Nobo 16.5 axle advice needed

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Mekcanix

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Howdy, I posted this on Exo Portal, but seeing if anyone here has any ideas

So it looks like I bent the axle on my 2018 Nobo 16.5. The camper dry is 2980lb cargo is 1400lbs.
I always travel with water @ 300lbs and with mods repairs and such I am pretty sure I am right around the rated axle weight of 4400lbs.
the axle is 89.5 hub to hub with electric brakes and 6 bolt wheels.
my frame rails are 64 outside to outside. So i have a span of about 13 inches between mounting point and hub face.
Not sure if the bend is in the tube, or in the forged spindle/ arm/ torsion beam. So not even sure I can bend it back to being right
What led me to investigate is weird scalloped wear on the Cooper STT tires. I did some rudimentary measurements with a level and it appears to be canted in at the top about 1/4 to 1/2 a inch on each side

First issue it appear the axle is custom built for this trailer
so my first plan was to replace it with the Timbren axle less suspension 5200 lb HD Axle-Less Trailer Suspension w/ 4” Lift & Long Spindles
Then realizing that my frame is too narrow and I would have to build a sub frame axle nobo.jpg
so the other idea I had was the Timbren Silent Ride https://timbren.com/en-ca/products/...ide-trailer-suspension?variant=44607187190042
this is also rebuildable units
then add a straight axle that I can pick up almost anywhere.

so am I barking up the wrong tree? am I missing a better idea?
We are planning on keeping this trailer for another 5 years till I am 60.

It was mentioned to look into Curt independent suspension : not available to the public yet
Cruise Master out of Australia: Not sounding like they ship to Canada but not confirmed. So if it is, we shall see what they want for it and shipping if its even feasible.

So like what's my options folks?
 

HaveeBear2

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I can't tell for sure, but it looks like a torsion axle. Do you want to move away from the current set up? If you can't fit a Timbren or trailing "A" arm you might consider good 'ol leaf springs, but with a shock. Prob an easier mod than for the Timbren.
 
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MOAK

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I’d go with a Dexter axle & leaf springs with shocks. Why? Here in North America you can go into any Napa, Agricultural store, camper or trailer supply retailer and find an axle, springs, shocks, bearings.
 
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Mekcanix

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Well a short update.
First the axle is readily available. so much for what dealership told me.
secondly it may actually be covered by a lippert warranty.
If not I am really considering long leafs and a straight axle, with a shock of some kind.
Apparently this a regular failure point on Rpods, hence the availability of the axle.

did I mention I am not impressed with the dealer. I have one issue that I bring to them in 5 years and this is how they go about it freakin lazy and crooked
 

MOAK

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Well a short update.
First the axle is readily available. so much for what dealership told me.
secondly it may actually be covered by a lippert warranty.
If not I am really considering long leafs and a straight axle, with a shock of some kind.
Apparently this a regular failure point on Rpods, hence the availability of the axle.

did I mention I am not impressed with the dealer. I have one issue that I bring to them in 5 years and this is how they go about it freakin lazy and crooked
Sadly; even though I’ve never dealt with RV dealerships I loath them. Once the sale is made they could give 2 shakes about customer service. That’s their reputation and I’m sticking with it. Good luck!
 
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grubworm

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yep...thats forest river for ya! i bought a new nobo in 2019 and had a ton of issues including a roof leak where the unit was sitting at the dealership rotting and delaminating and wasnt visible until i got it home and immediately had problems. took a month of bitching and finally forest river said they would pick it up and take it to the factory for warranty repairs. it came back in worse shape. brother in law bought an r-pod and after a year, the front wall was totally rotted due to a roof leak.

i wouldnt sink too much money into it. see if they will fix it under warranty and if they do, you better go over the repairs with a fine tooth comb once you get it back since their workmanship is crap. if they wont fix it, just replace the axle yourself and hope for the best.

i spent a lot on the nobo for it to be what it is. it still sits in the driveway unused and i bought a cargo trailer and built out my own camper.
i hope you can fix it and get that five years out of it...if you do, you will be doing way better than me and my brother-in-law
but yeah...as far as trying to mod it for for timbrem or anything else, i really dont see there being enough good materials in the no-bo construction to get a good end result
 

Mekcanix

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So, I do all my own work. I have done repairs that probably should have been warranty work, but the time frame they gave me was our entire camping season.
I too have a delam in the front turned out the leak was caused by the awning flexing.
the big problem is, I owe to much to sell it and get into something else.
and the bigger problem is that my wife and I love this stupid POS
we spend almost every weekend and about 3 full weeks in it each summer since we got it in 2018 and honestly I wish I knew then what I know now. I probably would have gotten something else.
but in todays market its not worth half what I paid, and I have put so much work into it (not complaining about the work, thats kinda fun for me) and mods and tweaks like solar and lith, rerouting the drains to a single drain, I lifted it, different storage solutions, you get the idea its ours.
The other issue is that almost anything on the market is junk. so I buy used, then I get someone elses headache. something new well we all know whats coming out now adays. And if I want something thats not got issues, I am selling the house and we are living in it full time.

Thanks for the advice guys I really appreciate it
 
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