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07-24-2015, 02:27 AM
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#1
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Member
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Chagrin Falls
Posts: 15
Ohio
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Voltage V3200 bent axle
Hello folks, was wondering if anyone has experienced any axle problems with there V3200? Please understand I am not here to bash anyone or point fingers but I have a 2011, V3200 and last year I started to notice that my left rear tire started showing signs of wear on the inside and I was prepping to head out to CO so I did not want experience any tire issues, knowing that they were the stock china bomb tires so I replaced all four tires with Maxxis 8008 since then I have put about 5000 miles on them and when returned home from NH last week, I happen to be doing my post trip inspection on the tires and notice again the left rear tire is shot same thing as before. So I called my dealership told them my story they told me nope cant see you about three weeks, which is what I figured and I got the feeling that they did not want mess around with it anyways. I know it has to go to a axle /frame shop. he insisted that I call some other fram shops which I did and he gave me some shops to call, but I felt compelled to advise my dealer on what was going on since I did purchased it from them. and it is out warranty but I still felt they should know. Now I am pretty anal with my trailer and I watch my weights pretty close along with proper inflated tires which I check before heading out and I monitor air and temps in all four, and not to mention I think I own stock in CAT scales I weight it right out of the dealership and have weight it several times since and I have never been over weight, I haul a Polaris RZR and when I am loaded meaning 1/2 to 3/4 tank of H2O and fuel in the fuel station and all the goodies my combined axle weights come in between 12,500 and 13,000 lbs. which is the highest I have been.
So the moral to my story is, I have a bent axle and It's at the axle shop, the first thing the mechanic said do you have lippert axles? I said I believe so? It's lippert frame he showed me the wall thickness of a lippert axle compared to the 1/4 thick harden steel axles he going to replacing it with. I decided to have both axles done and of course it's on my dime. Incidentally the service tech that I spoke with at the camper dealership to told me I should call Dutchman and talk to customer service rep. I asked him if he could give me a contact and number but he did not know who to call? urrrrrrrrrrr.
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07-24-2015, 04:00 AM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: South East
Posts: 234
Mississippi
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I am beginning to believe all campers are built to the bare minimum. My friend with a Sierra had the same problems.
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David
2014 Voltage 3950
2013 F-350 DRW Lariat
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07-24-2015, 11:12 AM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Old Forge
Posts: 886
New York
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We have a Rubicon 2900 (2013) and both of our axles were bent!!!!! We had ours replaced under warranty!!!!
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Kathy & Leo ~Adirondack Mtn. Region of NY
2013 Rubicon 2900 Toy hauler
2010 Ford F-350 4x4 Lariat Dually Super Crew Diesel
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07-24-2015, 11:35 AM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2013
Location: Cody
Posts: 1,764
Wyoming
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Quote:
Originally Posted by lakebuster
I am beginning to believe all campers are built to the bare minimum. My friend with a Sierra had the same problems.
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Yep, I've said it before... I've come to find that units in this class are the Ford Pintos & Chevy Vegas of the RV world. Economy class only.
Quote:
Originally Posted by protector
...I decided to have both axles done and of course it's on my dime...
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Just for reference, since I'm sure that not many of us have had to do this... how about giving us a ballpark price on what it's costing you to replace those axles? Just in case any of us have to do the same down the road...
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Tom
2013 VOLTAGE 3200 (EPIC I & II)
2014 Ford F-450 PLATINUM
2018 BMW R1200GS RALLYE
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07-24-2015, 12:41 PM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2012
Posts: 521
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My first question is ; what do you think you did to bend the axle.. >?? I agree most everything is as ATC guy says a pinto quality possibly more toward a Yugo..
Good luck with the new axles.. please advise the cost if you dont mind for future references.
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07-24-2015, 09:41 PM
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#6
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Member
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Chagrin Falls
Posts: 15
Ohio
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I have no idea what caused the axle to bend? I don't go off road with it, I could of hooked a chuck hole somewhere, but I am try to stay clear of them but sometimes they are unavoidable, and you know how those bridge transitions/abutments can be rough especially in Ohio, or it could of been bent right from the factory? Like I said I replaced a four tires a year ago because of the same issue on the left rear.
I have always notice a small inward camber in the tires on the rear axle where the tires bow in a bit, but I thought that was the norm. and now after wearing out a second tire I am not so sure it was? I put a straight edge on the side wall of the front left tire, and on the rear left tire it was skewed out about 1/2 to 3/4 of an inch? from the front tire, My buddy who happened to be following me back fro NH made reference to how it was tracking also.
As far for the $$, I am not sure yet. it all depends if everything comes off Ok and nothing needs replaced? I will no more next week when they get into it.
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07-25-2015, 05:14 PM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Golden
Posts: 178
Colorado
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Dutchmen support (574) 537-0700. Have your VIN handy when you call.
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Dale & Deb
2009 Silverado Crew Cab 2500 HD
2014 Dutchmen 275BH TT
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07-27-2015, 11:59 AM
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#8
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New Member
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Wadsworth
Posts: 6
Ohio
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Fdhealy4, thanks for the information I will give them a call.
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07-27-2015, 09:40 PM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Old Forge
Posts: 886
New York
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Quote:
Originally Posted by RZRFUN111
Fdhealy4, thanks for the information I will give them a call.
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Don't expect to get any "knowledgeable" response......the canned response is to bring it to a dealer!
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Kathy & Leo ~Adirondack Mtn. Region of NY
2013 Rubicon 2900 Toy hauler
2010 Ford F-350 4x4 Lariat Dually Super Crew Diesel
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08-01-2015, 11:48 AM
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#10
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Member
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Chagrin Falls
Posts: 15
Ohio
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Here an update on the bent axle, got my TH from the axle shop, I ended up replacing both axles, luckily they were able re-use all my hardware so basically I got new tubes and spindles, the new tubes wall thickness are 1/4" harden steel thicker than the Lippert ones. Although the front axle was fine, I opted to have it done as well I did not want to through this again. It appears that the faulty axle may for been result from Lippert when it was mfg ? the axle is a approx.1/4" shorter than front axle and there was no crown in the in the axle compared to the front axle ? The shop gave me both axles back, and told me I might want to bring this to someone's attention........... I have them up on my saw horses in the orientation as if there mounted on the trailer and it is very noticeable between the two axles, I ran a straight edge across the entire front axle which is the good one and at the center of axle there is about 1/8 of an inch clearance, you defiantly can see a crown in the axle, and the bad axle there is over 3/4 of inch gap between the bottom of the straight edge and the top of the axle, basically the axle is straight and has no crown to it. I have pictures but will have to see how I go about posting them on this forum.
So now on trying to decide what I do to from here?
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08-02-2015, 12:11 AM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Tahlequah
Posts: 3,079
Oklahoma
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So now on trying to decide what I do to from here?
Oh, you could make vise stands out of them or grinder stands or even build a small utility trailer with them. Maybe bury one and make an umbrella holder from one.
With the other one you can take the reimbursement from LCI and fill it!
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2013 Voltage 3800, 2012 Chevy 3500 HD
2010 Yamaha V Star 950
2009 Yamaha Raider
Volunteering with Habitat for Humanity Caravanners
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08-02-2015, 12:22 AM
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#12
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New Member
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Wadsworth
Posts: 6
Ohio
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I took them to the dealer today they were not sure what to do? He did start a warranty claim with Dutchman but get the feeling I am just going through the motions??
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08-02-2015, 01:36 AM
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#13
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Tahlequah
Posts: 3,079
Oklahoma
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Good luck but the rig is a 2011 so it's anyone's guess.
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2013 Voltage 3800, 2012 Chevy 3500 HD
2010 Yamaha V Star 950
2009 Yamaha Raider
Volunteering with Habitat for Humanity Caravanners
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