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fun2bethad · 08-19-2005, 10:52 AM

Well......I've got something interesting to add to this discussion. About a year and a half ago, I drove from Ohio to Conn. to purchase a 1965 Caravel. I decided I needed something to work on when I retire (about 25 years from now) and I didn't want to deal with the cost of such a wonderful thing in future dollars (probably $35,000). Anyway, I've seen enough in the forums and on the net to know that the axle of a 1965 Caravel isn't the most reliable thing on the road so I decide to bite the bullet and put a brand new axle on it. Since I live in Ohio, going to the Airstream factory where this unit was born, seemed like a no brainer. I towed it the hour and a half and left it for servicing. After three months and much frustration on my part (ALWAYS BE A SQUEAKY WHEEL), I drove away, confident that the trailer was now much safer on the road. About two weeks ago, the family and I got up at 6 a.m. to head up to Canada for a week long vacation at a fishing cabin. Just before we got on the highway, the trailer started lurching from side to side. After pulling over to the side of the road, we discovered a very flat tire on the driver side. Triple A came out and tried to fill the tire but they said the seal had been broken and we'd need a flat bed to get it towed to a tire shop. An hour and a half later, the flat bed showed up and we gotter towed to the tire shop where we discovered that the sidewalls of both tires had been rubbing against the shock absorbers and that is what caused the blow out. It would seem that the factory put on an axle that was too small for the trailer and this is what caused the rub. The fact that we were not on the highway when the tire blew is a small miracle. Unfortunately they don't make a smaller tire that is rated for the dry weight of the trailer so now Airstream is trying to decide how they are going to deal with the problem. At first they wanted me to drive it back to the factory but after I gave it some thought, I told them that they would need to come retrieve it themselves. The prospect of having the other tire blow out at highway speeds just didn't seem appealing.That's where we stand right now. They've said they'll get back to me when they figure out how they are going to handle it. Moral of the story is.....no matter where you take it to be serviced.....be diligent about checking the job.

Anon · 08-19-2005, 02:02 PM

WOW!
That really sucks!
You do have to be diligent when it comes to what is done on your trailer. Remember, you are the ONLY one who REALLY cares what happens to your trailer. No one has to live with it as long as you.
As for the axle not being sized correctly, that is simply amazing as Airstream had the old axle right in front of them. All they had to do was to copy that axle.
In Airstream's defense, I am almost certain that Henschen is the one who supplied the axle. They should have been able to make one now, as they most likely made the original axle.
I am hopeful that Airstream will stand behind their repairs. Please keep the faith!

Anon · 08-19-2005, 02:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gotair

Well, We've put about 800 miles on the new axle already and its working out fine. The trip to montery went excellent... we had a great time... I haven't pulled the wheels off to have a look yet we've been over 100 deg. most of the month so I avoid unnecessary labor whenever I can... Hope you all are getting some camping in... we are ... C-YA
DAN, LAURA AND NICK..

I am glad to hear that the Axis axle is working out well!
By the way, when are you going to replace those drapes now?

fun2bethad · 08-19-2005, 02:51 PM

Thanks for the words of support. When I first took the trailer to Jackson Center, they told me that the company manufacturing (supplying?) the axle was also in Jackson Center. Do you know if Henschen is in Jackson Center as well?

Anon · 08-19-2005, 04:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fun2bethad

Thanks for the words of support. When I first took the trailer to Jackson Center, they told me that the company manufacturing (supplying?) the axle was also in Jackson Center. Do you know if Henschen is in Jackson Center as well?

Not a problem, buddy.
Henschen is in Jackson Center. Right around the corner from Airstream.
FYI - Henschen is NO LONGER the preferred provider of axles to Airstream.

TomW · 08-19-2005, 04:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pattersontoo

...Henschen is NO LONGER the preferred provider of axles to Airstream.

Lou,

Any word on the now preferred provider?

Tom

Anon · 08-19-2005, 04:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TomW

Lou,

Any word on the now preferred provider?

Tom

Tom,
It is now Dexter.
There may be other suppliers but this is the official word from my local Airstream dealer.

fun2bethad · 08-24-2005, 07:42 PM

Finally called the folks at Airstream about this axle and they are sending the service manager out tomorrow to take a look. Sources familiar with Henschen axles have said that they believe the shock mounts were welded in the wrong location on the axle causing the shock to rub on the tires. The service manager will most likely take the shocks off, drive the trailer to Jackson Center and reweld the shock mounts in the correct location on the axle. Hopefully we are on the road to recovery. I'll update as events warrant.

scf31 · 08-24-2005, 07:54 PM

Are the new A/Ss going to have the old type leaf springs or are they staying with torsion type ???

Anon · 08-24-2005, 08:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fun2bethad

Finally called the folks at Airstream about this axle and they are sending the service manager out tomorrow to take a look. Sources familiar with Henschen axles have said that they believe the shock mounts were welded in the wrong location on the axle causing the shock to rub on the tires. The service manager will most likely take the shocks off, drive the trailer to Jackson Center and reweld the shock mounts in the correct location on the axle. Hopefully we are on the road to recovery. I'll update as events warrant.

Man, that still sucks.
Did you ask how they could possibly screw it up with the exact axle there to copy from?
As for the shock, it is not a mandatory thing to have on a torsion axle. I would pull mine without it. Not a problem.

Inland RV Center, In · 08-25-2005, 04:13 PM

We believe this says it all, as to who, what, where, and who knows why.

Henschen made the axle, without brackets and shipped it to the installer.

The installer welded the old rusty shock brackets to the torsion arms.

No assumptions, just hard facts.

Andy

TomW · 08-25-2005, 04:27 PM

Please specify the source of your pictures.

Tom

Anon · 08-25-2005, 04:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TomW

Please specify the source of your pictures.

Tom

Is there someone at Airstream that will affirm this?
The two parties involved here were Airstream and Henschen. I never saw mention of any other party.
The original poster did say that the work was done at Airstream. They also mentioned that Airstream was coming out to look at the axle.

Inland RV Center, In · 08-25-2005, 05:11 PM

If everyone who feel they need to know, will just be patient, the owner of the trailer will post as to where the photo's came from.

Andy

fun2bethad · 08-25-2005, 06:00 PM

Well....it is interesting to me what can happen when one makes a post. I seem to be stuck in an eddy of contraversy. Let me state the facts as I know them.
- I love vintage airstream.
- I have wanted a Bambi or Caravel for many years and finally(about 30 years too early if you ask my wife) purchased a trailer I could retire with.
- I wanted to be smart about safety so I incurred the cost of pre-emptively replacing the axle at the Airstream factory.
- Something about replaced axle caused the shocks to rub against the inside of the tires causing a side wall blow out.
- The replacement axle is a Dura-Flex by Henschen. When Airstream purchased it for the install, it did not have the shock mounts. These were cut off the old axle and welded to this new one.
- Airstream has not offered a solid reason for why the shocks are rubbing. They have suggested the trailer originally came with 14" wheels instead of the 15" wheels that were on there. They have also suggested that the torsion arms on the new axle are not as thick as the torsion arms on the old axle. This allowed the axles to sit much closer to the tires.
- I have, in no way, suggested either Henschen or Airstream is producing a crappy product. The fact of the matter is that whoever replaced the axle on the trailer didn't practice due diligence by checking their work. In Airstreams defense, I'm sure that they checked to make sure that the tire rotated freely before they took it down from the lift. The issue occured when the full weight of the trailer was on the axle.
- I feel confident that Henschen produces quality axles. Likewise, I am confident that Airstream will put this issue right. No company that produces such breathtakingly beautiful trailers with such a rich history would chance their reputation on cutting corners or not doing right by the customer.
- The pictures in Inland RV's post were mine. These were taken the day the tire blew out.
- I'm not interested in getting in the middle of anyone's mud slinging. I'm just a guy who loves his Caravel and is always trying to improve its situation.

Nuff said

markdoane · 08-25-2005, 07:51 PM

If I were the Airstream Rep, the first thing I would check is the wheel offset. The P.O. might have put on replacement wheels with the wrong offset, and the correct set of wheels would solve the problem. Would be cheaper than sending it back to the factory.

I think the original wheel size was 15", but i don't know what the correct offset is.

fun2bethad · 08-25-2005, 07:56 PM

I wish I knew the answer to that. Unfortunately, I'm technically challenged when it comes to wheel off sets. All I know is that if I can make it to my cherished camping spot...with no breakdowns.....I'm a happy guy!

uwe · 08-25-2005, 08:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fun2bethad

I wish I knew the answer to that. Unfortunately, I'm technically challenged when it comes to wheel off sets. All I know is that if I can make it to my cherished camping spot...with no breakdowns.....I'm a happy guy!

As it should be.
I simply can't believe what I am reading. I just noticed this part of the thread.
For the Airstream factory to make such a blunder is simply inexcusable. I know, they're just people, too, but dangit, where you gonna go to get something done "right" these days?

Inland RV Center, In · 08-26-2005, 10:00 AM

Fun2bethad

The original wheel offset was "zero".

Regardless of that, if your wheels fit correctly with the old axle, they certainly should fit the same way with a new axle.

Changing wheel or tire size, or changing the wheel to an offset, is avoiding the issue of incorrect shock bracket installation.

Simply rewelding the shock bracket would solve the problem. But as we all know, sometimes in life, a simple fix becomes way too complicated.

Andy

Paul Mayeux · 08-26-2005, 10:28 AM

Last fall I ordered a new axle from Inland for my Caravel. It came with two loose shock mounts. After installing the axle I put them in place with a clamp before I welded them to the torsion arm so that I could check how the shock would interact and it was obvious that the shock would rub. I ended up having to heat the shock mount so that I could put a offset in the mount so the shock could be between the torsion arm and the frame as was on the original axle. It has worked fine now for 7-8,000 miles.