Torflex axles off camber

[RDHamill]

Has anyone had any trouble with the rubber( spring) inside of a Dexter Torflex axle?

I have wheels running in negative camber to the point that it is ruining the tires.

Sent pics to dealer , waiting for reply.

 

[clem]

There is nothing that can be done,but to replace them. You might go the Mor/ryde way thats what I did. Lot better ride. I went new brakes that self adjust,Never Lub bearings. It was well worth the money also the Mor/ryde pin box is great also. Now we look for bad roads like I-10 just to see how well the trailer tows. It also helps that jerking when the ABS kicks in. Good Luck

 

[HBarlow]

RDHamill:



The Dexter axles you describe are similar if not identical to the rubber torsion axle suspension systems used by Airstream since the '60s. They can be aligned.



I had a triple axle Airstream several years ago that was wearing several of its tires unevenly. I took it to a local shop that repairs big trucks. The shop had me back the trailer onto a typical front end alignment steel platform. The mechanic measured caster, camber, and toe in/out to identify the misaligned axles then using several hydraulic jacks and sturdy chains they bent the problem axles into alignment. It is the same procedure used on the solid steel steering axles on semi tractors. The alignment successfully cured the tire wear problems.



I had one tire, the right rear, on my present tandem axle Avion that was wearing on the outside edge of the tread. The Avion has four stub axles, each on its own leaf spring rather than four torsion or two solid axles. I took it to the same truck alignment shop. They bent the problem axle. I've pulled the trailer about 55k miles since on the same set of tires and all four have worn evenly.



Harvey

 

[clem]

Airstream & Avion used Mor/ryde in the 60's. Avion went to Tor/flex in 1989 trust me they cannot be adjusted I had them on my 1989 tri axle and on my 1998 Avion thats why I have Mor/ryde now. also Airstream now uses HENDERSON suspension when they stopped useing Mor/ryde: Before Avion went to Tor/flex they used what they called walking suspension. What it was a Dextor axle cut in half and held in the center of the trailer so they could lower the trailers,but in 1989 the bean counters got in there and it was cheaper to use Tor/flex,and as anyone who has towed with them knows Tor/flex has very little up and down travel. This is my 3rd Avion so thats why I know about Avion plus we belong to the Avion Club. Also on the trailers that had half axles they had adjustment holes to adjust the caster,camber,and toe they were not bent to adjust. adjusted 1or 2 in the driveway

 

[HBarlow]

clem:



Maybe we can agree that the axles on your trailers can not be aligned but the axles on the trailers I own and have owned can be aligned?



Harvey

 

[Bill Stockard]

I agree with Harvey. I've owned a '76 and an '82 Airstream travel trailers and an '88 Argosy 5th wheel and had axles on all of them aligned at a truck alignment shop to cure uneven tire wear. All my Airstream/Argosy trailers had rubber torsion axles for independent suspension at each wheel.



The Airstream Service Center in Dallas will perform axle alignments in their shop.



Bill

 

[RDHamill]

While I may be wrong, I beleive that the rubber which forms the spring in my Torflex axles is damaged or moved or some such thing.

I think were my problem toe in / toe out I'd be looking for a way to bend the axle.

I had to bend the axle in my ram as the rear right was out of toe, we fixed it with a laser level , tape measure and welder. Came to within 3/1000 of being perfer.



Also, with the Torflex, they have a 5 year warrenty again defects, this is really what I'm after, Dexter to replace them as defective.

thanks to all for the input.

 

[HBarlow]

Originally posted by clem

Airstream & Avion used Mor/ryde in the 60's. Avion went to Tor/flex in 1989 trust me they cannot be adjusted I had them on my 1989 tri axle and on my 1998 Avion thats why I have Mor/ryde now. also Airstream now uses HENDERSON suspension when they stopped useing Mor/ryde: Before Avion went to Tor/flex they used what they called walking suspension. What it was a Dextor axle cut in half and held in the center of the trailer so they could lower the trailers,but in 1989 the bean counters got in there and it was cheaper to use Tor/flex,and as anyone who has towed with them knows Tor/flex has very little up and down travel. This is my 3rd Avion so thats why I know about Avion plus we belong to the Avion Club. Also on the trailers that had half axles they had adjustment holes to adjust the caster,camber,and toe they were not bent to adjust. adjusted 1or 2 in the driveway

Clem:



While you may be knowledgeable regarding Avion TTs, the information you have posted regarding Airstream trailer suspension is simply inaccurate and should be corrected here.



Airstreams were the first to use the torsion axle design and have used the same system from the early 1960s until the present. Until recently I owned a 1966 Airstream Safari 22'. Its suspension system is/was identical to other Airstreams I have owned including a 1993 and to even later models owned by friends. I have never seen or heard of an Airstream using Mor/ryde.



The only difference between the early torsion axle systems used by Airstream and the present ones is that now they are manufactured a few blocks from Airsteam by a company called Henschen, not "Henderson. " I think the torsion axle system was originally designed and patented by Airstream engineers and the systems were manufactured in-house by Airstream beginning in the early 1960s. The right to manufacture the suspension systems was sold to Henschen by Airstream or its parent corporation, in the early 1980s I think. The suspension systems manufactured by Henschen are the identical design using a forged steel arm within a steel tube cushioned by rubber rods that resist twisting. As of about five years ago, Henschen was located just several blocks from the Airstream factory in Jackson Center, OH. I have visited the plant and observed the axle systems being made during a visit to Jackson Center to tour the Airstream plant and have service work performed in the Airstream service center. It is an interesting and surprisingly simple design and process.



Airstream torsion suspension systems have, since the 1960s, been aligned by the bending process I described. Airsteam service shops and truck alignment shops have performed the alignments as long as Airstreams have been in service.



Many manufacturers around the country are now manufacturing and using a system based on the original Airstream torsion axle design. Even Southwest Wheel located in Lubbock, TX where I live manufactures knock-off systems in-house for use on flat bed "hot shot" gooseneck working trailers, utility trailers, and stock trailers.



If anyone wishes to challenge the accuracy of my comments please call the service manager at Airstream in Jackson Center, OH or one of the many Airstream service centers around the country. The one mentioned by Bill Stockard is one of the older ones and its owner and staff have many years of experience. Griffith RV Service in Oklahoma City is another. Tom Griffith has worked on Airstreams since 1964.



I will obtain the phone numbers for the Airstream factory and service department in Jackson Center and the number for Henschen and post them here if anyone would like to call.



Regarding Avion systems, I have only owned one Avion, a 1987. It uses a suspension system called "Adjust-A-Ride" in the 1987 Avion factory brochure. That system was built by Dexter axle using half axles suspended on a steel flange in the center and using an outboard leaf spring. While they are adjustable as you stated, the available range of adjustment is limited. My trailer had an axle that was bent sufficiently when I bought it from its original owner that one of the tires was wearing unevenly. I discussed the problem with Chuck Cayo, service manager at Cayo Repair Service in Watervliet, MI. As you may know, Cayo Repair is "the" Avion repair center. Bill and Chuck Cayo are descendents of the founders of Avion. Chuck advised me that he can still order replacement axles from Dexter but I considered them pretty pricey and decided to try to have mine aligned first. The local truck alignment shop I took it to first attempted to put the axle back into proper alignment using the factory adjustment. The limited range or adjustment would not allow proper alignment so they bent the axle as I described in an earlier post. It has worked great since the procedure was done.



I don't have a wide range of experience with Avions but I have never seen or heard of an Avion using torsion axles. Can you tell us the year and model of Avions using them?



My interest here is to accurately report the facts. I hope this information will help someone maintain their trailer.



Harvey

 

[clem]

So I spelled it wrong, they did use mor/ryde in the early 60's untill they switched to what they use today. It is also a very good system. One that can be run with out a wheel in place in case of a flat. So I can't spell Henderson right so make me DRIVE A FORD OR A BOW TIE

 

[BV]

I had a torsion type axle that was out and like Harvey - The local Big truck alignment shop was able to bent it into spec.

 

[clem]

Originally posted by HBarlow

Clem:



While you may be knowledgeable regarding Avion TTs, the information you have posted regarding Airstream trailer suspension is simply inaccurate and should be corrected here.



Airstreams were the first to use the torsion axle design and have used the same system from the early 1960s until the present. Until recently I owned a 1966 Airstream Safari 22'. Its suspension system is/was identical to other Airstreams I have owned including a 1993 and to even later models owned by friends. I have never seen or heard of an Airstream using Mor/ryde.



The only difference between the early torsion axle systems used by Airstream and the present ones is that now they are manufactured a few blocks from Airsteam by a company called Henschen, not "Henderson. " I think the torsion axle system was originally designed and patented by Airstream engineers and the systems were manufactured in-house by Airstream beginning in the early 1960s. The right to manufacture the suspension systems was sold to Henschen by Airstream or its parent corporation, in the early 1980s I think. The suspension systems manufactured by Henschen are the identical design using a forged steel arm within a steel tube cushioned by rubber rods that resist twisting. As of about five years ago, Henschen was located just several blocks from the Airstream factory in Jackson Center, OH. I have visited the plant and observed the axle systems being made during a visit to Jackson Center to tour the Airstream plant and have service work performed in the Airstream service center. It is an interesting and surprisingly simple design and process.



Airstream torsion suspension systems have, since the 1960s, been aligned by the bending process I described. Airsteam service shops and truck alignment shops have performed the alignments as long as Airstreams have been in service.



Many manufacturers around the country are now manufacturing and using a system based on the original Airstream torsion axle design. Even Southwest Wheel located in Lubbock, TX where I live manufactures knock-off systems in-house for use on flat bed "hot shot" gooseneck working trailers, utility trailers, and stock trailers.



If anyone wishes to challenge the accuracy of my comments please call the service manager at Airstream in Jackson Center, OH or one of the many Airstream service centers around the country. The one mentioned by Bill Stockard is one of the older ones and its owner and staff have many years of experience. Griffith RV Service in Oklahoma City is another. Tom Griffith has worked on Airstreams since 1964.



I will obtain the phone numbers for the Airstream factory and service department in Jackson Center and the number for Henschen and post them here if anyone would like to call.



Regarding Avion systems, I have only owned one Avion, a 1987. It uses a suspension system called "Adjust-A-Ride" in the 1987 Avion factory brochure. That system was built by Dexter axle using half axles suspended on a steel flange in the center and using an outboard leaf spring. While they are adjustable as you stated, the available range of adjustment is limited. My trailer had an axle that was bent sufficiently when I bought it from its original owner that one of the tires was wearing unevenly. I discussed the problem with Chuck Cayo, service manager at Cayo Repair Service in Watervliet, MI. As you may know, Cayo Repair is "the" Avion repair center. Bill and Chuck Cayo are descendents of the founders of Avion. Chuck advised me that he can still order replacement axles from Dexter but I considered them pretty pricey and decided to try to have mine aligned first. The local truck alignment shop I took it to first attempted to put the axle back into proper alignment using the factory adjustment. The limited range or adjustment would not allow proper alignment so they bent the axle as I described in an earlier post. It has worked great since the procedure was done.



I don't have a wide range of experience with Avions but I have never seen or heard of an Avion using torsion axles. Can you tell us the year and model of Avions using them?



My interest here is to accurately report the facts. I hope this information will help someone maintain their trailer.



Harvey

Avion started useing Tor/flex in 1989 also the 1st year they built a 5th wheel and painting the trailers. Avion stopped using Mor/ryde about the time Cayo sold to Fleetwood. The old mor/rydes had the big box between the wheels.

 

[RDHamill]

Well, I'm please to report that Dexter has replaced the axles on my trailer.

According to Dexter, they cannot be repaired.

There were a number of cracks in the welds as well as the issue with negative camber.

After removing the axles from the trailer, it's easy to see that the "springs" rubber are worn out.

New axles came with brakes, drums, the whole deal, even a complete set of new nuts.

Dexter is a great outfit to deal with.

 

[clem]

Sorry I did not spell the Airstream axle systems Correct, You can not bend a Tor-Flex axle to adjust the castor/camber. Avion started using Tor-flex on the 1989's like I said before. Airstream still uses the best rubber ride,but you cannot get it to fit the bigger trailers. SO I HAVE BEEN TOLD WITH OUT DROPPING NAMES.

 

[RDHamill]

clem:

I was told by a former Pace American dealer that Dexter had a cartridge to replace the rubber in a Torflex.

Ever heard of it ????

thanks

And please note, we do not subtract points for spelling.

 

[clem]

Never heard of that,but I would pay to see it done

 

[Wooter]

About The Dexter Axels

Oo. Maby thats why some call em "TORTURE FLEX"