Almost lost a wheel

[David Tilston]

I put Ford Ranger rims on my 1978 Trillium 4500. During our first camping trip I learned a valuable lesson. The rims have a recessed holes where the nuts fit in. When they are tightened there is only about half an inch of nut that I could get the tire iron on.

I guess I did not tighten the nuts enough. While my wife was driving, We were descending a rather steep hill, when the trailer started to swerve back and fourth, the tail was waging the dog. When we got it to a stop, the wheel was almost off and two of the studs on the hub were sheared off.

We got out the floor jack, that my wife insists on carrying, got the wheel on tight, (with the remaining three nuts), and limped into Creston BC. $230 got us a new hub, and a replacement steel wheel, with our new Load Star tire switched over to the new to us rim. The Ranger rim was now oval in the centre and was deemed unusable.

I felt pretty stupid, but the mechanic told me that aluminum rims are more prone to this then steel. With everything tightened down, we didn't have any more trouble with the wheels. I am now looking for some long nuts that I can get a good grip on with my tire iron.

[Thomas G.]

Ouch! Glad it all turned out OK in the end.

[BCDave]

Yup- there's a reason why race sanctioning bodies insist on open-ended lug nuts so that they can see that there is a certain amount of thread sticking outta the nut when tight. However, they look like (blank) on the street.

In the case of alum wheels they are a lot thicker than steel ones, so there is no-where near so much thread available to screw onto

Longer lugs and bigger lug nutz are the answer (As well as rechecking the torque on the lugnutz every chance you get - esp first thing every morning!

[RogerDat]

Glad you and the trailer are ok. Good to know that about the aluminum rims.

[BCDave]

Almost any brake shop can press out the studs and install longer ones for a v reasonable price.

[rgrugg]

In 1947 towing a 1939 Kozy Koach trailer with an 85 hp 1937 Ford from Florida to Michigan a wheel on the trailer came off while in motion. Apparently the nuts weren't quite tight enough allowing some "shucking" back & forth on the wheel. Finally the nuts tore right through the bolt holes. My dad burned his hand on the wheel when trying to pick it up. In those almost all trailers had only one axle as ours did. When the wheel came off, that side dropped and ran for a short time on the brake drum. Ground a flat spot on the drum. Finally got it taken care of and got back to MI without furether ado. Glad I was only a kid and not old enough to be driving.

[David Tilston]

Originally Posted by BCDave

Almost any brake shop can press out the studs and install longer ones for a v reasonable price.

The studs are plenty long, the rims have a depression that the nuts sit in that leaves only 1/2", or less of the nut to get a tire iron on. Longer nuts are the solution.

[Donna D.]

Hummm, do the wheels have the wrong offset? I believe trailer wheels are zero offset. Anyone know for sure? If you've got the wrong offset changing the lugs and nuts will mask a problem waiting to happen. Be safe.

[floyd]

Originally Posted by Donna D.

Hummm, do the wheels have the wrong offset? I believe trailer wheels are zero offset. Anyone know for sure? If you've got the wrong offset changing the lugs and nuts will mask a problem waiting to happen. Be safe.

Trailer wheels are generally zero offset, Rangers are generally -20mm offset. Most Rangers, like my last two, have lug nuts which are mated to the aluminum rims and also made to accept the hubcap. Of course, they made Rangers for twenty-eight years with various wheel sizes and offsets, the only thing constant was the bolt pattern. Offset(within the limits of the wheelwell) should not likely affect the propensity for lugs to work loose.

[kootenaigirl]

That wasn't you in Creston yesterday with a good looking Trillium 4500 with AC on the top was it? I was trying to get a good look at it as it was driving by?
Unfortunate incident, glad you were all okay and of course the Trillium.

[David Tilston]

Originally Posted by kootenaigirl

That wasn't you in Creston yesterday with a good looking Trillium 4500 with AC on the top was it? I was trying to get a good look at it as it was driving by?
Unfortunate incident, glad you were all okay and of course the Trillium.

No not me, but I think I saw them at Green Point when I was there. The roof looked like it was sagging under the weight of the A/C unit.

[Ed Harris]

Dave
Don't feel too bad,I did lose a wheel on my Trill 1300 while flying along on I75 in Atlanta and for exactly the reason you suggest!

The Trill had fancy Aluminum Mag wheels on it when I got it and evidently the nuts were not designed for the bolt/wheel combination?

Luckily no one was hurt and I only lost a day while all new studs were installed on the axle and I found Ranger wheels in a junkyard and bought new rubber.

I am a firm believer that the reason I came through it alright was the beast of a vehicle I was driving at the time.
I felt a slight shudder and looked in the mirror to see the trailer leaning hard towards the drivers side,the Land Cruiser didn't seem to understand why I was pulling over? The wheel passed us on the left and I never saw it again!

I will never tow with a vehicle I feel is just enough and risk bigger problems,I want the vehicle to always be in charge if possible.

Ed

[841K9]

Originally Posted by Ed Harris

Dave

I will never tow with a vehicle I feel is just enough and risk bigger problems,I want the vehicle to always be in charge if possible.

Ed

If more people followed that advice there would be a lot fewer towing incidents.

[BCDave]

^^ Ditto!

[GingerB]

Originally Posted by rgrugg

In 1947 towing a 1939 Kozy Koach trailer with an 85 hp 1937 Ford from Florida to Michigan a wheel on the trailer came off while in motion. Apparently the nuts weren't quite tight enough allowing some "shucking" back & forth on the wheel. Finally the nuts tore right through the bolt holes. My dad burned his hand on the wheel when trying to pick it up. In those almost all trailers had only one axle as ours did. When the wheel came off, that side dropped and ran for a short time on the brake drum. Ground a flat spot on the drum. Finally got it taken care of and got back to MI without furether ado. Glad I was only a kid and not old enough to be driving.

Cool story! You're the kind of person I'd like to camp next to!

[GingerB]

"Torque on the lug nuts" My husband will be excited to add another thing to his list of things to check before we set off. As a former nuclear submariner, he approaches every departure as an new cruise of the Atlantic fleet. I'm surprised he hasn't made salute whenever he passes by.

[David Tilston]

Originally Posted by Ed Harris

I am a firm believer that the reason I came through it alright was the beast of a vehicle I was driving at the time.
I felt a slight shudder and looked in the mirror to see the trailer leaning hard towards the drivers side,the Land Cruiser didn't seem to understand why I was pulling over? The wheel passed us on the left and I never saw it again!

I will never tow with a vehicle I feel is just enough and risk bigger problems,I want the vehicle to always be in charge if possible.

Ed

Ed,

The seven of us were in a Savana 1500 that has been converted to a travel van. It out masses the trailer by almost 3 to 1, but once it started wagging around, we sure could feel the effect. It never felt like we were out of control, but it was scary. The fact that we stayed on the road probably has a lot to do with my wife's six years of bus driving experience.

[ruscal]

It would take a lot to spin a Savana around! They are very stable. Fierce crosswinds get your attention, but it takes a lot to lose control. I've had 4 GM passenger vans, three 2500's and one 3500. They are great machines if you don't care how much fuel you burn. The interior storage is cavernous!
Russ

[Dan Jones]

I use these with my five spoke aluminum wheels. PLENTY of depth for the lug.

Americana Trailer Wheel Lug Nut - 13/16" Diameter - Stainless Steel - 1/2" - 20 Americana Accessories and Parts AM90070

Dan

[David Tilston]

Originally Posted by Dan Jones

I use these with my five spoke aluminum wheels. PLENTY of depth for the lug.

Americana Trailer Wheel Lug Nut - 13/16" Diameter - Stainless Steel - 1/2" - 20 Americana Accessories and Parts AM90070

Dan

I purchased something very similar from Canadian Tire. Each is one piece of chromed steel. The bolts in the link look like they are an assembly of a couple of parts. I paid $75 for twenty of them. That's enough for two of my three trailers.