Check your wheels..

TravelinAnderson · 08-19-2012, 08:17 PM

I make it a habit to check my tires, (Marathons) and tire pressure whenever I move to a new campground. I'm glad I do because this time I discovered a cracked rim. I don't know what caused it to crack or how long it's been there. It's by the grace of God I found it before pulling out.

CHECK YOUR TIRES AND WHEELS!!

Campers · 08-19-2012, 08:37 PM

Wow that is scary. Will check ours before we come to the rally. Thanks

Enroute · 08-19-2012, 09:06 PM

So glad to hear you caught this before you pulled out!

Happy Camper · 08-19-2012, 10:48 PM

Thanks for the info - I will take a close look before heading for service next weekend.

RollsRoyce · 08-19-2012, 11:04 PM

Steve are these wheels on your TV or the trailer...I'v heard that the large fancy wheels are made for looks not heavy towing

UNDRPSI · 08-19-2012, 11:19 PM

WOW!!! Good catch!! Thats pretty scary. I wonder if that is from the weight of the 5er or is it from excessive side load from jack knifing into a sites? Just hooked up ours tonight and checked air pressure and wheel torque. I wished they would have offered the 17.5" wheel and tire. I would had gone that way instead of the 16" wheel with the G tire. Thanks for the Heads Up!!

**Dave&Ginny** · 08-20-2012, 12:11 AM

WOW STEVE! Thank You!

TravelinAnderson · 08-20-2012, 12:17 AM

I'm not overloaded so weight shouldn't be an issue and I've had either pull through or angled back in sties for the last six moves.
My guess is just a defective rim.
I sent pics of it to Brian so we'll see what Redwood has to say.
I just thank God I found it while parked and not have it come apart while doing 60 doing the highway.

**Dave&Ginny** · 08-20-2012, 07:28 AM

Steve, did you have your tires balanced?

In my previous life, I drove BIG trucks for 20 years and there was a time back then that we were having trouble with wheels cracking from vibration. Unfortunately sometimes it's hard to detect vibrations coming from trailer wheels.

TravelinAnderson · 08-20-2012, 08:45 AM

Dave... I haven't had the tires balanced as I assumed they would have been balanced by whoever mounts the tires. I make this assumption based on my experience in auto manufacturing where the machine that mounts the tires to the wheels also balances them. Maybe it's not the case in trailer manufacturing.

Adamsvr · 08-20-2012, 09:22 AM

Glad you caught it! Hopefully it is covered under warranty. Safe travels.

TravelinAnderson · 08-20-2012, 05:16 PM

Here's the reply I got from Brian Emmons;

"please call Tread it tire 574-293-0581</span><div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: normal; ">
<div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: normal; ">They will send you a paper to fill out and mail the rim directly to you to get replaced and they will pay you for all repair costs."<div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: normal; ">
<div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: normal; ">I'll let you know what TreadIt has to say.</span><div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: normal; ">
</span>

KWire · 08-20-2012, 08:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TravelinAnderson

Dave... I haven't had the tires balanced as I assumed they would have been balanced by whoever mounts the tires.

Steve, I don't think any of the manufacturers balance their tires. It is something else they can save a few bucks on...

From the other forums I read, I gather that most trailers (including 5th wheels) are not pulled full time so it doesn't matter for the few hundred miles each summer they are pulled. But if you are a full timer, they definitely need to be balanced, and that responsibility and expense falls to the owner.

So when you get your new rim, I highly recommend you have them all balanced.

JMHO, Keith

**hoosierguy** · 08-20-2012, 10:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KWire

Quote:

Originally Posted by TravelinAnderson

Dave... I haven't had the tires balanced as I assumed they would have been balanced by whoever mounts the tires.

Steve, I don't think any of the manufacturers balance their tires. It is something else they can save a few bucks on...

From the other forums I read, I gather that most trailers (including 5th wheels) are not pulled full time so it doesn't matter for the few hundred miles each summer they are pulled. But if you are a full timer, they definitely need to be balanced, and that responsibility and expense falls to the owner.

So when you get your new rim, I highly recommend you have them all balanced.

JMHO, Keith

You are correct..........non of the manufacturers balance the wheels on the trailers. You have to request that the dealerhave that done. It cost me $25. per wheel including the spare for a total of $125. The RV dealer has to tow it to a tire dealer so you are also paying for that.

Edited by: hoosierguy

UNDRPSI · 08-20-2012, 11:13 PM

<div style=": rgb255, 255, 255; margin-left: 2px; margin-top: 2px; margin-right: 2px; margin-bottom: 2px; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb0, 0, 0; font-weight: normal; font-size: 12px; line-height: 1.4; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; -: none; "><div style=": rgb255, 255, 255; margin-left: 2px; margin-top: 2px; margin-right: 2px; margin-bottom: 2px; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb0, 0, 0; font-weight: normal; font-size: 12px; line-height: 1.4; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; -: none; ">Steve,
I have had mine balanced I don't like not having anything that is turning at 60 plus miles a hour not balanced. I think this is a big mistake on all trailer manufactures including utility and RV's! That was the first thing I had done when I got home from picking it up. And I didn't have them put the bang on weights. My tire guys used plastic beads. With the heavy G rated tires the least amount was 8 oz. the rest were going to take more so he suggested the plastic beads. He told me they used them in the big truck tires and have had great luck with them. Time will tell.
Here a video on Utube as to how they work by using a drill and a plastic water bottle.

Beechguyjim · 08-21-2012, 12:50 AM

On my Jayco that I am trading in trading in they said you don't need to balance them wrong wrong

TravelinAnderson · 08-22-2012, 09:46 AM

Tredit Tire sent me some forms to fill out and send to them along with pictures of the cracked rim. They said the wheels are warrantied for life for the original owner of the RV.
They will send me a new wheel and reimburse me for any costs for having my tire mounted on it... and balanced of course.
I also discovered that the wheel are rated for 100psi so when I replace the Marathons I'll be able to go to a G rated tire.

BeachGuyJim... Interesting video. Do they break the tire down and put the beads in?

Tall-Pines · 08-22-2012, 09:57 AM

My G rated tires are set at 110 psi ... so make sure your wheels are rated for that pressure and not just 100 psi.

lillyputz · 08-22-2012, 11:48 AM

If you put the maxof 100 PSI in them, cold.you will be over the max, when rolling down the road. I have had the tires increase 20 PSI on hot days.

Lillyputz

**Dave&Ginny** · 08-22-2012, 12:39 PM

The tires are designed to be checked and fill to capacity when cold. The manufactures have already factored in the increase in pressure while running down the road.

I thought I had read somewhere that the big difference in the "R" and "G" rim ratings were the metal valve stems. It appears that most of these trailers are running stock "R" rated tires and rims and so far Steve's is the only one with a problem. Actually that's refreshing, maybe I wasted my money when I bought the "G" tires and rims.

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