it seems to be axle to frame alignment. When I get a chance I will start to measure the axles and see what’s going on. Has anyone heard of this problem on a Suites?

**wingnut60** · 09-17-2011, 08:34 PM

If you have had this unit for a while, has there been any odd wheel wear?

One ballpark way to check axle placement is to pick a dead-center point on the front of the frame and measure carefully to the same point on both sides of the front axle--should be very close.
Or, take it to an spring/axle shop to have it checked.

Have not heard of this in the forums on MS models.

Joe

rv'n · 09-17-2011, 09:52 PM

I have never seen any issues of dog tracking on the Suites forum and I have been tracking it for about 2 years. I have seen this happen on the lower end models like Heartland, Keystone etc. Good luck and keep us posted on what you find.

Motor31 · 09-18-2011, 09:20 AM

Have you had any tire changes? If so did they jack up the axle inside of the spring mounting point on the axle? If so then there is a good chance the axle that was jacked up was bent. They are pretty thin walled axles and can't tolerate being jacked up in that manner especially with the tire being elevated more than just clearing the ground.

I've already had to change an axle because of that very situation.

BillK · 09-19-2011, 10:01 PM

Our 2011 MS tracks off to the right about 3 inches. It is an agravating thing to put up with. We had it back to the factory and they sent us to Lippert. After measuring, Lippert sent us back to Doubletree, said there was nothing wrong. I showed them that I could stand at the rear and sight down each side and could see the axle definitely stuck out more on the left side as opposed to the other, making the body of the trailer look to be tracking to the right. Nothing was offered to be done and we finally left as we had other obligations.

Also we have not been advised as to what to do with a washer that will not work as it should when using a generator.

RonS · 09-20-2011, 11:05 AM

Go to axle alignment shop and send bill to DRV. Even if they dont pay it you will have it fixed and save later problems. Going rate is about $75 per axle. Let us know how you make out. GOOD LUCK.

anijet · 09-20-2011, 07:40 PM

I did a rough measure from the 5th pin to each wheel and they are only different by .5". Since I backed it up my steep drive to its parking place the wheels "eyeball" right on. I sure can't see anything moving or loose. When I have time I will block entire trailer up and drop the whole undercarriage and see what I find. Tire wear is really good. No one, except me, has touched it since DRV built it except for one trip back to the factory for non-frame discrepancies and the Fog Dr for window repairs. I'll do all the work myself. Considering Mor/ryde if I can't determine 100% what's going on. Too soon to make decisions. I'll post pictures if I find something interesting.

billr · 09-20-2011, 09:40 PM

Like mentioned, take it to a truck/trailer axle shop. For under $100 they will check it exactly, toe, track and camber. You will be sure then.

Ours was way out. I had some bad tire wear as well. The axles both had to come out and be re bent for camber and the track was set up in re install.

I didn't notice any tracking issues before. No bad tire wear now though.

The guy told me we would have killed the new tires in a very short time as bad as it was. He also said a lot of the units are way out right out of the factory. They do tons of them.

Bill

bucky49 · 10-16-2011, 06:44 PM

Our 2010 MS was tracking right and we took it to a shop in Florida they got it to pull straight for about 300. they were going to pull the axles to bend for camber and toe but I knew it could be done without removing. I got that done in Baton Rouge. Lippert denied all responsibility and voided my warranty. I own my last Lippert system.

Pat L. · 11-11-2011, 11:57 AM

Bucky49,
Why did Lippert void your warranty? You are only doing preventive maintenance. Running straight means no wear and no replacing of parts. I think some of these idiots at these factories should sue their university for making them stupid. You know the saying " You can't fix stupid".
Pat L.

Red Ram · 11-11-2011, 06:26 PM

Bucky49, I was 1 month out of warrenty and had the same problem as you. They said that I was probably running the tires at a low pressure, idiots. My tires consistantly are right up to 120psi and they never lose any air, but I keep checking them.

You would think Lippert would help a little because the problem was always there, but took a couple years to show up because we don't use the rig that much.

bucky49 · 11-11-2011, 07:32 PM

Lippert claims they voided my warrenty because I had unauthorized work done.
They wanted measurements and pictures and that was " just to start the authorization process". I had comittments elsewhere and as we are fulltime the rig had to go along. I've had axles aligned before and understood most of the process, However after submitting bills to Lippert they told me they would have unmounted hangers and replaced axles instead of grinding centering hole and bending axles. As Pat said you can't fight stupid. You can't teach stupid either.
God Bles anyone who has to deal with Lippert, I won't again. If DRV continues on the course they are running I won't be dealing we them much longer also. They have lost 2 sure sales because of my problems. I wonder how many more people are in the same boat.

RickandJanice · 11-11-2011, 10:26 PM

I don't mean to start an argument or say that Lippert does not have their problems like any other company, but IMHO, it is not out of the norm for a company to request pre-authorization for a repair that is covered under warranty. Having warranty service done without first contacting the manufacturer and then expecting them to cover the cost is just asking for trouble.

I know others have had issues with Lippert but there are also those of us who have not. We have only had to deal with Lippert one time with an issue on our front jacks and they were great to work with and fixed the problem without any hassle on their part.

The View 5046 · 11-12-2011, 08:19 AM

Lippert is just like the extended service plans, every extended service plan we have had requires you to get authorization. I do know Lippert will replace axles. Happy Trails.....

bucky49 · 12-13-2011, 12:37 PM

Haven't been here in awhile, but to answer we tried to get preapproval. Lippert would not accept result from a multi-thousands of dollar alignment machine. they wanted measurements that could only be estimated. They wanted pictures of wet drive over. Time constraints on this shop would have delayed work a week.

bucky49 · 12-13-2011, 12:47 PM

Repositioning hangers for less than 3/4" move is ridiculous. Replacing axles instead of aligning is ridiculous. How would you know new axles were aligned. I've had two other trailers aligned by bending, their still going.

Jack in Alaska · 12-14-2011, 01:18 AM

For us lucky ones that have never had to jack up their rig.......where is the proper place to position the jack to prevent damage???

Also..when my MS was new (2004) we had problems smashing the shocks and shock mounts. After several trips to the selling dealer in Everett, Wash. and to a CW in Texas it was discovered that the upper set of bolt holes on the hanger were used at the factory to install the suspension instead of the lower holes. It was changed to the lower which raised the RV approx. 2" and allowed more travel room for the shocks. No shock problems since.
But I noticed that the upper holes have been oblong-ed up causing a knurled edge on the top of the hole; ie the hanger was deforming. What I wonder is how are the lower holes, now used, holding up. How to repair if they are also deformed???
Our shake down trip was from Everett, Wash. to Texas to Cancun to Howe, Ind. to Anchorage, Alaska. We drove over at least 500 topes(speed bumps) in Mexico. That may have something to do with ob-longing those original holes.

bucky49 · 12-14-2011, 07:16 AM

The farther from the frame the springs attach the more likely the hangers will move. It's not a bad idea to beef up hangers. The more weight you put on axles the more importent this becomes. Be sure to put new ubolts on as reusing old ones can cause failure (from I who knows).

bucky49 · 12-14-2011, 07:39 AM

Back to original question, if just changing tire jack at axle mount area, less lift to get wheel off ground. I should have said change ubolts if they have been loosened to move axles. As rough as youv'e traveled its a good idea to have alignment checked. redrilling hole straight and installing bushing on mounting bolt is a tempoary fix for elongated holes. Making sure bolts are kept tight will help.

Motor31 · 12-14-2011, 11:21 AM

For a flat fix the jacking situation is pretty simple. You will need a heavy duty hydraulic jack, a little 1 ton light duty job might not get it done. I got a 6 ton hydraulic jack at harbor freight several years ago. It was primarily for the tow vehicle as the front axle does carry 11k lbs. there. I have had good service from it and it did lift the front axle when the tires sank a bit into soft ground one year.

Place the head of the jack on the plate beneath the axle where everything is connected. That is the main weight bearing spot for that axle. Do NOT put the jack against the bare axle tube itself, that will bend it. Jack the axle just enough to get the tire to clear the ground. Do not try to lift any further or move the trailer higher. Also for flat repair it is done when hitched to the tow vehicle. If you put the front jacks down you are putting additional strain / weight on the jack / axle situation since the front parking jacks will end up blocking movement of weight shift for the axle.