Do I have an axle issue?? Wheel issues when reversing trailer on slant

[idaramin]

Hi all- Newbie here! I have a 1975 Airstream Internation 31'. Currently the ship is empty (removed all interior for my studio). When we picked up the airstream from the PO we didnt have the issues listed below...

Yesterday we were leaving our storage facility and when we reversed on a hill we heard a pop and then realized one of the tires was not rotating in reverse...it was stuck. Then another pop and the airstream drop down a little, the tire was back on the ground and reversed just fine. This only happened when we were on a slope. We drove the airstream around the parking lot and it reversed just fine on flat land.

We recently greased the bearings and replaced the seals. Also got all 4 new tires that have less than 20 miles on them.
I dont know if my husband didnt tighten something enough, put something on wrong or our axles just decided to die on us. It just started to do this so I thought something may have gone wrong in changing tires or servicing the bearings.

I understand that these are old axles and we should probably consider replacing them....just want to see if it could be something else that would stop the tires from turning....

Thanks!
Thanks!

[Lumatic]

Rusty Brakes

[Inland RV Center, In]

Originally Posted by idaramin

Hi all- Newbie here! I have a 1975 Airstream Internation 31'. Currently the ship is empty (removed all interior for my studio). When we picked up the airstream from the PO we didnt have the issues listed below...

Yesterday we were leaving our storage facility and when we reversed on a hill we heard a pop and then realized one of the tires was not rotating in reverse...it was stuck. Then another pop and the airstream drop down a little, the tire was back on the ground and reversed just fine. This only happened when we were on a slope. We drove the airstream around the parking lot and it reversed just fine on flat land.

We recently greased the bearings and replaced the seals. Also got all 4 new tires that have less than 20 miles on them.
I dont know if my husband didnt tighten something enough, put something on wrong or our axles just decided to die on us. It just started to do this so I thought something may have gone wrong in changing tires or servicing the bearings.

I understand that these are old axles and we should probably consider replacing them....just want to see if it could be something else that would stop the tires from turning....

Thanks!
Thanks!

Sounds lik rusty drums.

Also the following will help you check out the axles.

The Dura-Torque Axle

Andy

[Colin H]

Originally Posted by idaramin

Yesterday we were leaving our storage facility and when we reversed on a hill we heard a pop and then realized one of the tires was not rotating in reverse...it was stuck.
I dont know if my husband didnt tighten something enough, put something on wrong or our axles just decided to die on us.
I understand that these are old axles and we should probably consider replacing them....just want to see if it could be something else that would stop the tires from turning....

Thanks!

Yeah, sounds like your brake shoes have rusted to the drum & broke loose when you backed up, and yes your axles are likely sagged out being this old, but old axles don't react like this, they typically have very little "give" left in them.
Colin

[RickDavis]

Rusty brake drums are the most likely culprit.. I also have had the problem with the brake arm where the magnets attach dragging , but only on the brakes with the oval magnets. This created a reverse wheel lock up problem. Grinding a few thousands off the arm where the oval magnet attaches fixed it.
I suspect your 75 may still have the round magnets though

[idaramin]

Rusty drums it is- ill take a look at it this week. Any suggestions on where to order replacements and what parts I need? Thanks for your input!

[Splitrock]

Check your breakaway switch.

[RickDavis]

Originally Posted by idaramin

Rusty drums it is- ill take a look at it this week. Any suggestions on where to order replacements and what parts I need? Thanks for your input!

You can clean the rust off the inner services with sandpaper or a wire wheel.

Breakaway switch would not likely be the problem as the brakes would be on forward and reverse. Even if the wheels would turn you would feel like you were pulling a rock and any distance you moved more than around the yard would get things hot and smelly