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Old 06-13-2021, 09:00 AM   #1
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Aluminess Swing Arm Lubrication

I've got an Aluminess rear bumper with two swing arms (2017 sprinter version). One of them i had taken apart and re-lubricated a year ago, the other is starting to stick and fail right now. Calling Aluminess this week though I'm pretty sure they told me once the bearings are sealed and this shouldn't happen. Has anyone else had this problem?

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Old 11-18-2021, 02:11 PM   #2
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Yes, I've had this problem. It seems that water gets into the pivot, causing the sticking. I usually do not have problems, as long as I'm swinging the tire rack and storage box on a regular basis. I always wash my van after each trip and I leave it outside in the weather. If I do not operate the swing mechanism for a while, at least one usually sticks, some times so much that I cannot move it very much. The only lubrication I've done is to spray around the top and bottom of the pivot point with Blast. After spraying, I usually see water being forced out of the pivot. It can take some working back and forth to get the lubricant to be effective, but usually I'm able to get the pivot to move much more freely. I have wondered if there is a better way to lubricate this mechanism and whether there was some routine maintenance that I need to be doing. My Sprinter is also a 2017. Have you gotten any information on this problem from Aluminess or Sportsmobile.
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Old 11-19-2021, 10:15 AM   #3
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thx for the post...apparently we are not the only ones as i found out that aluminess has a "repair" kit, basically a new bearings and a new cap that has a seal to keep water out. it required taking it all apart, knocking off the old bearings, cleaning up the pin and the tube, setting the new bearings in place, putting the arm back on, and finally the new cap with the seal that should keep it dry. i had to pay for the kit, they did not consider it a warranty issue.
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Old 11-19-2021, 11:04 AM   #4
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Thanks for this information. Sounds like we both have not had these Aluminess Products long enough to be having these issues. To have to install a "repair" to fix a poorly designed product seems like a rip off. I'll keep with my current practice until it becomes necessary to do otherwise.
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