Broken Down

[bfisher003]

Problems just keep compounding it seems. The mobile RV tech (who has an excellent reputation doing work in the park) came out this morning and checked things out. In addition to the broken spring, I also have a bent rear axle (probably happened last summer when the spring hanger broke in Alaska) and the main gas line is gouged badly and needs replaced. I wasn’t real surprised about the axle since I noticed the right rear tire outside edge is wearing faster than the rest. After he left he called me a while later to let me know his parts place has the axle, but not the spring. He further stated when they looked up the axle code and VIN the trailer was supposed to have heavier duty leaf springs, not mono springs like it has, so he came out, pulled a spring and took more measurements. We may be converting the entire trailer to leaf springs. I called Keystone customer service and asked them about it and they said it is supposed to have “mono over leaf springs.” Anyone know what that means? I have paid for two more nights here at the campground and am currently waiting for a status call from the mobile tech on the parts. Oh, he also said the parts place said the mono springs are meant for what I think amounted to a tiny house.

[Jerry TX]

Bill,

Didn't check the treads yesterday, so sorry to hear of your troubles. Wish you were closer, you are about 6 hours south of where we live, so I could help you out. Hopefully, by the time you read the repair will be underway.

PS - If you are near Luling, try the Luling City Market for BBQ, its a famous landmark in that part of TX.

[bfisher003]

Originally Posted by Jerry TX

Bill,

Didn't check the treads yesterday, so sorry to hear of your troubles. Wish you were closer, you are about 6 hours south of where we live, so I could help you out. Hopefully, by the time you read the repair will be underway.

PS - If you are near Luling, try the Luling City Market for BBQ, its a famous landmark in that part of TX.

Thanks for the BBQ recommendation. I think we’re going there this evening. And thank you for your comment.

[CamperDad]

Originally Posted by bfisher003

Hi, Todd. Happy Easter to you and JoAnne. I’m quite a bit calmed down today from last night. LOL. We managed to limp 9 miles east to the River Bend RV Park near Luling, TX. We got their last available site, but had to move to another campsite today because the one we were in was a “one night only site.” They understand our situation and are working with us. I have a call into a mobile RV repair guy the campground suggested. Hopefully he can get us fixed tomorrow and we can continue homeward. The main thing that upset me yesterday evening wasn’t the breakdown itself, but the way GS Roadside Assistance handled it. The initial GS guy was great, but after that it fell apart and the service provider they used told them he contacted me, but he didn’t. I don’t know what happened there. I called GS and told them that since it was getting late in the day we were going to limp to an RV park and I told them where, but that didn’t seem to get passed on to the provider. And every time I called GS I was on hold for 10-20 minutes or more. Frustrating. Either they were dealing with a lot of other RV problems or they are very understaffed.

I hope you guys have a great trip—it sounds like it will be. Yep, ya gotta expect the unexpected.

I understand the frustration with GS customer service. Although we have GS, however, I have not sprung for the GS Roadside Assistance. Have they ever been helpful to you in the past? I am trying to prioritize what we "should have" with what we "must have" for our trip. Three things I am most worried about is gas, tires, and suspension. I have not heard of mono "over" leaf springs. - Always thought it was either a mono-leaf-spring or a multi-leaf- spring. Or maybe the Keystone CSR was just clueless. ( I will be crawling under mine this weekend to check things out.). Hope you get back on the road soon. I-10 in Louisiana will put your repairs to the test!

[Superslif]

Well hello there! It wasn’t the spring that broke in Alaska last year; it was the rear spring hanger on the same wheel. Great to hear from you.

Back up to Alaska next summer.

You might be right that the bent axle might have been from AK hanger break.

You will need to know what capacity axle they are giving you. So many times manufacturers install under sized axles.

That is one reason we went to just about the best RV suspension one can get for a new ORV Timber Ridge RV trailer with it's MORryde CRE 3000 with Monroe shocks.

[bfisher003]

Originally Posted by CamperDad

I understand the frustration with GS customer service. Although we have GS, however, I have not sprung for the GS Roadside Assistance. Have they ever been helpful to you in the past? I am trying to prioritize what we "should have" with what we "must have" for our trip. Three things I am most worried about is gas, tires, and suspension. I have not heard of mono "over" leaf springs. - Always thought it was either a mono-leaf-spring or a multi-leaf- spring. Or maybe the Keystone CSR was just clueless. ( I will be crawling under mine this weekend to check things out.). Hope you get back on the road soon. I-10 in Louisiana will put your repairs to the test!

This was the first time we tried to use GSRA.

After talking to our repair guy he explained what the “mono over leaf” means—a single bar mounted above the axle. That’s what ours is.

Don’t fret gas (if you mean gasoline); there are plenty of gas stations. I drove on the top half of our 36 gallon tank and usually started looking when it was at 3/4.

Yep, I-10 in LA will definitely test the fix! LOL

[bfisher003]

Talked to the repair guy today. We are going with option 2; replacing all four mono springs with multi-leaf springs. They were ordered overnight this morning to arrive tomorrow, then since they are 5,000 lb rated springs the spring place will remove a leaf or two to size them for our 3,500 lb rated axles (from the axle label). Our repair guy believes all repairs; the new springs, axle and gas pipe, will be completed Thursday. 🤞🤞🤞So, hopefully we will be back in the road Friday with basically a better, stronger suspension system in place.

[bfisher003]

Originally Posted by Superslif

Back up to Alaska next summer.

You might be right that the bent axle might have been from AK hanger break.

You will need to know what capacity axle they are giving you. So many times manufacturers install under sized axles.

That is one reason we went to just about the best RV suspension one can get for a new ORV Timber Ridge RV trailer with it's MORryde CRE 3000 with Monroe shocks.

Attachment 197697

Attachment 197698

Looks like a great system, but obviously Keystone doesn’t put anything that good on a ultra-lite trailer. From talking with the guy who fixed our spring hanger problem in Tok last summer and from forums I’ve read it can happen to even the best of trailers. Ya gotta slow way down for those frost heaves!! LOL

[Vetl82]

The manufacturers are building the 5th wheel trailers with too light of metal holding the spring hangers to the frame, the metal is only 5/16" thick. There building these trailers for weekenders , and charging too much for the bling RV's.

[bfisher003]

Yea!!!!!! Our RV repair guy just called—he has all the parts: the new springs, axle, gas pipe and everything to complete the repairs in hand and will be out first thing in the morning to install everything and get us back on the road! The springs have been modified to lower their capacity from 5,000 lbs to 4,000, so this is still stronger than we have, but should not be so much as to shake the trailer apart going down the road. Now would you believe that this morning when I went down to the park office to pay for a couple more nights they told me I needed to book a week since they could not plan their vacancies and might be turning away business, so I paid $180 for another whole week and it looks like we will only need two more nights. No refunds either. Oh well, I guess that’s like getting your car washed to make it rain. LOL

[Superslif]

Originally Posted by Vetl82

The manufacturers are building the 5th wheel trailers with too light of metal holding the spring hangers to the frame, the metal is only 5/16" thick. There building these trailers for weekenders , and charging too much for the bling RV's.

Yes, I totally agree...Too "thin" of metal used for the hangers. Was looking at some Open Range big units last weekend, and was amazed at how long the hangers were and how thin the metal was. . Was at the dealership for a seminar, where 60% of the attendees were parking their RV's at a seasonal campsite.

Originally Posted by bfisher003

Yea!!!!!! Our RV repair guy just called—he has all the parts: the new springs, axle, gas pipe and everything to complete the repairs in hand and will be out first thing in the morning to install everything and get us back on the road! The springs have been modified to lower their capacity from 5,000 lbs to 4,000, so this is still stronger than we have, but should not be so much as to shake the trailer apart going down the road. Now would you believe that this morning when I went down to the park office to pay for a couple more nights they told me I needed to book a week since they could not plan their vacancies and might be turning away business, so I paid $180 for another whole week and it looks like we will only need two more nights. No refunds either. Oh well, I guess that’s like getting your car washed to make it rain. LOL

At least your making progress. and in the long run your getting a "upgrade". So what is your over-all opinion of the CW policy you bought. From just a few Youtube Rvers I follow, it just seems like many get the same treatment as you have gone thru....At least monthly I get something in the mail for their coverage.

[Jerry TX]

I’ve never been in your situation, knock on wood, but it seems they are taking advantage of your situation. I mean how can you say no and move. Is this a snow bird park or is it full of workers( basically long term renters), they Certainly not friendly to overnight or short term guests.

[bfisher003]

There are some of both types here, as well as some overnighters and people calling to book sites (I heard one or two calls while in the office). They seem to stay pretty busy and mostly full every night. It’s a pretty nice place. Not super fancy, but nice. They’ve treated us pretty well and have been very understanding of our situation, and I kind of see their point, so I’m not upset with them at all. Pretty friendly and nice folks.

[Jerry TX]

Did you try the Luling City Market