road=freedom
Houston, Texas USA
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Joined: 11/18/2004
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Well, bettered, you see a clarity I just cannot. If you look at the actual March 22, 2005 document FR sent to NHTSA, it says in paragraph 3 "We have satisfied ourselves that the hub studs are within specification and the torques are done correctly to specifications. This lead us to investigate the lug thread itself." It goes on to talk about how 18 of 20 lugs tested failed thread inspection. I don't know how often one needs to check lug nuts to make up for threads that don't engage the lug nuts adequately. Do you?? As I have said before, the only way we as owners are going to find out which TT's are affected and what remedy is needed is to raise he*% with our dealers and FR. It's not whining. It's about our right to know the facts, and their obligation to manufacture safe TT's.
Steve
2004 Titan KC
2005 Flagstaff 827FLS
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bettered
UpCountry SC
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Joined: 07/26/2004
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I've read the letters. Apparently the threads were improperly machined - typically threads of this sort are "rolled" which suggests to me the dies may have been improperly aligned, but the actual cause of the malformed threads is mostly irrelvant to us.
As to the nature of the defects reported in FR's letter, either the minor diameter was too small, or the gage failed to "go" on pitch. In the first case, the failure would most likely be a stripped thread or broken stud, and in the second case the nut would not engage the thread at all.
Now the type of failures that appear to have been reported were of loose nuts and / or lost wheels. We have not heard reports of broken studs, at least not to my awareness. Of the remaining alternatives, failure modes would be that the threads either wouldn't allow the nuts to engage or the nuts would strip the threads during torquing.
SO back to re-torguing. If the thread were stripped, you could not get the specified torque on it. If the nut wouldn't go on or it would hang up part way, you wouldn't engage the cone of the nut, nor would you be able to take the nut off.
When I retorque, I loosen first and then retorque to spec. That gives me a chance to look for metal filings in the threads. If the nut won't turn at all, neither will it loosen. That's a problem because the thread is compromised by definition. If I can't get the specified torque for any reason, I'd be on the phone to FR. If I can get the specified torque without breaking the stud, I'm going to believe that the system is working as designed.
Another good reason to retorque before every trip of any consequence is to verify that you have good fasteners, particularly now that we've been alerted. And nobody else can do that but the owner, particularly if he's going to the dealer to have his lug nuts and studs checked.
All of that said, I fully agree that it is of value to continue bugging FR and our dealers until FR and Carlysle come up with a failure analysis and a plan to fix the affected units.
I hope this is helpful.
Ed B>
BetterEd
DW + 2 grandkids + Mini Schnauzer
2005 Chev 3500 Crew D/A 6.6L LLY, 6 x 6 DRW, 3.73
Tru-Flow + Banks, 2005 Flagstaff 831FKSS
Hensley + Prodigy
"Genius may have its limitations...." E. Hubbard 1856 - 1915
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mk4ever86
Tennessee
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Joined: 03/18/2005
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I own a FR Rockwood and I'm now very concerned about this issue. I don't mind checking the lugs for tightness and will do this from now on. I do have a question though and please don't laugh at me. My lugs appear to have some type of plastic chrome cover on each individual lug. How do I get that off so that I can get a 4-way on each lug? I don't know if the pop off or have to be turned with a lug wrench and I don't want to do something wrong and break one. Can someone please direct me with this ?????
1999 Chevy Silverado 2WD ExtCab; 5.3L V8; 3:42
2005 Rockwood 8272s
Mark & Kelley, 2 wonderful children
Macy-our new camping dog
Mini Schnauzer and housecat stay home
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bt/vbcrew
Pasadena, MD
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Joined: 08/16/2004
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mk4ever86- The plastic/thin metal covers over the lug nuts stay on. Just get a deep socket that will reach to the base of the nut and you can loosen or tighten from there. Took me about a 3-4 tries before I could figure this one out myself. The key is the correct deep socket size. Mine was metric, I think 22mm. Standard will just bend the cover.
Good luck.
05' Rockwood 8315ss
04' Silverado 2500hd ext.cab/sb 6L 4x4
Equalizer/Prodigy
BT/RT & Lacey the Dockdog
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bettered
UpCountry SC
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Joined: 07/26/2004
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I did mine after my lost post. Decided that the easiest way to do it is to loosen 3 (cross pattern) at one wheel, then retighten, then I loosen the other two and retighten. Then I move to the next wheel. I loosened to the point where I could turn the nut on the stud by hand freely, then retightened. There were no loose nuts on my rig when I started, and there are none now either..
Ed B
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road=freedom
Houston, Texas USA
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Joined: 11/18/2004
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mk4ever86, bt/vbcrew has it right. I'm using a 7/8" socket on my Flagstaff, though.
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mk4ever86
Tennessee
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Joined: 03/18/2005
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Thank y'all for all the information about my Rockwood lugs. I have purchased a 7/8 deepwell socket and a 18" 1/2 drive bar. I've checked all the lugs on the TT and everyone of them were tight. I talked to my dealer about the issue and they aren't aware of a recall. I asked about using a torque wrench for this application. He asked if I torqued the lugs on my vehicles. Course I said no. With that in mind, I didn't spend the $$$$ for a torque wrench but feel very confident that the wheels will stay on for my next trip and I'll check before I leave out for any others in the future.
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RaeDar
Twinsburg, OH
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Joined: 11/07/2004
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Good Sam RV Club
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We use a 22MM deep socket on our Flagstaff with a (2 expensive of a) torque wrench!
07 Winnebago Adventurer 33V
Workhorse W22 Chassis
09 Saturn Vue
Blue Ox Base plate
Ready Brute towbar w/integrated Ready Brake
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BobandPat
Mi, USA
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Joined: 10/23/2003
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I replaced all of the lug nuts on my 2004 Flagstaff 831FKSS because the plastic stripped or rolled over the edges on two. On trips, I check the torque every 100 miles and have never had one come loose. After pulling the wheels for brake adjustment or bearing lube, I check the torque everytime I think about it. I`ve had it Florida (from Michigan) twice with no lug nut problems.
2006 F250 PSD, 3.73, auto, 4x4, long bed, 2004 831FKSS Flagstaff, dual cams, Prodigy, Pat and I, Sara the Poodle and Inky the Lhasa.
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SlickTraveler
Andover, KS
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Joined: 06/14/2004
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Hi all,
I have what will seem like a silly question, but I can't find the answer and I am headed out for a long trip tomorrow. The short version is that I am trying to find out the torgue rating for the wheels on my travel trailer. I have looked on-line (including this forum) and I have looked thru my paperwork...but I must be missing it. I have aluminum wheels and the 2005 - 8318SS Forest River Rockwood.
Any and all help would be greatly appreciated.
Many thanks and happy camping,
David
2005 Rockwood 8318SS
2005 3/4 Ton GMC Yukon XL
8.1L Engine 3.73 Gears
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