Axle Woes

[TucsonJim]

In July of 2018, I started to notice unusual wear on the LR tire. the inside edge of the tire was wearing much more quickly than the outside edge. I sent a photo to Lippert and GDRV and both of them concurred that the axle had a mis-aligned spindle and needed to be replaced. GDRV sent me sent me a new axle but Lippert said they would not cover it since it was past the one year warranty. I received a new axle from GDRV, then a few days later another one showed up at the front door. It seems LCI had a change of heart and sent one anyway. I contacted LCI and they didn't want to pay for return shipping, so I stored it in the garage.

I changed the axle, and replaced all four tires with Goodyear Endurance tires. This last summer, I started to notice some excess wear on the outside edge of the RR tire. This was right after my rig went to Elkhart and back for some delamination work. I just got back to Arizona from the Southern California rally, and the RR tire is worn so badly that I need to once again replace the axle and the tire. Since it's the RR, I'm wondering if one of the delivery drivers might have curbed the wheel. Thank goodness I have that spare axle.

Fortunately, it's not too hard to change the axle myself. I'm sure glad I have the skills, tools and location to do the job. This rig would be very costly to maintain if I was paying labor for all the repairs. Have many others had tire wear issues on their rigs that are related to axle alignment issues?

[Second Chance]

Hey, Jim,

I thought for a second you were talking about Axl Rose - then I re-read the subject line.

You probably recall (from another forum) that we had an issue on our 2016 337. The bent axle/spindle was bad enough that we decided to pull the rig up to Elkhart and have MOR/ryde install the IS. The misalignment was enough to wear the outer shoulder off of the right front tire. We're moving up to a Solitude 310GK-R after the first of the year and I'm concerned about returning to solid axles and leaf springs. I hope the MOR/ryde 3000 system on the new ones is better than the Lippert Correct Track was, too...

Rob

[TucsonJim]

Hey, Jim,

I thought for a second you were talking about Axl Rose - then I re-read the subject line.

You probably recall (from another forum) that we had an issue on our 2016 337. The bent axle/spindle was bad enough that we decided to pull the rig up to Elkhart and have MOR/ryde install the IS. The misalignment was enough to wear the outer shoulder off of the right front tire. We're moving up to a Solitude 310GK-R after the first of the year and I'm concerned about returning to solid axles and leaf springs. I hope the MOR/ryde 3000 system on the new ones is better than the Lippert Correct Track was, too...

Rob

I do remember that Rob. BTW, I put the CRE3000 on our unit before its first trip. I really can't tell a difference between that and the Equa-Flex we had on our 337. I do like the fact that you can inspect the CRE3000's rubber damper without having to disassemble the equalizer.

Jim

[Cate&Rob]

Second Chance

Hi Rob,

I don’t have anything to add to this conversation . . . just wanted to say to Second Chance Rob . . . I’m really glad that you found us over here .

(another) Rob

[Yoda]

Jim - do you have a good axle/frame shop near you? Might be worth getting the axle alignment checked.
Just a thought
Keith

[TucsonJim]

Believe me, if I didn't have a spare axle in the garage, that would be my next step.

Jim

[Yoda]

What I was thinking, even with the spare axle, the existing mounts or springs may be off leading to your issues. However you might be able to do it your self with an accurate measuring device or help from a friend. Also double check spring deflection and spring eyes - a soft spring can lead to interior tire wear, just like a bad axle bow. On my old unit I had constant uneven inside wear and cupping on a front tire. Frame shop found a soft spring and worse yet an elongated spring eye that allowed the axle on that side to sit back just a bit.

[Cate&Rob]

TucsonJim

If both tires on the same axle were wearing as you describe (one inside shoulder and one outside shoulder), I would be thinking axle mis-alignment as Yoda suggests. It is a little bit curious that the first wear was inside LR and the next wear was outside RR. However, abnormal wear to a single tire usually means a bent spindle as you suspect.

Since the axle in question is the rear one, it is pretty easy to measure from the front axle and its frame attachments to assure that the rear axle is parallel to the front axle. But . . . another caution here . . . there is 1/2" difference between the tire centre-to-centre distance on one side of my Reflection 303, than on the other side. Across many thousands of miles and two sets of tires wear is even on all tires. I have been tempted to use the Correct Track adjustments to correct this difference . . . but, as my Dad always told me, if it ain't broke, don't fix it!

Rob

[TucsonJim]

I finally received my new axle u-bolts yesterday, so I started replacing the axle. While I was underneath there, I decided to get some measurements to see if there was any problem with the frame. Actually, I was surprised at how close all the measurements were:

Jack to Front Spring Hangers:
Right - 222-7/16"
Left - 222-6/16"

Spacing between Spring Hangers:
Left Front to Center Hanger - 27-10/16"
Center Hanger to Left Rear - 27-9/16"
Right Front to Center Hanger - 27-9/16"
Center Hanger to Right Rear - 27-8/16"

This would not account for the tire scrubbing that I've seen in two different positions with two different axles. Time for axle number three....

I'm attaching a photo so you can see how badly the one tire wore. It was put on the same day as the one I placed side by side with it:

[Country Campers]

Jim

You may want to measure from the jack to each hanger and maybe even catty corner from each hanger. Just for checking these measurements should let you know that the hangers are square to each other.

Brian

[TucsonJim]

Excellent Idea Brian. I have some more work to do tomorrow and I'll let you know how it goes. The X-pattern should be very telling.

Jim

[Cate&Rob]

I'm attaching a photo so you can see how badly the one tire wore.

Hi Jim,

The one tire is worn more evenly across it's entire tread than I would have expected. Certainly the edge, but the rest of that tire is far more worn than its mate. What could cause that tire to drag/slide more than the other one?

I have observed that the tires on my front axle wear slightly faster than the tires on the rear axle. I used to think that this was weight transfer forward during braking. Based on extensive discussion and some video observation "elsewhere" I have seen where the twin leaf spring suspension linked through the centre equalizer actually causes the front axle to lift during heavy braking. My new theory is that this allows the tires on the front axle to slide more than the tires on the rear axle . . . thus, wearing more quickly. My trailer disc brake system is doing far more of the braking for the entire rig than your electric drum brakes would be doing.

The tire wear that you have experienced might not be alignment only. Uneven brake apply? Weak spring above that tire? Some other reason?

Rob

[TucsonJim]

@Cate & rob.
what is interesting is that this tire is from the RR of axle number 2. I had the opposite wear on the LR of axle number 1. When I replaced axle number 1, it was just the axle shaft. The brakes and springs are the original. If it was a spring or brake problem, you'd think the same tire would have worn the same way.

Jim

[TucsonJim]

Interesting. I went to Discount Tire today to purchase a new Endurance tire. They checked all the local stores, their warehouse, and even the Goodyear stores in the area. None to be found. They have to get one from New Mexico. I'm sure glad I wasn't stranded while waiting for one of these tires.

Jim

[Beachcamper]

The wear on those tires look like the wear on my rear truck tires. I hope all goes well and you get this resolved, gets expensive. 😞

[TucsonJim]

Follow Up - We have now put 1,830 miles on our tires since the last axle replacement. Thankfully, we are now getting very good tire wear with no indication of an alignment issue. I guess the third time is the charm...

Jim