Wheel bearings, spindle ruined!

[herbike]

This isn't my trailer, we have a couple sitting along the road about six miles for our little town. I stopped and talked to the lady to see if I could help.

Anyway, they had lost a wheel bearing, hub and spindle. Looking at the damage I'm not sure if the dealer didn't service it like she had asked or if it was a brake problem. The brake drum was worn like it had maybe rubbed for some time, before it boiled the grease out of the bearings.

The problem is it is a torque flex axle. From what I could see it is a full axle. The guy that is going after parts thinks he can replace the end only. It's all welded together, I hope he doesn't come back from a 200 mile round trip for parts with just an end. I believe he will be going back for a full axle. Maybe some of you folks with an R-Pod can enlighten us on just what kind of axle was used under them.

I didn't get the model of this trailer.

[SeaDog]

Somewhere around 2014 Dexter started making removable spindles on their torque flex axles, if you don't see the bolt on the end then it will require axle replacement to change a spindle

[herbike]

Originally Posted by SeaDog

Somewhere around 2014 Dexter started making removable spindles on their torque flex axles, if you don't see the bolt on the end then it will require axle replacement to change a spindle

Thanks for the reply SeaDog, it is a 13.

The local tire shop operator isn't too sharp when it comes to anything but tires. He drove 200 miles for parts and brought back the wrong part. When I stopped and looked at it yesterday afternoon I couldn't see any way to remove the spindle.
Now she is waiting for an outfit to come cut out the spindle and weld in a new one. She was told it is a 4 to 6 week wait for a replacement axle so this is the alternative.

[JohnD10]

Originally Posted by herbike

Now she is waiting for an outfit to come cut out the spindle and weld in a new one. She was told it is a 4 to 6 week wait for a replacement axle so this is the alternative.

Other than the fact that I was able to limp to a dealership, that is exactly what happened to me.

Said it would take at least a week to have an axle shipped from Elkhart, Indiana to Phoenix, Arizona.

And we were 1000 miles from home.

The axle was removed from the trailer, then sent to an axle shop and had to be cut in half, where they welded a new end on it.

And they also warned me that this was not a fix, but a $1000 bandaid to get us home!

And, by the by, my RV extended warranty that was sold to me by my dealership
REFUSED TO COVER IT!

Just thought you might like to know that little tidbit...

See weld in this photo:

[5picker]

Here's what the newer TorFlex spindles look like.

TorFlex Spindle Replacement

[herbike]

I see her go by the house a short time ago so I guess the farm shop got her going. She said this was all on her, no insurance was going to cover it. Not that it matters, she is didn't seem to be concerned about the cost, just wanting to get on home. Nice gal, very down to earth. She understands poop happens just glad to be dealing with such friendly people.

She had seven small dogs with her, don't know how protective they would be. While I was talking to her they barked to the point I was about to go deaf! Four Pomeranians and three Norwegian hunting dogs.

[amblt]

Four Pomeranians and three Norwegian hunting dogs.

Wow!!! That's a lot of barking, I'm sure.

[Smiletwice]

Originally Posted by 5picker

Here's what the newer TorFlex spindles look like.

Thank you for this info. I just took my almost new (800 miles) trailer in to have the bearings re-packed prior to a 1500 mile trip because I don't trust dealer or manufacturer. Sure enough, someone had squirted too much grease through the EZ Lube system and it was coming out around the seals. Worse, the spindle nut was so tight the guy had to reef on it with a wrench to get it off. Needless to say, the threads are all messed up. May work for awhile but likely will reduce the number of times I can have bearings repacked. Doubt warranty will step up. I do have the Torflex axle so hopefully it means a new spindle and not a new axle!

[JohnD10]

Originally Posted by Smiletwice

Thank you for this info. I just took my almost new (800 miles) trailer in to have the bearings re-packed prior to a 1500 mile trip because I don't trust dealer or manufacturer. Sure enough, someone had squirted too much grease through the EZ Lube system and it was coming out around the seals. Worse, the spindle nut was so tight the guy had to reef on it with a wrench to get it off. Needless to say, the threads are all messed up. May work for awhile but likely will reduce the number of times I can have bearings repacked. Doubt warranty will step up. I do have the Torflex axle so hopefully it means a new spindle and not a new axle!

If you are still within your manufacturers warranty for the RV and/or the axle manufacturer you should try to run it though them.

Or, if you purchased an extended warranty you might try that option as well.

My experience with the extended warranty trying to cover a wheel bearing burnout on a two year old trailer with around 4000 miles on it was futile for me.

In other words, they used the fine print to squeeze out of covering what turned out to be a $4000 repair when all was said and done.

That also was the beginning of the end of that trailer for me...

Dumped it one week after I had it fixed.