[A/S] Tom May's lost wheel

[estatewagons@xxxxxxx]

(1)  Tom wrote:

That's when I noticed that my forward, street side
wheel had sheared off, the mid-wheel had lost one pin,
the well is damaged,

---------------------------

Tom - I'm so glad you had 3 axles...and fate was on your side so that you 
made it in to the RV Park with damage limited to the trailer and not you 
and your wife!

Now - I have some questions for you - which came to me after I read your 
follow up posting:

(2)  Tom wrote:
 We went down to a local auto parts store, 
> and got new lugs. I have the spare mounted, all six 
> wheels have been torqued, and we can leave under our 
> own steam tomorrow.  

----------------------------

You don't mention anything about wheel bearings.

"If" your problem is related to the '04 wheel bearing problem/recall:

(1) I have to assume that if one wheel seized up and a second one was under 
enough stress to pop a lug....that at the very least the bearings on the 
wheel that came off were trashed.  As to the second wheel that lost a lug - 
maybe it was about to seize up - due to a hot bearing?  Or - maybe it was 
simply under stress from having to deal with the sudden loss of the wheel 
adjacent to it and the lug popped from physical stress rather than heat and 
bearing stress.

(2) Assuming you changed out the bearings on at least the axle that lost 
it's wheel - I would think that the spindle(s) should be thoroughly checked.  
The heat generated to cause a bearing to seize up  could be enough to put 
the spindle into question.

Now - looking at your situation from another possibility/perspective:

From the way you describe your problem - and the fact the situation has 
been under a recall  - and you had your trailer in for service under the 
recall... you have a major QUESTION for Airstream and the dealership that 
did your work.

THEORHETICALLY...your axles were serviced.. so your situation may be 
something else???  Since you had the bearings serviced...??? and if NOW the 
bearings do not show any heat damage or seizing....maybe your problem is 
related to the way your wheels were reinstalled and torqued?  Major 
questions to be asked - since you did what you were supposed to do as an 
'04 Airstream owner....so what happened next???  And why?

(3) The wheel on the second axle that popped a lug:  I would suggest you 
have that wheel thoroughly checked out - it went through a major shock when 
the adjacent wheel popped off and suddenly the street side axles had to 
take on the weight normally supported by 3 axles. (and in fact probably all 
your wheels should be checked. 

(4) The second axle would probably have been worked to it's limits (and 
beyond) momentarily while recovering from the loss of the front wheel.

(5) In the sudden drop - before the other two axles had time to rebound - 
might the axle that lost it's wheel have hit the pavement.  I'd have the 
entire brake assembly etc. checked out.  I know that the Airstream  with a 
multi-axle set up is designed to handle towing with a wheel missing during 
an emergency.  BUT - the footage we see of this does not show the actual 
forces that are in action at the "moment" a wheel is lost....and I'd wonder 
just what that actually might be....again....there could be a moment prior 
to the other axles taking up the extra load....that the axle in question 
could bottom out and come in contact with the pavement.

(6) In that same line of thinking - I'd have your hitch totally looked 
over - mounting points - bolts etc...as it probably took quite a shock - 
momentarily.

(7) Since the problem was on the streetside - and near your slide-out....is 
everything okay with it? I know you had a problem with your entry door 
jamming - related to the slide-out...and that you got that under control - 
but due to the sensitive nature of the slide-outs....I'd keep an eye on it 
and have it checked.

Sorry to give you such a list...but in a prehistoric prior life I was 
trained to be a mechanic and an autobody tech.  So - as I read over your 
situation - I began to think about your trailer as if it were coming in to 
be checked out afterwards.  One of the most important things we were taught 
- is to not stop our observations with "just" the obvious damage....but to 
look (and think) about all the other areas that might have been affected by 
an accident and/or damage caused by some type of failure.

I don't mean to use the term Tsunami lightly here - but in fact - a 
situation like yours warrants attention "not" just at the site of the 
problem - but in areas where the force (stress and shock) of the damage may 
have "radiated" out.

Best Wishes and Good Luck.

RL

ps - I just have to ask....did the WBCCI official/"king" you mentioned come 
back and apologize to you?

I'd have hoped...that a "fellow Airstream owner" would have automatically 
offered help....rather than hindrance to your situation.  Go figure???  I'm 
glad you found some of your friends among the WBCCI meeting.