Lost the camber on a trailer axle.......What does that mean?

yelbike · Apr 30, 2013

About a month ago I hit a coyote or something similar with the truck and subsenquently the fifth wheel trailer I was towing. Minor damage to the truck, but the trailer lost the belly covering, some plumbing pipes. I went for initial insurance assessment than to the dealer it went for repair. They found damage to the axles and the tires are prety much worn out. They area saying that the trailer lost its camber(both axles). They are saying that I must have hit a pot hole after the coyote (may have been a fox or whatever else). I know different as I was on interstated with paved shoulders. I did drive it some 300 miles home.

Funny thing is last year about this time the dealer said the saying that the trailer "lost its camber". The said that likely the trailer had hit a curb on both sides but only the rear axle was damaged. The trailer then had a total of 250 miles since new. Only the rear tires were worn.

The trailer now has about 5000 miles total, built in 2010 but bought new in 2011. The tires are worn on the extreme outter edge. If the camber was "lost" wouldn't the damage be on the inner edge. I don't know if the dealer is trying to pull a fast on or covering up so they don't warranty anything. My concern is it will be "fixed" and I'll be in the same boa next year. Could it be any thing else?

pjbci · Apr 30, 2013

I agree if it lost its camber the tires should be scrubbing off the inside instead of the outside. Maybe the coyote hit the center of the rear axle bending it slightly backwards resulting in too much camber. Try placing a long straight edge level against the front or rear of the axle. It should be straight.

Diamondpilot · Apr 30, 2013

When tires wear the outside on trailers its a alignment issue. I have now seen three trailers when loaded the leaf springs go so flat that the u-bolts go slack to where you can loosen them by hand causing the axle to "walk" around. When jacked up and the load removed the u-bolts are over 150 ft lbs tight.

Chris

AKfish · May 1, 2013

Diamondpilot said:
When tires wear the outside on trailers its a alignment issue. I have now seen three trailers when loaded the leaf springs go so flat that the u-bolts go slack to where you can loosen them by hand causing the axle to "walk" around. When jacked up and the load removed the u-bolts are over 150 ft lbs tight.

Chris

Whoa... that's some steel in those leaf springs! (Might be macaroni based...)

AKfish

yelbike · May 1, 2013

The trailer is an RV, so it's never unloaded. I'm thinking alignment issue as well but they said everything measured correctly last year. I'm really stumped what the problem truthfully is and what to do to ensure its resolved correctly and long term.

mvc3 · May 1, 2013

My brother in-law had a deer run between his truck and stock trailer maxed out full of horses and he did not have axle problems only a flat tire from the deer's antler. Without more info it is hard to really give any specific advise other than the axles should be sturdy enough to with stand alot of pot holes and curbs without causing major tire issues. Although that would depend on quality of tires. There are a couple of types of axles and weight capacities. The axles need to be rated for more that the gross weight of the trailer or they will fatigue and bend as you describe. I would say you need either heavier axles or a better engineered trailer. Although the flip side of that is are you overloading the trailer? If you are traveling much you should be able to come across a truck stop with a weigh scale that you can weigh the trailer when you have it "fully" loaded. If you are unhappy with your dealer try a different dealer or type of trailer dealer. Also you can try to contact an trailer axle dealer online and they should be able to give you answers you need with a call or email. The axles should have a data plate on them giving you make, model and weight capacity.

Good Luck

CliffordK · May 1, 2013

You're sure you hit a coyote and not a buffalo? That sounds like a lot of trailer damage for hitting a small animal on the road.

What is the repair for the camber?
Bent axle and axle replacement?

What do the axles look like? It sounds like the tires should appear visibly bent outward. But, that should only happen with an overloaded trailer. Twisted backwards?

I would tend to agree with others that it sounds like the axle is undersized. Your trailer axles should take a lot more abuse than hitting a small animal on the road, or running through a pothole.

I certainly wouldn't let the dealer put in an identical replacement axle.

RickB · May 1, 2013

If axle damage was reported a year before running over the animal, chances are the animal didn't cause the axle damage.

Diamondpilot · May 1, 2013

yelbike said:
The trailer is an RV, so it's never unloaded. I'm thinking alignment issue as well but they said everything measured correctly last year. I'm really stumped what the problem truthfully is and what to do to ensure its resolved correctly and long term.

Check the u-bolts. Should be torqued to 80# with a load on it.

Chris

Case485Guy · May 1, 2013

Check the measurement yourself, go from same point on each hub to the center for the hitch. you can hang a plumb line down from hitch to make easier. That will tell you if axles are lined up correctly