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Travel to Littleton, Mass; Boston Minuteman Campground; 877-677-0042Jul 7, 2008
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RV Wheel View with Failed Studs and Missing Nuts
RV Wheel Hub Close-Up
Boston Minuteman Campground Campsite
| A Loose Nut Day Our first Maine Trip day started out smoothly with a 7 AM departure under an overcast sky. Traffic was light with only two jams west of NYC. After 360 miles, we exited the Littleton, MA I-495 exit where I noticed in the mirror during the turn that the left, rear RV wheel/tire was wobbling. We drove two miles to the campground and, during the turn into the campground, in the mirror, I saw two wheel nuts pop off. At the office, I tightened the remaining 2 nuts as best as I could and limped to our campsite. The RV was inspected last week at our local dealer and I suspect that the wheel nuts on that wheel were not torqued correctly. The other wheels’ nuts were tight. The failure reminded me of wheel failures of combine and mower conditioner wheel failures on the bump test track. Kathleen contacted, with a lot of ‘holds’, Good Sam RV Club Service Center to arrange for a service visit. She also contacted Good Sam’s Extended Warranty Group to learn that wheels and studs are not covered. Good Sams will cover the service call to change the tire and, hopefully, the studs. From the internet, we learned the Dexter Axle Service phone number. A quick call informed me where the axle serial number was located. My first sojourn under the RV to find the serial number for the service man was just a practice of entry and exit low-crawl techniques because the etched number could not be found. With info from Dexter and my head lamp installed, I focused on the rear center of the axle cross beam where, in very faint laser etched letters, were the 9 serial number. I called Dexter Service back to verify that the number that I recorded was viable. It was and I learned the part number of the stud and hub/brake drum assembly. The failed studs can be pounded out and new ones pressed in. Replacing the hub/brake drum assembly is very expensive per the Dexter rep. I called the Good Sam Service person to let him the Dexter stud part number. In case the Good Sam Service call does not result in a fix, we contacted a local RV dealer who can make a service call with new studs if needed. We will need a new wheel because the loose nuts allowed the wheel to ‘worry’ on the studs and damage the conical seats where the nuts seat. From New Holland test track experience, I know that wheel hardware will not stay tight again after it comes loose and ‘works’ on the wheel. We will visit the local Titanium dealer to purchase a new wheel. The Boston Minuteman Campgrounds is very nice with thick stands of tall, long needle pines. We had planned to stay two days not knowing that the second day would be spent repairing the RV. Dinner of grilled and mechanically pre-ternderized (but not enough) Eye of Round was a tough experience. : ) |
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