Towing/drive axle issue

Topic: Towing/drive axle issue (Read 1253 times) previous topic - next topic - Topic derived from A/C Compressor Question

Re: Re: A/C Compressor Question

Reply #25 – December 26, 2022, 07:54:36 am

Quote from: OldManSax – December 26, 2022, 07:35:35 am

You may want to consider action against the tow company. If they had pulled both axles, the differential would not have turned at all during the 4 hour trip, thereby limiting the damage to a broken axle. Because the tow driver did not remove both axles, not only the the diff turn, some of the internal gears turned at double speed, and the spider gears, which are designed to only turn slowly while negotiating a corner, spun rapidly for 4 hours, possibly with no lubrication. And don't let them say you didn't insist on removing both axles. The driver is supposed to know that. That's what you pay for.

TOM

Since the shaft that was not removed was broken, it is possible the gears did not spin. If they did spin good chance gears are history

Re: Re: A/C Compressor Question

Reply #26 – December 26, 2022, 09:38:06 am

Shaft sheared at road speed when the diff seized up. I wouldnt put money towards repair. Find another rear end and swap it it.
What a preventable shame. (Guessing sight unseen)Sorry to see this happen.

Re: Re: A/C Compressor Question

Reply #27 – December 26, 2022, 10:49:42 am

True back in the day, I went through several axles on a C Gas Dragster. The shortened axles that I tried to have welded and machined did not have the temper for the torque applied during runs. Machining new ones had marginally better results. Re tempering seemed to be the key. Not available to me at the time. Bottom line do not repair, replace you will have better results. How do we change the subject on this thread?

Quote from: dsd – December 26, 2022, 09:38:06 am

Shaft sheared at road speed when the diff seized up. I wouldnt put money towards repair. Find another rear end and swap it it. What a preventable shame. Sorry to see this happen.

Re: Towing/drive axle issue

Reply #28 – December 26, 2022, 11:44:34 am

Are all the grindings in the axel tube or did they come out when the oil was drained?
When towing with the broken axel you might be lucky and all the turning could be
the broken ends turning. What a shame the broken axel wasn't pulled. The broken axel
could have been replaced on the side of the road and as Mike had said getting the old
axel out might be hard but a chinese finger wire puller should do the trick, clean the
axel tube get a new axel and away you go.

Re: Towing/drive axle issue

Reply #29 – December 26, 2022, 04:58:44 pm

Quote from: oldguy – December 26, 2022, 11:44:34 am

Are all the grindings in the axel tube or did they come out when the oil was drained?
When towing with the broken axel you might be lucky and all the turning could be
the broken ends turning. What a shame the broken axel wasn't pulled. The broken axel
could have been replaced on the side of the road and as Mike had said getting the old
axel out might be hard but a chinese finger wire puller should do the trick, clean the
axel tube get a new axel and away you go.

Again would be nice to know the sequence of events. Broken axle may of happened 3.5 hours into tow?

Re: Towing/drive axle issue

Reply #30 – December 26, 2022, 06:33:50 pm

I agree about going after tow company. If both axles would have been pulled when picked up for tow, we would know if broxen axle was cause of breakdown or not If gears were the cause, way more damage was caused with only 1 axle removed

Re: Towing/drive axle issue

Reply #31 – December 26, 2022, 08:38:55 pm

Quote from: dsd – December 26, 2022, 04:58:44 pm

Again would be nice to know the sequence of events. Broken axle may of happened 3.5 hours into tow?

The spider gears would tell us what broke first. If the spider gears aren't seized, the axle let go first and that's why drive was lost.

FWIW, if the repair quote is $9,600 then that's the number to beat. In 2008 did the new owners of Foretravel still furnish a binder with all of the truck parts listed? The OP already owned a used rear axle, another used rear axle would be, in my opinion, a step up over rebuilding what he already owns.

Re: Towing/drive axle issue

Reply #32 – December 27, 2022, 01:25:07 am

Sorry but how many times have I posted that you have to remove both axles when you tow? I didn't guess about this, I called Dana Spicer and went to the engineering dept. The axle covers are cheap and easy to install.

Pierce

Re: Towing/drive axle issue

Reply #33 – December 27, 2022, 08:53:56 am

Quote from: Pierce & Gaylie Stewart – December 27, 2022, 01:25:07 am

Sorry but how many times have I posted that you have to remove both axles when you tow? I didn't guess about this, I called Dana Spicer and went to the engineering dept. The axle covers are cheap and easy to install.

Pierce

The tow operator can be intimidating to those who don't remember that it's their nickel on the table and their machinery at risk.

But in the long run, having the drive shaft spin and the rear wheels not means that either the two-speed is between gears or something broke. Does Foretravel use vacuum shift or electric two speed rear axles?

Re: Towing/drive axle issue

Reply #34 – December 27, 2022, 10:52:18 am

I got into an argument with a late forum member about the axles having to be pulled which resulted in me calling Spicer. The spider gears normally just sit there doing almost nothing if going straight down the road. They don't even have needle/roller bearing but just plain bronze bearings. When one axle is pulled and the tow is started the spider gears spin very rapidly and the faster the tow is, the faster they spin. They can't get enough lubrication this way and overheat, causing a big failure.

Some tow truck drivers like the ones we see on YouTube are sharp guys but many are not and the only training they get is the word of mouth alternative facts they get from others. When it comes down to it, the person to blame is the one in the mirror.

That's one of the reasons I took the big hub covers off as they took a lot of time to remove before I could get to the axle nuts on the hub.

Pierce

Re: Towing/drive axle issue

Reply #35 – December 27, 2022, 12:25:11 pm

Quote from: Pierce & Gaylie Stewart – December 27, 2022, 10:52:18 am

Some tow truck drivers like the ones we see on YouTube are sharp guys but many are not and the only training they get is the word of mouth alternative facts they get from others. When it comes down to it, the person to blame is the one in the mirror.
Pierce

I'm not above being intimidated myself. Recently I purchased a Beseler M(N) 45 enlarger nicely equipped from a camera store in Atlanta. It was bigger and better equipped than I thought and between my telephone call and arrival the price went down. I came equipped and ready to break this beast down into manageable sections but the seller insisted on loading it into my car. Because I didn't put my foot down and risk insulting the man infront of his helper, I now need to either straighten the lower negative stage or purchase a new one. My fault for wanting to stay on the better side of one of the few remaining film camera stores.

The same goes with tow truck drivers except I know there's plenty of those guys around and they're on my turf.

Re: Towing/drive axle issue

Reply #36 – January 09, 2023, 06:32:53 pm

Okay a short update. The problem with the driveline was the drivers side axle twisted into two pieces as per the picture. I suspect the metal found, which wasn't much. Was from the two pieces of the axle rubbing on the tow to Denver. That was also the slow thumping noise coasting down that I heard. The service managers best guess was. A-The axle came from the factory with a defect. Or B-The PO got into a wheel spin situation and that wheel suddenly regained traction and stressed the axle and it took a while to fail. They pulled the passenger side axle and noted no apparent damage. Flushed the differential twice. My concern was any damage from the tow. Like wheel bearings. They took it on a long test drive and noted no abnormalities. I just returned to Dallas with the coach yesterday. No problems from the rear end that I could tell. Hopefully that's the end of that story.

Re: Towing/drive axle issue

Reply #37 – January 09, 2023, 06:47:36 pm

You should be fine as with the drivers side axle broken right at the drive plate it is like having the axle out. If that axle had not been broken you may have had a major o sheet even if the passengers side was removed.

Mike

Re: Towing/drive axle issue

Reply #38 – January 09, 2023, 07:23:29 pm

And as a caveat. The bill ended up being a coach buck. Not 10. That was like Christmas all over again. Now maybe I can afford new tires. 😂

Re: Towing/drive axle issue

Reply #39 – January 09, 2023, 11:04:47 pm

Another Denver thread. 🤦🏻‍♂️😏

Re: Towing/drive axle issue

Reply #40 – January 10, 2023, 09:22:33 am

Quote from: Res777 – January 09, 2023, 11:04:47 pm

Another Denver thread. 🤦🏻‍♂️😏

Things always happen in three's for me. Sorry to see this.

Re: Towing/drive axle issue

Reply #41 – January 10, 2023, 11:26:51 am

And what is the status of the rolling away incident at the shop?

Re: Towing/drive axle issue

Reply #42 – January 10, 2023, 11:33:00 am

I had to quit reading this thread because it was giving me so much heartburn. Very happy to hear about this positive ending to the saga.

Re: Towing/drive axle issue

Reply #43 – January 10, 2023, 12:05:17 pm

Quote from: bigdog – January 10, 2023, 11:26:51 am

And what is the status of the rolling away incident at the shop?

It was repaired at the expense of the shop. They did a nice job on the repair. No complaints about that. But the story doesn't end there. 🤦🏻‍♂️
The coach was towed there the last week of September. I just now picked it up 3 months later. So while it was there and body work was being done I was watching the weather in Denver. As soon as I saw cold weather coming I called the service manager and told him the coach was not winterized and couldn't be exposed to freezing weather. I was told don't worry it's in a heated shop and it will be winterized before leaving. When I picked it up the Oasis would start. Fuel or electric. So I assumed that maybe it was because of the water being drained. But I thought the coach heat should still work. Anyway, we went on down the road and I thought when we pull in for the night I'll just hook up to water and pressure everything up and see if the Oasis will start. So we pulled in for the night hooked up to city water, and I walked inside turned on the faucet nothing. Walked back outside, and water is running from behind the cover in the wet bay where the tanks at. So apparently they blew out the lines that are inside the coach. But didn't drain all the water from the waterlines that are in the wet bay. So next week it's going down to MOT and find out what needs to be repaired. I also noticed the water pump wasn't working. This has been somewhat of a frustrating experience to say the least. Welcome to RV ownership I guess this is my first one. 😂😢

Re: Towing/drive axle issue

Reply #44 – January 10, 2023, 12:21:59 pm

Quote from: Elliott – January 10, 2023, 11:33:00 am

I had to quit reading this thread because it was giving me so much heartburn. Very happy to hear about this positive ending to the saga.

Just be glad you're reading it and not living it. 😂

Re: Towing/drive axle issue

Reply #45 – January 10, 2023, 01:57:19 pm

I hope they did not blow lines etc at full air pressure because if so the water tank may be history. It has to be closed off from air when doing that and approx 30 to 40 lbs max pressure. Hope you dried up all water.
Johnh

Re: Towing/drive axle issue

Reply #46 – January 10, 2023, 03:01:59 pm

Quote from: John Haygarth – January 10, 2023, 01:57:19 pm

I hope they did not blow lines etc at full air pressure because if so the water tank may be history. It has to be closed off from air when doing that and approx 30 to 40 lbs max pressure. Hope you dried up all water.
Johnh

I don't have a clew about what they did and how they did it. I just know they told me they blew out the lines. By the time I got home I had been in above freezing temps for a couple of days. When I opened the tank drain water came out for about 10 minutes. So I don't think any lines in the wet bay were drained. On a positive note. After a 700 mile drive I'm pretty sure that wet bay was throughly dried. So far the service manager has been good to deal with. We'll see when I send them the bill for this.

Re: Towing/drive axle issue

Reply #47 – January 10, 2023, 03:15:04 pm

So sad to read of your ordeal. Sadly still, it continues. You can't simply drain and blow out the fresh water lines in the Oasis/Aquahot as there will be some water that always remains in the lower sections of the heat exchange spiral, which will freeze and burst. Water must be purged with anti-freeze to winterize properly. The shop that "winterized" your coach just cost themselves or your insurance $10-20CB for a new Oasis. You'll probably find pex fittings that froze and cracked for years to come. That's my diagnosis from the interwebs anyhow. W.

Quote from: Res777 – January 10, 2023, 03:01:59 pm

I don't have a clew about what they did and how they did it. I just know they told me they blew out the lines. By the time I got home I had been in above freezing temps for a couple of days. When I opened the tank drain water came out for about 10 minutes. So I don't think any lines in the wet bay were drained. On a positive note. After a 700 mile drive I'm pretty sure that wet bay was throughly dried. So far the service manager has been good to deal with. We'll see when I send them the bill for this.

SPLIT: Heavy machinery [split from Re: Towing/drive axle issue]

Reply #48 – January 10, 2023, 03:59:37 pm

Off-topic messages in this topic have been moved to Around the Fire Ring - https://www.foreforums.com/index.php?topic=45648.0

Re: Towing/drive axle issue

Reply #49 – January 10, 2023, 05:31:11 pm

Quote from: Res777 – January 10, 2023, 12:05:17 pm

So next week it's going down to MOT and find out what needs to be repaired. This has been somewhat of a frustrating experience to say the least. Welcome to RV ownership I guess this is my first one. 😂😢

Genuinely sorry to hear all this. Good to hear you are taking it down south. Get the tutorial on how to winterize by them before you leave. Hopefully the aqua hot has been spared. It is well insulated and in the center of the coach on mine. Please post what they find. IMO we all should have a plan to winterize on the side of the road in the winter. Not something we would plan for, but I guess broken axles happen. Accidents also.
Good luck
Scott

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