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Old 08-04-2020, 06:26 AM   #15
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I just picked up a new 6x12 enclosed Cargo Trailer. The salesman told me to retorque the lug nuts when I got home. There were also stickers on the wheels saying to retorque them.
This is common practice.
I'd call the insurance company.
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Old 08-04-2020, 07:32 AM   #16
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If I understand it correctly you towed it from your dealer to your house. Then you towed it from your house to a camp ground. It was when you left the camp ground going back home that the wheel came off.

There is too much that can happen in a camp ground. Teenage boys might think it funny to loosen your lugs nuts while you were at the lake fishing. Have you checked all the other lug nuts? Not saying this is what happened but it is possible.

There is something about aluminum wheels that they need re-tightened more often than steel wheels.

Getting new tires on my car the tire shop always says to recheck the lug tightness after 50 miles.

People messing with your stuff. I was told if I eat at a Cracker Barrel to recheck all my connections as people will mess with your stuff. Things like is the the 5th wheel safety latch still latched , or the hitch pin on a bumper pull trailer.
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Old 08-04-2020, 08:26 AM   #17
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I found Dutchmen/Keystone to be very good and finding reasons for plausible deniability. Concern for their customer is not part of their business model. However, advice above is good.

Travel trailers are usually towed at or near full load capacity. Utility trailers, not so much. More care is required with the under carriage and other frame parts. Aluminum has a tendency to deform under load. If initial torque or shape of hole in rim is not perfect, it tends to deteriorate fast. 50 mile retorque check is mandatory.

Another possibility is if lug nuts are not the correct shape for aluminum, aluminum will deform and fail quickly. Getting the lug nuts checked would be useful. Remaining wheels may be at risk and if wrong lug nuts were used, warranty will apply. Dutchmen/keystone is not going to encourage further inspection if they have denied your claim.

Also, all other tires, wheels, and rims are now suspect. They have all been overloaded and may be near failure. A trained professional inspection may be in order for the running gear.

I wish you good luck and happy trails ahead!
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Old 08-10-2020, 12:52 AM   #18
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Always do a walk-around every time you stop- breaks, gas, meals, anything.
I look for things I might have missed earlier, things that get loose, or things someone might think to be funny.
Sewer hose, hitch, tires, wheels, electric cord, trailer wires, etc.
Several years ago pulling a utility trailer I parked at a youth camp. I keep a lug wrench on the trailer in plain sight. I didn't do a walk around because of the lightening and rain. About 100 yards after starting up again, my trailer tire passed me. Good joke, ha ha.
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Old 08-12-2020, 01:23 PM   #19
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Originally Posted by Kimmery2776 View Post
We just got our 3rd TT; a 2020 33ft Prime Time LaCrosse. We got it delivered on 7/27 and took it out this weekend. On the way back the lug nuts came off a tire on the highway and the tire came off. Luckily no one got injured but our TT is now damaged outside and inside (the whole trailer shifted and bounced). The dealership salesperson, finance person, and the person who did the walk thru all emphasized how they do a thorough safety and quality check and that we can start using the camper once they drop it off to us. They also did our state inspection. Now they are saying we are responsible for making sure the tires and everything was ok before taking it out not them. Who checks there tires, axels, oil, coolant, on a new vehicle from the dealership. I am beside myself. Any advice is welcome.
That sucks for sure, however since this is your 3rd TT as you mention - you really must get in to the HABIT of checking lug nuts before EVERY TRIP. Such an easy thing to do while you are also CHECKING AIR PRESSURES! If you do neither, you are bound to arrive at an accident or a costly situation of some sort pretty quickly in this game. Whenever I've invested $40-$50k in a recreational vehicle I've considered it my personal responsibility and my pleasure to "inspect what I expect"! Don't trust anyone else to do what you expect. And when you don't inspect, or you trust someone else to do what you expected, spare yourself the aggravation and don't blame someone else for what you should have done. Sorry for the candor, not trying to be a smart - - -, just been at this a long time and the only eyes I trust are mine. BTW, I have never had a loose wheel, flat, blowout, or accident with my RV's. (looking for some wood to tap on!) A little time spent before you leave, and time spent being careful while you travel, is time well spent. All that said I bought my last Prime Time unit (34' TT) four years ago and traded it after two seasons of constantly looking at poor workmanship and dealing with the same. Will never buy another. Happy travels!
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Old 08-12-2020, 02:45 PM   #20
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The trailer did not have zero miles on it when you received it, most likely it was towed several hundred miles by a rv towing company. Lug nuts should have already been checked by the original company, RV tower, and your sales lot. Food for thought.

Do always live by the rule of checking lug nuts every mile, ten mile and 50 miles after removing a tire.
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Old 08-13-2020, 09:45 AM   #21
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our trailer has that warning sticker to check lug nuts for 100# or as noted. the as noted sticker has faded to just all white, but I check ours for 100# each time we take it out. just part of my preflight.
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Old 08-13-2020, 10:27 AM   #22
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The trailer did not have zero miles on it when you received it, most likely it was towed several hundred miles by a rv towing company. Lug nuts should have already been checked by the original company, RV tower, and your sales lot. Food for thought.

Do always live by the rule of checking lug nuts every mile, ten mile and 50 miles after removing a tire.

Approximately 670 miles, in fact.
The factory uses an air impact wrench to install lug nuts. The torque may or may not be accurate.
I have a torque wrench for checking lug nuts before I leave the yard with a new unit. Usually I will hit them with the four way lug wrench instead. If it is raining, snowing, night time, or the hub cap covers the lug nuts, I very often don't bother with them at all (playing the odds).
I've watched dealerships perform their inspections. I've never seen a single one check the lug nuts or anything associated with the tongue or kingpin (terminal lugs, bolts, break away switch, etc.). They assume that since I was able to unhitch and they can operate the slides, awning and lights that the tongue jack, landing gear, and battery connections are fine.

For the OP -
Per the stickers, the wheel lugs have to be checked prior to each trip. The stickers don't say who has to perform that check.
If you received a copy of the PDI, and it says the wheel lugs were checked as part of that PDI, you have proof the dealer accepted the responsibility of checking the lug nuts prior to that trip.
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Old 08-13-2020, 10:56 AM   #23
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One issueI don't think was mentioned above is that new trailers (wheel hubs) were painted with a thick paint, including the wheel studs. As you start driving this paint will get worn off leaving the nuts somewhat loose. I've been though this process twice.

When brand new, I would re-torque at 5, 20, 50, 150 and 250 miles. Frequently, at first most of the nuts moved a fair amount and at each successive check there would be less movement and on fewer nuts. There is no way a dealer can do each of these rechecks. It is up to you and you only.

I do a very similar torque check every time a wheel is pulled for any reason. Old-Biscuit is so right-on about why tandem axle trailers in particular are subject to wheel nut tightness issues. Just is not the same as a car or MH. Possibly MHs with tag axles may experience something similar. I don't really know.

I still check the torque of all trailer nuts every morning prior to departure, same time I check tire pressures. Yes I have a TST TPMS, but I like checking with an accurate pressure gauge. I do not consider the TPMS that accurate. I use it to watch for unexpected changes in pressure.

I also do a full 360 walk around the entire rig at every stop. This is true for both our 5th wheeler and MH. Two key items is to check the hitch locking arm/pin and the locking jaws. Every morning prior to departure DW and myself do a full lights check.
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Old 08-15-2020, 06:30 PM   #24
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Did a bearing inspection and repack both axles this past spring. Took off on a trip and re-torqued at 5, 100 and 300 miles. Drove 300 miles home and decided to swap out a tire/wheel assembly. Two of the nuts on that one wheel were only finger tight. All other wheels were torqued to spec still. I have no idea how that happened. The only solution I can think of is to check them even more often. Aluminum rims, BTW.
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Old 08-16-2020, 05:30 AM   #25
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Did a bearing inspection and repack both axles this past spring. Took off on a trip and re-torqued at 5, 100 and 300 miles. Drove 300 miles home and decided to swap out a tire/wheel assembly. Two of the nuts on that one wheel were only finger tight. All other wheels were torqued to spec still. I have no idea how that happened. The only solution I can think of is to check them even more often. Aluminum rims, BTW.
Could be that the contact area of the wheel and lug nuts were not correct due the chamfers not being correct.
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Old 08-20-2020, 04:12 PM   #26
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Commercial vehicles often use these. Has anyone tried them on an RV?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loose_wheel_nut_indicator
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Old 08-20-2020, 04:19 PM   #27
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Sorry to hear about your damage. Keep in mind that for every guy that says he checks his regularly there are probably two guys going out to buy torque wrenches this week! Or updating their checklists. So you did a service.
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Old 08-20-2020, 06:25 PM   #28
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... The dealership salesperson, finance person, and the person who did the walk thru all emphasized how they do a thorough safety and quality check and that we can start using the camper once they drop it off to us. ...
Unless you have that in writing, part of the sales contract, what they say means absolutely nothing legally. That said, they really fell down on the job there!

You could try going after them in small claims court, though it won't be an easy open and shut case.
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