R-pod Owners Forum Homepage

This site is free to use.
Donations benefit a non-profit Girls Softball organization

Forum Home Forum Home > R-pod Discussion Forums > Podmods, Maintenance, Tips and Tricks
  New Posts New Posts RSS Feed: My version of axle support plan B
  FAQ FAQ  Forum Search   Calendar   Register Register  Login Login

Topic ClosedMy version of axle support plan B

 Post Reply Post Reply Page  <1234>
Author
Message
offgrid View Drop Down
Senior Member
Senior Member


Joined: 23 Jul 2018
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 5290
Direct Link To This Post Topic: My version of axle support plan B
    Posted: 11 May 2019 at 9:55am
toyanvil, I agree with the recommendation that marwayne try to find a good shop to do his axle straightening.

One thing though, an axle that is de-cambered is bent. If the steel hadn't reached its yield point it would have returned to its original shape once the stress was removed (elastic deformation). Once the yield stress in exceeded it will no longer return to its previous shape (plastic deformation). It will take on a permanent strain/bend.  It will also become work hardened and more brittle.The next time it is over loaded it will take more stress to bend it further.  The good thing here is that we're taking about pretty small deflection angles because the tube is so stiff so its not like these things are getting bent into pretzels. 

Here is an interesting video discussing this and showing one way to straighten/recamber an axle. 


I could maybe see trying to do this at home with a high capacity jack if a safe way could be found to cradle the axle and chains. 
1994 Chinook Concourse
1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft
2015 Rpod 179 - sold
Back to Top
lostagain View Drop Down
Senior Member
Senior Member
Avatar

Joined: 06 Sep 2016
Location: Quaker Hill, CT
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2586
Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11 May 2019 at 11:04am
So for everyone who wants to have Sunshine Brake and Alignment fix their axles, it's a fine Nevada company about 50 minutes from my house.  Come on out to the Silver State and you'll never want to go back.
Never leave footprints behind.
Fred & Maria Kearney
Sonoma 167RB
Our Pod 172
2019 Ford F-150 4x4 2.7 EcoBoost
Back to Top
offgrid View Drop Down
Senior Member
Senior Member


Joined: 23 Jul 2018
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 5290
Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11 May 2019 at 1:06pm
Terrible video but here's a guy straightening a leaf spring axle with a bottle jack. 

If a shop isn't available that will do it, the same basic idea should work for the torsion axle but you would need probably a 1/4 inch thick or better short piece of 3 inch steel angle to protect the torsion axle tube from getting pushed in by the bottle jack. If the axle is still crowned you could place the jack at the frame attach point on the side that shows negative camber. If its flat in the middle then place it in the middle. Not for the faint of heart, but better than just cranking down on the 1/2 inch bolt I think. Take your time, release and measure, and please be careful. 

1994 Chinook Concourse
1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft
2015 Rpod 179 - sold
Back to Top
marwayne View Drop Down
Senior Member
Senior Member
Avatar

Joined: 25 Oct 2011
Location: Edmonton AB Can
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1002
Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11 May 2019 at 1:19pm
I tried that , but you come to a point where you just lift the trailer. You would have to be able to somehow tie down the axle on both sides.
If you want something done right, do it yourself.
2011 RP172, 2016 Tundra 5.7 Litre, Ltd.


Back to Top
GlueGuy View Drop Down
Senior Member
Senior Member
Avatar

Joined: 15 May 2017
Location: N. California
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2627
Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11 May 2019 at 2:32pm
We have a neighbor/friend who is a metalsmith. He has all the toys, er tools needed to do this sort of thing. Unfortunately, California is quite the distance for many of you.
bp
2017 R-Pod 179 Hood River
2015 Ford F150 SuperCrew 4WD 3.5L Ecoboost
Back to Top
Happy Tripping View Drop Down
Senior Member
Senior Member
Avatar

Joined: 27 May 2014
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 473
Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11 May 2019 at 3:39pm
I'm one of the people who have a bent Lippert axle, but am resigned to just going thru tires more rapidly because of the estimated $800 replacement, there is no available axle-straightening shop around me. 

I just literally stumbled over this you-tube video, I have no idea of the reliability/accuracy of the guy's talk but it sure is interesting.



Back to Top
marwayne View Drop Down
Senior Member
Senior Member
Avatar

Joined: 25 Oct 2011
Location: Edmonton AB Can
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1002
Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11 May 2019 at 4:12pm
I have to disagree with the weight the WDH puts on the trailer axle, I tow with a Tundra. I weight my pod with WDH and without, with the WDH on the pod weight 150# more
If you want something done right, do it yourself.
2011 RP172, 2016 Tundra 5.7 Litre, Ltd.


Back to Top
lostagain View Drop Down
Senior Member
Senior Member
Avatar

Joined: 06 Sep 2016
Location: Quaker Hill, CT
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2586
Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11 May 2019 at 4:33pm
That back yard trailer realignment video looks like an accident waiting to happen.  

And the attachment of the frame extension in the video by Happy makes me wonder whether welding the extension to 0.1" thick frame walls is really going to be strong enough to support the new axles.  But this is something for our highly qualified engineers and metal crafters to weigh in with their views.  

If I was going to try to put a new axle on our Pod with attachment points further outboard, I think I'd like to use some kind of a box or channel iron base attached under the existing frame that would not twist the frame members and would be strong enough to have its attachment points further outboard.  But this  is something that our very capable engineers and metal crafters should weigh in on.  Sadly, they didn't teach me any of that stuff in law school.  Embarrassed
Never leave footprints behind.
Fred & Maria Kearney
Sonoma 167RB
Our Pod 172
2019 Ford F-150 4x4 2.7 EcoBoost
Back to Top
offgrid View Drop Down
Senior Member
Senior Member


Joined: 23 Jul 2018
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 5290
Direct Link To This Post Posted: 12 May 2019 at 8:32am
Originally posted by marwayne

I tried that , but you come to a point where you just lift the trailer. You would have to be able to somehow tie down the axle on both sides.

Take another look at the first video. The axle is tied down by the chains on both sides, which go from the axle, over the jack, and back to the axle on either side. So the jack just tensions the chains and pushes on the axle. Nothing should move or come off the ground. The angles the chains make with the axle need to be kept to about 45 degrees or so as the first video shows. Shallow angles will just result in the chains sliding along the axle. So, you'll end up bending a couple foot sections of the axle a little at a time.  The jack will probably need to be at least 10 tons capacity. 

I think its actually pretty safe if you leave the wheels on, which you'd want to do anyway so you can see the camber angle.  If the jack slips out of the chains it will just fall down. Chains aren't like wire rope or cables, they don't really stretch much so they're not going to fly around if the tension is released. Even so, if you try this, stay off to the side of the chains while operating the jack, and take it slow. 


1994 Chinook Concourse
1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft
2015 Rpod 179 - sold
Back to Top
offgrid View Drop Down
Senior Member
Senior Member


Joined: 23 Jul 2018
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 5290
Direct Link To This Post Posted: 12 May 2019 at 8:57am
Originally posted by lostagain

That back yard trailer realignment video looks like an accident waiting to happen.  

And the attachment of the frame extension in the video by Happy makes me wonder whether welding the extension to 0.1" thick frame walls is really going to be strong enough to support the new axles.  But this is something for our highly qualified engineers and metal crafters to weigh in with their views.  

If I was going to try to put a new axle on our Pod with attachment points further outboard, I think I'd like to use some kind of a box or channel iron base attached under the existing frame that would not twist the frame members and would be strong enough to have its attachment points further outboard.  But this  is something that our very capable engineers and metal crafters should weigh in on.  Sadly, they didn't teach me any of that stuff in law school.  Embarrassed

You have the 100% right. Welding those extensions on the frame tubes isn't the best idea. The frame tube is going to get a lot of torque applied to it that way because the bump load doesn't act through the center of the tube like it does using the normal risers. So the frame tubes will tend to want to rotate outward at the bottom.  


1994 Chinook Concourse
1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft
2015 Rpod 179 - sold
Back to Top
 Post Reply Post Reply Page  <1234>

Forum Jump Forum Permissions View Drop Down

Bulletin Board Software by Web Wiz Forums® version 9.64
Copyright ©2001-2009 Web Wiz