Re: [A/S] Safari Spare

[Inlandrv@xxxxxxx]

Wheels, wheels and more wheels. Just because a wheel fits on an Airstream is 
certainly no indication of it's prior use (used), nor it's rating. A proper 
wheel is not the same as a wheel. The correct wheel for an Airstream trailer, 
must have a 2600 pound rating. Fords and Chevy's don't have that. Secondly, 
to buy a used wheel, without knowing it's rating or it's past history is 
really fool hardy. Taking a chance with your life, the lives of others, 
property damage and the like, is simply not the thing to do. Saving a few 
bucks on a used wheel or an improper wheel, will cost you in the end. Most 
wheels used by Airstream were made by Kelsey Hayes, or now known as Hayes 
Axle. Furthermore, when we have a $30,000.00 tow vehicle and a $40,000.00 to 
$70,000.00 trailer, saving a few bucks on a wheel just doesn't compute, 
except perhaps, beating the system. Systems are systems. The vast majority 
can't be wrong. Some people believe balancing a tire, wheel, hub and drum is 
a waste of money, and then blame a poor design as the problem. Not so !!!!  
The addition of a gray water tank in 1973, was not the cause of chassis 
failure. People were not tuned in to the fact that wheels must be balanced. 
For those folks that did properly maintain the balancing of the running gear, 
they never had the problem. Rear end separation was the name that Airstream 
used. It's primary cause was overloading the rear end with heavy objects, 
and/or lack of proper wheel balance. Again, since it did not happen to 
everyone, then the blame cannot be placed on the coach. Many, many people 
have traveled with a full gray tank and never had the problem. I was one of 
them.    Andy