Ridgeman
Senior Member
- Joined
- Dec 29, 2006
- Messages
- 221
Last time I had the Cruiser out on the way home I got a flat on the left front of the 5er. No big deal it picked up a nail. WhenI stopped at a rest stop I noticed the left rear looking a little low and it was much warmer than the front to touch. Checked it out and the front was down to about 10 lbs of pressure. I know the tire was good when I left camp in the morning because I had checked all the tire pressures. So I was running with a flat for no more than a couple of hours.No blowout, no swaying, no symtoms. Iput on my spare, headed down the interstate and stopped at the next little town and got the flat tire patched so I would have a spare for the remaining200 miles of my trip.
When I got home I parkedthe Cruiserin the RV garage. It's been a cold, and wet spring so I just got around to putting the original tire and aluminum wheel back on today. WhatI discovered was pretty scary. My rear axle was crushed on both sides right at thespringmounting pad. The 3 inch diameter axlehad collasped down to 2 inches thick at the mounting pad.Because the axle had crushed the axle u bolts were loose. I mean I could turn most of the nuts with my fingers.We are luckywe made it home. I would be afraid to move it a mile the way it sits now.
I know the axle was not like that before my trip because I was under there just beforeI left on this trip changing out a defective left rear brake assembly and lubing the bearings. I posted last fall on the brake and seal issue.
It appears that the rearaxle collasped due to the increased load it got when the front tire went flat. I know I am well under themax load for this trailer.It seems to me that theseaxles should have enough of a safety margin built in to them that you wouldn't have to worry about the axles collapsing when you get a flat tire!! Maybe I just got a bad axle.
Anyhow, I am well past the 2 year axle warranty so I will be ordering a replacement axle on Monday and fix this one on my nickle.
Just a heads up to all of you to take a good look at your axles and mounts immediately if you get a flat out there. I read a lot of posts on here about guys going thru tires while on the road but not too much about crushed axles which makes me think I just got one of the bad axles. Hope the new one is stronger.
When I got home I parkedthe Cruiserin the RV garage. It's been a cold, and wet spring so I just got around to putting the original tire and aluminum wheel back on today. WhatI discovered was pretty scary. My rear axle was crushed on both sides right at thespringmounting pad. The 3 inch diameter axlehad collasped down to 2 inches thick at the mounting pad.Because the axle had crushed the axle u bolts were loose. I mean I could turn most of the nuts with my fingers.We are luckywe made it home. I would be afraid to move it a mile the way it sits now.

I know the axle was not like that before my trip because I was under there just beforeI left on this trip changing out a defective left rear brake assembly and lubing the bearings. I posted last fall on the brake and seal issue.
It appears that the rearaxle collasped due to the increased load it got when the front tire went flat. I know I am well under themax load for this trailer.It seems to me that theseaxles should have enough of a safety margin built in to them that you wouldn't have to worry about the axles collapsing when you get a flat tire!! Maybe I just got a bad axle.
Anyhow, I am well past the 2 year axle warranty so I will be ordering a replacement axle on Monday and fix this one on my nickle.

Just a heads up to all of you to take a good look at your axles and mounts immediately if you get a flat out there. I read a lot of posts on here about guys going thru tires while on the road but not too much about crushed axles which makes me think I just got one of the bad axles. Hope the new one is stronger.