Lost Wheel

[rblanch]

Has anyone ever lost a wheel before and never even knew it? I pulled up to the campsite and the wheel was gone the rim had completely broken off with the center of the wheel still bolted to the hub.

[code2e]

Has to be clean living. You are so lucky that last wheel held together. Think of the body damage and possible injury if the trailer had dropped.

The remaining tire and wheel has been severely overloaded ding the job of 3 tires. I would at least dismount it and inspect it.

Maybe consider different wheels? Maybe those are not up to the weight requirements.

Till now, I've only seen a single wheel fail, not 2 on same trip.

Maybe buy a lottery ticket with luck like yours?

[code2e]

Looking closely, I can see where both broken wheels hit both of the decorative center caps. They must have left to the right outside and rolled off the road. Good they didn't go out underneath.

[bigb56]

I'm only seeing 3 pictures of the same wheel, I think he only lost one wheel. I wonder if TPMS would sound an alert, it's not really a pressure loss but a signal loss.
Also wondering if those wheels came on the trailer from the factory and how old they are and how many miles?
I had a wheel crack once on a 3/4 ton truck but didn't lose it.

[code2e]

Originally Posted by bigb56

I'm only seeing 3 pictures of the same wheel, I think he only lost one wheel. I wonder if TPMS would sound an alert, it's not really a pressure loss but a signal loss.
Also wondering if those wheels came on the trailer from the factory and how old they are and how many miles?
I had a wheel crack once on a 3/4 ton truck but didn't lose it.

Think you are correct. I was seeing the second picture as a center wheel in a 3 axle trailer. Looking closer it is the same right front wheel. It is a 2 axle trailer. OP is still lucky, in my mind.

Many questions about those wheels. Often there is a weight rating cast into the rear of wheel webbing.

[Yosemite77]

Wow! Extremely lucky. Be sure to replace the remaining wheel as well since it was overloaded.

[rblanch]

Yes it’s a tandem axle Raptor toy hauler with a gvw rating of 17,000 pounds. Yes we know how lucky we were and we all said a prayer thanking Jesus. The wheels are the ones that came with the trailer. It’s a 2018 model with about 25,000 miles on it. After checking all of the other wheels we found small cracks on two other wheels I’m in the habit of constantly checking the hub and tire temps. Never gave the wheels a 2 nd thought the new wheels I ordered have a weight rating of 4450 lb

[code2e]

Originally Posted by rblanch

Yes it’s a tandem axle Raptor toy hauler with a gvw rating of 17,000 pounds. Yes we know how lucky we were and we all said a prayer thanking Jesus. The wheels are the ones that came with the trailer. It’s a 2018 model with about 25,000 miles on it. After checking all of the other wheels we found small cracks on two other wheels I’m in the habit of constantly checking the hub and tire temps. Never gave the wheels a 2 nd thought the new wheels I ordered have a weight rating of 4450 lb

Good you checked all the wheels. New ones are rated good for your GVW.
When you get the wheels and have tires mounted, have them check the rear side of old wheels. Many have weight rating cast into web. Wheels may not have been spec'd correctly for your GVW.

Hope this doesn't spoil your trip plans.

[bigb56]

I would contact the manufacturer and also file a report with NHTSA https://www.nhtsa.gov/report-a-safety-problem#index
I think a wheel breaking and coming off is a very legitimate cause for action from both the manufacturer and the NHTSA.

[rblanch]

Everything on that trailer is minimal specs. I’ve had to upgrade the axles and brakes because the original 7,000 lb axles and brakes couldn’t handle the weight I just didn’t think of the wheels l did Ck them they are rated at 3750 the original sailens were rated at 4,000 the sailins currently installed are rated at 4400 and I re ordered the same tires I’ve had good service from the sailen tires the current tires have around 15,000 on them.

[bigb56]

Originally Posted by rblanch

Everything on that trailer is minimal specs. I’ve had to upgrade the axles and brakes because the original 7,000 lb axles and brakes couldn’t handle the weight I just didn’t think of the wheels l did Ck them they are rated at 3750 the original sailens were rated at 4,000 the sailins currently installed are rated at 4400 and I re ordered the same tires I’ve had good service from the sailen tires the current tires have around 15,000 on them.

In that case the manufacturer would probably just say you overloaded it, not their fault.

[darrellr]

Originally Posted by rblanch

Everything on that trailer is minimal specs. I’ve had to upgrade the axles and brakes because the original 7,000 lb axles and brakes couldn’t handle the weight I just didn’t think of the wheels l did Ck them they are rated at 3750 the original sailens were rated at 4,000 the sailins currently installed are rated at 4400 and I re ordered the same tires I’ve had good service from the sailen tires the current tires have around 15,000 on them.

Just to be clear, you take the pin weight off the gross trailer weight when determining the load bearing rating required for the tires, wheels, and axles. A 17000 gross trailer, with a 3500# pin weight, only needs axles, tires, and wheel to be rated for 13500 pounds. Thus dual 7k axles were sufficiently rated. Safer to be heavier rated, but may not be entirely necessary.

[code2e]

Originally Posted by rblanch

Everything on that trailer is minimal specs. I’ve had to upgrade the axles and brakes because the original 7,000 lb axles and brakes couldn’t handle the weight I just didn’t think of the wheels l did Ck them they are rated at 3750 the original sailens were rated at 4,000 the sailins currently installed are rated at 4400 and I re ordered the same tires I’ve had good service from the sailen tires the current tires have around 15,000 on them.

OEM should not have been able to assign a GVW of 17,000 lbs. with only 14,000 lbs. of axles under it. There ought to be a law violated there.

By rights, OEM should be reimbursing you for under spec. axles, brakes and wheels. 3,000 lbs. under spec.

[Yosemite77]

Originally Posted by rblanch

Everything on that trailer is minimal specs…

You just summed up the majority of the RV industries’s construction standards in 2 words - “minimal specs”.
The RV Design Motto: Minimal specs = Maximum profit