Broken leaf spring hanger

[itat]

The trailer is 6 years old so IMO its just not reasonable to look to FR and Lippert to pay for it. Now, if you can somehow prove (to a court) Lippert's design or manufacturer was unreasonably poor you might have a case. As JohnD10 suggests, if you tried to make a claim out of this you'd have the impossible task of trying to prove that the suspension was not abused or in any way used outside of normal operating conditions, and you'd have to prove it to a judge ($$$$$$$).

Since Lippert has a huge share of the market for supplying frames to all the RV manufacturers in Indiana, your only option may be to pay to get it fixed and reinforced and then check it regularly. Its certainly the least expensive solution.

[camper1999]

I think you guys are missing the point. This is a major issue for a trailer only 6 years old. I was not looking for them to pay anything just maybe take note that this should not happen. Instead they pointed fingers

[mwdilday]

Are you the original owner? Even though you think you are not overloaded I would have the trailer weighed. The first thing that comes to mind is an overloaded trailer. If you bought it used then maybe a prior owner overloaded it.

[Handtravel]

I have 42ft 2015 Trilogy (Dynamax). We just had our second holder/ eye bolt occurrence in a year. Forest River referred us elsewhere and we have fended for ourselves.

We just had a Morryde wet bolt package installed for immediate repair. Rather than wait for the next episode we are headed to Morryde to spend the big bucks on a Indep wheel suspension and disc brakes.

Our 5th weighs 17300 plus our stuff. We are wondering if this is really going to solve the problem.

To much trailer to little axles, wheels and suspension!

Any thoughts on the IS system?

[camper1999]

Originally Posted by mwdilday

Are you the original owner? Even though you think you are not overloaded I would have the trailer weighed. The first thing that comes to mind is an overloaded trailer. If you bought it used then maybe a prior owner overloaded it.

It was bought new definitely not over loaded

[Handtravel]

Bought new! Made a point of moving stuff to my truck and lightening weight!
Still good idea to weigh it.

Thanks

[mwdilday]

Originally Posted by Handtravel

I have 42ft 2015 Trilogy (Dynamax). We just had our second holder/ eye bolt occurrence in a year. Forest River referred us elsewhere and we have fended for ourselves.

We just had a Morryde wet bolt package installed for immediate repair. Rather than wait for the next episode we are headed to Morryde to spend the big bucks on a Indep wheel suspension and disc brakes.

Our 5th weighs 17300 plus our stuff. We are wondering if this is really going to solve the problem.

To much trailer to little axles, wheels and suspension!

Any thoughts on the IS system?

Have you weighed your trailer at a truck scale?

[BandJCarm]

Originally Posted by Handtravel

I have 42ft 2015 Trilogy (Dynamax). We just had our second holder/ eye bolt occurrence in a year. Forest River referred us elsewhere and we have fended for ourselves.

We just had a Morryde wet bolt package installed for immediate repair. Rather than wait for the next episode we are headed to Morryde to spend the big bucks on a Indep wheel suspension and disc brakes.

Our 5th weighs 17300 plus our stuff. We are wondering if this is really going to solve the problem.

To much trailer to little axles, wheels and suspension!

Any thoughts on the IS system?

The I.S. system is the best thing you can do, bar none. MorRyde weighs each axle so they know what size to put in. Before when I went over a railroad track, the sound was "Bump-Bump.......BUMP". Now the sound is "Bump-Bump...........................".

Mobile Suites stops the manufacturing process in the middle, tow their trailers to MorRyde, have the I.S., installed, then tow them back to finish. Every manufacturer should.

I'm speaking from experience of a 5th wheel, not a Dynamax. But I won't ever worry about shackles or wet bolts again. Bring on America's Roads!

[camper1999]

Just an update, restored faith. Obviously this is something that should not happen. The trailer was not over weight and well taken care of. Forest River paid for the repair. This was not a minor issue. I have had other things go wrong and never looked for help. But this was something major that should not go wrong. Forest River made good on a unique issue. Forest River is the company I thought it was and I will definitely be buying my third cedar creek in a few years. Oh and good sam roadside assistance, A+.

Sent from my SM-G950U using Forest River Forums mobile app

[ependydad]

Good news! Glad they took care of you.

[slamac]

I am far from a suspension expert but I have done a lot of metal fabrication and structural steel welding in my long career . My son bought a used 2016 Eclipse Attitude toy hauler with a Lippert frame. The spring hanger broke and the rear axle nearly fell out from underneath the trailer. After some close inspection it was very obvious that the design, workmanship, welding and the steel were very very bad and now the internet is buzzing with this very wide spread problem. I have owned several RV's in my 63 years and have never seen such a wide spread huge SAFETY issue. I shake when I think of my kids and grand kids on the road towing a death trap or the axel coming off and injuring or worse, someone else. I will be spreading warnings on every RV forum, blog and media site possible that Lippert has designed a death trap and need to issue a recall ASAP. I also will be filing a report with the NTSB and would ask everyone with similar problems to do the same. The public and our families are in danger and the RV industry is turning their backs on what is most definitely a Public Safety issue!!!

[JohnD10]

Originally Posted by slamac

I am far from a suspension expert but I have done a lot of metal fabrication and structural steel welding in my long career .

I will be spreading warnings on every RV forum, blog and media site possible that Lippert has designed a death trap and need to issue a recall ASAP.

Just make sure you have your facts straight before you go around the net spreading the word!

Lippert probably has bigger pockets than any of us...

And you've got to CYA in case they go after you for spreading the wrong word!

I'm not making excuses for them...just telling you to CYA!

[slamac]

Yep that is why they get away with it. I won't back down when it come to the safety of my family or any ones safety.

[camper1999]

I did file a report with the NTSB. When this originally happened I contacted both forest river and lippert. I really was not happy with lipperts reply. Forest river stepped up and paid for the repair which should have been lippert. I have nothing bad to say about forest river. Also good sam roadside assistance A++.

[clarkbre]

I just went through the same spring hanger tearing off my chassis on the trailer in my signature. 14 months old and 4k miles the hanger tore off and flipped. 2 months of arguing with the dealer, FR and Lippert, a local welding shop installed 70"x2 1/2", 1/4" plate to stiffen the chassis and have a good mating surface for the spring hangers.

Sounds like this is a wide spread issue. I will be contacting the NTSB on this as well. It is a safety issue that could affect many trailers.

[slamac]

Yes a very wide spread issue. A safety issue! I would suggest everyone with a Lippert TT frame to inspect the frame near the suspension ASAP and for those of you with a 5th wheel the pin box. if you see any cracks in the frame to file a report with the NHTSA asap. That may lead to a recall and Lippert will have to fix them.

[NMWildcat]

Good idea. Everyone I know checks every component of their suspension at least once a year, usually when repacking wheel bearings.

I have a few friends who replaced their hangers due to wear, but have never personally heard of anyone actually losing a hangar due to bad welds.

Hopefully this problem is not as wide spread as you believe, but when it happens to you, it is a major problem.

Good luck in your quest.

[slamac]

I believe it is more wide spread than most people believe. Since this happend to my sons trailer I have been inspecting many friends and even some campers we have met on the road. I have found signes of cracking on about a third of the Lippert frames and the ones with the most damage or failure are less that 4 years old and after talking to everyone with the worst issues most of them, have to back their trailers or turn them sharp to store them. The design is not adequate for the side forces put on the axel while making a sharp turn. Weight would put even more force as well. Lippert has a fix but unless you have a failure they are not advertizing it.
Only the NHTSB can make them recall them.

[greysailor]

Originally Posted by slamac

I believe it is more wide spread than most people believe. Since this happend to my sons trailer I have been inspecting many friends and even some campers we have met on the road. I have found signes of cracking on about a third of the Lippert frames and the ones with the most damage or failure are less that 4 years old and after talking to everyone with the worst issues most of them, have to back their trailers or turn them sharp to store them. The design is not adequate for the side forces put on the axel while making a sharp turn. Weight would put even more force as well. Lippert has a fix but unless you have a failure they are not advertizing it.
Only the NHTSB can make them recall them.

What is the "Lippert fix"?

[JohnD10]

Yes...

I know several people with larger 5'vers and toy haulers that have had this issue.

It is not a RV brand issue problem, but a Lippert problem!