Broken rear spring

[Sola123]

Arrived home from a short trip last weekend and found the right rear spring broken near the rear hanger….luckily no damage to tires or RV and made it home safely….anyone else experience springs breaking? I can see after replacing the right rear spring that I need to replace them all….once the new one was installed you realize how flat the others look and how much closer the tires are to the body of the RV…the new spring keeps the body elevated 1 1/2 inches above the rest….by yourself…it takes about 3 hours to remove and install if you have the jacks and tools to do the job…..everything is metric also….

 

[Poppyof5]

I just found a broken hanger on mine. Getting it welded back up. It’s good to roll around under there for sure. I wouldn’t have found mine if I wasn’t lubing the wet bolts. Glad you found your issue before it did major damage.

 

[Mopar_Earl]

Pre-trip inspections are extremely important to find worn and broken items. Also the trailer requires thorough inspections often. They aren't well built and they don't give the life you come to expect from vehicles. Trailer suspension components are wearable parts and unfortunately they do not last long. Hitching up and rolling without any inspections will get you eventually.


Earl

 

[spoon059]

That happened to us on a trip to Vermont in August. We had just gotten off the interstate and were pulling into the campground and the spring broke and the trailer dropped on the tires, rubbing and smoking the tires. Thankfully we were doing 25 mph at the time and could quickly stop and assess the damage.

The fun part was finding a replacement spring on the road and buying appropriate tools on the road to make those repairs. I replaced a 2200 lbs 4 leaf spring with a 2500 lbs 5 leaf spring.

Once we got back home, I replaced the other 3 springs with 2500 lbs 5 leaf springs and realized that several shackles were ovalling out. Looked online and bought a wet bolt kit with shackles twice as thick for about $90 on Amazon. It is MUCH quieter now, none of that popping and creaking at low speeds and backing into the campsite. Every camper will have wet bolts now, rather than the cheap plastic bushings.

 

[Poppyof5]

Pre-trip inspections are extremely important to find worn and broken items. Also the trailer requires thorough inspections often. They aren't well built and they don't give the life you come to expect from vehicles. Trailer suspension components are wearable parts and unfortunately they do not last long. Hitching up and rolling without any inspections will get you eventually.


Earl

Couldn’t agree more. I have been guilty of half assing my pre / post inspection. Sure we have been lucky. We are 2 weeks out from a trip back to calif from Oklahoma this hanger could really messed up our day.

 

[RDTC]

I would recommend adding shocks. They will reduce spring fatigue.

 

[Sola123]

Replacing all axle springs on my Pinnacle tomorrow…..balancing all tires….getting ready for heading out in January….

 

[Jagiven]

Broke an equalizer decades ago.

Broke a leaf on my last pickup.

I have to admit, I only check my suspension components maybe once or twice a year. If I am doing something under the tt, I inspect everything.

 

[Wemet]

Broken spring hanger

Going through Atlanta on I-285 another truck signaled to me I had a hot brake. When I pulled over, I found the two tandem tire touching and rubbing. Slowly I exited the freeway and parked in a hotel parking lot. After several hours of trying to get a mobile repair, a tow truck driver jacked up the rig and removed the tires to reveal the rear spring hanger total broken off allowing the rear tire to slide forward into the front tire. After using large wood blocks and tie down straps to secure the axel to the frame we limped into a camper repair faculty. A new hanger bracket, two new tire and a two day delay in our trip we are back on the road.
This could have lead to a catastrophic accident if the tires had failed and I swerved into the next lane. We were lucky!

 

[ARoamer]

Going through Atlanta on I-285 another truck signaled to me I had a hot brake. When I pulled over, I found the two tandem tire touching and rubbing. Slowly I exited the freeway and parked in a hotel parking lot. After several hours of trying to get a mobile repair, a tow truck driver jacked up the rig and removed the tires to reveal the rear spring hanger total broken off allowing the rear tire to slide forward into the front tire. After using large wood blocks and tie down straps to secure the axel to the frame we limped into a camper repair faculty. A new hanger bracket, two new tire and a two day delay in our trip we are back on the road.
This could have lead to a catastrophic accident if the tires had failed and I swerved into the next lane. We were lucky!

Please post your trailer model. Scary stuff, especially with going through Atlanta to boot!