Replacement axle?

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   Well I followed in  StephenH's footsteps today and pulled both wheels to do a bearing repack and brake inspection. I now know why my drivers side brakes have been grabbing so much. I had a really tough time getting the wheel off that side. The brake linings were basically coming apart in chunks and the drum was very badly scored. Spindle and bearings were fine, as was the tire wear. The passenger side had some brake wear but nothing dramatic.
So, I'm getting 2 new hub assembles and two new brake assemblies. Hopefully Amazon will come through with Tues delivery because we're planning to leave Thurs morning for the mountains. The assemblies are supposed to come bolt up ready so it should go together pretty quickly.

I just bought this 2015 rPod in May and made the mistake of assuming that things had been properly maintained. Lesson (re) learned that you have to inspect all safety critical systems whenever you buy a used vehicle. 

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offgrid Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 23 Jul 2018 Online Status: Offline Posts: 5290	Topic: Replacement axle? Posted: 30 Sep 2018 at 4:43pm
	Well I followed in StephenH's footsteps today and pulled both wheels to do a bearing repack and brake inspection. I now know why my drivers side brakes have been grabbing so much. I had a really tough time getting the wheel off that side. The brake linings were basically coming apart in chunks and the drum was very badly scored. Spindle and bearings were fine, as was the tire wear. The passenger side had some brake wear but nothing dramatic. So, I'm getting 2 new hub assembles and two new brake assemblies. Hopefully Amazon will come through with Tues delivery because we're planning to leave Thurs morning for the mountains. The assemblies are supposed to come bolt up ready so it should go together pretty quickly. I just bought this 2015 rPod in May and made the mistake of assuming that things had been properly maintained. Lesson (re) learned that you have to inspect all safety critical systems whenever you buy a used vehicle.
	1994 Chinook Concourse 1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft 2015 Rpod 179 - sold

mcarter Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List podders Helping podders - pHp Joined: 07 Apr 2016 Location: Greenbrier, TN Online Status: Offline Posts: 3419	Posted: 29 Sep 2018 at 9:00am
	SH, You may have solved the brake and hub tightening issue. The brake adjuster could detect the slip caused by the greasy surfaces and continue to adjust to max to compensate. Heat could be minimum because brake is not tight against hub and is slipping versus locking. I know you said shoes were clean but I would replace shoes now that grease issue is fixed, once contaminated they will never function right again. As far as castle nut, tighten with large vice grips or crescent until races and bearings are set, then back off to snug. Lock it. Good luck. PS - still thinking about tire wear issue.
	Mike Carter 2015 178 " I had the right to remain silent, I just didn't have the ability."

offgrid Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 23 Jul 2018 Online Status: Offline Posts: 5290	Posted: 29 Sep 2018 at 4:40am
	Interesting. I was about to pull my bearings and regrease them as well, so this it timely. Its a reminder not to pack the hub solid with grease. Too much can be as bad as not enough. I suspect I have a similar problem as my drivers side brakes have become very grabby lately. Your bearings are good so I don't think anything you've described would explain the uneven tire wear. The 50 ft lbs pretightening is just a guideline to be sure you've set the bearings in the proper places on the races and squeezed out the excess grease before adjusting the play. I'm sure you're ok.
	1994 Chinook Concourse 1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft 2015 Rpod 179 - sold

StephenH Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List podders Helping podders - pHp Joined: 29 Nov 2015 Location: Wake Forest, NC Online Status: Offline Posts: 6288	Posted: 28 Sep 2018 at 8:24pm
	Update: I purchased a set of seals and a Lisle 56650 Adjustable Seal Puller and downloaded the Lippert axle manual (I probably have the hard copy squirreled away somewhere so downloading was easier than searching). I decided that I could tackle the job as it did not look too difficult. Today, I did the slide-side which is the one with the tire wear. What I found was what I suspected when I was adjusting the brakes which was that the seal had failed and grease was covering a number of the surfaces inside the drum, albeit, the shoes themselves did not appear to be covered. It was a job to clean off the grease. I went through a whole can of brake parts cleaner trying to blast the grease off the brake parts. I think I got almost all of it off, although there may still be some residue. Removing the old seal was the hardest part, even with the tool. I had to put the hub in the tire and put a couple of lug nuts on so I could get enough leverage to pry the old one out. After cleaning the bearings and the spindle as well as the inside of the hub and races, I greased the bearings according to the instructions and reassembled. I did not have the proper sized socket for the castle nut so I had to guess at the 50 ft-lb that the instructions said to torque the castle nut to before backing it off and then making it finger-tight. I'm not 100% sure I got that right so I will check tomorrow when I have daylight. I don't know if I will tackle the door side just yet since I don't want to pull it now and then have to order a new set of seals before the rally in case I need to pull it off there to check the brakes. Anyway, I'm glad I did not wait to check. The door side did not have any evidence of seal leakage, so I think it will be okay for now.
	StephenH Happy is the man that findeth wisdom,... ouR escaPOD mods Former RPod 179 Current Cherokee Grey Wolf 24 JS

offgrid Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 23 Jul 2018 Online Status: Offline Posts: 5290	Posted: 25 Sep 2018 at 4:27pm
	Thanks SH, so we theoretically have identical "3500 lb" axles. I'd love to hear what the FR rep has to say about the Lippert axle rating. please keep us posted. On a different but related note, I think I've learned why we have the seemingly odd GVWRs on our trailer labels. In the case of the 2015 179 that number is 3785lb. The Federal NHTSA rules read: On RV trailers, the sum of the GAWRs of all axles on the vehicle plus the vehicle manufacturer’s recommended tongue weight must not be less than the GVWR. If tongue weight is specified as a range, the minimum value must be used. If you look at specs for the 2015 179 tongue weight it s listed as 285 lbs, so 3500+285= 3785. So I suspect that what FR is doing is picking a tongue weight as close to the generally accepted 10% minimum of the dry weight as they can reasonably justify (in order to show a low value for marketing purposes) for each model, and adding that to the 3500 GAWR. If that's the case then we likely have more headroom in loading our trailers than I was thinking..
	1994 Chinook Concourse 1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft 2015 Rpod 179 - sold

mcarter Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List podders Helping podders - pHp Joined: 07 Apr 2016 Location: Greenbrier, TN Online Status: Offline Posts: 3419	Posted: 25 Sep 2018 at 4:16pm
	cool
	Mike Carter 2015 178 " I had the right to remain silent, I just didn't have the ability."

StephenH Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List podders Helping podders - pHp Joined: 29 Nov 2015 Location: Wake Forest, NC Online Status: Offline Posts: 6288	Posted: 25 Sep 2018 at 4:15pm
	I'm thinking that the rally might be a good time to pull the hubs and look at the brakes and bearings to see. Since they have the Lippert EZ-Lube hubs, I have not pulled the hubs off. I don't feel confident enough to do that without help.
	StephenH Happy is the man that findeth wisdom,... ouR escaPOD mods Former RPod 179 Current Cherokee Grey Wolf 24 JS

mcarter Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List podders Helping podders - pHp Joined: 07 Apr 2016 Location: Greenbrier, TN Online Status: Offline Posts: 3419	Posted: 25 Sep 2018 at 4:03pm
	OK, let us know, offer to help is open.
	Mike Carter 2015 178 " I had the right to remain silent, I just didn't have the ability."

StephenH Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List podders Helping podders - pHp Joined: 29 Nov 2015 Location: Wake Forest, NC Online Status: Offline Posts: 6288	Posted: 25 Sep 2018 at 4:01pm
	The label on mine says Variant # V000165646. I replaced the load range C tires with Carlisle load range D tires inflated to 65 psi a while ago and have made two trips out west and at least 3 trips up north since. Yes, I still have not noticed any significant difference in heat between the two sides, even though the brakes on the door-side are much tighter. I plan on asking about this at the rally in KY since there should be a factory rep there.
	StephenH Happy is the man that findeth wisdom,... ouR escaPOD mods Former RPod 179 Current Cherokee Grey Wolf 24 JS

mcarter Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List podders Helping podders - pHp Joined: 07 Apr 2016 Location: Greenbrier, TN Online Status: Offline Posts: 3419	Posted: 25 Sep 2018 at 3:56pm
	offgrid, tracking what you are saying, SH has issues on the other side???? I have Carlisles's but have read where Goodyear Endurance are also excellent, you will notice a difference with a D rated 14" tire.
	Mike Carter 2015 178 " I had the right to remain silent, I just didn't have the ability."