Axle problems Rockwood micro lite

[idaho53]

Hello, I'm new to forum and researching info on 2018 Rockwood mini lite 2504s. I'm a women and I'm afraid I'm not knowledgable in these areas. I've read comments on various sites how the axel on some other Forest River trailers can bend under too much weigh (hauling full tanks). Can the 2018 Rockwood micro lite 2504s withstand the weight of full tanks without stress on the axel and tires while traveling? I'ver also read were the straps holding the tanks in place bend under pressure or worse break on the micro lite. Now with the underbelly covered it would be hard to inspect, right? One other question, I would be buying from out of state so if I had issues with a new trailer would I have difficulty getting a FR dealer which I didn't buy from do the needed warranty work? Thank you in advance for any guidance or advice

[SeaDog]

Welcome to the forum its a great place to get your questions answered. If axles are bending then that person is exceeding the max allowable weight of the trailer, an axle can be bent by placing the jack in the wrong position on the axle. Unlike cars just because a dealer carries FR products does not mean they are required to do warranty work on your rig and may give priority to rigs purchased at their facility. (I think it is listed in the fine print on the back of the brochure) Straps bending or braking is not unique to the Micro.

[B and B]

Buy Local for good service. Don't overload total weight of water and other items carried. A simple bathroom scale weighing all items going into the trailer as add water as per yellow sticker. You know what you put in then get to scale to check.

IMHO if the water tank falls out when full this is design flaw and I would not buy the trailer.

[Asrabbit]

I had axle issues with two axles. It had nothing to do with overloading. The 3500 pound axle was just not enough for the trailer. I thought the axle was bent, but that was not the case. The camber built onto the axle just could not hold up. When I took off the second axle the camber came right back and I could see that with the axle setting on the ground. Lippert sent me a 4400 # axle and I have had no issues since.

[babock]

That trailer has torsion axles. As with all trailers with torsion axles, very important to get the trailer perfectly level so that front/back doesn't have more weight than the other.

Torsion axles are great. You just need to know that you jack from the trailer frame so as not to damage the axle.

[Lundy]

With regards to traveling with full tanks, we boondock a lot and travel with our tanks full. When I bought our current trailer I looked for the CCC that would accommodate the additional weight of the tanks being full. Not all trailers have the carrying capacity to do this, so keep that CCC in mind if you are going to carry full tanks.
In regards to the straps breaking on the tanks, I guess any manufacture could have that issue, but with 40+ years of RV experience I have only heard of it happening a couple of times. If I ran across a trend in a manufacture I wouldn’t buy that brand.
Buying local just because of service only works if the dealers in your area are any good. The two FR dealers in my area are horrible with service; I swear I know more than they do. What do people that full time do for service, they don’t use their local dealer. From what I have been told, mostly on this site, is that FR is really good at authorizing independent shops to complete work if they approve the issue before the work is completed. Often you might have to front the money and then get paid back. Spending a few thousands more for the trailer to stay local is wasted money in my experience.

[Airdale]

Originally Posted by Asrabbit

I had axle issues with two axles. It had nothing to do with overloading. The 3500 pound axle was just not enough for the trailer. I thought the axle was bent, but that was not the case. The camber built onto the axle just could not hold up. When I took off the second axle the camber came right back and I could see that with the axle setting on the ground. Lippert sent me a 4400 # axle and I have had no issues since.

Isn't that just your opinion? With proper documentation to support such a statement, a recall action would be in order. Of course you'd have to have supporting certified weight slips.

[rsdata]

I do not own a Micro Lite nor have I ever taken my rig to a dealer for service. I have done all my service and that has not been much as far as warranty is concerned. Many on here will tell you that there are usually traveling RV techs that will come to you to fix a warranty or non-warranty issue, bypassing dealers. Most dealers discussed on this forum do NOT command much respect especially Camping World dealers.

If you do purchase out of local area because of price, many feel that the price difference justifies that buying experience and the possible delay in getting warranty work done locally.

Understand that during the camping season, most dealers are understaffed with techs and will almost always give preference to their buyers. But during fall and winter that may not be the case.

Another thing to consider if not buying locally,, is to tell the dealer that after PDI inspection and delivery, you will be camping at a close-by facility for several days and EVALUATING the camper for defects, and that if any are found you expect INSTANT service for that problem BEFORE returning to your home area. Get it in writing while getting a quote.

Good luck... and remember most problems that you read about are the minority of owners... owners with no problems don't post.

[5picker]

Hi idaho53! Welcome to the forum.
Glad to see you doing some research on the items concerned.
You are right, there have been some issues. We've seen some reports recently though that some of the concerns are being addressed at the factory but that doesn't mean there won't be issues.

Since you have advance concerns of these issues, I'll suggest you look for a dealer that will be on YOUR side if you have some issues.

You mentioned buying out of state... if you are doing so just to save money, you'll need to consider the savings-vs-the cost of repairs (if necessary) because of dealer concerns.

My advice to new buyers and to those that aren't as handy doing repairs themselves, is find a reputable dealer and make a good relationship with them. Good dealers are often hard to find but they are out there and invaluable to those who really need them.

Best of luck to you!

[rockfordroo]

It's been reported here on the forum that the problem with the fresh water tank supports on the Mini Lites was SUPPOSEDLY fixed sometime in the 2017 model year. But I think they are now enclosing the underbelly, so it's not easy to check to see if that's true.

[babock]

On my Coachmen, the metal braces support the tank beneath the enclosed underbelly so they are exposed for me to see them. They flex to much more than my liking so I will be changing them out with thicker metal.

[Mad Cow]

Worrying about buying local only has some bearing I suppose, if one only camps local. And any dealer shop can service any brand trailer. As was mentioned, this isn’t the world of auto brands.

And what difference does it make about priority if you bought from a particular dealer? If you have 50 other customers that bought from that dealer in line ahead of you for service, you are still going to wait. In most situations, irregardless of where you bought the unit, you are put in the queue for service. First come, first served. The dealer shop makes the same money either way. There is no advantage for them to diss anyone.

About the only thing unique to a particular brand of RV/TT is the structure. Everything else is outsourced and has it’s own warranty. And most of those outsourced items are the same no matter what brand of trailer they are in.

[bikendan]

Buying local is NO guarantee of good service. RV forums are full of complaints about buying local and getting lousy service.

I bought my Rockwood from a dealer 2000 miles away. Before paying for it, I contacted FR and they gave me 3-4 local dealers that would do the warranty work.

Knowing I would be at the back of the line, I waited till winter to drop it off. That way I got free storage.

[Mad Cow]

Originally Posted by bikendan

Buying local is NO guarantee of good service. RV forums are full of complaints about buying local and getting lousy service.

I bought my Rockwood from a dealer 2000 miles away. Before paying for it, I contacted FR and they gave me 3-4 local dealers that would do the warranty work.

Knowing I would be at the back of the line, I waited till winter to drop it off. That way I got free storage.

Now that is using your brain! Way to go!

[wnelsonfl]

The microlite has great suspension. I know, been down terrible roads, no problem

[jimmoore13]

These are tough questions, and I applaud you for doing your homework. You're seeing that individual experiences vary, as do opinions.

I'll start with a simple premise. The RV rolls out the door "as designed." The manufacturer is responsible for:
~ Employing adequately sized axles;
~ Supporting holding tanks with adequate strapping.

Rolling down the road -- if NOT over-loaded -- should not damage the suspension. Similarly, toting a full fresh tank to a camp site should not rip the fresh tank (or gray or black tanks for that matter) from their moorings. A failure in either area is a manufacturing defect or bad design.

I have a FR Rockwood HighWall PUP. It rides on the Dexter-style axle (single). It ALWAYS travels over rough gravel roads with a full fresh tank. So far, no problems. But, it's not precisely the same thing as the one you want.

If the evidence shows that MANY of these units are rolling out the door with manufacturing defects, buy something else. For the longest time, there was a huge discrepancy in quality and reliability between Japanese and US made cars. If you bought American, you resigned yourself to problems. The same can be said for RVs. Some brands are more reliable than others. And within brands, some models are more reliable than others. Don't buy a known lemon no matter how much you like the design.

So, what do you need to know to make an informed decision?
First, the Dexter-style axle is a good axle. Nothing withstands abuse, but if you stay within design parameters, the axle itself is up to the job.

You need to know the GVWR (gross vehicle weight rating) for the RV...all up, ready to go down the road to your favorite spot. Then you need to know the gross weight rating for the axle under the RV. If the manufacturer of the RV cut it too closely, expect problems. The dynamics of going down the road can induce forces that exceed what's expected in the design. There must be a significant margin for error.

If you have a 3500 pound-rated axle, and the GVWR for the RV is 3400 pounds, that might be asking for trouble. It's easy to imagine hitting a speed bump or pothole hard enough to exceed the Axle's capacity to absorb that transient force. Also note that the micro-lite is a HUGE box that can hold FAR more than it's supposed to. It's very easy to overload one of these, because it is very "flimsy" by design...an egg shell encompassing a large space. You must be rigorous in controlling weight.

BEST advice for weight...a local truck scale. It's easy and inexpensive to load the RV as if you're about to depart on a trip. Then go to the scale and weigh the entire rig - tow vehicle (TV) and trailer combined; the rear axle of the TV; the axle(s) on the trailer; then disconnect the trailer and weight the trailer when unhitched. All weights should be at or UNDER specifications. LOTS of people overload their trailers. Some get away with it. Some don't. A mini-lite is easy to overload and not stout enough to have a big margin for error.

As for the holding tanks, inspect them when new to know what "correct" looks like, then inspect them regularly and ensure that the straps holding them in place are standing up the the rigors of use. If not, a local auto repair shop or welder can probably beef up the carrying straps. Or order replacements and have them installed in a local shop. One does not need to be an RV mechanic to fix or replace a strap.

As for buying at a distance, do the math on a round trip to the selling dealer. The IRS allows about $.55.5 per mile. That's a VERY conservative cost for the expense of operating a CAR. It will cost you MUCH more than that to tow an RV with a truck or SUV. If your selling dealer is 100 miles away, a round trip will cost you about $.75/mile x 200 = $150. And each significant service visit requires TWO trips. That's $300 just to deliver an pickup your RV for one service visit. How much are you saving on the deal? It's hard to imagine a dealer discounting much more than $600 on a small RV like this one. And if they do, perhaps you need to look more closely at that "deal" you might be getting. Sometimes "too good to be true" is just that.

Relative to cars, RVs need more attention...more work...more coddling. These are "stick-built" little houses that BARELY meet DOT code for things like tires, brakes, handling, and so on. If you're a great DIY person, no problem. If not, you'll see your dealer more often than you'd like. All you need to do is skim these forums to see that even the top end motorhomes have more that their share of problems. That's part of RVing.

I urge you to shop locally, or you'll be last in line for service and repair, and that could cost you an entire season of use. Considering what you'll pay to have the RV, you could buy a modest vacation on a beach somewhere with the same money...EVERY year. Having your RV stuck in the back of a dealer lot from May to September will certainly ruin your day.

[bikendan]

FR allows you to use a mobile RV person or an independent RV shop.
You just have to get pre-approval from FR and be willing to be reimbursed.

IMHO, I would only buy local if their price was competitive with dealers in the Midwest.

I've seen way more disappointment from those that bought local, than those who were satisfied, on the various RV forums I belong to.

[jimmoore13]

P.S. A Mini-Lite is on my wish list. The PUP experience has lost its luster somewhat. So I have nothing against a Mini-Lite. I want one.

But rigorous attention to loading and weights is crucial to something so easy to overload. And others pointed out the importance of balancing the load. With such a small load capacity, it's easy to imagine further stressing the axle by putting a heavy load in the far back of the trailer. This cantilevered load exerts extra leverage on the axle. The farther away from the axle, the more leverage a heavy load can exert. And the larger the movements of this load. The rear of the trailer is a bucking bronco. Think of a See-Saw and how much adjustment it requires to balance a heavy kid on one end and a light kid on the other. That's what you're dealing with.

Now imagine going down the road with a heavy load in the back. That load could compress the suspension to its limits (bump stops), and from there, the forces on the axle...and on the straps holding the full fresh tank...are compounded. It's no longer bouncing. It's slamming hard. That slamming is likely to go unnoticed from the driver's seat of the TV, but that pounding will try to rip your holding tanks right out of their supports. Water weights 8.8 pounds per gallon. If you have 35 gallons of water in the tank, imagine the forces that full tank places on its retaining straps: 308 pounds STATIC load. Under the right conditions, this could become a 500 pound (or more) dynamic load.

Bigger RVs have more margin for error, but a mini-lite has precious little margin for error. Flimsy by design as I said before. Heavy loads, such as a folding picnic table, portable grill, and so on, should be centered on the axle or just forward of the axle. Kitchen cookware, dishes, and other heavy things are best close to the axle rather than at the extreme rear of the trailer. Not sure what all that stuff weights? Put it all in one cardboard box or laundry basket and pick it up. You'll be surprised.

When you do the scale, it's also important that, when you disconnect from the TV, that the tongue weight be up where it belongs. Too much weight in the back will make the tongue light and the trailer will be an evil handling beast. And it's also evidence that you're over-stressing your suspension. You might technically be within the GVWR, but the imbalanced load will wreak havoc with such a lightly built RV and suspension with so little reserve capacity.

The goal of "Mini-Light" is light. Every corner is cut to reduce weight. Even installing a more heavy-duty axle thwarts that weight reduction. "Used as directed," a Mini-Light riding on a tried-and-true Dexter torsion axle should be just fine. It's the ease with which these super-light RVs can be abused that may account for the lion's share of the problems.

[babock]

The model that the OP is looking at has an unladen weight of 5124# and cargo carrying capacity of 1524#. With 43 gallons of fresh water at 8.4lb/gallon, that's 361#. The trailer has a very good margin for cargo.

[Larry-NC]

Originally Posted by idaho53

I've read comments on various sites how the axel on some other Forest River trailers can bend under too much weigh (hauling full tanks). Can the 2018 Rockwood micro lite 2504s withstand the weight of full tanks without stress on the axel and tires while traveling?

I cannot think of a time when all three tanks would be full at the same time. What goes in must come out. As the fresh water empties, the black and gray fill.

Larry