dougrainer wrote:
No, not that one. There are 2 sheets. The 0104 and the 0135 rev A that address your issue. Doug
Hi Doug,
I found 0135 Rev A on line, this one. Deals with flexing spring hangers. this one
Reparing frame cracks in axle locationOn that one, I addressed the hanger flex a while ago. See here,
TT Spring Hanger Stiffening (Long, lots of pics) I added gusset reinforcement on the lower frame flange to the web and put 2" black iron pipe between the hangers and beefed up the long 5" hanger on all hangers to stop the flexing. So on this issue, I'm good unless you where meaning something else on that 0135 LIP sheet?.
Yesterday after thinking about this from what the Lip Sheet 068 said about measuring for camber, I went out and measured the frame differently then I had before and learned some new things. The frame at the axle area from front spring hanger to rear spring hanger is true straight which I did know. It is bent just aft of the rear spring hanger. I took a line starting about 1 foot forward of the front spring hanger and went all the way to the end of the frame. That is a 169" long string pulled with 66" of it over the axle area so it was a good long established straight line over the axles and 103” over the frame rail behind the rear axle hanger.
I moved the line to be dead on straight with the frame at the axle area and then could see the frame bending down past the last hanger. See here:
The setup
Eyeing down the frame, you can see it drop down past the rear hanger
1 3/16" difference at the end of the main frame.
At the end of the frame, it is 1 3/16" lower, bottom of frame to line. But I also measured every 12" along the frame rail starting at the bend area to the end of frame. The distance is the same once past the bend area. 1/8" per foot. This helps shows the frame rail straight once past the bend area.
This 1 3/16" frame sag is a different way of looking at this. Thanks for pointing me this way. When I jacked the end of the frame up 3" on the end of the frame, the whole frame came straight. The weight of the camper pushing down on the frame rail helped force it straight while the jack is putting point load on the end of the frame. That is a key understanding in this different way to measure what it takes to create a straight frame rail and helped me with the LCI call today. I could tell them how much it is bent in it's current state and how much lift and force to create a straight rail again.
I called LCI tech service today and explained my situation and what could they offer as a repair. It was a really good call and I felt the guy in chassis tech service had been around a while by the conversion. I asked about the method they would use on how they would fix this and if I can hire their mobile crew.
On the fix, he asked if I could jack the frame straight. I told him I could. It takes 2,300# of lift force and 3" of lift at the back of the camper to bring the frame rail back to straight. But I'm also lifting a good amount of the camper off the ground while I'm doing this as shown by the tire contact patch changing so much. I'm almost having the rear tire lift off.
He said that is part of what they would do. They would jack the frame back to straight and then weld on reinforcements on the bottom flange to hold it in place. They may go a little higher lift to create some excess lift so when they lower the camper any frame flex will be closer to where it needs to be. I asked, what about all that beam stress built up from the original bend and now this 2,300# of up loading adds more bending stress? He said, that is a risk and they would not know if that is a problem or not.
I asked on the mobile crew cost and I understand what field service rates are. It is about 6 hours from Elkhart to my area and the field team most likely would come from there. He did not know the rates and switched me to the field service group. I was going to ask them the same questions on how they would do the repair and an estimation on the cost. I have 2 calls/voice mails into the service lady and she has not got back to me yet. Don't know if she is out or in non stop phone calls. So at this point, I'm waiting for the field service group to call me back.
Do you know what LCI did on the warranty jobs you have seen to get the frame back straight? Are they using weld shrink to try and pull it back, or jacking or some combo there of? I assume they used what method they can pending the situation. In my case, if just jacking the back up and adding steel to hold it straight is their fix, I myself can do that but that is a concern for me for the long haul with all that trapped bending stress and I need the frame to be stronger then original so I do not have this happen again. I have to think through their approach real good and make sure it would be what I want if I go with them. I'm hoping the field service group can give me some more reassurance that having that large of a trapped stress in the frame rail will not create problems down the road. I'm seeing I have to deal with it.
Thanks
John
