CavalierTwo wrote:
First Post On RV.Net.
I recently returned from a round trip to Alaska. Driving 11,444 miles on some of the worst roads in Canada and Alaska. Due to road heaves (from freezing & thawing constantly) creates a real road hazard. I had both rear axle spring hangers break, then replaced and welded. The bummer of it was, I had to have it done a second time. The second time I had reinforcements installed. So 1 1/2" tubing was welded from hanger to hanger on both axles on my 2017 Reflection 26RL 5th wheel.
Now my question: Should I have an inspection on the entire frame, suspension & axle to see if there is other damage?
I know I'm late to the party, but for sure make sure your shop checks these area's at a minimum.
The wheel and axle alignment.
The lower flange of the main frame rails I beam. Look specially just past the rear spring hanger and the front spring hanger. You are looking to see if "any" distortion of the lower flange of the I beam is present. The heavy rear overhang behind the rear axle can create a localized overload after a series of major up and down bumps. The lower flange has to be able to withstand this. While your frame may not be very bad right now, if the lower flange is weakened, then over time of normal frame flexing and the miles go by, the back of the camper will start to slowly bend down. Over time, the rear slides may start having issues as the opening in the camper is no longer square, it sagged into a parallelogram. The entry door may do this too if it becomes hard to fit into the frame.
If you really want to see how good or bad the sag is now, pull a string tight down the length of the bottom of the frame. It is a good idea to create a baseline now of the frame in it's flexed state. Measure the deflection and record it. The axle area between the spring hangers most likely will be straight. The rear section may be sagging down hill in relation to the axle area, and the front of the axle may also be at a slight bend down towards the front of the camper compared to the axle area.
If this lower flange damage exists, suggest you get the frame reinforced now before the long term bending occurs. It is much harder to fix the issue when the slides will no longer go in and out. In the RV world, they call the sagging rear overhang of the frame, structural loss of frame camber.
Also have them check the web section of the I beam above all 3 hangers, each side, for fine rust lines of the starting of a crack in the web section.
The last Grand Design higher end model travel trailer I saw, (10K GVWR trailer) they added extra reinforcement on the lower flange on the long rear over hang from the factory. This was a 36 ft camper, and a TT, dual slides in the back, the rear overhang on that camper is longer then yours I do believe. I'm not sure what yours would have, they may not have added that extra reinforcement due to a shorter rear overhang.
They should also check what they can of the pin box area and the steel connecting the main frame rails to the king pin box.
The abuse your camper frame took from those roads, is large damaging force to a RV built trailer frame.
Let us know how your inspection come out.
Hope this helps
John
2005 Ford F350 Super Duty, 4x4; 6.8L V10 with 4.10 RA, 21,000 GCWR, 11,000 GVWR, upgraded 2 1/2" Towbeast Receiver. Hitched with a 1,700# Reese HP WD, HP Dual Cam to a 2004 Sunline Solaris T310R travel trailer.
