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08-19-2014, 06:21 PM
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#1
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Airdrie, Alberta
Posts: 552
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Bent axle; free warranty or $ to upgrade??
Our '13 Passport 3220BH has a badly bent rear axle causing major tire camber & resultant wear. We bought it new, have never overloaded it, curbed it or taken it "off road". We don't know if it came that way, or just failed. My bad for not paying attention.
I thought our axles were made by Dexter so I spoke with them and they knew of this "Oh- your long trailer exerts too much lateral force for a 2 3/8" axles tube during tight turns. It needs a 3" axle." Turns out it is an AL-KO axle. They only make 2 3/8" axles.
Should we fight AL-KO for (free) warranty 2 3/8" axle and alignment, or pay to upgrade to 3" Dexter axles of the same capacity, at a cost of about $1000-1200? We still need a new set of tires after that, either way.
Opinions, please?
__________________
2013 Passport 3220BHWE, upgrade axles, Kumho Radial 857's, all LED, TST507 TPMS, Reese DCSC, DIY corner stabilizers
2012 Ram 1500 Sport crew cab, Hemi, 4x4, 3.92 LSD, factory brake controller, S&B CAI w/scoop, Moroso air/oil can, 87mm ported/polished/knife-edged throttle body, Magnaflow exhaust, 180* t-stat, Rear lowered 2", Airlift 1000.
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08-19-2014, 07:15 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: MA
Posts: 3,153
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You can take the free fix and keep your eyes on things, keep an eye on loading, tire wear etc. it you pay for the upgrade you will be good to go but free is free.
__________________
2013 Premier 31BHPR
2014 F350 6.2L
Soon to be just DW and I
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08-19-2014, 08:25 PM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Nova Scotia
Posts: 502
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Personal opinion only, were I camp as much as I do, and have $1200 to make it right, I am making it right. Although having it fixed free is the right thing for them to do, I would not have the time for the fight and would constantly be worried about it happening again.
Now after I fixed it and made it right, I may see what Keystone is willing to do, they put them on the trailer. I am sure they will have documents to back their decision to use the 2 3/8" axels.
__________________
2008 Jeep Liberty
RVision TS25s
2011 Ram 4x4 Hemi, Airlift 1000' e rated tires
2012 Sprinter 266
2014 RAM 6.7 Cummins Diesel
2015 Sandpiper 30IOK
All I care about is camping, maybe three people and beer!
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08-20-2014, 01:43 AM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Waco, Tx
Posts: 5,457
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If I were you, I would take this as a learning experience and get the axle warrantied if possible, then trade that trailer off for one which is better suited for my lifestyle.
If no warranty is forthcoming, then I'd have to look to other avenues such as insurance then decide if this is really the trailer I want. If this was my dream trailer then I'd stick a set of 6K axles under it and go..
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08-20-2014, 02:12 AM
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#5
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Permanent User Ban
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Bartlesville, Oklahoma
Posts: 1,124
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Dawt10characters
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08-20-2014, 07:24 AM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Northeast
Posts: 170
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+1 what Javi said. I would try and get the free axle no matter what. Then you have options.
1) Dealers torque these campers around on their lots with fork lifts so it is possible it was bent before you picked it up. If that is the case and you're careful about how you turn the camper then maybe the OEM axle will work for you.
2) If you don't want to risk it then you could trade/sell the smaller axle for a larger one.
Be aware some of us have been down this path. We fix one thing (the current weakest link) only to have another pop up. I replaced my tires then bent the spring hangers. Just be aware that if you replace the axle with a HD one, it may lead to causing other problems next. The #1 thing you can do to avoid problems is try not to turn your camper so tightly that it causes the tires to skid. If you have no choice but to do that try and do it on dirt or sand or something that will help break the grip of your tires.
my 2 cents.
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T
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08-20-2014, 09:31 AM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Taylors, SC
Posts: 3,031
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08-20-2014, 12:25 PM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Airdrie, Alberta
Posts: 552
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Thanks very much, all.
We've never turned the trailer tighly on anythng but gravel or dirt.
Dexter's "go-to" 3500 pounder is 2 3/8" but they can be made in 3" also (confirmed locally yesterday at Standen's)
I've been out of work for 3 mos so we may take the free axles and keep a close eye on things, spending the $$ is necessary after that.
We were supposed to be in Whitefish, MT right now for our big annual camp trip but cancelled because it was so expensive; I guess everything happens for a reason and this service episode is keeping us safe...
__________________
2013 Passport 3220BHWE, upgrade axles, Kumho Radial 857's, all LED, TST507 TPMS, Reese DCSC, DIY corner stabilizers
2012 Ram 1500 Sport crew cab, Hemi, 4x4, 3.92 LSD, factory brake controller, S&B CAI w/scoop, Moroso air/oil can, 87mm ported/polished/knife-edged throttle body, Magnaflow exhaust, 180* t-stat, Rear lowered 2", Airlift 1000.
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08-20-2014, 12:33 PM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: Colorful Colorado
Posts: 798
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If it's under warranty I'd get it fixed under warranty and not upgrade until later. That way, if something else breaks that can in any way be related to the axles, they can't say you caused the issue.
__________________
Current:
'17 Winnebago Vista 31BE / Wife, pesky Eski and loco Toto dog
Former:
'15 Open Range 256BHS / '05 F350 CCLB RWD V10
'14 Keystone Passport 238ML / '13 GC Trailhawk Hemi
RIP Birch (pitbull)
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