Underbody Squeak/Creak?!

[turk123]

Originally Posted by majorairhead

I spoke to the Dexter rep at the International convention about this very issue. I even emailed him the link to a pdf file of the noise. I told him he'd be a hero if he figured it out So far, no response to my email, sent on July 23rd.

I don't want to be a conspiracy theory kind of guy, but there might be a reason you never heard back from the Dexter rep!

The service center is closed for labor day weekend, but I will wander up to the service center tomorrow.

[turk123]

Well, I wandered over to the service center and started talking to Chris in customer service. I played him the sound and two other techs were in the office and they came over to listen. They said it was the brake backing plate. They have fixed it many times by lubrication the back of the shoe and the plate.

I told them the some have done this procedure and it did not work. They said that they probably did not know the proper procedure to do it right. The two techs told me to make an appointment to bring my trailer in and they would correct it. I told them I had an appointment for November and that's all that was said.

So what could be this magical procedure to solve the problem? The two techs left the office without revealing the secret (Ok, they are very busy!). I guess I won't know until November. I am thinking that someone here could once again look at the brake to see what is rubbing.

[Fungus]

Maybe if the backing plate isn’t torqued enough a squeak can occur. The spec says 25 to 50 foot-pounds, IIRC. That’s a wide range. I torqued mine to 40 foot-pounds. When I removed the previously torqued bolts they came off very easily. It seemed to be on the low end of the range. Torquing the lug nuts might temporarily misshape the backing plate enough for the squeak to stop for a while.

Or add a little grease to the backing plate but not any of the threads.

[NO NOIZE]

Originally Posted by turk123

Well, I wandered over to the service center and started talking to Chris in customer service. I played him the sound and two other techs were in the office and they came over to listen. They said it was the brake backing plate. They have fixed it many times by lubrication the back of the shoe and the plate.

I told them the some have done this procedure and it did not work. They said that they probably did not know the proper procedure to do it right. The two techs told me to make an appointment to bring my trailer in and they would correct it. I told them I had an appointment for November and that's all that was said.

So what could be this magical procedure to solve the problem? The two techs left the office without revealing the secret (Ok, they are very busy!). I guess I won't know until November. I am thinking that someone here could once again look at the brake to see what is rubbing.

This is the same conclusion in post #30 above.

[steilkurve]

Originally Posted by NO NOIZE

This is the same conclusion in post #30 above.

NO NOIZE, read your posts up thread. Did lubricating the brakes at the specified locations fix the issue more permanently?

[NO NOIZE]

Originally Posted by steilkurve

NO NOIZE, read your posts up thread. Did lubricating the brakes at the specified locations fix the issue more permanently?

Yes, but I can only speak for my trailer. I was able to definitively know where the sound was coming from by doing the following.

Have someone rock the trailer to reproduce the noise when it is actively presenting itself.

While the noise was "squeaking" I reached around the tires and placed my hand on the "backing plate" for the axle brakes. I could feel the vibration in my hand that coincided with the noise / squeak.

It is like finger nails on a chalk board, the rust spot between the brake shoe contacts on the backing plate produce a rough friction movement that produces a vibration noise, kind of like the brakes on an old bicycle.

If you do not feel the vibration on the backing plate at the same time as the squeak, then that is probably not the issue. It's not a big job to pull a tire and hub, but I would not want to do it for no reason.

Best of luck to everyone trying to chase down this issue, I know how aggravating it can be. If it is of any consolation, I found that while camping, if I had my stabilizers cranked down it eliminated or greatly reduced the squeak.

[steilkurve]

Originally Posted by NO NOIZE

Yes, but I can only speak for my trailer. I was able to definitively know where the sound was coming from by doing the following.

Have someone rock the trailer to reproduce the noise when it is actively presenting itself.

While the noise was "squeaking" I reached around the tires and placed my hand on the "backing plate" for the axle brakes. I could feel the vibration in my hand that coincided with the noise / squeak.

It is like finger nails on a chalk board, the rust spot between the brake shoe contacts on the backing plate produce a rough friction movement that produces a vibration noise, kind of like the brakes on an old bicycle.

If you do not feel the vibration on the backing plate at the same time as the squeak, then that is probably not the issue. It's not a big job to pull a tire and hub, but I would not want to do it for no reason.

Best of luck to everyone trying to chase down this issue, I know how aggravating it can be. If it is of any consolation, I found that while camping, if I had my stabilizers cranked down it eliminated or greatly reduced the squeak.

Thanks. Mystery remains total for me.

Went to my storage place this AM. No squeaking no matter how hard I push the trailer or walked in it. But the squeaking was there yesterday in full force after I washed the trailer. The trailer didn’t move and I didn’t touch the jack or the stabilizers.

Only difference is a much cooler temperature today. Could this be expansion related? Hot and humid makes some parts expand and rub against one another?

Or perhaps it was leftover water from the wash that creeped overnight into whatever parts are rubbing against one another and lubricated them? It’ll be interesting to see if the noise is back after the trailer sits in the sun a few days. That would rule out water as lubricant.

If the show was still on, this would be a great one for Unsolved Mysteries. ;-)

[garybair]

I still have the creak, but still think it's the brakes, even though I had Les Schwab lubricate them and it didn't help. Next time we replace brake shoes, before next summer, we'll polish up where they touch and lubricate again.

Anyway, an update on the torquing lug-nuts thing. It did make the noise go away, that moment, but I went out to the trailer to replace the LP gas detector a couple days ago and the creak was back - we haven't moved the trailer either.

[DoublTrouble]

Following with same problem on our 2015 25FB. Oddly, I just found this thread today. FWIW, we've had lift kit and new Shocks installed. I've not tried any of the Lube ideas for axle or brake. It's very annoying and can be intermittent. Started when trailer was a couple of years old.

Keep the information flowing.

j

[Divingdonna]

You can add our 2019 globetrotter 27 to the list. We purchased in June with approx 10K on it. No problem initially, but after a wonderful 3 month it started. ANNOYING is not the word for this. We can't walk inside without it being heard outside. Forget walking around at night without waking everyone inside. Very disappointed. This is not an inexpensive investment.
Thank you to all who are trying to find a fix.

[Neen]

Just an update on our current trip. We are about 2000 miles in and have had no noise so far - I know that is likely the kiss of death but, so far so good. Our dealer lubed all moving or related parts and no noise so far. We have another 2000 miles to go on this trip and I will report once we are done (or the noise returns). Safe travels!

[garybair]

Great to hear Neen! Please report back at end. Sounds like a great trip.

[steilkurve]

Originally Posted by Neen

Just an update on our current trip. We are about 2000 miles in and have had no noise so far - I know that is likely the kiss of death but, so far so good. Our dealer lubed all moving or related parts and no noise so far. We have another 2000 miles to go on this trip and I will report once we are done (or the noise returns). Safe travels!

Great to hear. Any more specifics on what parts they lubed? And what lubricant they used? I know about the backing plate and the part highlighted with the red arrow in the photo upthread but be curious to get more details.

As for my squeaking, it has not returned since the day after I washed it. Clearly, the water was not what acted as a lubricant temporarily as I hypothesized above. Only other new element is weather. As Fall is setting in, we've dropped from the 80s to the 60s. Again, stuff contracts and reduces chances of contact? I get the parts are mostly metal but...

At any rate, went back to the storage place to pick up the AS. No squeaking. Spent the weekend in a National Park. No squeaking. Drove it back to the storage place. No squeaking. Previous outing, it was squeaking before, during and after. Again, only change is heat/humidity.

[SYC2Vette]

We had an annoying squeak that turned out to be a shock absorber bushing. We had actually lost one of the shock nuts, and the top end of the shock had shifted to the end of the stud. After replacing the nut the noise went away. Wondering if the shock bushings could be at fault in your case. Maybe try disconnecting shock absorbers.

[NO NOIZE]

Originally Posted by SYC2Vette

We had an annoying squeak that turned out to be a shock absorber bushing. We had actually lost one of the shock nuts, and the top end of the shock had shifted to the end of the stud. After replacing the nut the noise went away. Wondering if the shock bushings could be at fault in your case. Maybe try disconnecting shock absorbers.

I have lost one shock nut twice now, not wanting to use thread locker on dry threads and create the eventuality of rust locked nuts. I started double nutting them with two thin nuts and anti seize, so far so good.

[steilkurve]

Originally Posted by NO NOIZE

I have lost one shock nut twice now, not wanting to use thread locker on dry threads and create the eventuality of rust locked nuts. I started double nutting them with two thin nuts and anti seize, so far so good.

Mechanic novice here. Happen to have a photo of what this would look like under my AS? Wouldn't mind checking this out on mine. Thanks.

[SYC2Vette]

Originally Posted by steilkurve

Mechanic novice here. Happen to have a photo of what this would look like under my AS? Wouldn't mind checking this out on mine. Thanks.

See post #16

https://www.airforums.com/forums/f46...rs-190753.html

[steilkurve]

Originally Posted by SYC2Vette

See post #16

https://www.airforums.com/forums/f46...rs-190753.html

Thanks

[Neen]

Originally Posted by steilkurve

Great to hear. Any more specifics on what parts they lubed? And what lubricant they used? I know about the backing plate and the part highlighted with the red arrow in the photo upthread but be curious to get more details.



As for my squeaking, it has not returned since the day after I washed it. Clearly, the water was not what acted as a lubricant temporarily as I hypothesized above. Only other new element is weather. As Fall is setting in, we've dropped from the 80s to the 60s. Again, stuff contracts and reduces chances of contact? I get the parts are mostly metal but...



At any rate, went back to the storage place to pick up the AS. No squeaking. Spent the weekend in a National Park. No squeaking. Drove it back to the storage place. No squeaking. Previous outing, it was squeaking before, during and after. Again, only change is heat/humidity.

Just returned from our trip. Covered about 4000 miles around British Columbia and am pleased to say the squeaking did not return in that wheel. I’m cautiously optimistic the lubing worked. On the downside, we did get the same intermittent squeak in a different wheel - rear driver’s side. The original issue was the front curb side. I am working on taking it in to have them do the lube treatment on all wheels and will ask them to document the work with photos and details of what lubricant is used and specifically where. I will report back as I get more info. For now, I am keeping my fingers crossed.

[Neen]

Originally Posted by Neen

Just returned from our trip. Covered about 4000 miles around British Columbia and am pleased to say the squeaking did not return in that wheel. I’m cautiously optimistic the lubing worked. On the downside, we did get the same intermittent squeak in a different wheel - rear driver’s side. The original issue was the front curb side. I am working on taking it in to have them do the lube treatment on all wheels and will ask them to document the work with photos and details of what lubricant is used and specifically where. I will report back as I get more info. For now, I am keeping my fingers crossed.

Just an update after another 3000 mile trip in June. No squeaking from either wheel so, it looks like the lubrication procedure works. Essentially, they lubricated all components of the braking mechanism that can be lubricated including any that have tight clearance between components. FYI - the note on the invoice says “ The process is: cleaned backing plates with brake clean and then apply anti-seize to slider plates, anchor pin. On both backing plates then reassembled.” I hope this helps.