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11-06-2020, 09:35 AM
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#1
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Montana Master
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: Catoosa
Posts: 780
M.O.C. #18384
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Correct track plates
If you have the correct track system on your suspension you might consider purchasing a couple of extra plates along with a wet bolt and nut in case you loose a bolt during your travels. If you loose a bolt then you will also loose the plates and since the bolt hole is slotted you can’t just stick a bolt in without the plates or the spring will be able to slide fore and aft.
They are available from Lippert for about $7 ea. I don’t know how easy it would be to locate a dealer that stocks them, but an internet search revealed no positive results from their sources.
I found myself in this situation 3 days before I was leaving on a short trip, so I fabricated a couple of rectangular plates in case the one’s I ordered didn’t arrive on time. Of course they arrived the evening before I was leaving. I’ll swap them out when I return
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2015 3100RL legacy...2005 Ford F-250 CC SB. Tows like a charm! 4/19 Updated to 2017 Chevy 3500 CC SB SRW -hope it tows as well as my F 250 did!
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11-06-2020, 09:48 AM
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#2
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Montana Master
Join Date: Jun 2018
Location: Carson City
Posts: 2,017
M.O.C. #21963
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Thanks! I'll do that since I have spare bolts and no plates.
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2016 3160, Legacy, Sailuns, Splendide 2100 xc vented, 1 1/2" axle lift blocks, disk brakes. 2014 Ram 3500 SRW SWB 4X4 6.7 Aisin Mega Cab, EBC slotted disks and brakes, Titan fuel tank.
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11-06-2020, 02:40 PM
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#3
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Montana Master
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Haysville
Posts: 4,261
M.O.C. #3085
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Your post has good advice for fiver owners with the correct track option. It seems each time someone brings up correct track, x factor, wet bolts, shocks, and air ride pin box posts, interest is born a new as people digest the content. I just want to remind people that correct track only allows parallel adjustment between each axle and squareness between those axles and the frame. Correct track will not do anything to correct camber or toe in issues both of which are also main contributors to tire wear and tracking issues.
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11-07-2020, 07:10 AM
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#4
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Montana Master
Join Date: Jun 2018
Location: Carson City
Posts: 2,017
M.O.C. #21963
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In my way of thinking, having the axles square to the frame does produce proper tracking. That is toe in/out. In this case both wheels at once per axle, not adjustable by individual wheel. Camber is what can't be adjusted with this system.
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2016 3160, Legacy, Sailuns, Splendide 2100 xc vented, 1 1/2" axle lift blocks, disk brakes. 2014 Ram 3500 SRW SWB 4X4 6.7 Aisin Mega Cab, EBC slotted disks and brakes, Titan fuel tank.
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11-07-2020, 08:20 AM
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#5
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Montana Master
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Haysville
Posts: 4,261
M.O.C. #3085
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Take my experience or question your local alignment shop. On a trailer axle, camber and toe in is built into the axle tube itself. Thats why you see an arch in the tube. The correct track only adjusts the mounting of the axles, it cannot adjust the axle camber or toe in. When a trailer alignment shop corrects alignment problems, they bend the tube for the camber and toe in
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11-07-2020, 08:31 AM
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#6
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Montana Master
Join Date: Jun 2018
Location: Carson City
Posts: 2,017
M.O.C. #21963
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I agree with you on how an alignment shop aligns. I've had that done. However, the plates adjust the axle, which in turn makes the wheels point forward, which is toe. In other words, makes the wheels point forward. So the plates do have adjustibility pertaining to (some) alignment. Now, if one wheel on an axle needs a toe adjustment then that's different.
__________________
2016 3160, Legacy, Sailuns, Splendide 2100 xc vented, 1 1/2" axle lift blocks, disk brakes. 2014 Ram 3500 SRW SWB 4X4 6.7 Aisin Mega Cab, EBC slotted disks and brakes, Titan fuel tank.
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11-07-2020, 08:38 AM
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#7
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Montana Master
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Haysville
Posts: 4,261
M.O.C. #3085
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When correct track came out a few years back, I talked to a Lippert representative at one of the RV shows. He indicated that when the frames were built, sometimes the spring hangers were mislocated causing axles not to be parallel to one another and or not to be square with the frames. Correct was an attempt to more easily fix that for the RV owner. Think about this. Tow in is the front of each tire very slightly pointing toward each other say 1/16 to 1/8 of an inch. There is no way adjusting the entire axle tube that will add or subtract to a toe condition. If you pull one side forward, the opposite side will pivot the opposite way slightly.
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11-07-2020, 08:44 AM
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#8
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Montana Master
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Haysville
Posts: 4,261
M.O.C. #3085
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Maybe try this explanation. Say you have an axle that has absolutely no toe in, both wheels point perfectly straight forward. You mount that axle on a trailer with correct track. No matter how you adjust the plates you will never get toe in from that axle. You will either have the entire axle pointing dead straight ahead or you will have the entire axle pointing out very slightly to the left or out very slightly to the right. (Dog tracking) If people reading this are still not convinced, I can't figure out a way to explain it any clearer.
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11-07-2020, 09:51 AM
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#9
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Montana Master
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: SWFL
Posts: 964
M.O.C. #17801
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dieselguy
Maybe try this explanation...... If people reading this are still not convinced, I can't figure out a way to explain it any clearer.
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You're correct.
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11-07-2020, 10:33 AM
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#10
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Montana Master
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: Catoosa
Posts: 780
M.O.C. #18384
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Since we’ve wandered off the correct track ![Ermm](images/rvsmilies/ermm.gif) I’ll add my two cents. Let’s say you hit a big pot hole and slightly bent one side of your axle back a little. You could use the plates on that side only to force the axle back in position. You couldn’t move it a lot, but I bet there is enough flex in the axle to force it a quarter inch or so.
__________________
2015 3100RL legacy...2005 Ford F-250 CC SB. Tows like a charm! 4/19 Updated to 2017 Chevy 3500 CC SB SRW -hope it tows as well as my F 250 did!
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11-07-2020, 10:59 AM
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#11
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Montana Master
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: westminster md
Posts: 2,318
M.O.C. #17894
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dieselguy
Maybe try this explanation. Say you have an axle that has absolutely no toe in, both wheels point perfectly straight forward. You mount that axle on a trailer with correct track. No matter how you adjust the plates you will never get toe in from that axle. You will either have the entire axle pointing dead straight ahead or you will have the entire axle pointing out very slightly to the left or out very slightly to the right. (Dog tracking) If people reading this are still not convinced, I can't figure out a way to explain it any clearer.
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Try this. Go out to your unit and measure from inside to inside of rims on one axle, both in front and in back. If those measurements are not EXACTLY the same, you will always have some form of toe it or out. The only way to correct that is to bend the axle tubes....
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2018 Chevy 3500 LTZ Dually Diesel 4x4 CCLB
2011 Montana 3455 SA. 6 point level up. Disc brakes. Curt Q24 Hitch. 5 step glow steps
Progressive EMS. Valterra tank valves. Sailun G637 tires. ARP fridge control. All led lighting. Mor Ryde IS
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11-07-2020, 11:42 AM
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#12
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Montana Master
Join Date: Jun 2018
Location: Carson City
Posts: 2,017
M.O.C. #21963
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OK, in the example of one wheel pointing inward and the other outward on the same axle, that would be a case of one wheel having toe out, the other toe in. Adjusting the axle with the plates could correct both toes at once. That's exactly what having adjustable plates is for. Aligning axle/wheels to point forward.
Now, if say one wheel takes a hit and throws out the toe, it would require an alignment shop to bring that one wheel back to alignment.
We may be saying the same thing to some degree.
__________________
2016 3160, Legacy, Sailuns, Splendide 2100 xc vented, 1 1/2" axle lift blocks, disk brakes. 2014 Ram 3500 SRW SWB 4X4 6.7 Aisin Mega Cab, EBC slotted disks and brakes, Titan fuel tank.
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11-07-2020, 11:51 AM
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#13
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Montana Master
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: westminster md
Posts: 2,318
M.O.C. #17894
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Just so everyone is aware there has never been an RV axle aligned from the factory or the dealer ever. They simply grab the parts bolt them together and send it out the door.
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11-07-2020, 12:29 PM
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#14
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Montana Master
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Haysville
Posts: 4,261
M.O.C. #3085
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I always like to wander "off track". ![Whistling](images/rvsmilies/whistling.gif) Getting back on track ... Montana Man, I do think we are thinking the same way, just having a hard time convincing one another. Your example of an axle would work with the correct track, but the likelihood of one side being toed in and the other toed out equally would be rare. Generally on a tube axle concerning incorrect toe, you'll have one side in or out noticeably more than the other. Yes you may have 1/8" toe in in total on a given axle, but one side may be straight on and the other side the entire 1/8" toe in. From my alignment days, that axle will track oddly as you pull over uneven roads and the one toed in side will wear a bit more. On tandem axle setups, owners just don't notice when only one axle is out aside from tire wear because the good axle fights to make the trailer track straight. One other point ... don't try to visualize in your mind toe adjustments between say your steer axle on your truck to a trailer axle as there are no tie rods on a trailer axle nor are both spindles directly connected.
Theunz however will not convince me you'll force a bent axle into alignment with those little plates. Go to a trailer alignment shop and see what kind of chains and hydraulics it takes to bend the axle tubes on 7K on up axles. Likely all that will happen is the axle will pivot on the opposite side adding to the misalignment issue or the equalizer on that side will partially absorb what the plate is trying to do. But I'd guess I'd have to have a video of an alignment machine hooked to that axle to convince. I bid farewell for now as was pointed out ... I've caused this ship to veer way off course.
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11-07-2020, 03:58 PM
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#15
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Montana Master
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: Catoosa
Posts: 780
M.O.C. #18384
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Don’t leave now Dieselguy it’s just getting The axles are about 7 feet long and have fairly thin walls. It doesn’t take much to deflect one end of an seven foot tube. I have seen 40 foot by 12 foot 4 inch steel plate bend like a banana when picked up in the middle. Sure it will lay back flat when you set it down, just like the axle will when you take the tension off the end. Now to put a permanent bend in the axle like the alignment shops do, does indeed take a lot of pressure. I’m not saying that correct track is the greatest thing since pockets on shirts, but I do believe that it will correct SOME slight alignment problems.
__________________
2015 3100RL legacy...2005 Ford F-250 CC SB. Tows like a charm! 4/19 Updated to 2017 Chevy 3500 CC SB SRW -hope it tows as well as my F 250 did!
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11-11-2020, 06:19 PM
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#16
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New Member
Join Date: Aug 2016
Location: Storm Lake
Posts: 5
M.O.C. #18857
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11-11-2020, 07:48 PM
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#17
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Montana Master
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Haysville
Posts: 4,261
M.O.C. #3085
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I hope you are just misquoting what you're trying to say. There is no caster adjustment on trailer axles, only camber and toe. The alignment shop photos look like a reputable place. I surely hope he didn't tell you he adjusted caster.
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11-12-2020, 06:49 AM
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#18
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Montana Fan
Join Date: Jun 2018
Location: Jacksonville
Posts: 382
M.O.C. #21993
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Outside and inside wear on all tires I would think would be an inflation issue, since camber will cause wear on only one side or the other.
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I was once intelligent beyond my years. Now, I’m years beyond my intelligence.
2020 Montana 3561 Legacy, everything except paint.
2018 Silverado 3500 DRW, 50Gal Transfer Flow, Andersen hitch.
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11-12-2020, 08:20 AM
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#19
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New Member
Join Date: Aug 2016
Location: Storm Lake
Posts: 5
M.O.C. #18857
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Yes, Toe in not caster. Fuzzy head, I know the difference.
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08-02-2022, 03:54 PM
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#20
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Established Member
Join Date: Jul 2021
Location: Niceville
Posts: 38
M.O.C. #29201
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Montana Man
Thanks! I'll do that since I have spare bolts and no plates.
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@MontanaMan where did you find your spare wet bolts? Do you happen to have the part number? The Lippert Correct Track drawings only show dry bolts being used with the hexagonal cams. Thanks!
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Craig & Sharon, Niceville, FL
2015 Montana 3582RL
2015 Ford F-350 DRW, 6.7 diesel, Anderson Ultimate Connection Gooseneck Hitch
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