Bent Axle?

[mecapeman]

Recently I had the inside of one of my tires worn completely smooth. After reading some of the Forest River articles it appears that I may have a bent axle.

Does anyone know how to tell if your axle is bent?

While traveling in Canada recently I had brake failure on the same axle. I believe it could be related. I will be checking with my dealer when I arrive home in a couple of months.

[Iwannacamp]

Did they replace anything on the axle besides brakes? New backing plate or anything?

[mwdilday]

Originally Posted by Iwannacamp

Did they replace anything on the axle besides brakes? New backing plate or anything?

I think you are on the right track of something that should be checked Iwannacamp - sooner rather than later.

[JohnD10]

If you had a bent axle you would most likely have wear on both tires...not just one.

You might have an axle issue, but it is probably the spindle or maybe a tire balance problem.

Or...you could have a tire separating!

[Joe_GA]

Need more info. Do you have 1 axle, 2 axles, 3? Did you hit a curb or anything? What happened when you had brake problems?

[onetonford]

Spindle could be bent but brakes would wear out too also have seen were when they put the hub back on they failed to properly tighten the bearing nut being loose can cause the tire to lean in at the top and wear the inside of the tire. The best way to check is to jack up wheel and grab the top of the tire an see if it rocks back and forth.

[deepseadan]

Agree on more information needed. Is it a standard or torsion axle? Depending on what type of axle it could be suspension, loading or other plenty of other stuff. I’d be leaning towards not the axle.

[greghumb95667]

I have a 2015 Forrest River FlagStaff 5th Wheel - double axles. The rear axle was bent from heavy action on the Alaska Highway last year. Ordered a new axle from Dexter which came in with 1 1/2 degrees Negative camber on the right side spindle, and 1/2 degree negative camber on the left. This axle was ordered from Dexter and they were supposed to build it to the 5th wheel specs. But when taken to alignment shop, they gave us the information above regarding the negative camber. Anyone else with same problem? Anyone with same problem get it fixed so it can be used? Thanks, greghumb

[TitanMike]

Originally Posted by greghumb95667

I have a 2015 Forrest River FlagStaff 5th Wheel - double axles. The rear axle was bent from heavy action on the Alaska Highway last year. Ordered a new axle from Dexter which came in with 1 1/2 degrees Negative camber on the right side spindle, and 1/2 degree negative camber on the left. This axle was ordered from Dexter and they were supposed to build it to the 5th wheel specs. But when taken to alignment shop, they gave us the information above regarding the negative camber. Anyone else with same problem? Anyone with same problem get it fixed so it can be used? Thanks, greghumb

The axles used on trailers are sized so they will just handle the design load of a trailer. Tires are also matched to the design weight.

5-ers are especially vulnerable to axle problems as they have lots of storage room (as a rule) are towed by larger trucks that can handle all the weight, and when they encounter a frost heave in the road or a large pothole, the weight can easily bend the axle just like a relatively light hammer can generate enough force to drive a large nail. A heavy trailer passing over large dip or bump in the road generates a lot of kinetic energy and it's not unusual to see an axle bent right at the spring attachment plate.

Want to check to see if this has happened and is severe, with your trailer on as level a surface as possible, and tires properly inflated give your wheels a quick "Camber Check". cut a piece of 2X4 that will fit against the face of the wheel's bead area but not touching the tire. After cutting, place it vertically against the wheel's bead area, top and bottom. Then use a carpenter level to see how far out of "plumb" the 2x4 is. This will give you a very ROUGH idea of whether or not you have a camber issue which is usually the result of a trip over a frost heave or sudden dip.

If you have strange or rapid tire wear, it's important to visit an alignment shop before replacing tires or you will just have the same problem with the new ones.

[greghumb95667]

Yes, well, we knew the axle was a "goner" and ordered the new axle direct from Dexter Manufacturing. Dexter made the axle and sent it to our repair shop who installed it and took the trailer directly to the alignment shop. The alignment shop says that the spindles are 1 1/2 degrees negative camber on the right and 1/2 degree negative camber on the left. It's not the bent axle that we're concerned with at this point - it's a brand new axle!

[JohnD10]

I tried to get my Correct Track axles aligned at a trailer axle shop in Denver earlier this year and they told me that no shop in Denver aligns trailer axles anymore.

I called several other shops and was told the same thing.

I found this rather interesting...

[Iwannacamp]

I think usually these axles are the same as the straight front axles used on trucks. They are bent to alignment specs. Most front end shops don't have the equipment for this as cars and light trucks haven't used this in ??a long time. Ford had twin I-beam with forged beams(sometimes) and after that they went away.
Truck shops and old time shops might have the capability to do it, but then they have to be willing to.

[mwdilday]

Originally Posted by Iwannacamp

I think usually these axles are the same as the straight front axles used on trucks. They are bent to alignment specs. Most front end shops don't have the equipment for this as cars and light trucks haven't used this in ??a long time. Ford had twin I-beam with forged beams(sometimes) and after that they went away.
Truck shops and old time shops might have the capability to do it, but then they have to be willing to.

If this is a trailer then not the same as front axles on trucks at all.

[Oaklevel]

Originally Posted by mwdilday

If this is a trailer then not the same as front axles on trucks at all.

He's talking old trucks where if they were out if alignment you most often had to heat and bend the axle back into alignment. I miss my old Fords never had one out of alignment.........

[Oaklevel]

Originally Posted by mecapeman

Recently I had the inside of one of my tires worn completely smooth. After reading some of the Forest River articles it appears that I may have a bent axle.

Does anyone know how to tell if your axle is bent?

While traveling in Canada recently I had brake failure on the same axle. I believe it could be related. I will be checking with my dealer when I arrive home in a couple of months.

Got off track a little can the op send more info ??

[TitanMike]

Originally Posted by greghumb95667

Yes, well, we knew the axle was a "goner" and ordered the new axle direct from Dexter Manufacturing. Dexter made the axle and sent it to our repair shop who installed it and took the trailer directly to the alignment shop. The alignment shop says that the spindles are 1 1/2 degrees negative camber on the right and 1/2 degree negative camber on the left. It's not the bent axle that we're concerned with at this point - it's a brand new axle!

Have you contacted Dexter? If so what do they have to say?

FWIW, if it's a tube axle the most common cure for your problem would be to put the customary bend in middle of the axle only rather than dead center, move the bend closer to the right side so more camber is added to the right side than left. Since there is three times the negative camber on the Left than right, some simple geometry calc's can tell how far to offset the bend.

An experienced operator will also correct toe angle at the same time by merely adjusting the equipment he is using to bend the axle (usually a couple of chains, a solid beam, a 12 ton jack, and a jack "cap" that has one side matching the contour of the axle). Move the bending equipment toward the front so it's hanging at an angle and both camber and toe in will be changed as camber is changed. Reverse to add toe out.

The reason most large shops don't do it anymore is that trailers require portable equipment and it's expensive. When I got into the tire/service industry an alignment machine could be purchased brand new and included training for ~$1500. When I retired I was buying equipment setups for new tire stores costing as much as $40,000 and that was only for Auto/Light Truck. Truck setups could run 3 times that, depending.

I would either rely on Dexter to correct their problem with the new axle or search for an oldtimer that does truck and trailer work in his barn as a post retirement job. We have several of them around my part of the woods. You can often search them out by talking to the local NAPA parts store or commercial department of the other "chain auto parts stores".

[TitanMike]

Originally Posted by greghumb95667

Yes, well, we knew the axle was a "goner" and ordered the new axle direct from Dexter Manufacturing. Dexter made the axle and sent it to our repair shop who installed it and took the trailer directly to the alignment shop. The alignment shop says that the spindles are 1 1/2 degrees negative camber on the right and 1/2 degree negative camber on the left. It's not the bent axle that we're concerned with at this point - it's a brand new axle!

Have you contacted Dexter? If so what do they have to say?

FWIW, if it's a tube axle the most common cure for your problem would be to put the customary bend in middle of the axle only rather than dead center, move the bend closer to the right side so more camber is added to the right side than left. Since there is three times the negative camber on the Left than right, some simple geometry calc's can tell how far to offset the bend.

An experienced operator will also correct toe angle at the same time by merely adjusting the equipment he is using to bend the axle (usually a couple of chains, a solid beam, a 12 ton jack, and a jack "cap" that has one side matching the contour of the axle). Move the bending equipment toward the front so it's hanging at an angle and both camber and toe in will be changed as camber is changed. Reverse to add toe out.

The reason most large shops don't do it anymore is that trailers require portable equipment and it's expensive. When I got into the tire/service industry an alignment machine could be purchased brand new and included training for ~$1500. When I retired I was buying equipment setups for new tire stores costing as much as $40,000 and that was only for Auto/Light Truck. Truck setups could run 3 times that, depending.

I would either rely on Dexter to correct their problem with the new axle or search for an oldtimer that does truck and trailer work in his barn as a post retirement job. We have several of them around my part of the woods. You can often search them out by talking to the local NAPA parts store or commercial department of the other "chain auto parts stores". You're looking for the guys who do the work but don't advertise in the Yellow Pages or Online.

[Joe_GA]

Years ago, I had a bumper pull camper that was eating tires. I found a guy that did alignments where you were as long as a reasonable flat and level area. He came to my house and carried everything in a small SUV. He used a laser system and bent the axles like TitanMike described above. This was about 10 years ago and I think he charged me $400.00. I never had anymore abnormal tire wear after that.

[Iwannacamp]

Originally Posted by TitanMike

Have you contacted Dexter? If so what do they have to say?

FWIW, if it's a tube axle the most common cure for your problem would be to put the customary bend in middle of the axle only rather than dead center, move the bend closer to the right side so more camber is added to the right side than left. Since there is three times the negative camber on the Left than right, some simple geometry calc's can tell how far to offset the bend.

An experienced operator will also correct toe angle at the same time by merely adjusting the equipment he is using to bend the axle (usually a couple of chains, a solid beam, a 12 ton jack, and a jack "cap" that has one side matching the contour of the axle). Move the bending equipment toward the front so it's hanging at an angle and both camber and toe in will be changed as camber is changed. Reverse to add toe out.

The reason most large shops don't do it anymore is that trailers require portable equipment and it's expensive. When I got into the tire/service industry an alignment machine could be purchased brand new and included training for ~$1500. When I retired I was buying equipment setups for new tire stores costing as much as $40,000 and that was only for Auto/Light Truck. Truck setups could run 3 times that, depending.

I would either rely on Dexter to correct their problem with the new axle or search for an oldtimer that does truck and trailer work in his barn as a post retirement job. We have several of them around my part of the woods. You can often search them out by talking to the local NAPA parts store or commercial department of the other "chain auto parts stores".

X2. Worked at NAPA 21 years...Texarkana. Thompson's Brake and Front End does/did it. GCR Tire used to do it also. I think the key is truck shop/willing to do it.

[Joe_GA]

Ask at camper dealers. That's how I found out about the guy that fixed mine. I went to a dealer and they gave me the guys name and phone number.