Bad TIre? Bad axle assembly? Bad hub?

[BWH]

Hello: I'm a new to RVing, so I'm hoping one of you who has been around a while might have an answer or opinion of what's happening or have had the same happen to you.

I bought a new2011 27RLX CTX Cruiser and pulled it off the lot in May of 2011. A few weeks ago I noticed that the curb-side tread on my rear curbside tire was smooth. The other treads on the tire looked factory, brand new. The other three tires are in great condition as well. It's just the one tread on the one tire. The tires are factory original, 5,000 miles. They are Mastertrack ST225/R15s.

Tire pressure has always been 70 PSI. I check the tires when the are cold and the pressure has always been 68-70 PSI. The trailer has not been over-loaded. I've not hit anything with it, driving or bumped over anything. There's no bent rim, no scalloping or anything else on any of the tires or tire treads. Just one smooth curbside tread on the read curbside tire.

The dealer is at a loss. He's checked the axle, wheel, and hub assembly and cannot figure out why the tire has done what it's done. He has made an appointment for me at the factory and we're towing it down there in late October. The factory says that they will have Lippert there to inspect the axle assembly and hub to see if it out of spec.

Anyone have any ideas or opinions? And -- if Lippert determines it's something they're responsible for--who buys the replacement tire? Any advice? Anyone had experiences getting tires replaced if it's an axle or hub or assembly problem?

Thanks -- BWH

[mwebber78]

We had both our axles replaced on our Cruiser. obvious defective axles. One side had a tire clearly pointing in and the other side was just as bad. We took a 3' level, held it against the two wheels and you could clearly see one tire was aimed inward.

[Pull Dog]

Same thing happened on my 06 model. The previous owner had never towed it more than 25 miles in the first two years so when we bought it and hit the road the inside tread on the left back axle scuffed all the tread off in only 3 or 4 hundred miles. The axle was bent, very common problem. Crossroads cut me a deal on a new one at dealer cost if I paid shipping. I installed it myself in a few hours, bought a new tire and problem was solved. You read about things like this all the time on this and other forums.

[kaiserrw1]

I'm so proud to see nothing has changed since 2004. I also received 2 new axles, 4 new tires, and still had to have both new axles "fixed" by a big truck alignment shop.

[mwebber78]

Yes, there is one thing you can bet on with Lippert running gear - issues.

[cwit]

I was one of the luckey ones bought our 5er new and had a tire wear off on the inside. Dealer got ahold of Crossroads for weatherchecked tires all 5 were replaced. no more problems with odd wear.

[BWH]

Thanks for the reply. Were you under warranty? Did you get tire(s) covered without cost to you? The Crossroads people said I should STRONGLY request a new tire from Lippert. I'm wondering why me versus Crossroads should be strongly requesting???

[mwebber78]

Tell them to request for you. Crossroads installs the components, they chose Lippert over other brands - they can STRONGLY request a new tire for you.....

[BWH]

Will do! It's good to read that others have had similar situations and gotten replacement tires. It befuddled me a bit when Crossroads said that I would have to request new tire versus them.

Another question, Mike - if you know. If they replace one tire what happens wear-wise to it or the other three? I know I always replace all 4 (or at least front or back two) on my car. Do you need to do this on 5ers?

[mwebber78]

No they should wear fine -my replacementwas the door side rear tire. I took the unit across the country with no adverse affects.

[danskool]

What makes the axle bad?Curious. Mine is a 05 and always have run true. Last year i replaced my 6 year old tires with new ones just from weather checking. The tread still looked new. Just wondering so i can keep an eye out.

[mwebber78]

Abnormal cupping, wearing to one side, feathering, etc.

Mine were so bad from the factory that a straight edge or 3' level held in line with the tire showed the other to be out of position.

[rcflyer]

Originally Posted by danskool

What makes the axle bad?Curious. Mine is a 05 and always have run true. Last year i replaced my 6 year old tires with new ones just from weather checking. The tread still looked new. Just wondering so i can keep an eye out.

Interstate 40 Eastbound in Arizona will do the trick.

[cwit]

I would get back to crossroads and tell them that you bought the camper from them not Lippert. There is no reason you have to do their work.

[danskool]

Originally Posted by mwebber78

Abnormal cupping, wearing to one side, feathering, etc.

Mine were so bad from the factory that a straight edge or 3' level held in line with the tire showed the other to be out of position.

So the axles are bent wrong? Welded wrong?

[mwebber78]

On mine, spindles had run-out - as if bent.

[kaiserrw1]

"What makes the axle bad?Curious."
My first set of axles had the spindles welded at incorrect angles (F-R). The 2nd set of axles had 1 spindle welded incorrect and one axle tube with incorrect bend angle (which puts both spindles at incorrect angle to the road). Although I paid the big truck alignment shop to fix the issues, it was interesting to watch the corrective procedures, plus it was another "learning experience".
The place also built race car transporters using laser equip to align axles, etc. Their contention was that the RV industry uses axle specs that leave little room for weight variances; with some just being flat undersized. I personally have no expertise to refute or substantiate that hypothesis.