BAC Forum

General Boards => Technical Support => Topic started by: Roy Boles on March 19, 2019, 06:54:46 AM

Title: Broken axle housing
Post by: Roy Boles on March 19, 2019, 06:54:46 AM
     Hello Beaver friends. I have a big problem with the Beav. The mounting bracket on the top of the rear axle housing housing for the torque strut that runs from the frame to the top of the rear axle has broken free from the from the top of the axle housing. Has anyone had this happen or heard of this happening. I took it to a truck shop hopping to get it welded back into place. They told me that there was not enough room under the coach to do the welding. And they said to restore the strength of the original they needed to replace the entire bracket. They said it was necessary to drop the axle down and get it out to do the work. I went by a welding shop. That guy said there was not room to get to the break to weld it. I tried to attach photos but the file was to large. Any help would be appreciated.
Title: Re: Broken axle housing
Post by: Dave Atherton on March 19, 2019, 09:25:11 AM
Roy, we talked about the problem and the truck shop reinforced my thoughts ( to do job correct )
there is not enough room to weld housing. If you can remove the tires and remove axle housing
to outside of motorhome repair can be made. Again welding that bracket to top of housing needs
to be prep and being cast steel preheat is required at area that weld bracket location. Sorry there
is not a easy and correct way to do this job unless you can get at top of housing. If you can remove
axle housing your looking at 2 to 3 hours to prep and weld bracket back in place. This is using DC
Stick with low hydrogen rod. I could do welding part if axle is removed to outside at your place but
cannot get to you till mid April. Dave Atherton Retired Cat Mechanic
Title: Re: Broken axle housing
Post by: Carl Boger on March 20, 2019, 03:03:13 AM
Actually I just had all of my tires, air bags, and shocks replaced, and when we got the rear tires off it showed that the strut rod mount had cracked the frame where it  attached.  I was not broken loose, but had to be flexing with the crack.  Luckily the crack was limited to the sidewall and did not go as far as the top or bottom rails.  Had it V'd out, drilled at the ends of the cracks, and then welded back up and ground smooth.  Added a plate to the frame, drilling all the frame holes into the plate.  10 total, not just the 4 that held on the strut rod.   Used grade 8 bolts in all the holes and then welded the perimeter of the plate to the frame.  It is over 1/2 an inch thick there now and the bolts keep the center from flexing. 

Looking at your break, I now feel lucky that it was the opposite end that failed on mine.  I could not see the crack prior to having the wheels removed.   I also don't know how common this problem is, but I will be keeping an eye on this in the future.  Good luck with your repair, sounds like a big job where the right tools are needed.
Title: Re: Broken axle housing
Post by: Roy Boles on March 20, 2019, 07:37:17 AM
     Yes it will be a big job. I’m going to go talk to the truck shop tomorrow to find out when they can get started on it.
Title: Re: Broken axle housing
Post by: Mike Shumack on March 20, 2019, 10:55:01 AM
      I tried to attach photos but the file was to large. Any help would be appreciated.

If your computer has the program "Microsoft Paint", open the photo in "Paint" then use the "resize feature" to make the photo smaller. My iPhone photos usually require a 50% reduction to get the file size under 300KB
Title: Re: Broken axle housing
Post by: Lee Welbanks on March 20, 2019, 03:22:55 PM
I would love to see pictures of this broken torque arm bracket and where it is. I find it hard to believe that with the coach jacked up by the frame with the axle hanging down, tires removed along with the brakes you could not get at the area to properly prep and weld up this bracket.
Title: Re: Broken axle housing
Post by: Doug Allman on March 22, 2019, 06:05:30 PM
Hopefully Roy will go into more detail after he gets his fixed. I surmise that getting enough room is not the only problem with this type fix as it will take quite some time to just prep the metal cast axle housing to be able to weld on. Most any welder I have been associated with, including those that weld pipelines and then have the joints xrayed are very conscious about their work environment including the space to work safely.

IMHO most coach owners look at these type repairs to be the least cost to repair and I fully understand that paying a lot of money is not desirable. However those whom perform these technical services do not desire to work in an unnatural condition or in a suspect safe position and be asked to back up their workmanship. From being on a farm for years where all was tried to be completed to the least expense for repairs most would do almost any contortions to get it moving again, including the old tale of using baling wire. That most always did not last the life of the equipment or even shortened the life of the equipment when it resulted in a more disastrous breakage. That type repair is not what a certified welding shop will do.

Seems to me that this weld is critical to having Roys axle continue to remain in service. I cannot imagine if the axle being cast metal would suffer a continuous break that it could be welded and stay in service. Roy hopefully will fill us in as to just what he had completed and process to get it done as I am sure as age goes moving forward so will the needs for repairs to be of this kind on hopefully few coachs.
Title: Re: Broken axle housing
Post by: Roy Boles on March 26, 2019, 05:56:41 AM
Well the Beav went to the shop today. They’re going to remove the axle and send it out for welding. I’ve got my fingers crossed and holding my breath.
Title: Re: Broken axle housing
Post by: Doug Allman on March 28, 2019, 02:01:28 AM
Roy, Could you share a little more info? Such as what type shop removed axle and what type qualified welding shop did they farm out the weld repair to? What is your warranty for the work they both are doing?
We have just returned home from a 3837 mile trip from Quartzite Arizona to Webster Florida and then to Kingsley Michigan in 17 days. I-10 & I-20 is basically worn out from AZ to Alabama. I-10 in Florida is also on its last legs. I-75 in Florida is good and real bad dependent where you travel it. I-65 from Montgomery Al is fair thru Tennessse and then Kentucky is poor in right lane. In Indiana I-65 is a cow path at times and others very good. When you finally get to Michigan it appears you entered a 3rd world country in the southern part of the state. The sign says when you enter Michigan "PURE Michigan", I would say something quite different from the beating the coach was taking.
POT Holes are numerous in all states and you cannot miss most of them. I am not sure Roy will be the only one needing some welding completed.
Title: Re: Broken axle housing
Post by: Roy Boles on May 20, 2019, 05:59:49 AM
     Hi Beaver family. We got the Beav out of the shop on Friday. Very expensive repair. Hopping this type of repair is not necessary on anyone else’s coach.
     Two or so years ago we had the shocks replaced with Koni’s at Henderson’s lineup. During this repair two of the shocks were found to worn out. I shipped them back to Henderson’s and they warranted them and sent me two new ones.
     Everything seems to be working right so tomorrow we head towards Montana. We have our fingers crossed and praying for safe travels.
Title: Re: Broken axle housing
Post by: Mandy Canales on May 20, 2019, 06:52:43 AM
Hi folks...I can't find a notation for a new topic but this broken axle is the closest topic to my post herein.  I do my own lube and oil/filter changes 95% of the time and while under the coach recently I found one end of the front suspension sway bar was broken off at one end.  In a call to Gillig that sway bar is no longer in most repair shop's inventory and hasn't been for quite some time.  I thought I could remove the bar but the nuts were torked on beyond my tool capacity so took the coach to my local shop.  It took him 3 hours to remove the bar and had to burn off one nut, of course it ruined the bushing.  I took the bar to a metal fabricator and was told that that kind of bar needed to be heat treated before a weld would hold.  He would try to see what he could do with it and won't know for a couple days.  Would anyone like to respond to where I might have to get a replacement sway bar for my '90 Beaver Marquis or a repair job?  Thanks for all the knowledge out there in Beaver land.
Title: Re: Broken axle housing
Post by: Keith Moffett on May 20, 2019, 11:05:01 AM
Mandy
Just a thought but Kaiser Brake and Alignment is set up to make a new drop link from scratch.  Perhaps this is in their wheel house as well.  They are in Eugene, Or.
Title: Re: Broken axle housing
Post by: Gerald Farris on May 20, 2019, 02:11:26 PM
Mandy,
I think that Henderson's Line-up, has access to a fabricator that can make a new bar for you.

Gerald