One Wheel Off

[THenne1713]

Originally Posted by DirtRider

The tire is of course rated for that much dynamic load. It should be able to stand far more in this static condition.

Just saying, yeah, maybe didn't blow in pairs, at the same time, but sure explains WHY SO MANY SAY the (OTHER) tire on the same side blew just 10, 50, 100-miles down th road? You and your rig experience may vary :-)... ME? Most every flat in my life was found in the driveway :-)

[Gordon Dewald]

Originally Posted by DirtRider

Meh, so many of the recommendations are impractical or based on zero risk to the manufacturer rather than utility to the consumer. I mean, I doubt Ford recommends hacking into the frames of their E-class and extending it, but almost every class has it done. The MH manufacturers take on some risk there because they have to, but accept zero risk that they don't have to, of course, regardless of how silly it is in its requirements.

I mean, I have to set the parking brake to swap bluetooth phones on the radio in my unit. Being in park isn't enough. The natural thing of course would be to install a bypass switch so my wife can change phones when she wants, but of course that would be NOT RECOMMENDED, and therefore oh-so-dangerous.

You're right, this is all just debate. But much of the point of it is so that people can make some educated guess at how much risk they're absorbing. Not so that they can take absolutely zero risk.

Agree. The rules in many of these cases are for the lowest common denominator. Things like "Hot coffee - do not put between your legs", "Do not put in cruise control and go back for a potty break and coffee".

Other things they put in because someone has had an accident and blamed it on changing phones while there attention should have been on the road. Unfortunately the spill over takes some of the convenience from anyone not driving. Try using Gas Buddy while moving. Unless you set the options as Passenger it does not work.

But some things like speed rating on tires, axle capacity cannot be monitored and mechanically prevented by the unit. And there are so many who quickly label those who counsel following the guidelines as weight or speed police.

Most who have a blow out and separation rarely go back and remove their debris from the highway. They are busy fuming about the expense and organizing a replacement. Inconvenient or downright dangerous to venture out there to clean up the road. Extremely dangerous to hit a chunk of rubber with a motorcycle.

Some of the risks people accept when making these educated guesses affect more than the person making the decision. I am reluctant to be thought of as or possibly remembered as collateral damage.

[LETMGROW]

Originally Posted by LOG

Two Comments on your post.
I suspect the OP's motorhome does not have levelers.
When would someone drive up on blocks and then use levelers to level their motorhome?

Read my post #33 for an explanation of why I drive up onto blocks before using my levelers. Not all RV's are the same in the way the levelers operate.
I have had the same camp site for nearly twenty years at Watkins Glen Raceway. The site is level from front to rear but it drops 4 1/2" from the left side to the right side. I have three 2" X 6" X 5' boards with two more 2" X 6" boards stacked on them to form ramps to place under the two right rear and the right front tires. This raises the low side 4 1/2" so the MH is level before I deploy the leveling jacks. By shimming the front leveling jacks from the ground to the jack pads the front will raise evenly. The rear jacks will run independently of each other. I apply just enough pressure on the jacks to make the coach stable when moving around inside and some weight is still on the tires.
Lynn

[mrehmus]

Goodyear states that it is not a good idea to put the weight on just one of the dual tires.

[Mded40]

Don’t worry about it, the jacks are designed to support the full weight on the axle.

[HotMech]

I was under the impression, that this site was to share experiences, and ideas, not bash each other about tire abuse. I have taken away nothing (educational) from this read. Enjoy your boxing ring. I'm changing threads.

[RudysDad]

Originally Posted by LOG

Two Comments on your post.
I suspect the OP's motorhome does not have levelers.
When would someone drive up on blocks and then use levelers to level their motorhome?

I do in my driveway because of the pitch. If I level without blocks my rear wheels are off the ground. I put blocks under back tires and blocks under the jacks so they’re not fully extended. But I do support both inside and outside tires. Just feel better about it.

[Tireman9]

There is an issue few talk about. That is "creep" or accumulated stress.


Tires do a pretty good job of tolerating dynamic loading such as entering a driveway with the un-even surface.
But the OP question involves long term parking.
The issue many do not seem to consider is the warning to support 100% of the tire contact patch. failure to do that can place the belt edges, the most critical part of a tire, in a reverse curve which can almost certainly result in the formation of microscopic cracks which can only grow.
This doesn't mean your tire is going to fail the next day, week or month, but it is this type of loading that can result in an unexplained failure, months in the future.
I have two posts on "leveling Blocks" One focuses on 100% support. The other shows a number of examples where IMO people are actually damaging their tires by using blocks that are too short or narrow.

[Tireman9]

Originally Posted by Camp Dog

A couple months ago I drove around 200 miles without knowing the inside duel was flat. Bad wind and bad road and still, nothing happened. Valve stem was broken on cheap 5 yr old tires, probably broke it when checking pressure before leaving. Had a new stem installed and drove another 1800 miles, no problems from either tire. I just don't see how blocking one tire would hurt anything. Simply over thinking, it obvious

Just because the dual that was 100% overloaded hasn't failed yet doesn't mean it won't fail sooner rather than later.


There are documented cases where the overloaded tire did fail resulting in damage and injury.


But Hey what do I know, I only worked as a tire design engineer for 40 years and am court-certified"expert", so if you think you know better than the tire companies then why waste money by running two tires when one appears to be able to work just fine....Not.

[Tireman9]

Originally Posted by luvlabs

You can easily buy double sized lego blocks for leveling. Amazing, they can support both tires. Camco 44515s should do the trick for you. They also can be used to make nice ramps for leveling the front as well.

Just be sure they are wider than the tire tread. many I have seen are not.

[LOG]

Originally Posted by RudysDad

I do in my driveway because of the pitch. If I level without blocks my rear wheels are off the ground. I put blocks under back tires and blocks under the jacks so they’re not fully extended. But I do support both inside and outside tires. Just feel better about it.

Do you drive up onto the blocks. And then extend the jacks. If so, it sounds as if you are leveling with blocks and then using the jacks as stabilizers.

[mike5511]

Okay, so I skimmed over about the last half of the previous posts because they became repetitive. But, MY QUESTION is, if you're gonna get down there and put something under one wheel, why not both? How stinkin' lazy are you anyway? My 5ver has duals. I support them both, on both axles, although if for some reason I could only do one, like others have said, I wouldn't freak out about it.

[RudysDad]

Originally Posted by LOG

Do you drive up onto the blocks. And then extend the jacks. If so, it sounds as if you are leveling with blocks and then using the jacks as stabilizers.

Yes I do drive up onto the blocks first. I then finish leveling with the jacks. If I don’t then my back tires are off the ground when I level.

[Gulie]

Originally Posted by BeckyFe

With duallies, when on leveling blocks, if one wheel is suspended in mid air, will that hurt anything? The leveling blocks fix the outer wheel, but aren't large enough to support the inside tire.

My reply is related to the traction force of the rear tires. If you have air brakes, then (typically) those rear tires are the ones that hold the coach in position, while the leveling jacks adjust the vertical height. This is why an air-dump is suggested prior to leveling, to provide the maximum amount of vertical adjustment while still leaving the tires n the ground. If the tractive force of the tires is removed by jacking too high, lifting one or both tires from the surface, then the jack cylinders need to not only hold vertical force (a force they are designed to support), they also have to provide lateral support which they are not designed for. When using leveling blocks in this sort of configuration, make sure they can firmly lock the wheels to the surface so the coach is held in position securely.