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Topic ClosedReplacement axle?

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mcarter View Drop Down
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Direct Link To This Post Topic: Replacement axle?
    Posted: 25 Sep 2018 at 4:16pm
cool
Mike Carter
2015 178
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Direct Link To This Post 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.. 


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StephenH View Drop Down
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Direct Link To This Post 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.
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Direct Link To This Post 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. 


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Direct Link To This Post 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.
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Direct Link To This Post 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. 


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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30 Sep 2018 at 9:58pm
Originally posted by mcarter

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.
The problem is that the one that gets too tight is the door side which did not have the grease seal fail. Although I did find a lot of some kind of residue inside when I took that one apart. I also purchased a 1-1/2" socket so I could torque the castle nut to the 50 ft-lb specification before backing it off and making it finger tight and able to move slightly with the cotter pin holding it in place. I took it out for a  test drive and to see how it handles with the SumoSprings in the Frontier. So far, so good. However, I'm pretty sure the axle is bent as I still see the inside of the slide-side tire still has more bulge than the outside and it visually appears to be tilted in at the top. Front to back distances are okay as far as I can tell.

When we get to Kentucky and have a factory rep to ask, I will get a professional opinion about this. I will also have to tools to re-do the bearings and brakes if needed. The ones I bought for this job (seal puller, dead-blow mallet, bearing packer) all will be in my tools that travel with us.
StephenH
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 01 Oct 2018 at 11:38am
SH,

Sounds like a great plan, know you will tell us outcome.
Mike Carter
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 01 Oct 2018 at 12:12pm
StephenH, I would assume that the residue in the passenger side drum is just brake dust from the shoes, that is sacrificial material and is supposed to be there. The greasy side wouldn't have as much because the grease is lubricating the drums and shoes. 

I'm puzzled why that side isn't self adjusting properly. Was there any unusual wear (gouges, missing shoe material) on the passenger side drum and shoes?  Were you able to push the little locking lever out of the way of the adjustment star and back off the brakes on that side? 
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 01 Oct 2018 at 12:21pm
The thing I noticed is that there is wear on the surface where the magnet slides.  The drum where the shoes slide and the shoes themselves looked okay. I was able to lift the lever and back it off. I have done so after each of the past few trips only to find it tight again when I check. There still has not been excessive heat as both sides feel to be about the same. If it were generating excessive heat, I would think I would feel it when I check the hubs.

The surface of the magnet is not smooth but has some groves along with the corresponding place on the drum where it slides. While it is not worn down to the armature windings, I can see where I will want to do a brake rebuild. If I do one side, I will do the other also. I really would not mind if I could find a way to convert to disk brakes that would be cost effective.
StephenH
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