|
Bent Axle |
Post Reply 
|
Page 12> |
| Author |
 Share Topic Printable Version Google Delicious Digg StumbleUpon Windows Live Yahoo Bookmarks reddit Facebook MySpace Newsvine Furl Topic Search  Topic Options
|
JohnnyMac 
Newbie 
Joined: 24 Mar 2023 Location: Bellingham WA Online Status: Offline Posts: 20 |
 Post Options
 Quote Reply
 Topic: Bent AxlePosted: 21 Apr 2023 at 6:59pm |
|
Just wondering,....I hear a lot about the weak axles in the R-Pod and that they may become slightly bent causing a slight (top-in) cambering of the wheels. My question is,....is there anything unsafe about using it with a slightly bent axle? If it still tows fine, what is the down side??
|
|
|
JonnyMac
|
|
 |
|
|
StephenH
podders Helping podders - pHp 
Joined: 29 Nov 2015 Location: Wake Forest, NC Online Status: Offline Posts: 6288 |
Post Options
Quote Reply
Posted: 21 Apr 2023 at 8:12pm |
|
The down side is faster wear on the inside edges of the tires. Keep track of the wear as it can wear through faster than you might think.
|
|
|
StephenH
Happy is the man that findeth wisdom,... ouR escaPOD mods Former RPod 179 Current Cherokee Grey Wolf 24 JS |
|
|
|
|
mjlrpod
Senior Member
Joined: 27 Sep 2016 Location: Massachusetts Online Status: Offline Posts: 1214 |
Post Options
Quote Reply
Posted: 22 Apr 2023 at 9:52am |
|
Unfortunately F/R continues to make Rpods with axle connection points about a foot or so away from the end of the axle. If you hit a bump or pothole, it leaves the unsupported last foot or so to absorb the full shock of it. Funny thing is, they also build surveyor campers too. Those have the connection point at the absolute end of the axle. Why the heck do they do things like that.
|
|
|
2017.5 Rp-172
2020 R-pod 195 2015 Frontier sv 4.0L 6cyl I'll be rpodding |
|
|
|
|
GlueGuy
Senior Member
Joined: 15 May 2017 Location: N. California Online Status: Offline Posts: 2629 |
Post Options
Quote Reply
Posted: 22 Apr 2023 at 10:17am |
I've wondered about that as well. The issue is that the frame is roughly 2' more narrow than the outside of the trailer. Why would they do that? I suspect it is to reduce the weight of the trailer. Adding 2' to the width would mean they would have to do additional bracing in between the outer rails, and that would probably add (at least) a couple hundred pounds to the weight of the trailer. The downside is that the axle gets cantilevered as you noted. The other issue is that the weight of the walls is bearing down on the floor (hence why we add the outriggers).
|
|
|
bp
2017 R-Pod 179 Hood River 2015 Ford F150 SuperCrew 4WD 3.5L Ecoboost |
|
|
|
|
jato
Senior Member
Joined: 23 Feb 2012 Location: Kewadin, MI Online Status: Offline Posts: 3224 |
Post Options
Quote Reply
Posted: 23 Apr 2023 at 5:07pm |
|
We have had a slight bent axle on our 177 for 11 years on the slide side. Yes, there is some additional wear on the inside tread but after 5 years (when they are replaced) there is still plenty of tread left, even on the inside of the tire. Traveling over 43,000 miles with this condition, I don't worry about it.
|
|
|
God's pod
'11 model 177 '17 Ford F-150 4WD 3.5 Ecoboost Jim and Diane by beautiful Torch Lake "...and you will know the Truth and the Truth will set you free." |
|
|
|
|
DD08
Newbie
Joined: 05 May 2023 Online Status: Offline Posts: 9 |
Post Options
Quote Reply
Posted: 06 Jun 2023 at 11:19am |
|
We just got our R Pod a few weeks ago, took it into service to get the bearings re-packed and they came back advising we have a bent axle as well. No risks in driving it your just going to wear your tires every 1-2 years, for the cost of tires these days it was a cost we couldn't absorb.
We got one 1 day camping trip with it before we're already looking into selling it or seeing what our options are to replace the axle. Our first quote along to fix a few other things was about $3800.00 and sent us in a tailspin.
|
|
|
|
|
jato
Senior Member
Joined: 23 Feb 2012 Location: Kewadin, MI Online Status: Offline Posts: 3224 |
Post Options
Quote Reply
Posted: 06 Jun 2023 at 5:00pm |
|
As stated above we have had this issue for 11 years. We replace our tires at 5 year intervals with one set having 24,000+ miles on them after 5 years (Hartland tire load range "C"). It was observable that there was slightly more wear on the inside of the tire but there was plenty of tread left, there were no worries as far as safety was concerned even after 5 years and 24,000+ miles.
|
|
|
God's pod
'11 model 177 '17 Ford F-150 4WD 3.5 Ecoboost Jim and Diane by beautiful Torch Lake "...and you will know the Truth and the Truth will set you free." |
|
|
|
|
StephenH
podders Helping podders - pHp
Joined: 29 Nov 2015 Location: Wake Forest, NC Online Status: Offline Posts: 6288 |
Post Options
Quote Reply
Posted: 06 Jun 2023 at 5:40pm |
|
+1. Before going the drastic route, check and see just how bad it is. Unless you are doing multi-thousand mile trips, you may not wear the tires out before they age out and need replacing.
|
|
|
StephenH
Happy is the man that findeth wisdom,... ouR escaPOD mods Former RPod 179 Current Cherokee Grey Wolf 24 JS |
|
|
|
|
renhui
Groupie 
Joined: 20 Jul 2022 Location: Calgary, Canada Online Status: Offline Posts: 58 |
Post Options
Quote Reply
Posted: 06 Jun 2023 at 9:48pm |
|
I noticed some bent as well (top-in), will keep a close eye on it.
I've seen some videos on Youtube on fixing the axle, have any one tried that before at all?
|
|
|
|
|
DD08
Newbie
Joined: 05 May 2023 Online Status: Offline Posts: 9 |
Post Options
Quote Reply
Posted: 08 Jun 2023 at 11:43am |
|
Thanks Jato/Stephen,
Appreciate the input, I think when we hear bent axle not having much knowledge on R pods and trailers we thought it was the end of the road and the thing was done. we got a second opinion on ours and the Axle is bent about 1/4", We're going to review replacing or just leaving it as is but we've had the tires for about 2 years and the wear appears pretty bad. Pictures to follow.
|
|
|
|
|
Post Reply
|
Page 12> |
| Forum Jump | Forum Permissions You cannot post new topics in this forum You cannot reply to topics in this forum You cannot delete your posts in this forum You cannot edit your posts in this forum You cannot create polls in this forum You cannot vote in polls in this forum |
