Axle Ring Problems

[noiva]

The left tag axle on my 1989 370 MoHo is having problems with a "keeper" ring at the very end of the axle working its way loose every several hundred miles. I've repositioned it by hand, but that doesn't seem to be enough. My dad's 1972 Argosy trailer has the same type of rings, only much smaller, so it's definitely not something peculiar to the MoHos. How serious is this? Is there a way I can force the retainer ring into position so it won't work loose?

I've attached some pictures that will hopefully help. The last one is of the right axle showing its ring in position. It has never come loose.

I would appreciate any help with this. I'm anxious to be sure I don't have a safety issue.

Thanks,

[85MH325]

Tim, I'd suggest contacting Henschen to find out what their take on that ring is and whether or not it's a safety issue.

Roger

[noiva]

Originally Posted by 85MH325

Tim, I'd suggest contacting Henschen to find out what their take on that ring is and whether or not it's a safety issue.

Roger

Roger,

Thanks. I've started by sending them an email with a link to the pictures I've posted here. If I don't hear from them very soon, I'll call. Hopefully, someone on the forum has had this issue before, and can give me some advice. Again, thanks.

Best,

[Inland RV Center, In]

Originally Posted by noiva

Roger,

Thanks. I've started by sending them an email with a link to the pictures I've posted here. If I don't hear from them very soon, I'll call. Hopefully, someone on the forum has had this issue before, and can give me some advice. Again, thanks.

Best,

That ring is a keeper, that holds the nylon bushings in place.

I would suggest that you check the hub-drum tire and wheel balance.

It would appear that the keeper ring is being displaced by an unusual vibration.

That same ring is on all torsion axles. Having it jump out, is an extreme rarity and usually is traced back to a violent vibration, or a horribly rusted axle.

Your axle does appear to have a great amount of rust.

Andy

[noiva]

Originally Posted by Inland RV Center, In

That ring is a keeper, that holds the nylon bushings in place.

I would suggest that you check the hub-drum tire and wheel balance.

It would appear that the keeper ring is being displaced by an unusual vibration.

That same ring is on all torsion axles. Have it jump out, is an extreme rarity and usually is traced back to a violent vibration, or a horribly rusted axle.

Your axle does appear to have a great amount of rust.

Andy

Andy,

Thanks for the clarification. The apparent rust is actually an accumulation of mud where the PO had kept it in an unpaved dirt area which got rather muddy. There's a little surface rust, but the close-up picture makes it look like it's covered with it.

I have not personally experienced any vibration nor is the tire showing any signs of being out of balance. I can get the wheel and tire checked, of course, but how do I check the hub-drum combo? These axles are not that common, and there are no Airstream dealers within several hundred miles (not that they would be necessarily knowledgeable either).

Is there a way to "drive" the keeper back tightly around the circumference of the axle end? Assuming I can eliminate the potentials of excessive vibration, what do you suggest I do to re-seat the ring? Is that a job a backyard mechanic can do?

Thanks for your help, and I appreciate your explanation. Any further assistance will certainly be welcome.

Best,

[Inland RV Center, In]

Originally Posted by noiva

Andy,

Is there a way to "drive" the keeper back tightly around the circumference of the axle end? Assuming I can eliminate the potentials of excessive vibration, what do you suggest I do to re-seat the ring? Is that a job a backyard mechanic can do?

Thanks for your help, and I appreciate your explanation. Any further assistance will certainly be welcome.

Best,

I suppose there could be the possibilty that the tension in the keeper ring is gone.

There could also be some mud or rust in the keeper ring track, that will not allow the ring to seat properly.

You might check to see if there is any obstructions in that track.

If you wish, I can have a new keeper ring sent to you from Henschen.

Andy

[noiva]

Originally Posted by Inland RV Center, In

I suppose there could be the possibilty that the tension in the keeper ring is gone.

There could also be some mud or rust in the keeper ring track, that will not allow the ring to seat properly.

You might check to see if there is any obstructions in that track.

If you wish, I can have a new keeper ring sent to you from Henschen.

Andy

Andy,

Depending on what they say to my inquiry, how would that work? I'll attempt today to clean and reseat the ring, but I suspect you're correct that the tension is gone. Will Henschen know the size? How about cost? Feel free to email me directly at noiva@cox.net. I appreciate your help.

Best,

[Inland RV Center, In]

Originally Posted by noiva

Andy,

Depending on what they say to my inquiry, how would that work? I'll attempt today to clean and reseat the ring, but I suspect you're correct that the tension is gone. Will Henschen know the size? How about cost? Feel free to email me directly at noiva@cox.net. I appreciate your help.

Best,

Henschen has not used that ring in 12 years.

They would have replaced it in warranty, but unfortunately, they don't handle that item anymore.

A good industrial parts house will have them.

Andy

[noiva]

Originally Posted by Inland RV Center, In

Henschen has not used that ring in 12 years.

They would have replaced it in warranty, but unfortunately, they don't handle that item anymore.

A good industrial parts house will have them.

Andy

Thanks for checking this out. I didn't get to rework the ring today, but expect to get on it first thing in the morning. Hopefully, it's just distorted a little, and I can get it back to the proper shape. Otherwise, I'll start looking. Hate to appear ignorant, but since I am on this - What is an industrial parts house, for example? Can you give me a little more info on what that is? Are you talking about an industrial supplier like Granger, or something more specifically to do with vehicles?

Again, thanks,

[Inland RV Center, In]

Originally Posted by noiva

Thanks for checking this out. I didn't get to rework the ring today, but expect to get on it first thing in the morning. Hopefully, it's just distorted a little, and I can get it back to the proper shape. Otherwise, I'll start looking. Hate to appear ignorant, but since I am on this - What is an industrial parts house, for example? Can you give me a little more info on what that is? Are you talking about an industrial supplier like Granger, or something more specifically to do with vehicles?

Again, thanks,

Every major city has "industrial" parts houses.

W W Grainger is one, but they don't have them past 3 inches.

Andy

[noiva]

Originally Posted by Inland RV Center, In

Every major city has "industrial" parts houses.

W W Grainger is one, but they don't have them past 3 inches.

Andy

OK, thanks. I know where to look now.

[noiva]

Originally Posted by Inland RV Center, In

I suppose there could be the possibility that the tension in the keeper ring is gone.

There could also be some mud or rust in the keeper ring track, that will not allow the ring to seat properly.

You might check to see if there is any obstructions in that track.

If you wish, I can have a new keeper ring sent to you from Henschen.

Andy

Andy,

I'm not certain yet, but I think your suggestion of mud not allowing the ring to seat properly may have been the culprit. I just removed the ring (which looks to be in perfect shape), wire-brushed it, put light coat of WD40, cleaned out the grove on the outside of the nylon bushings (full of dirt), and tapped the ring back in place. At least it LOOKS like it's in correctly. Matches the one on the right side. If it handles a good road run I will have fixed the problem without spending any money - thanks to you .

Best,

Tim

[noiva]

Originally Posted by 85MH325

Tim, I'd suggest contacting Henschen to find out what their take on that ring is and whether or not it's a safety issue.

Roger

Roger,

Sorry to report that I've had no luck yet with Henschen. I've sent them a complete description of the problem along with pictures. After two days of no response, I called. Still no help. I was told that there was no one there at the time who could help me, but they did take my name and number for a call-back. Unfortunately, they couldn't even tell me an approximate time or even day for the call-back. I'm very disappointed, but maybe I'll actually hear back from them. Doesn't speak well for them, however. I'd hate to be on the road, and have this much trouble trying to get information.

Anyway, Andy may have given me the information I needed. I've removed and cleaned the retainer ring - looks good. I've scraped the grove it sets in (full of mud), and reset the ring. If it stays, that's it. Andy had suggested that mud could have caused the ring to become dislodged. He may well have been correct. Still seems unfair that Henschen appears so disinterested in helping with one of their products.

[noiva]

Looks like I was just a little too hasty with my criticism of Henschen. I just got a call from them in which a technician assured me the ring was not a safety issue. It was discontinued 12 years ago because the ring and nylon bushings serve no real purpose - other than fill the cavity that was created to put them in. Anyway, should anyone else have a ring come loose - I was advised that cleaning the ring (assuming it isn't broken) and the groove it seats in will correct the problem. Mine apparently came loose due to a buildup of mud from having been parked in a field for the duration of the storage time with the PO.

Should a ring break, it can be replaced by going to an industrial supplier of that machine equipment. I found several identical rings just looking on the Internet last evening. The important thing to know is that it is NOT a safety issue. One could continue on with the ring out of place.

Thanks again to all who offered suggestions,