Tire Wear / Bad Axle

[ncitro]

Anyone have any experience with the Timbren Axle-Less axles? Seem pretty strongly recommended at etrailer, and would create an independent suspension. Off the top of my head I would think the issue would be getting it all aligned, hoping that the frame is perfectly straight, although they provide shims to adjust toe and camber.

https://www.etrailer.com/Trailer-Lea...TASR7KS01.html

[ncitro]

ncitro -- tagging you to ensure you don't miss post #6 from 315RLTSinPA . Good info!

315RLTSinPA
Thanks everyone, good info for sure. I’ve been making my way back home and haven’t had a chance to respond. I went through a scale today, and need to run some numbers but it looks like we’re running about 1500 pounds over the GVRW, and more concerningly I’m about 80 pounds over on each axle, but I’m below my 15” tire weight ratings. I’ve got 780 pounds to spare over all four tires, so seems like the debate would be whether to make the move to 8 lug wheels when I do the 7k axle (thanks for the heads up, looks like the 7k is actually little cheaper) and do disc brakes or keep my 15” wheels and tires.

Nothing is set in stone yet, but I’m thinking we’ll skip the IS for now. Since I’ll have no labor cost to do regular axles myself.

[howson]

ncitro -- tagging you to ensure you don't miss post #6 from 315RLTSinPA . Good info!

[315RLTSinPA]

Neil
I just went through this this year. I went with 7k axles, new springs, 16" wheels and tires, MorRyde cre3000, and disc brakes. When I talked to the place I bought the axles, they recommended skipping the 6k axles and go right to 7k axles, but only 6k springs.
You can swap your brakes, drums, and bearings right to the new axles. If you want to go to 8 lug, you will need new brakes, drums, and bearings. If you need to buy new brakes, drums, and bearings it isn't much more to go with disc brakes.

[Cate&Rob]

ncitro steve gravelle

Hi Neil,

I would second Steve’s approach to this. Start with a quality alignment analysis before buying axles or other parts. Agreed that a bent spindle is the “most likely” cause of the tire wear, but there could be other causes. This wear could be toe or camber.

Rob

[howson]

TucsonJim has had multiple experiences with bent axles--he should be along soon with a comment.

I haven't read of one person that went with disc brakes that regretted the change. Well worth it IMO.

[ncitro]

Go to a truck alignment center with Hunter equipment and verify the issue with the axle. Total toe of the axle should be close to 0.00 inches or degrees, and camber should be somewhat positive, top of tire tilted out, somewhere around 0.5 degrees. Worked for Hunter about 15 years, and worked with their equipment another 15. Neil, certainly applaud you taking the repair yourself with experienced help! The difference in axles should you replace only one does not raise a red flag, IMHO. Raising the axles is a good move too. The Mor Ryde idea is great. As I am sure you know, any upgrades you do probably won't help when you upgrade to a Solitude unless you find a buyer that is willing to pay for the value you added.

Yeah I hear you on the resale, and that’s what has me thinking of shipping the IS and doing that on the next rig. The other part of me says who knows when that will be and why not enjoy it now. Especially if we are going to do Alaska on this rig.

I had thought of taking it to a shop to check the alignment, but figured it most likely had to be the axle as there is no real alignment to do, so why pay them to tell me I need to replace it anyway. I might take it and have it checked once I replace the axle in case anything on the new suspension can be adjusted, but from what it looks like there’s no real adjustment short of cutting off the spring mount and welding them somewhere else (no correct track on my rig).

[steve gravelle]

Go to a truck alignment center with Hunter equipment and verify the issue with the axle. Total toe of the axle should be close to 0.00 inches or degrees, and camber should be somewhat positive, top of tire tilted out, somewhere around 0.5 degrees. Worked for Hunter about 15 years, and worked with their equipment another 15. Neil, certainly applaud you taking the repair yourself with experienced help! The difference in axles should you replace only one does not raise a red flag, IMHO. Raising the axles is a good move too. The Mor Ryde idea is great. As I am sure you know, any upgrades you do probably won't help when you upgrade to a Solitude unless you find a buyer that is willing to pay for the value you added.

[ncitro]

Question for the forum. I have substantial outside wear on my front passenger tire (photo of both passenger side tires below for comparison). I replaced all four with Good Year Endurance tires last summer, they have around 10,000 miles on them. I have Lippert 5200 pound axles. I broke a rear drivers side spring hanger a few years ago. My buddy is an ironworker and we welded and boxed in the hangers after that. I have upgraded my shackles and equalizers to the MorRyde SRE4000 and heavy duty shackles with the crossbar. I generally find it tows fine. I am going to weigh on the way home, but I had it done at the national rally last year and my wheel weights were all similar, and I was right at the GVRW of the rig. I have done some mods since then and would bet I am probably running a bit over.





I am assuming I have bent my front axle, probably the spindle since the other side is wearing normally (no photo as its buried under my slideout at the moment). For background, we are not really looking to trade rigs in the near future, but thinking a Solitude (maybe the new 378 mid bunk) in 2-3 years, but we do put on a lot of miles, 10,000 per year seems average, and in the life of this rig we are thinking we will do Alaska.

Looks like I have three options and I know some on here have done at least some of these so I am curious on peoples thoughts. In no particular order:

I could just replace the axle, I would think with a Dexter 6,000 pound axle. My ironworker buddy seems to think I would not necessarily need to replace both, it should not matter that the capacities are different. Another option would be to change both obviously, which I may do since we would have it tore apart anyway.

Related to that, I could also take this opportunity to upgrade to 16" wheels and tires. I run a Goosebox now with 7" of clearance, but got into a nasty site a couple months ago and had the rig come down on the bed. Very minor damage to both, but has me thinking I would like more clearance. B&W makes a raised gooseball, but I would be off level then, so the bigger tires would help with that, and give me some more weight capacity. I realize other components would then be my "weak link", and nothing will change my GVRW, but at least I would have faith in my tires and axles. I do already have the 2" spacers between the frame and axles, so 16" tires should be no issue.

The other option would be to go with the MorRyde IS with disc brakes, it is a pricy option, but those that have it seem to love it. I think howson had an issue with alignment, which sounded like a pain to deal with, but did end up being covered, so at least resolved. In this case I would definitely make the move to 16" wheels and tires, and probably 8 stud wheels at that, so that is going to add to the cost even more. I am working up a spreadsheet, but since I can do the axle swap myself, even if I decided to do disk brakes as well it will probably be about double to go the MorRyde route, but that is obviously an IS vs staying with leaf springs.

I guess my questions are twofold, first and most obviously does everyone agree that tire wear is a bent axle. Pressure is good, 75 all around, and bearing temps are good. I replaced all of the with Timkins when I replaced the tires, they are due to be repacked after this trip, which would be part of the axle work, but I do not think they are my issue.

Second if we agree its an axle issue, what are peoples thoughts on the IS particularly for my fairly light fifth wheel.

Thanks everyone!