Broken Axle

[dadnjesse]

Was leaving for Sebago Campground in Maine today on the road for 30 minutes going 55 after setting the cruise control, when I looked out the window and saw smoke. My kids said they heard me say Fu..,Fu..,Fu..Fu.. I then saw my tire passing me on the drivers side I swerved to keep it from hitting me as it passed in front of me and into the woods. My first thought was the lug nuts or a bearing failure. I got off the road to look and the axle sheared right off. I never hit anything and the break was clean metal not rusted. I spent 5 hours with progressive trying to find someone who could tow me. I requested a flat bed trailer as the RV dealer told me not to let them just try to tow it. I believe I'm at 13,500 pounds. The guy that finally showed up with a tow truck couldn't even lift it off the ground. I had to tow it myself to his Fathers house that was 1/4 mile down the road. It's a 2004 34 foot Montana Fifth Wheel

[mohead1]

Look at the hub still attached to the wheel, either bearing failure that welded the hub to the bearings and tore it off......or over loading started a stress fracture that eventually completely failed

[roadglide]

Is that 6 lug rim if so I think you have 6 K lb axles.

[sourdough]

Look at the hub still attached to the wheel, either bearing failure that welded the hub to the bearings and tore it off......or over loading started a stress fracture that eventually completely failed


I'm thinking I'm going with the overload stress, or maybe a hit or something that cracked the tube. It sort of looks like it pushed upwards vs being twisted off as if the hub had frozen then tore it off....to me, but that's thru quad focals and semi cataracts......:lol:

[dadnjesse]

Yes 6 lug. I believe it has 6000 lb axes which I think are too small. I'm thinking of adding 7000 lb axles or just fix it and trade it in for a new one. I count my blessings as this could have been a lot worse.

[dadnjesse]

Does anyone think my insurance company will cover this

[mohead1]

They might but you better not show overloaded evidence or your screwed
...and be glad it didnt go through the windshield of another car or something

[dadnjesse]

They might but you better not show overloaded evidence or your screwed
...and be glad it didnt go through the windshield of another car or something

I know that's why I said it could have been a lot worse

[German Shepherd Guy]

:eek:Wow!!!!!!!!!


Glad everyone is OK :)


That is something. There had to be a stress crack, :( as I see no evidence of twisting.
You see no evidence of rust though, which even a small stress crack that had been there for a while would show some evidence of, IMO. Could possibly have been an internal cold short from when the tubes were extruded? :confused: But that seems highly unlikely too. Which takes us to Sourdoughs supposition.



It seems easily fixable and unless the trailer has other problems......
I think you are on the right track replacing with heavier axles, and then do a serious weight calculation.


Probably not a factor but just curious...when was the last bearing lube?


Again GLAD everyone is OK!!!
:bow:Oak

[bobbecky]

I'm seeing quite a bit of rust inside that axle tube, which would definitely weaken the axle. Both axles should be replaced, 6K or 7K, along with the springs, shackles, bolts and equalizer. I would also make sure the attachments at the frame are still solid, possibly consider having a welder beef up things there. Everything is quite rusty, so if you are going to the trouble, starting over all new should give you another 15 years on that rig.

[GeekSquadOfUn]

We had new Lippert 6000# axles replaced on our 2010 Sabre 5th wheel 2 years ago, whole axle assembly, brakes and all. We had those so-called Sealed Bearing System, they were shot and not replaceable, hence new axles.... a though pill to swallow then.

Fast forward to April 24 this year, coming back from Texas we had a similar experience on I-75 near Florence, KY.

One whole wheel fell off, just like you. Incredibly, we never found it, it disappeared in thin air. My guess it fell off after hitting a pothole, and there were sooooo many big ones, unavoidable ones too.

AAA tow truck accompanied us, rolling on 3 wheels - as he could not see how he could do it with his flat bed - we drove at 20 mph to the nearest RV repair shop and believe it or not, the next day, they had installed a new Dexter 6000# axle and we were on the road back home, having pput my spare wheel/tire on.

My insurance (I'm from Canada by the way) paid it all, including hotel and meals..

I complained to Lippert by email, sent pics of the broken axle. They offered a free axle assembly to keep me happy - I no longer needed it, but had it sent to my dealer. We traded it in for a new Cougar... happy as clams. Not worried about 2nd axle shearing off.

Everyone told me it was bad weld on the axle... makes sense.

[travelin texans]

I would take lots of photos as well as a picture of the label on the axle & contact the axle manufacturer, to me this is a manufacturing defect regardless of rust or an other outside causes, the wheel/drum should not break off clean like that.
I'd give the scenario you had a pucker factor of a full 10!!
Our son recently bought a new 12-15' enclosed trailer & while towing on the interstate had your same experience with both drivers side wheels pass him, after some serious "Oh sh##" moments he got stopped & found the centers of both wheels had broken out leaving the centers & lug nuts behind. There was an older man behind him that stopped & told my son he had to shake his hand cause he thought they were goners a couple times during the ordeal. His was also a 10 on the pucker scale!

[dadnjesse]

Well the camper is 15 years old I'm not sure the manufacturer would help me. I'm definitely going to replace both axles. I just put new wheel hubs including all new brakes bearings and leaf springs in two years ago, I also grease and check the brakes every spring. And I don't travel more than 2 hours north of me in New Hampshire or Maine 3 times a year so I don't put a lot of miles on it. I believe the owner before me used to take it to Florida every winter, and there was a lot of undercarriage rust on it when I bought it.

[Froglaw]

I had a double 31 inch leaf spring failure on the Dalton Highway in Alaska. Left my brand new trailer on the Dalton. Took me a day to find a flatbed in Fairbanks to go get it. $5300 towing bill. Keystone did reimburse me and has since redesigned their leaf spring system.

I found four 30 inch six ply leaf springs in North Carolina and had them FedEx to the Fairbanks RV Repair Shop. No problems on the trip back to Dallas. I noticed the towing was much more stable almost immediately.

Don't be afraid to "beef up" your trailer towing systems. $1000 now beats a $5300 towing bill later.

Remember, most RV manufacturers think that a one year warranty should solve all your needs as a customer.

A warranty does not mean a thing to you as your trailer sits on the side of the road and your trip plans are ruined.

[dadnjesse]

I just met the Insurance adjuster yesterday and was advised the axle would not be covered as it was mechanical.This is Progressive by the way. He did measure the whole side and said the sheet metal, tire and such would be. Basically all the damage caused from the incident.

[larryflew]

Been there. Mine tore up the wheel wells and some sheet metal. Same as yours they covered the well and sheet metal but not the axle. Insurance was Auto Owners.