Failed Leaf Spring Conclusion

[THT]

The camper 'was' a 2017 Palomini F132D. Members may recall my post of a couple of weeks ago outlining the near tragedy of a failed leaf spring. When it broke in two places, the shell of the camper came down on the wheel, forcing it through the floor of the camper and bending the frame. Dragging it two hundred yards like that to get off the road finished the job - total wreck.
Eventually I got on to Dexter Axle to report this (not for compensation but to advise). As I couldn't send it to them for inspection, they had no comment. But the web site says that leaf springs should be maintained and inspected regularly. (Who on this forum is guilty of not maintaining their leaf springs - like checking the torque pressure on your lug nuts before every trip?) This is important - we were 'lucky' to have this happen on a quiet mountain road (day 9 of a six week trip) - not in Denver at interstate speeds, where we had been just days before - where a fatal pile-up would likely have ensued. Other lesson learned - consider a two-axle trailer.
We now have a Casita SD (16') - a whole ten levels above the construction of any Forest River product. (The leaf spring failure wasn't FR's fault - but the build quality of this camper was pathetic.) SO this could be my last visit to this site. Thank you

 

[Mr. Dan]

The camper 'was' a 2017 Palomini F132D. Members may recall my post of a couple of weeks ago outlining the near tragedy of a failed leaf spring. When it broke in two places, the shell of the camper came down on the wheel, forcing it through the floor of the camper and bending the frame. Dragging it two hundred yards like that to get off the road finished the job - total wreck.
Eventually I got on to Dexter Axle to report this (not for compensation but to advise). As I couldn't send it to them for inspection, they had no comment. But the web site says that leaf springs should be maintained and inspected regularly. (Who on this forum is guilty of not maintaining their leaf springs - like checking the torque pressure on your lug nuts before every trip?) This is important - we were 'lucky' to have this happen on a quiet mountain road (day 9 of a six week trip) - not in Denver at interstate speeds, where we had been just days before - where a fatal pile-up would likely have ensued. Other lesson learned - consider a two-axle trailer.
We now have a Casita SD (16') - a whole ten levels above the construction of any Forest River product. (The leaf spring failure wasn't FR's fault - but the build quality of this camper was pathetic.) SO this could be my last visit to this site. Thank you

Site software has no record of any other post from this account.

 

[MR.M]

The camper 'was' a 2017 Palomini F132D. Members may recall my post of a couple of weeks ago outlining the near tragedy of a failed leaf spring. When it broke in two places, the shell of the camper came down on the wheel, forcing it through the floor of the camper and bending the frame. Dragging it two hundred yards like that to get off the road finished the job - total wreck.
Eventually I got on to Dexter Axle to report this (not for compensation but to advise). As I couldn't send it to them for inspection, they had no comment. But the web site says that leaf springs should be maintained and inspected regularly. (Who on this forum is guilty of not maintaining their leaf springs - like checking the torque pressure on your lug nuts before every trip?) This is important - we were 'lucky' to have this happen on a quiet mountain road (day 9 of a six week trip) - not in Denver at interstate speeds, where we had been just days before - where a fatal pile-up would likely have ensued. Other lesson learned - consider a two-axle trailer.
We now have a Casita SD (16') - a whole ten levels above the construction of any Forest River product. (The leaf spring failure wasn't FR's fault - but the build quality of this camper was pathetic.) SO this could be my last visit to this site. Thank you

Leaf springs break all the time , over loaded or bad roads are just fituge . 5 yrs old it happens . I lost 2 one on each side of my TH after about 5 yrs . lucky was about an hr outside of Memphis and found 4 springs there and was able to install only a day delay . I Yellowstone i would have 5 or 6 campers a summer come in with broke springs . Napa there was able to get me springs overnight . pain in a rear job but with a couple bottles jacks doable .

 

[bikendan]

Site software has no record of any other post from this account.

Maybe the OP never made a post and only was a visitor, instead of an active member.

 

[Aussieguy]

when I was a kid ... one of my jobs was drilling the center hole for leaf springs
real a pain in the you know where.... busted more drills than can remember



was a good job in winter time ... the drillpress right next to furnace
Summertime... " $%%*&^&%^ what ya open the furnace door for again DH ! "

 

[Chuck_S]

(Who on this forum is guilty of not maintaining their leaf springs - like checking the torque pressure on your lug nuts before every trip?)

I doubt more than a tiny few even think of maintaining their leaf springs -- until one breaks! -- and only a few more check their lug lugs ever or know the required torque or have a torque wrench.

-- Chuck

 

[youweisun]

The camper 'was' a 2017 Palomini F132D. Members may recall my post of a couple of weeks ago outlining the near tragedy of a failed leaf spring. When it broke in two places, the shell of the camper came down on the wheel, forcing it through the floor of the camper and bending the frame. Dragging it two hundred yards like that to get off the road finished the job - total wreck.
Eventually I got on to Dexter Axle to report this (not for compensation but to advise). As I couldn't send it to them for inspection, they had no comment. But the web site says that leaf springs should be maintained and inspected regularly. (Who on this forum is guilty of not maintaining their leaf springs - like checking the torque pressure on your lug nuts before every trip?) This is important - we were 'lucky' to have this happen on a quiet mountain road (day 9 of a six week trip) - not in Denver at interstate speeds, where we had been just days before - where a fatal pile-up would likely have ensued. Other lesson learned - consider a two-axle trailer.
We now have a Casita SD (16') - a whole ten levels above the construction of any Forest River product. (The leaf spring failure wasn't FR's fault - but the build quality of this camper was pathetic.) SO this could be my last visit to this site. Thank you

My 2021 Salem's leaf spring broke on the road last year and caught the trailer on fire. The trailer was totaled. Forest River claimed that the spring was not manufactured by them so they're not responsible for the incident!

 

[bikendan]

My 2021 Salem's leaf spring broke on the road last year and caught the trailer on fire. The trailer was totaled. Forest River claimed that the spring was not manufactured by them so they're not responsible for the incident!

If it was after the 1 year factory warranty expired(which it had, if this happened in 2024), then it would be warrantied by the frame manufacturer, who is probably Lippert.

 

[Larry-NC]

I seem to remember the original post and FRF is the only group I follow. Not sure what may have happened.

But I did find in that the text of the first post in THIS thread was also posted in forums for Jayco, Grand Design, Thor, and Truck Conversion. Seems like THT has been pretty busy.

 

[tomupnorth]

It might normally irritate the heck out of me that THT would sign-up in 2019 and make two posts and leave (a Casita rep???) but as a relative newbie to FRfora and TTs this caught my eye and made me think "what maintenance is needed on leaf springs fer cryan out loud" so I've done some surfing on that.

The biggest thing so far that gives me pause re: our own TT purchase is that it is single-axle and two wheels. Gots to really pay close attention to everything about suspension/axle/wheels/tires/brakes/whatelse so as not to end-up dead on the side of a highway in the middle of nowhere.

 

[Dray59]

The camper 'was' a 2017 Palomini F132D. Members may recall my post of a couple of weeks ago outlining the near tragedy of a failed leaf spring. When it broke in two places, the shell of the camper came down on the wheel, forcing it through the floor of the camper and bending the frame. Dragging it two hundred yards like that to get off the road finished the job - total wreck.
Eventually I got on to Dexter Axle to report this (not for compensation but to advise). As I couldn't send it to them for inspection, they had no comment. But the web site says that leaf springs should be maintained and inspected regularly. (Who on this forum is guilty of not maintaining their leaf springs - like checking the torque pressure on your lug nuts before every trip?) This is important - we were 'lucky' to have this happen on a quiet mountain road (day 9 of a six week trip) - not in Denver at interstate speeds, where we had been just days before - where a fatal pile-up would likely have ensued. Other lesson learned - consider a two-axle trailer.
We now have a Casita SD (16') - a whole ten levels above the construction of any Forest River product. (The leaf spring failure wasn't FR's fault - but the build quality of this camper was pathetic.) SO this could be my last visit to this site. Thank you

Did you notice odd tread wear on your tires before this happend?

 

[bikendan]

Did you notice odd tread wear on your tires before this happend?

This member was 2 and done member. Their latest post was 3 years ago.