Expedition camper axle failure - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

kerry · #1 01-07-2011, 12:31 AM

Ford F-650 Expedition Camper has an abrupt and serious rear axle failure. Scroll down the page to see the pictures:

http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=8936&page=53

pawoSD · #2 01-07-2011, 12:40 AM

Wow....thats pretty bad....and that was an F-650!

They don't build them like they used to.... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ghXatUGIi9g&playnext=1&list=PLAD3C914EBD9257C2&index=53

Fulcrum525 · #3 01-07-2011, 01:14 AM

Man how the heck did that happen? He said he broke a leaf spring but on pavement at 5mph?

mgburg · #4 01-07-2011, 01:28 AM

Check out post #551 and the air-borne trucking going on there!!! As noted in a subsequent post, the music is annoying, but the action is insane!!!

kerry · #5 01-07-2011, 08:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fulcrum525

Man how the heck did that happen? He said he broke a leaf spring but on pavement at 5mph?

My thoughts also. Why would it fail under those conditions? You'd think it would have cracked in extreme conditions and then perhaps had complete failure later. But the broken spring pictured seems to show a sharp fresh break with no evidence of a rusty crack that had been around for while.

pawoSD · #6 01-07-2011, 09:17 AM

Probably made from low grade recycled china steel or something.....

Fulcrum525 · #7 01-07-2011, 09:47 AM

Yeah that is one beefy spring too. Not even metal fatigue makes sense in this case. People have off-roaded on leaf springs for decades and this is the first time i've ever seen anything like this.....

kerry · #8 01-07-2011, 10:01 AM

Now that I look more closely at the picture, I'm curious as to what the bottom leaf looks like. Had the bottom leaf been cracked or broken for a while and the load carried by that upper leaf?

BobK · #9 01-07-2011, 10:08 AM

In my '77 Suburban, I hit a hidden pot hole at 20mph one time and the spring broke the next day just driving down the expressway. Broke a leaf in a way that i made it in to work.

Fulcrum525 · #10 01-07-2011, 10:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kerry

Now that I look more closely at the picture, I'm curious as to what the bottom leaf looks like. Had the bottom leaf been cracked or broken for a while and the load carried by that upper leaf?

No idea...someone will have to ask him for a picture. Oddly enough a google search on F650 leaf springs brought up the same poster....

http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/archive/index.php/t-6567.html

I'll take it that means that this spring was a conversion (He states that this model only had air springs in the back from the factory)

SwampYankee · #11 01-07-2011, 10:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kerry

Ford F-650 Expedition Camper has an abrupt and serious rear axle failure. Scroll down the page to see the pictures:

http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=8936&page=53

Oooof! The term "spectacular failure" comes to mind.

That thing looks like it's a beast. "EcoRoamer" on an 4x4 F650 Crew Cab based RV strikes me as funny, though.

kerry · #12 01-07-2011, 10:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fulcrum525

I'll take it that means that this spring was a conversion (He states that this model only had air springs in the back from the factory)

That's odd. I'm pretty sure in the original thread I linked he said the rear suspension was OE, one of the few parts he did not change.

You're not the only one to find 'Eco-Roamer' ironic. There's a whole thread over on Rv.net on the topic. For lots of reasons, it might be time to change the name to Wrecko-Roamer.

SwampYankee · #13 01-07-2011, 10:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kerry

That's odd. I'm pretty sure in the original thread I linked he said the rear suspension was OE, one of the few parts he did not change.

I was hoping to see the other damage pics but his link doesn't work.

It almost looks like there were 2 leafs, the thick upper one and a thinner lower one. I wouldn't think that 2 leafs would be strong enough to carry that weight so maybe there were larger supplemental bags between the frame and axle? Or maybe some sort of linked system with the bags doing the bulk of the duty?

mgburg · #14 01-07-2011, 11:21 AM

I think pawoSD hit the nail on the head. The break is way too clean...almost a *SNAP!* instead of a break.

I had the right leaf spring on my 1-ton trailer break right at the front shackle. And the way/place that it snapped allowed the rest of the leaf to carry the load and just allow the tire to skim the inside of the fender. When I got home, I saw the problem (perplexed for about 5 minutes), then carefully drove it over to an axle/spring place.

They came back out and showed me the pieces and pointed out that it WAS a Chinese leaf.

However, I could order an exact replacement...again from China or I could upgrade and get one from Canada.

Canada it was and I went ahead and replaced the other side at the same time. Total job with taxes included? Just a hair over $200.00 USD.

No way will I go back and use China-crap again.

The only difference now is that the trailer rides about a 1/2" higher and it seems to be a bit more stiff when there's no load. But I could care less...at least the damn axle ain't falling off the trailer and I'm killing a family of 7 in a mini-van on the Interstate.

This has me thinking a bit now...should I have the Chevy dealership verify that the leafs in my S-10 are anything but Chinese? Now, I'm starting to get a little paranoid...

lutzTD · #15 01-07-2011, 12:44 PM

id say with the amount of weight and the amount of offroading he did he got his moneys worth out of that axle. very cool lifestyle, thats one in a million