Lippert addresses reports of leaking RV axles

[tmrut5]

http://rvdailyreport.com/industry/li...king-rv-axles/

[Jerryr]

http://rvdailyreport.com/industry/li...king-rv-axles/

I guess my brand new 2017 337RLS manufactured last month is one of the "one-tenth of 1 percent of travel trailer and fifth wheel owners using the firm’s products." 1/10th of 1% is ONE in a Thousand.

So based on the 164 reported members who reported grease contamination that means that there were 163,836 members who haven't had the problem. Must be FAKE NEWS!

This is what the dealer found on both passenger side seals when he disassembled the hubs on my brand new 5th wheel before delivery 2 weeks ago.

[Steve7]

Glad this issue has received more press. One thing that was interesting, is that Lippert said that they have been conferring with NHTSA in order to solve or improve on the axle seal issues. I also noted that they stated that only 1/10th of 1 percent have a problem.

Lastly, I see they state they will pay for Inspection for failure, so I believe everyone should be having this done upon purchase. I don't know why LCI doesn't direct the dealers to do this automatically until the issues are finally solved.

[minnow101]

Lippert explains there may be several causes for grease to appear on wheels, including:
A leaking grease seal that can cause excess grease to coat braking components.
Improper disassembly of a hub can extract grease from the seal causing the braking components to be
saturated. Failure to properly clean and reassemble a hub can cause excess grease to appear.
Failure to strictly adhere to service procedures when servicing axles can cause excess grease.
Use of a powered grease gun to fill the hub cavity can cause grease to get past the seal or push the seal out
of the hub bore.


Other than the first and last possible conditions cited above, all the rest of the conditions would not be applicable to new owners of LCI supplied hubs as new owners would not be servicing the hubs or taking the hubs off the axles. I find it interesting that LCI never mentions that their own employees have admitted the issue is caused by their own manufacturing process and instead tries to spin it like it's the RV owners fault due to faulty an/or improper servicing procedures. Love the fact that LCI states that Servicing wheels and axles should be performed ONLY by trained technicians I guess because we owners are too stupid to do it ourselves. If anyone is too ignorant to do this service, it's the idiots, supervisors and quality control personnel they employ on the assembly line who apparently don't know how to install grease into a hub, don't know how to instruct subordinates on the correct process and don't know how to pull a axle off the line for QC inspections. And since this has been going on for a few years, I guess we can add, that no one at LCI gives a damn either.
Wow what a condescending company LCI is.

[TucsonJim]

I have a proposal for LCI and Grand Design. Why not gather a team of technicians with their tools and head to multiple dealerships in Arizona and California with a good supply of Grand Design products. These units will have had 1,800 to 2,200 miles put on them since leaving Indiana. Obtain permission from the dealerships to do a 100% inspection. Using your own technicians remove and inspect each wheel and document the findings. This should be witnessed by unbiased observers such as customers or NHTSA employees. According to LCI's 1/10 of 1% number, there should be no more than one greasy brake on 200-300 units. Since it will only be your technicians, then you can take the inept customers out of the equation. If substantially more units are found to have greasy brakes, then you can use the data to try and solve this multi year puzzle. How about it?

Jim

[SkiSmuggs]

Lippert sounds like they took a lesson from china bomb manufacturers. The axles must have been under inflated and run faster than the speeds they are rated for.

[Steve7]

Love your proposal Jim, and seriously, why not??

[grampscamper]

I have a proposal for LCI and Grand Design. Why not gather a team of technicians with their tools and head to multiple dealerships in Arizona and California with a good supply of Grand Design products. These units will have had 1,800 to 2,200 miles put on them since leaving Indiana. Obtain permission from the dealerships to do a 100% inspection. Using your own technicians remove and inspect each wheel and document the findings. This should be witnessed by unbiased observers such as customers or NHTSA employees. According to LCI's 1/10 of 1% number, there should be no more than one greasy brake on 200-300 units. Since it will only be your technicians, then you can take the inept customers out of the equation. If substantially more units are found to have greasy brakes, then you can use the data to try and solve this multi year puzzle. How about it?

Jim

Great idea Jim. I think we know why this will never happen.

Bob

[Mrhavasu]

Makes you sick, don't it? Bunch of crap how they always seem to get away with it and then blame us.

[K&I337RLS]

We're just SOL. They DO NOT CARE!!!! They have your money & now the NHTSA is siding with Lippert!