Lippert Axles----No Replacement Bearings Available

[5thwheeleroldma]

Just had to replace my Lippert axles with Dexters. I had a bad bearing and Lippert had no replacement bearings available. The shop checked everywhere; I checked the internet, and could find none. Lippert said I would have to buy an entire new axle assembly to get a new bearing.

I decided to just buy new Dexter axles; at least they make replacement bearings. Don't know what's going on with Lippert and their axles. Cost me a bundle!

[AniJet]

I have 8000# Lippert axles with Kodiak disc brakes. When I needed new bearings I ordered 50mm bearings from Kodiak. Had a machine shop press them in and that was about 8000 miles ago. Kodiak towards the bottom.

[Still_Working]

For those naysayers. Since you know so much, you call Lippert and see what they tell you. I did and they denied that I had Lippert axles. When I stated the they had the Lippert name and LCI on the labels the stated they did not sell parts. The OP statement is very true of how they operate. We all know their frames are a POS. I spent over a week trying to get a bearing from them and some of the best bearing houses around. NONE was to be found. They also told the manufacture of my fifth wheel that they did not have parts and would not be get anymore and that I would have to buy a new axle.

That is when I decided to buy axles from Dexter because "Why would I buy an axle from them if I could not get parts for it after a short time." In my case less then five years.

If you have a DRV product crawl under it and see what you have and good luck with it. Other manufactures also use their axles.

[Vulcaneer]

RAS43 wrote:

Vulcaneer wrote:

5thwheeleroldman wrote:
Just had to replace my Lippert axles with Dexters. I had a bad bearing and Lippert had no replacement bearings available. The shop checked everywhere; I checked the internet, and could find none. Lippert said I would have to buy an entire new axle assembly to get a new bearing.

I decided to just buy new Dexter axles; at least they make replacement bearings. Don't know what's going on with Lippert and their axles. Cost me a bundle!

This sounds like the worst kind of false pretense upsell. Might want to be suspicious of that shop.

You need a bearing and they sell you new axles, and installation.:h:h:h

If you read the OP's post he also searched and talked to Lippert about this, so I don't believe it was an upsell. Just poor manufacturing practices by Lippert.

Well here is the OP's original post. I noticed he did check the internet. But doesn't indicate that he was the one that talked directly to Lippert. Just that Lippert said. Maybe he did speak directly to Lippert. I didn't read it that way.

5thwheeleroldman wrote:
Just had to replace my Lippert axles with Dexters. I had a bad bearing and Lippert had no replacement bearings available. The shop checked everywhere; I checked the internet, and could find none. Lippert said I would have to buy an entire new axle assembly to get a new bearing.

I decided to just buy new Dexter axles; at least they make replacement bearings. Don't know what's going on with Lippert and their axles. Cost me a bundle!

[RAS43]

Vulcaneer wrote:

5thwheeleroldman wrote:
Just had to replace my Lippert axles with Dexters. I had a bad bearing and Lippert had no replacement bearings available. The shop checked everywhere; I checked the internet, and could find none. Lippert said I would have to buy an entire new axle assembly to get a new bearing.

I decided to just buy new Dexter axles; at least they make replacement bearings. Don't know what's going on with Lippert and their axles. Cost me a bundle!

This sounds like the worst kind of false pretense upsell. Might want to be suspicious of that shop.

You need a bearing and they sell you new axles, and installation.:h:h:h

If you read the OP's post he also searched and talked to Lippert about this, so I don't believe it was an upsell. Just poor manufacturing practices by Lippert.

[Vulcaneer]

5thwheeleroldman wrote:
Just had to replace my Lippert axles with Dexters. I had a bad bearing and Lippert had no replacement bearings available. The shop checked everywhere; I checked the internet, and could find none. Lippert said I would have to buy an entire new axle assembly to get a new bearing.

I decided to just buy new Dexter axles; at least they make replacement bearings. Don't know what's going on with Lippert and their axles. Cost me a bundle!

This sounds like the worst kind of false pretense upsell. Might want to be suspicious of that shop.

You need a bearing and they sell you new axles, and installation.:h:h:h

[RAS43]

K Charles wrote:
They sold axles with 3 differant size bearing cartrages (2 tapered rollers facing each other in one outer race) anyway, 35mm 42mm and 50mm ID. they are all used by someone else and still around.

Etrailer has them made by redline 31-71-3, 31-72-3, and 31-73-3
Timken makes the 50mm one and there part number is JXC25469C and the 42mm is Timken JRM4249

Those are all bearings for a Dexter axle and not the bearing that the OP was searching for. Besides, he has already changed over the axles and is probably camping somewhere!

[C_Schomer]

A friend had a lippert neverlube brg go and he found one at a local brg store - ~$145. Craig

[Still_Working]

5thwheeleroldman wrote:
Just had to replace my Lippert axles with Dexters. I had a bad bearing and Lippert had no replacement bearings available. The shop checked everywhere; I checked the internet, and could find none. Lippert said I would have to buy an entire new axle assembly to get a new bearing.

I decided to just buy new Dexter axles; at least they make replacement bearings. Don't know what's going on with Lippert and their axles. Cost me a bundle!

I just went through this very same problem this last Jan. through March. By raising hell on their customer service Facebook page and persistence I got them to pay for my new Dexter axles If you went details send me a PM with a phone number. I did all the work myself and with help from a friend. They build a POS and don't think they need to have repair parts for it.

Here is a link to how I had to deal with them.

http://www.irv2.com/forums/f116/lippert-axels-are-a-pos-189426.html

They even pulled down my Facebook post when I got very nasty with them. I hit them through the BBB and through a high level Manager who contacted me on Facebook. Don't be scare to bad mouth them.

[K_Charles]

They sold axles with 3 differant size bearing cartrages (2 tapered rollers facing each other in one outer race) anyway, 35mm 42mm and 50mm ID. they are all used by someone else and still around.

Etrailer has them made by redline 31-71-3, 31-72-3, and 31-73-3
Timken makes the 50mm one and there part number is JXC25469C and the 42mm is Timken JRM4249

[pigman1]

Give Kaman Industrial Technologies a try. https://ec.kamandirect.com/us/catalog/productCategory.jsp?&catId=20103 These guys too can get just about any bearing and seal.

[Dankenbring]

Check with Detroit ball bearing, been getting bearings for years from them. They can get about any bearing made. Even those made 50 years ago for some equipment I have.

[Charlie_D_]

MTPockets1 wrote:
My career was in the bearing business for nearly 40 years. While it is possible the axle bearings were special, it's highly unlikely. We would hear these stories frequently, but always came up with the bearing. Special to some, is standard to others; it depends on the distribution channel. There will be a number on the bearing and I would guess it is available.

X 2-If you can't find the numbers-and I have seen that- a good bearing house can cross reference. A Vernier caliper of set of micrometers will give you the dimensions you need.

[Vulcaneer]

5thwheeleroldman wrote:
My shop checked everyone local, called Lippert, called all their suppliers, no luck. My axles had the Dexter NeverLube cartridge, but there is another bearing in there made only by Lippert. Couldn't get that one.

mayo30 wrote:
Lippert makes bearing?

Now that is a scary thought.

[MTPockets1]

My career was in the bearing business for nearly 40 years. While it is possible the axle bearings were special, it's highly unlikely. We would hear these stories frequently, but always came up with the bearing. Special to some, is standard to others; it depends on the distribution channel. There will be a number on the bearing and I would guess it is available.