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voltdoc · 03-26-2023, 08:12 AM

Yesterday we were running northbound on I-59 from Tuscaloosa with a planned destination in Fort Payne, AL.

Early in the day noticed a little more vibration in the steering than usual, roads weren't too bad. Felt like maybe a wheel balance issue.

About 10 miles from our exit doing about 63mph, bam! Severe death wobble. The coach was shaking so bad all the cabinet doors were flying open. Fridge even broke my fridge fixer. I though we blew a tire. Was able to hang on and get over to the breakdown lane.

Tires all fine. Can't see anything obviously wrong with steering or suspension parts. At this point I found I could still drive at slow speeds. I hear a thump, thump, thump sound like when you ride over an uneven expansion joint, and steering wheel oscillates an inch or so, the faster I go the faster it oscillates.

Long story short, called Spartan nobody home, called coachnet, etc and prepared for a tow. Finally state trooper shows up and offers to escort us the 10 miles to our exit. Wow! Seemed a lot better than staying where we were, so we did. Fastest I could go was 25mph.

Arrived at CG we had booked and RV shop folks already there waiting to help. Wow again. Tech took a quick look didn't see anything obvious either. We should be able to get into a diesel shop on Monday.

Rims not hot or grease everywhere but it kinda seems like a wheel bearing? Noise seems to be related to right front wheel. No issue steering, it tracks straight. Thoughts on what failed?

Figures, the one time we really need to get back to RI sooner rather than later.

Cruzer · 03-26-2023, 08:24 AM

Do you have Rettrobands? I had the same thing happen to me with the original orange urethane version 1.0 Rettrobands while drive on the Chicago bypass tollway years back. When the Rettroband failed it came apart and wobbled like crazy at 45 MPH or greater. They've all been replaced by NIRVC with the new version 2.0 now.

The way to test is to use the levelers to raise the front tires off the ground. Turn them by hand and if a tire always wants to return to the same position you'll find the Rettroband has fallen to that location at the bottom of the tire.

The sudden failure with extreme shaking at speed is reminiscent of what I went through back then. I pulled over, removed the tire from the rim, removed the pieces of Rettroband and continued home with no more problems.

Jimjensen · 03-26-2023, 08:28 AM

Have you tried lifting front end (with leveler’s) and hand spinning your front tires. Seeing if right has different feel than left.
Crusher beat me to it.
JimJ

Gary.Jones · 03-26-2023, 08:47 AM

Yep, if I had to bet, that would be first thing on my list if you have them. If you don't, then the hunch about the wheel bearing seems to be pretty close, but the heavy wheel vibration sounds like a very "off balance" (maybe a delaminating treads or casing) tire (but your tires appear to be fine).

Sure hope that the problem is not a Rettroband problem, or that you have version #1 and never got around to getting them changed to the new version.

Glad you didn't loose control and have bigger problems. Will be certainly interested in what you find as the day progresses.

Gary

voltdoc · 03-26-2023, 09:18 AM

Great info guys, thanks!

Yes I have Rettrobands installed just last year on 1/23/22 in Phoenix. I thought I was getting the new version. I was on the waiting list for them, the invoice says version 2.

I will be out testing this shortly. Thanks for the detailed test instructions Cruzer.

Will let y'all know!

voltdoc · 03-26-2023, 10:25 AM

Update: it seems to be pretty clear that it is an issue with the Rettroband.

Brett Davis already saw this thread and already PM'd me and we've talked and a plan is being formulated.

Wow! Can't even verbalize what a great guy he is and stellar operation he runs. NIRVC should be at the top of the list for anyone needing RV sales or service.

Thanks again to everyone who responded!

BigKahuna · 03-26-2023, 10:45 AM

I had a sensor fail on front passenger air bag just north of Louisville, which caused the both airbags in front to air up (to level) making the coach look like a Gasser. You could feel every crack in the road. It kinda sounds like this to me.

I called Spartan and they had no repair facility in the area and I was instructed to go to a Spartan Fire Engine facility just south of Cincinatti. The ride was so harsh that the windshield cracked all of the way up and all the way across and the kitchen sink rattled off the granite. The sensor got replaced and the ride was better - but it also caused the shoulders of the rare 265 steering Tires. Spartan told me tough luck. When I paid $2000 (after $5500 to replace windshield) for new tires, after paying $500 for a used tire to get home, the tire changer told me that the kung pins were damaged. My warranty had just expired and Spartan told me to go pound salt.

Entegra appears to have tried to fix many of their problems (Joyce is the best at trying to get things right) - but she doesn't build or do the repairs. Spartan on the other hand has been useless.

RVFunlovers · 03-26-2023, 02:55 PM

Rob,

I am following this post. Especially because you have version 2 of retrobands.
Any product can fail but version 2 is fairly new and I have heard of no failures.

Did you test using the method described by Cruzer?

Is the temporary fix just to get you rolling to get the tire removed, retroband removed, tire remounted?

voltdoc · 03-27-2023, 01:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RVFunlovers

Rob,

I am following this post. Especially because you have version 2 of retrobands.
Any product can fail but version 2 is fairly new and I have heard of no failures.

Did you test using the method described by Cruzer?

Is the temporary fix just to get you rolling to get the tire removed, retroband removed, tire remounted?

Tire will be unmounted from rim tomorrow morning (Monday) and we will see what is going on.

DebbieMH · 03-27-2023, 04:44 AM

Glad you were able to keep it under control and actually make it to a campground.

Turbojack · 03-27-2023, 07:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by voltdoc

Tire will be unmounted from rim tomorrow morning (Monday) and we will see what is going on.

Was it the retroband or is the problem something else?

voltdoc · 03-28-2023, 01:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Turbojack

Was it the retroband or is the problem something else?

There was nothing wrong with the Rettroband material itself. One of the two threaded rods that holds the two halves of the Rettroband together, sheared at the gearbox. As explained to me, a rare occurrence caused most likely by an uncommon installation error.

While we wouldn't want to go thru this again, the experience has ultimately resulted in a number of positive outcomes, not the least of which is how solidly NIRVC stands behind their products and goes way above and beyond in support of their customers.

As a side note, Cruzers test of the tire returning itself to the same position, didn't really behave that way in this case. In fact, oddly, there was noticably more resistance than normal getting the tire to spin. That's probably because the Rettroband wasn't broken with loose pieces inside the tire. One gearbox was still intact, so the Rettroband was still wrapped around the inside of the rim, just loosely, and closer to the center of rotation. However, as I forced the tire to rotate, at some point there was a definite clunk and I could feel the weight shifting inside, perhaps the Rettroband slipping around the rim trying to find its own center of gravity. Once the loose Rettroband was removed and the tire remounted, it spun freely as one would expect.

One other note, the gearbox that wasn't sheared, was apparently internally damaged as we couldn't get it to loosen.

My dashcam captured the event. After that, driving more than about 25 mph was extremely uncomfortable.

We are at NIRVC Nashville now awaiting repairs tomorrow.