Vibrations Causing Damage to the Driveshaft – Ford F-53 Recreational Vehicles Driveshaft

January 30, 2018 NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 18E007000

Vibrations Causing Damage to the Driveshaft

The vibration may cause driveshaft damage, disabling the vehicle and increasing the risk of a crash.

 

NHTSA Campaign Number: 18E007

Manufacturer Lippert Components, Inc.

Components POWER TRAIN, STRUCTURE

Potential Number of Units Affected 28

 

Summary

Lippert Components, Inc. (LCI) is recalling certain Ford F53 chassis reduced from a standard wheelbase of 208″ to 190″ for use by Forest River in Coachmen and Mirada recreational vehicles. The driveshaft may be misaligned, possibly resulting in excessive vibration at highway speeds.

 

Remedy

LCI will notify owners, and Forest River dealers will replace the two piece driveshaft with a three piece driveshaft, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin March 2018. Owners may contact LCI customer service at 1-574-538-4514. LCI’s number for this recall is 2018-001-59.

 

Notes

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.

 

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M-TEC DRIVE SHAFT VIBRATION RECALL
RECALL #18E-007	LABOR FLAT RATE: 8 HOURS

 

Purpose

This repair procedure describes how to address the drive shaft vibration on a motorized coach.

The individual components of the Forest River M-Tec Drive Shaft Recall Kit (720134) are listed in the kit parts list in the Resources Required section.

 

Labor Allowance

Eight man-hours per recall kit (two technicians at four hours each).

 

Safety

The “WARNING” symbol above is a sign that an installation procedure has a safety risk involved and may cause death, serious personal injury and severe product or property damage if not performed safely and within the parameters set forth in this manual. Always wear eye protection when performing this installation procedure. Other safety equipment to consider would be hearing protection, gloves, and possibly a full face shield, depending on the nature of the installation procedure.

The coach MUST be supported per manufacturer’s recommendations before working underneath. Failure to do so may result in death or serious personal injury.

The welding process can produce fumes, excessive heat, extreme light and sparks that can cause lung, eye and skin irritations and abrasions. Use appropriate personal protective equipment as necessary to prevent welding related injuries. Observe all state, local and industry welding standards.

Moving parts can pinch, crush or cut. Keep clear and use caution.

 

Resources Required

2 people	Die grinder
Four snap clamps/C-clamps	Hammer
Impact wrench	Tape measure
3/8″ drive impact socket	Digital protractor with absolute zero capability
3/4″ deep socket	Adjustable (screw) jack stands
3/8″ wrench (8″-10″ long)	Welder unit
3/4″ wrench (8″-10″ long)	Non-permanent white marker
12mm, 12-point deep socket	Four 12 mm, 12-pt external wrenching bolts (transmission drive shaft end yoke)
3/8″, 12-point shallow socket	Four 3/8″ – 24, 12-pt external wrenching bolts (two differential drive shaft bearing straps)
3/8″ drive extension wobble
Torch

 

Part #	Description	Qty
720134	Forest River M-Tec Drive Shaft Recall Kit
720135	Tube,  2″ x 3″ (0.179 Nominal) cut to 33 5/8″	1
720142	Tube,  2″ x 3″ (0.179 Nominal) cut to 33 7/16″	1
722046	Tube, Spacer, 1 1/2″ x 2 x 2 5/8″ (0.179 Nominal)	2
290453	Plate,  9.0″ x 2.0″ x 1/4″ thick	6
386062	Plate,  9.0″ x 2.0″ x 3/16″ thick	4
386064	Plate,  9.0″ x 2.0″ x 11 Ga	4
717868	Drive Shaft Recall Kit	1
719282	Angle, 2.250″ x 5.938″ x 0.224″ x 9.375″	2
720136	Plate, 1/2″ thick x 3″ x 9.5″	1
722211	Bar, Flat, 1″ thick x 3″ x 9.5″ (as needed)	1
251486	Lock Nut, 1/2″ – 13, Grade 8	4
720137	Flange Bolts, 1/2″ – 13 x 2″, Grade 8	4
720140	M-Tec Drive Shaft Vibration Recall (CCD-0001198)	1

 

Preparation

Check chassis for OEM cross-members. If there are two front cross-members, check to see if they are welded in-place. If OEM cross-members are welded, then modify cross-member in accordance with instructions in the Old Drive Shaft section. Old Drive Shaft

Removal of the old drive shaft, any welded-on OEM carrier bearing hangers and other modifications MUST be done before installing the new drive shaft. If the OEM bearing hanger is welded on, cut off and discard.

1. Support old drive shaft with adjustable jack stands.
2. Remove 12 mm, 12-point external wrenching bolts from transmission drive shaft end yoke (Fig. 1A).
3. Discard bolts. Do NOT reuse.
4. Remove 3/8″ – 24, 12-point external wrenching bolts (Fig. 2A) from differential drive shaft bearing straps (Fig. 2B).
5. Discard bolts. Do NOT reuse.
6. Remove bearing straps and set aside for later use.
7. Remove old drive shaft.
8. Cut off flange of exhaust hanger at front side of muffler, leaving a 1/32″ minimum gap.
9. Remove manufacturer’s carrier bearing hanger. If welded on, cut off and discard.
10. Clean top of chassis frame in front of roadside wheel-well to ensure an accurate digital protractor reading.
11. Calculate transmission and pinion angles as follows:

A. With the digital protractor placed on top of the frame rail, zero-out the protractor.

B. Place digital protractor on top of chassis frame in front of roadside wheel-well.

C. Record calculation.

D. Press ABS/ZERO button (Fig. 3A) so the frame becomes the zero reference point.

 

Installation

NOTE: Blue lines indicate the centerline of an object or area. Enclosed green lines indicate a designated area, while non-enclosed green lines indicate a separator between designated areas.

 

Cross-Members

1. Front cross-member is 33 5/8″.

A. Bevel the top corners to fit the radius inside the top of the frame rail.

I. Check for fit.

II. If cross-member is too long, trim each end to fit and to keep cross-member centered, if necessary.

B. With the cross-member clamped in-place, measure from inside driver’s side frame rail.

C. Make a mark at 13 1/2″.

D. Clamp a hanger bracket with the open end of the angle bracket facing towards the rear and with the driver’s side of the bracket lined up with the 13 1/2″ mark.

2. Rear cross-member is 33 7/16″.

A. Place cross-member on bottom of inside frame rail.

I. Raise cross-member with supplied 1 1/2″ x 2″ x 2 5/8″ spacer tubes.

NOTE: Spacer tubes shall be positioned on the C-channel with a 2″ height.

II. If cross-member is too long, trim each end to fit and to keep cross-member centered, if necessary.

B. After fit, remove the cross-member.

C. Cut exhaust hanger bracket flange to allow clearance for the cross-member.

D. Place rear cross-member back inside frame rails on top of supplied 1 1/2″ x 2″ x 2 5/8″ spacer tubes as far to the rear as possible.

NOTE: Spacer tubes shall be positioned on the C-channel with a 2″ height.

E. On rear side of cross-member, measure from driver’s inside frame rail to driver’s side of 1/2″ x 3″ x 9 1/2″ plate 13 3/8″.

F. Weld on 1/2″ plate at 13 3/8″ location.

G. With the open end of the hanger bracket facing towards the rear, clamp hanger bracket from inside driver’s side frame rail to side of bracket 13 1/2″.

 

New Drive Shaft Assembly

1. Assemble the supplied 3-piece drive shaft (Drive Shaft Recall Kit 717868), making sure the shaft alignment marks (Fig. 4) line up.

A. Support each drive shaft section with an adjustable jack.

C. Bolt front shaft to transmission with new 12 mm, 12-point bolts. Bolts NOT supplied.

C. Bolt rear shaft to pinion with new 3/8″ – 24, 12-point bolts. Bolts NOT supplied.

NOTE: Use previously remove bearing straps—Old Drive Shaft section, step 6.

D. Make sure the center support bearings line up with the hanger brackets.

E. Keep hanger brackets at 13 1/2″ from inside driver’s side frame rail.

2. Set shaft angles and hanger brackets so there is enough room to shim shafts to make angle adjustments, if necessary.
3. After all fit adjustments are made, weld all cross-members and brackets in-place.

Excessive heat and sparks generated during welding can ignite sensitive, flammable materials, which can result in serious personal injury or severe product and property damage. Remove or relocate welding-sensitive material.  If only relocating, shield weld-sensitive materials. Wear appropriate personal protective equipment during the welding operation.

 

Taking Vertical Angle of Slope Readings

1. After welds have cooled, use a hammer to tap the spacer tubes loose from the C-channel frame.
2. Remove shielding from wire harnesses, brake lines, fuel lines and any other elements shielded during welding.
3. Set wire harnesses, brake lines, fuel lines, and any other relocated elements, back to their normal locations.
4. With the bottom of the digital protractor resting on a flat, horizontal surface, zero-out the digital protractor by pressing the ABS/ZERO button (Fig. 3A).
5. Carefully place a short, vertical edge (Fig. 3) of the digital protractor across the flat surfaces of the transmission cover within the indicated area in figure 5.

A. The protractor’s reading will provide the slope angle of the transmission.

B. Record the reading in the Vertical Angle of Slope Chart.

Misaligned drive shafts can cause excessive vibration and wear that can result in damage to the transmission and differential. Make sure drive shaft alignment markings remain aligned to one another throughout assembly and installation to ensure proper drive shaft tolerances and operation.

6. With the new drive shaft still held in-place, carefully set the digital protractor’s grooved flat bottom on top of the front shaft, taking care to make sure it is aligned with the centerline of the shaft (Fig. 6).

NOTE: If the digital protractor is not aligned properly on the drive shaft, a false reading may be given, resulting in misalignment of the entire drive shaft.

7. Let digital protractor rest for at least six seconds before recording the reading.
8. Record the slope angle of the front drive shaft (Front Shaft) in the Vertical Angle of Slope Chart.
9. Repeat steps 6-8 for the middle and rear drive shafts (Middle Shaft, Rear Shaft).

NOTE: DO NOT zero-out the digital protractor between shaft readings. Shaft readings are relative to the transmission’s angle of slope (step 5).

 

Slope Adjustments

Referring to the Vertical Angle of Slope Chart, if any component’s measured slope is not within ±0.2 degrees of its required slope, adjustment is required.

Vertical Angle of Slope Chart
Component	Required Vertical Slope (Deg.)	Measured Vertical Slope (Deg.)
Transmission	3.5
Front Shaft	5.0
Middle Shaft	3.6
Rear Shaft	5.2
Axle	3.6

 

Incremental adjustments of component vertical slope angles to reach required limits may require operation of adjustable jacks to allow for the insertion of shims and the reuse of the digital protractor to verify the slope reading.

To adjust a measured slope, use a single or combination of shims to bring the slope in-line with the required limit, ±0.2 degree (Fig. 7).

Beginning with the front shaft, do as follows:

1. Lower adjustable jack to create a gap between the bearing hanger and the carrier bearing.
2. Place one or more shims into the gap.
3. Raise adjustable jack until spacers are compressed.
4. Set digital protractor on top of shaft and note the reading.

NOTE: DO NOT zero-out the digital protractor between shaft readings. Shaft readings are relative to the transmission’s angle of slope (Taking Vertical Angle of Slope Readings section, step 5).

A. Compare measured reading to required reading. Refer to Vertical Angle of Slope Chart.

B. If necessary, repeat shimming procedure until measured reading meets required reading within ±0.2 degree.

5. After each required vertical slope angle has been met, insert 1/2″ – 13 UNC x 2″ hex flange bolts (Fig. 8A) through carrier bearing mounting holes and slots of shims and hangers.
6. Secure bolts with 1/2″ – 13 UNC hex, all metal prevailing torque type, flange nuts (Fig. 8B).
7. Use a 3/4″ wrench, 8″-10″ long, to tighten nuts.
8. Repeat steps 1-7 for middle and rear shafts.

 

Post-installation

Remove all adjustable jacks from underneath the coach.

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IMPORTANT SAFETY RECALL

NHTSA Safety Recall: 18E-007
Date: March XX, 2018

 

 

DEALER CUSTOMER NOTIFICATION 

This Dealer Notification is sent to you in accordance with the requirements of the United States National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act.

 

REASON FOR THIS RECALL

Lippert Components, Inc. (“LCI”) has conducted a thorough investigation and decided that a defect which relates to motor vehicle safety exists in certain Forest River Coachmen MDA31FWF Mirada Motorhomes. There is the potential for excessive vibration under certain conditions when operating the unit at or above posted highway speeds which may affect the handling of the vehicle. Forest River records indicate your company purchased a 31FW which may have this issue. If the MDA31FWF listed on the attached VIN listing is still in your inventory, you must not sell the affected units. It is a violation of federal law to sell any of the units covered by this recall until the defect is remedied. The MTEC Drive Shaft Vibration Recall Instructions (Recall Repair Kit Part Number 720134) which directs you on how to complete the required remedy are enclosed with this letter.

 

WHAT WE WILL DO

LCI will provide a Recall Repair Kit to the repair location completing the remedy. LCI will reimburse labor charged to perform the remedy at the flat rate of 8.0 hours. The parts for the remedy are currently available.

 

 

WHAT YOU SHOULD DO

You must contact LCI’s Customer Service department at 574-538-4514 or via email at recall@lci1.com. LCI will coordinate with you shipment of the repair kit and payment of the labor charges.

If after contacting LCI’s Customer Service you are still not satisfied we have done our best to remedy this situation, you may also submit a written complaint to: Administrator, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590. You may call the toll-free Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY: 1-800-424-9153; or go to https://www.safercar.gov.) Federal regulations require that any vehicle lessor receiving this recall notice must forward a copy of this notice to the lessee within ten days.

We regret any inconvenience this action may cause you. As we are sure you will appreciate, the safety and quality of our products are of the utmost importance to us. Thank you for your attention and cooperation in this matter.

 

Sincerely,

 

Lippert Components, Inc.

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1 Affected Product

Equipment

LIPPERT

MODIFIED RV CHASSIS

01/12/2017 – 04/19/2017

 

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10 Associated Documents

Recall 573 Report- Amendment 1

RCLRPT-18E007-8498.PDF 215.416KB

 

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Recall Quarterly Report #1, 2018-1

RCLQRT-18E007-6747.PDF 214.51KB

 

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Remedy Instructions and TSB

RCRIT-18E007-8379.pdf 17029.795KB

 

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Manufacturer Notices(to Dealers,etc)

RCMN-18E007-4675.pdf 246.003KB

 

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Recall Acknowledgement

RCAK-18E007-6965.pdf 245.83KB

 

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Defect Notice 573 Report

RCLRPT-18E007-9928.PDF 215.412KB

 

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Recall Quarterly Report #3, 2018-3

RCLQRT-18E007-1781.PDF 211.322KB

 

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Recall Quarterly Report #4, 2018-4

RCLQRT-18E007-5234.PDF 211.432KB

 

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Recall Quarterly Report #5, 2019-1

RCLQRT-18E007-3184.PDF 211.532KB

 

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Recall Quarterly Report #6, 2019-2

RCLQRT-18E007-1213.PDF 211.618KB

 

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Latest Recalls Documents

https://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/acms/cs/documentList.xhtml?docId=18E007&docType=RCL

 

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