179 Axle Issues

I mentioned in another thread about some axle issues with my new 179.
After 1000 miles or less I noticed the wheels started to lean it at the top- negative camber.
I also noticed the upward bend in the middle of the axle, put there during manufacture to give positive camber unloaded, with ideally close to zero camber when loaded, is now gone from the axle.  IOW it has bent.

So-  curious I headed off to the CAT truck scale.

The axle of the trailer has 3320 lbs on it ready to travel with a full tank of water, the stuff we usually carry and zero food or clothing, nothing in the black or grey tanks.  

Note this is without the weight distributing hitch hooked up which would easily add 100 lbs to the trailer axle, and probably more.    I'm guessing with another 100 lbs between the fridge items other food and clothes we would be around 3520.  The axle is rated for 3500.

Just for reference the tow vehicle, a Toyota FJ Cruiser weighed in at 5360 lbs with 3/4 tank of gas and no driver or passengers.  Note a good 400 of this is tongue weight from the trailer.

Now I see why the axle is bending after only a 1000 miles of road pounding....

Question for other 179 owners-  are you seeing this?

Oh and spare me the lecture about not traveling with a full tank of water-  we are heading out soon on a long trip where we will spend up to 6 days at a time in remote campgrounds out west without any water source so the tank will be full at times..

Called FR this morning and actually got a live person!
They never heard of it, see the dealer yada yada...

Meanwhile Dexter, who told me they could build a heavier duty axle for it a few weeks ago now says they can't.

    This sounds like the same complaints Vibe owners had with a 3,500 lb. axle at times I wonder what the designers are thinking when they build these trailers. In time most likely when they have had enough complaints they will upgrade the axle to one stronger. I think Dexter makes a 6,000 lb. axle and I think that is what someone replaced there Vibe 3,500 lb. axle with. I am not sure if the frame could handle that much weight that is something you need to think about if you put on a stronger axle will frame support the weight.                     I just went to the Forest River web site you are about 500 lbs lighter than the heaviest Vibe. You are not in that bad of shape as the Vibes but I agree a stronger axle would be safer.

I can't see ever being much heavier than it weighed today, as said clothes and food for a trip weren't in it but everything else pretty much was. 
I've been digging through the Dexter info and have emailed them back about their stating a heavier axle would require "undercarriage alteration".
From what I see the mounting holes for the #11 axle, the rpod has a #10, are one inch farther apart.
If that is the only issue I can take care of that.
I'm heading out on a 10,000 mile plus trip in a few weeks and I sure don't want problems 3000 miles from home....
The local Dexter dealer tells me they can have an axle in 3-5 days which I kind of doubt as ALL Dexter axles are custom made to order.  I bought a pair for my enclosed trailer 10 years ago and can't recall how long it took for them to come in.

The other issue is the tires FR used on the rpod are only rated at 1760 lbs each so  3520 lbs total for the pair!  RV's are rarely weight balanced side to side so I'm guessing the left side, which is usually heavier -slide out/fridge/heater/water heater etc-   is already over the individual tire rating on that side.  Visually the left side does look worse.

If I go to a heavier axle I will also have to go to 15" tires/rims, not a bad thing really.   But the heavier axle takes a 6 bolt pattern, so the other 3 trailers I already own with 15" tires are 5 lug- won't fit, so spares I already have etc won't fit.   Can't win.

     Budward our Vibe has a 4,400 lb. axle and 15" tires with 5 lug nuts. It would be expensive to change everything axle and wheels I know there are those that have done it with their Vibe. That's why I would recommend having it checked by a RV technician to see if it is defective and have it replaced under warranty.