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Topic ClosedRPod Axle Issue....why?
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lostagain View Drop Down
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Posts: 2587 		Direct Link To This Post Topic: RPod Axle Issue....why?
    Posted: 16 Jun 2019 at 7:07pm
Thanks for the update.  I think your modification would be much more economical than buying a Starcraft.
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offgrid View Drop Down
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Posts: 5290 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 16 Jun 2019 at 7:10pm
Originally posted by lostagain

  All geese do is hiss and honk.

Don't go sellin' geese short, they can be pretty ornery.  A goose got annoyed at the incessant barking and went after my Pomeranian a couple months ago. I don't think he'll be bothering geese again anytime soon LOL
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lostagain View Drop Down
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Posts: 2587 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 16 Jun 2019 at 7:42pm
When I worked in NJ the company contracted with some folks to run the cafeteria.  It was strange that they were always offering chicken dishes.  Then people started noticing that the gaggle of geese that had inhabited the extensive front lawn had inexplicably diminished in numbers.  They terminated the cafeteria contractor and the gaggle started to recover over the next  year.  Dead

But, it'd still be interesting from an engineering point of view what the axle specs are for the Starcraft including capacity and overhang from the frame.  
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podwerkz View Drop Down
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Posts: 966 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 16 Jun 2019 at 8:43pm
Hey do I get a commission if someone here buys a Starcraft?  Wink

I found a video that very briefly shows the running gear...you might have to pause at around 1:15 in the video to see the springs and frame:
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offgrid View Drop Down
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Posts: 5290 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 16 Jun 2019 at 9:11pm
Originally posted by podwerkz

Hey do I get a commission if someone here buys a Starcraft?  Wink

I found a video that very briefly shows the running gear...you might have to pause at around 1:15 in the video to see the springs and frame:




You'd have to ask Starcraft about that commission Tongue

Looks like the frame rails/axle mounts are at about the same place as in an rPod. Might be fine if the axle is designed to handle it (or not if not). The spacer under the axle tube to provide spring clearance is a interesting trick to get a low ride height. Just remove it to get more ride height? 

The frame rail seems taller than the 4 inch one in an rPod. or is that just an illusion from the photo? 
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StephenH View Drop Down
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Posts: 6288 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 16 Jun 2019 at 9:26pm
It is hard to tell but I also think the spacing is similar. I don't think the frame rails are higher. The size of the dump connector is the same as on our R-Pod and the relative size of that and the frame looks about the same.

The only way to gain ride height looks to be reversing the position of the axle and springs, putting them on top of instead of below the axle tube. That would likely void any sort of warranty though and might affect the stability of the trailer while towing.
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podwerkz View Drop Down
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Posts: 966 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 16 Jun 2019 at 10:48pm
You know it's always gonna be something.

I do prefer the leaf spring axles on the Satellite (and the very similar Comet) but the higher GVWR and weight of those trailers on a single axle might worry me a bit.

2000 pounds load per tire is getting up there. I have to wonder what the tire choices might be when the factory supplied chinese 'may-pops' need replacement.
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GlueGuy View Drop Down
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Posts: 2628 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 17 Jun 2019 at 9:31am
That Starcraft Satellite has a higher empty weight and lower GVWR than the similar R-pod. I'm just looking at their model 18ds, which is similar to the R-pod 179. GVWR is 3790 lbs and an empty weight of 3195, for a net of 595 lbs. The R-pod 179 is closer to 1000 lbs (9-someting IIRC).
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podwerkz View Drop Down
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Posts: 966 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 17 Jun 2019 at 10:15am
Yeah, compared to the same size and weight r-pod then the differences would be mostly irrelevant.

I was actually referring to the higher weights of the Starcraft trailers compared to my r-pod 171....which is an r-pod 'lite'....(no slides!) 
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offgrid View Drop Down
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Posts: 5290 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 17 Jun 2019 at 12:08pm
Originally posted by GlueGuy

That Starcraft Satellite has a higher empty weight and lower GVWR than the similar R-pod. I'm just looking at their model 18ds, which is similar to the R-pod 179. GVWR is 3790 lbs and an empty weight of 3195, for a net of 595 lbs. The R-pod 179 is closer to 1000 lbs (9-someting IIRC).

I looked at these same figures. The Starcraft 179 "clone" weighs 3195 empty and my 179 (supposedly) weighs 2756 empty. But apparently the Starcraft comes standard with roof air and a micro, which puts put the rpod at about 2900, or about 290 lbs heavier. The axle reinforcement is adding about 40 lbs, so now I'm at about 2940 for a 250 lb difference in empty weight from the Starcraft. Not great but not a deal  killer. 

Starcraft does mention having the ability to add ground clearance, so that's good. Put 15 inch wheels and 2500 lb rated LRD tires on it and it will have plenty of headroom on wheel/tire loading. Heck, you could probably even put LRD "China Bombs" on there and be fine, that's what I did on my 179 LOL
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