suspension problems
Okay, so I will try to make this as short and to the point as I possibly can.
I recently purchased a used 2013 Forest River XLR Thunderbolt fifth wheel toy hauler. I must say it is a massive upgrade from my previous keystone Cougar 320 SRX.
Went on my first trip a month or so ago, and noticed the coach leaning significantly to the curbside. Not so much that I felt unsafe so i pushed on to the house (3 hours), and immediately got my creeper out and went under the unit. All I can say is WOW, the leaf springs on the curbside were a straight line and the roadside were not much better. Counting the leafs, I determined through lots of research on this forum and others, that these springs were only rated to a max f 2250 lbs, which is not enough to carry the empty weight of the coach, much less the GVWR of 18,000 lbs. So I immediately ordered springs rated for 3400 lbs each and replaced the springs and all bolts. This raised the coach almost 7 inches!!! I was happy for that, now I tow more level which eases my mind on tire wear.
Fast forward to this past weekend. the DW and I went on a trip to north-central Texas (6 hrs away) and I noticed about the halfway point (also when daylight was good), when the coach hit a bump in the road, I would see a puff of smoke come out from under the wheels. So I pulled over and noticed the spacing between the middle and rear axle was only about 1/4 inch, while the spacing between the front and middle axle was 2 inches minimum. Again, I pushed through stopping regularly to check wear and temperature. Fortunately no tire damage as the tires only made contact with each other a handful of times, but I began the "kicking myself" wondering how I missed this issue before I changed the springs, then tonight it hit me. with the flattened springs, the axles were pushed further apart, and now with proper springs, they are pulled together.
So moments ago, I went and took some measurements, and cannot believe what I am seeing.
The axle spacing from front to middle axle is 34 inches on center, with the equalizer measuring 7 inches eye-to-eye.
The axle spacing from the middle axle to the rear is only 31 inches on center, with the equalizer only measuring 5-3/4 inches eye-to-eye.
can someone help me figure out why this is? Was looking to get the ez-flex equalizers, with wet bolts, but hell, the measurements are so funky, I don't know which size I need to buy.
Please help, I have a very long trip to Tennessee coming up soon.
I recently purchased a used 2013 Forest River XLR Thunderbolt fifth wheel toy hauler. I must say it is a massive upgrade from my previous keystone Cougar 320 SRX.
Went on my first trip a month or so ago, and noticed the coach leaning significantly to the curbside. Not so much that I felt unsafe so i pushed on to the house (3 hours), and immediately got my creeper out and went under the unit. All I can say is WOW, the leaf springs on the curbside were a straight line and the roadside were not much better. Counting the leafs, I determined through lots of research on this forum and others, that these springs were only rated to a max f 2250 lbs, which is not enough to carry the empty weight of the coach, much less the GVWR of 18,000 lbs. So I immediately ordered springs rated for 3400 lbs each and replaced the springs and all bolts. This raised the coach almost 7 inches!!! I was happy for that, now I tow more level which eases my mind on tire wear.
Fast forward to this past weekend. the DW and I went on a trip to north-central Texas (6 hrs away) and I noticed about the halfway point (also when daylight was good), when the coach hit a bump in the road, I would see a puff of smoke come out from under the wheels. So I pulled over and noticed the spacing between the middle and rear axle was only about 1/4 inch, while the spacing between the front and middle axle was 2 inches minimum. Again, I pushed through stopping regularly to check wear and temperature. Fortunately no tire damage as the tires only made contact with each other a handful of times, but I began the "kicking myself" wondering how I missed this issue before I changed the springs, then tonight it hit me. with the flattened springs, the axles were pushed further apart, and now with proper springs, they are pulled together.
So moments ago, I went and took some measurements, and cannot believe what I am seeing.
The axle spacing from front to middle axle is 34 inches on center, with the equalizer measuring 7 inches eye-to-eye.
The axle spacing from the middle axle to the rear is only 31 inches on center, with the equalizer only measuring 5-3/4 inches eye-to-eye.
can someone help me figure out why this is? Was looking to get the ez-flex equalizers, with wet bolts, but hell, the measurements are so funky, I don't know which size I need to buy.
Please help, I have a very long trip to Tennessee coming up soon.
