Hi from Pablo

[pablo99]

Greetings to all forum members - this site is impressive.  I have a 2001 Kit Roadranger 256FLE purchased new in 2002 (the only one I have ever seen).  So far it has had three tire blow outs and the last tire shop thinks the tandem axles are not held rigidly enough by the suspension.  When it turns a corner, the axles appear to tilt and the wheels lean in and out at very noticeable angles.  If I stop in mid turn, the center shackles are way offset vertically.  Seems to me that the suspension design allows to much misalignment and that this is causing the tires to overheat. Does anyone know if this could be a suspension wear or maintenance problem, or just an inadequate design?  Thanks for helping,

Pablo

 

[Karl]

Pablo,

Welcome to the RV Forum!

Sorry to hear about your problems. I'm sure one of our members can offer some helpful suggestions. Some of the many things we always suspect is incorrect loading of the trailer (exceeding the tire, axle, gross weight ratings), tire pressures, tire age and numerous other things. Is it possible for you to take a few digital pictures of the suspension parts, and post them for us to look at? It would be a big help.

Karl

 

[pablo99]

Thanks for the reply, Karl.  I will post some photos as you suggest.  This is a great resource,

Pablo

 

[Ron]

Pablo,

Welcome to the RV Forum.  Glad you found us.  Please join in any of the ongoing discussions or start new discussions relating to the RVing lifestyle.

I too am sorry to hear of your difficulties.  Karl has made a very good suggestion of posting photos.  Hopefully we will be able to come up with a solution.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

Does your rig have the Moryde suspension (rubber blocks) instead of the usual leaf springs?  If so, the wheel "lean" is normal and probably not a problem.  If leaf springs, it is most definitely not normal and needs immediate correction.

You appear to be aware that your tire problems are likely to be caused by overheating. Have you made the obvious checks for proper air pressure for the tire size and load?  Start by weighing the trailer when fully loaded and by obtaining the tire inflation guide for your brand & model of tire.  Use the guide to determine the correct inflation pressure for the load and then check frequently to assure this pressure is maintained.  Since you are losing tires fairly often, I would suggest checking pressure every travel day before starting out on the road.  Tire pressures are always set when cold, i.e. have not been driven for several hours.

 

[pablo99]

Thanks, Gary - I have the leaf springs and will get it in the shop as soon as I get home.  I am 1000 lbs under the GVWR and check the tire pressure every 2-3 days on the road.  I suspect wear and/or spring fatigue - after a lot of miles.  Will post the results of inspection,

Pablo

 

[pablo99]

Here are some photos of the problem - thanks for your comments

http://home.att.net/~paul.avery/RoadRanger/

 

[caltex]

I've never owned an RV trailer, but have several boat trailers with multiple axles.  That looks pretty extreme to me.

Robert

 

[Ron]

That sure isn't normal.  That looks real bad.  Looks as if the axles are not strong enough for the weight.