a few issues |
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offgrid
Senior Member Joined: 23 Jul 2018 Online Status: Offline Posts: 5290 |
Topic: a few issues Posted: 11 Aug 2021 at 9:09pm |
I haven't seen one either but I understand the frame rails are more outboard/wheels inboard.
If someone with a 196 wants to get the measurements I'll run the load calc on the axle when I get a chance. Id need the total length of the axle tube and either the distance from the axle to frame attachments to the ends of the tubes or the distance between attachments. Also please confirm the tube dimensions and thickness. |
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1994 Chinook Concourse
1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft 2015 Rpod 179 - sold |
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StephenH
podders Helping podders - pHp Joined: 29 Nov 2015 Location: Wake Forest, NC Online Status: Offline Posts: 6289 |
Posted: 11 Aug 2021 at 3:39pm |
Since I have not seen one of the newer trailers and have no idea how much overhang there is between the frame and rail, I recommended reinforcing. I'll yield to your information and hope that the owners of such axles get better results than I did when mine lost camber. I ended up paying for a new axle that wound up being defective (bad weld for brake mounting flange). That one did get replaced under warranty.
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StephenH
Happy is the man that findeth wisdom,... ouR escaPOD mods Former RPod 179 Current Cherokee Grey Wolf 24 JS |
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offgrid
Senior Member Joined: 23 Jul 2018 Online Status: Offline Posts: 5290 |
Posted: 11 Aug 2021 at 12:48pm |
StephenH, I don't think the reinforcement we did on our 179s will help on a 196, because that axle isn't cantilevered like ours are The frame rails on the 196 are outboard, right? I suspect it's more likely that the negative camber on the 196 is due to bent spindles/torsion arms. Reinforcing the axle won't help with that. So it's important to find out what's bent before selecting a fix.
Re the cause of the axle bending, yes I agree that it is due to hitting potholes or bumps. Passenger vehicles are designed for much higher g loads, probably 3-5 g's , than the trailers are, which are lucky if they are designed to 2 g's. But that doesn't make a bent axle the owner's fault. Potholes are a normal condition. FR/Lippert have chosen to design trailers with marginal ability to handle g loading. So if there hasnt been overloading or abuse by the owner he or she is justified in making a warranty claim and there have been several instances where that has been successful reported here. |
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1994 Chinook Concourse
1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft 2015 Rpod 179 - sold |
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StephenH
podders Helping podders - pHp Joined: 29 Nov 2015 Location: Wake Forest, NC Online Status: Offline Posts: 6289 |
Posted: 11 Aug 2021 at 10:27am |
Reinforce the axle when you have a chance. That will increase the margin of safety with it. Use the advanced search to look for posts older than 6 months to see what I did and others have done to reinforce the axle. You can also look at my mods.
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StephenH
Happy is the man that findeth wisdom,... ouR escaPOD mods Former RPod 179 Current Cherokee Grey Wolf 24 JS |
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chasl
Newbie Joined: 04 Mar 2021 Location: New Mexico Online Status: Offline Posts: 30 |
Posted: 11 Aug 2021 at 9:47am |
Stephen. I agree, and believe that may be our issue. We drove carefully, but sometimes you cannot avoid bumps or potholes. On backroads I slowed way down, but on highways you cannot safely drive if you are going too slow. I hope they will beef up the axles. I will probably try to stay under 4000 lbs going forward, meaning no water while traveling. I already carry my heavier articles in the back of the pickup. thanks.
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cl
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StephenH
podders Helping podders - pHp Joined: 29 Nov 2015 Location: Wake Forest, NC Online Status: Offline Posts: 6289 |
Posted: 11 Aug 2021 at 8:15am |
Remember that the dynamic loads of hitting potholes, curbs, speed bumps, etc. can be much higher than the static weight. I'm pretty sure that is what happened to ours. I did not have a weight, but the 179 is heavy and the axle is only rated 3500 lbs. Even if we are under that, some of the roads we have been on can dynamically exceed that as the RPod bounces. Personally, I think that the engineers underestimate the forces and so specify an axle that is marginal at best and totally inadequate at worst.
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StephenH
Happy is the man that findeth wisdom,... ouR escaPOD mods Former RPod 179 Current Cherokee Grey Wolf 24 JS |
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offgrid
Senior Member Joined: 23 Jul 2018 Online Status: Offline Posts: 5290 |
Posted: 10 Aug 2021 at 5:27pm |
It does sound like the axle is bent.
Is the trailer weight 4250 or is that the axle weight? Do you use a wdh, that increases trailer axle load, about 100 lbs, maybe a bit more. If you have not overloaded it or hit some big potholes or curbs the fix should be on them. If some negative camber is considered normal then ask them for the max acceptable spec on that. At least you've raised a claim, make sure that gets documented in the event it gets worse. |
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1994 Chinook Concourse
1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft 2015 Rpod 179 - sold |
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Colonel Podder
Groupie Joined: 25 Sep 2020 Location: Lexington, SC Online Status: Offline Posts: 68 |
Posted: 10 Aug 2021 at 2:59pm |
I hate to hear that they won't address the issue with the axle. Mine has been in the shop a little over a week now, waiting on a reply from them. Mine is pretty severe, so hopefully I will get a different response. The axle rating is 4400 pounds for the axle, you should be around 3800 lbs when you consider the tongue weight, maybe less for the axle weight. Ours has also gotten worse over time. My sister has a 196 as well and they have only a slight amount of negative camber. But they have fewer miles than we do on ours. My dealer also has a new 196 on the lot, it has no noticeable camber.
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2021 R-pod 196
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chasl
Newbie Joined: 04 Mar 2021 Location: New Mexico Online Status: Offline Posts: 30 |
Posted: 10 Aug 2021 at 12:38pm |
My dealer repaired the issues under warranty, but the axle issue was not identified as needing repair. I will keep an eye on it.
Here's what I saw happen. The wheels were 90 degrees when we left for the trip. On the way, we did hit some bouncy patches on the road, and same returning home after 2 weeks. That's when I could see the tilt of the wheels, both sides. After unloading most of our stuff at home, the wheel tilt is still there, but it does seem slightly better. Maybe this is a normal issue related to weight. Loaded, the trailer weighed in at 4250 lbs. The max load for the 196 is 4400 lbs. I wonder if the axle changed a bit, but may still be within tolerance? Like I said, I'll keep an eye. The repair man said he crawled under to inspect. You can see the tilt, but it may be something that worsens or not? thanks for the advices and feedback. For now, we will let it ride I suppose.
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offgrid
Senior Member Joined: 23 Jul 2018 Online Status: Offline Posts: 5290 |
Posted: 07 Aug 2021 at 2:02am |
The 196 shouldn't have the same axle issues as the 179 and the other narrow body rpods do. Those are caused by the inboard axle to frame mounts which greatly increase stress on the axle tube because of the upward bending force from the wheels over the long distance between the wheels and the axle mounts.
As I understand it, the 196 has the frame and axle attachments much closer to the wheels. So I'd wait and see what the dealer says is bending on those axles. It could be the spindle/torsion arm that is failing not the axle tube. If that's what it is then reinforcing the axle tube won't help, the only solutions would be to get a higher rated and/or alternative brand torsion axle or try to fit a leaf spring axle. |
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1994 Chinook Concourse
1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft 2015 Rpod 179 - sold |
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