Community Forums

Droski · 06-14-2021, 09:07 AM

We are expecting our new AF 27-5L mid August of this year and I have a couple of questions for the seasoned AF 27-5L owners.

What is the age/miles on your AF and have you had any axle, brake, hub or suspension issues?

I would consider updating to disc brakes and oil bath hubs if there has been issues.

Thanks,
Droski

MtCamper · 06-17-2021, 06:42 AM

First off, welcome to the AF family. We have extensively modified our 27-5. We've had no problems with the running gear except for the Marathon tires it came with. I replaced them with Sailun G rated tires and also went from 80 to 85 profile. I'm very happy with the Sailuns. (Simple tire). I understand the new ones come with Endurance tires now. I'd give them a try. Shortly after we changed to the Sailuns, I added disc brakes. Night and day for stopping. I can unload every forward facing cupboard, in fact, I added child latches just in case I had a panic stop. At the same time, bronze bushings and Morryde 3000 were added. I can't honestly say they made the ride better, but it seemed like a good upgrade since everything was already disassembled. There have been a number of reports of grease on the drums on new AFs. I'd ask the dealer to pull all the drums and inspect or DIY if the dealer refuses.

My biggest recommendation is to take a look at the NROA website. It is a very active site with lots of good help. Caution:
The NROA site definitely is known to infect AF owners with the Mods bug. So far I've added a window, fireplace and auto level to make the 27-5 fit our lifestyle. And those are just the biggies.

Droski · 06-17-2021, 07:17 AM

Thank you for the input. What brand of disc brakes did you install? Did you stick with the drum brakes or go to disc?

Droski · 06-17-2021, 09:19 AM

Thank you for the input. What brand of disc brakes did you install? Did you go with oil bath hubs or did you stick with the EZ lube? Sorry about the previous post to you, i had not consumed my coffee yet!

Vintage465 · 06-18-2021, 07:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Droski

Thank you for the input. What brand of disc brakes did you install? Did you go with oil bath hubs or did you stick with the EZ lube? Sorry about the previous post to you, i had not consumed my coffee yet!

I've not heard of an oil bath set up for conventional trailer axles. I will say that there is "great possibility" if you use the EZ-Lube you will get grease in your brakes causing need for replacement. Some say they never have issues with them. Some say they found their brakes full of grease-mess. I followed the procedure and ended up with grease-mess. Replaced all the brakes and hand pack from now on.

Wood Chip · 06-18-2021, 10:31 PM

within 6 months of new I switched to 17.5 wheels with Sailun H rated tires, I had performance trailer braking install titan disc brakes and installed the MoRryde CRE 3000 with heavy duty shackles and wet bolts.

MtCamper · 06-19-2021, 02:36 PM

Performance Trailer Braking. Hand pack bearings when I think it's time. I do monitor the hubs with an IR temp gauge frequently and run TPMS as well. Several folks have gone to the 17.5s. It's a good way to gain some height if needed.