Warranty, Service and Recall Bulletins: 3100 pound axles on 171/2s too light!

3100 pound axles on 171/2s too light!

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Topic: 3100 pound axles on 171/2s too light!

Posted By: Happy Tripping
Subject: 3100 pound axles on 171/2s too light!
Date Posted: 24 Jul 2017 at 9:01am

Stimulated by a report of a 2014 171 having a 3100 pound axle, I crawled under our 2015 model.

Yep, it says:

"Dexter Axle P-12

Model SLR

Capacity 3000 pounds excluding rims, wheels"

In my opinion, putting such an axle on a 171/2 is either bungling engineering incompetence, (not likely) or excessive greed by the green shades at Forest River!

Forest River should immediately recall all R-Pods with such light axles and replace them free of charge!

There, I feel better!

No, the reality is that we must resign ourselves to frequent replacement of our tires due to our bent axles and, until the bean counters at Forest River realize that bad reports on the design of R-Pods harm their bottom line, new purchasers should look at R-Pod competitors with stouter axles.

(Just so you know, I love our R-Pod)

Replies:

Posted By: Keith-N-Dar
Date Posted: 24 Jul 2017 at 10:15am

There have been fairly few people with bent axles, and the last one bent theirs by hitting a curb. We have put thousands of miles on our 177 and replaced tires this year not because of wear but they timed out. Lots and lots more like me than that have bent axles.

I am amazed by the number of engineers who know more about building RVs than one of the biggest builders in the industry. I suppose the next thing will be another call for a class action suit.

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Keith-N-Dar
Boris & Betty (Boston Terriers)
2011 R-Pod 177
2010 Ford F-150

Posted By: marwayne
Date Posted: 24 Jul 2017 at 10:35am

I had a Dexter axle on my 2011 - 172, was told by the dealer that it was rated at 3500#. Went to the Goshen rally and talked to the Dexter guy and found out it was only a 3000# axle. FR replaced it with a 3500# Lippert axle at no cost.

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If you want something done right, do it yourself.
2011 RP172, 2016 Tundra 5.7 Litre, Ltd.

Posted By: Bugout
Date Posted: 24 Jul 2017 at 1:44pm

I would have kept the dexter it's a better axle

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Jk Aiken South Carolina 2016 178 Toyota Tundra 2017 4.6