Dexter Axle fire in the hub

[Steven@147]

A TPMS sensor monitors temperature, but only at the valve stem - a proxy for tire and internal air temp. A hub fire would have to heat up the rim enough to raise the interior temp of the tire or the temp of the valve stem enough to set of the alarm. I don't know how long this would take or how extensive the fire would have to be.

Rob

I'm with Rob, by the time the temp got high enough for the TPMS sensor to see it, you probably have a lot of flames and smoke. The heat and fire was on the back side of the wheel, if any (internal or external) TPMS sensor did see and air temp rise, I think it would be way too late in any case. To the OP, yes absolutely add more and bigger fire extinguishers. That is one of the first things we did. Two in the coach, two on either side the storage compartment and one in the truck. You never know whats up or where you'll be when you need one. But in any case they are a quick few shots at best for small fires, if it gets bigger, get away or get out! I would let our new truck and RV burn to the ground before I risked anyone's life.

On TPMS usage, reminds me just yesterday I was setting at an intersection waiting to pull out and a truck and TT went by, the TT right side rear wheel was down to the rim throwing sparks, no tire. The front tire on that side was still there but wasn't going to last long. The whole trailer was leaning to the right side. This driver just kept going merrily on his way at @ 50 mph clip. I just couldn't believe what I was seeing. The driver was oblivious to what he was towing. He turned off onto another highway before I could get up to him.

[fmartinmn]

I'm with Rob, by the time the temp got high enough for the TPMS sensor to see it, you probably have a lot of flames and smoke. The heat and fire was on the back side of the wheel, if any (internal or external) TPMS sensor did see and air temp rise, I think it would be way too late in any case. To the OP, yes absolutely add more and bigger fire extinguishers. That is one of the first things we did. Two in the coach, two on either side the storage compartment and one in the truck. You never know whats up or where you'll be when you need one. But in any case they are a quick few shots at best for small fires, if it gets bigger, get away or get out! I would let our new truck and RV burn to the ground before I risked anyone's life.

On TPMS usage, reminds me just yesterday I was setting at an intersection waiting to pull out and a truck and TT went by, the TT right side rear wheel was down to the rim throwing sparks, no tire. The front tire on that side was still there but wasn't going to last long. The whole trailer was leaning to the right side. This driver just kept going merrily on his way at @ 50 mph clip. I just couldn't believe what I was seeing. The driver was oblivious to what he was towing. He turned off onto another highway before I could get up to him.

Good advice, thank you.

[jkwilson]

I'm with Rob, by the time the temp got high enough for the TPMS sensor to see it, you probably have a lot of flames and smoke. The heat and fire was on the back side of the wheel, if any (internal or external) TPMS sensor did see and air temp rise, I think it would be way too late in any case. To the OP, yes absolutely add more and bigger fire extinguishers. That is one of the first things we did. Two in the coach, two on either side the storage compartment and one in the truck. You never know whats up or where you'll be when you need one. But in any case they are a quick few shots at best for small fires, if it gets bigger, get away or get out! I would let our new truck and RV burn to the ground before I risked anyone's life.

On TPMS usage, reminds me just yesterday I was setting at an intersection waiting to pull out and a truck and TT went by, the TT right side rear wheel was down to the rim throwing sparks, no tire. The front tire on that side was still there but wasn't going to last long. The whole trailer was leaning to the right side. This driver just kept going merrily on his way at @ 50 mph clip. I just couldn't believe what I was seeing. The driver was oblivious to what he was towing. He turned off onto another highway before I could get up to him.

I’m not certain you couldn’t see such a heat rise on the TPMS. I’ve tested my boat trailer with an infrared thermometer by driving the same route with brakes locked out and active. There is a very significant hub temperature rise from just a few short braking applications. Obviously such a thermally isolated sensor won’t be nearly as good as one on the hub.

Many years ago, I noticed a double scratch on the road as I turned off the highway to take the 8 mile route to a boat ramp. I kept expecting to see a vehicle pulled over at any moment. Followed the trail all the way to the ramp where a couple of guys were staring at a ground down rim with no tire. They had driven a single axle trailer in excess of 8 miles with no idea they had a problem.

Another time I was heading back into a fairly remote campground with just my truck when I came upon two trucks pulling campers pulled half onto the shoulder. The TT in front had experienced a blowout that did some damage to the side of the trailer. I asked if they needed help, and the guy said they were together and the guy pulling the big pop up was going to give him a ride to town to get a tire, since he was already running his spare. I had to be the bearer of bad news when I told them the pop up had a flat too! I held traffic back while they limped to a service area just a few hundred feet ahead to get off the road. To top it off, the guy pulling the pop up had noticed the low tire on the TT miles back, but said he figured he could make it to the campground. Lots of self inflicted trouble on the road!

[terryriddle]

They are all correct. I have been running the TMPS for some time and while it will give you warning about tire pressure up or down and temp of the air in the tire, the axle/bearing will burn out before the air in the tire will warn you. I had a bearing fall apart and with the heat on the axle, I had flames in minutes. I do practice one other thing when traveling that can provide another warning. I carry a lazer temp gun and every time I stop at a rest stop or for fuel, I hit each hub area on the each wheel to ensure they are all within each other. My wife keeps track. You can tell which side is getting the sun vs the other, since it will run higher. Based on temps and sunlight..over time and tacking, I know when I have an issue and carry all the tools and parts to replace bearings, seals and grease..if necessary. You might had picked up on the hub heat due to the brake well before it caught fire and maybe not. Just another test I run at all stops all the time. When you lose an axle and Dexter will take 14 weeks to build and ship via freight...I came home with a different trailer and there was a significant cost to do that. But, I did not have 14 weeks was half way across the US from NC with travel days still ahead.

[JCR GD]

The brake assembly looks like it is installed wrong. Magnet should be at the bottom. Looks installed 90deg off. Definitely check and fix others.

EDIT: Should be easy to tell if brake assemblies are rotated from back side of brake assembly without having to open it up. There should be two plastic/rubber plugged adjustment holes in the backing plate. Those should be at the bottom.

[Rockdaddy]

Good thought, Not sure myself. Between the warning message and the smoke appearing, maybe 2 minutes tops. I am curious, anyone know if TPMS would have given me more time to react?

I was traveling thru Florida back in Feb and the emergency disconnect wire got caught up in the safety chains and pulled it so the brakes locked up causing a lot of heat build up, I had a 12000# camper on the back of a F350 diesel and to tell the truth you really couldn't tell up in the cab there was a misty rain so i couldn't see the blue smoke a couple of miles this way before i could pull over they were SMOKIN no flames but blue smoke about 30' over camper poured water on them, I do run with a TPMS and it picks up temps as well as air pressure and at no time did they register any advancing temps it happed too quick i guess.

[fmartinmn]

They are all correct. I have been running the TMPS for some time and while it will give you warning about tire pressure up or down and temp of the air in the tire, the axle/bearing will burn out before the air in the tire will warn you. I had a bearing fall apart and with the heat on the axle, I had flames in minutes. I do practice one other thing when traveling that can provide another warning. I carry a lazer temp gun and every time I stop at a rest stop or for fuel, I hit each hub area on the each wheel to ensure they are all within each other. My wife keeps track. You can tell which side is getting the sun vs the other, since it will run higher. Based on temps and sunlight..over time and tacking, I know when I have an issue and carry all the tools and parts to replace bearings, seals and grease..if necessary. You might had picked up on the hub heat due to the brake well before it caught fire and maybe not. Just another test I run at all stops all the time. When you lose an axle and Dexter will take 14 weeks to build and ship via freight...I came home with a different trailer and there was a significant cost to do that. But, I did not have 14 weeks was half way across the US from NC with travel days still ahead.

I hope the new trailer worked out for you. I too carry a temp gun with me and check with each stop. In our case we had just left the campground and had traveled only about 20 miles at the time of the fire. Thank you for the good counsel. Frank.