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RE: how much 'jiggle' is normal at top end of tongue jack range?
mine jiggles prety good when it is leveled high. I don't like it but oh well. It's better then the headache I would get sleeping if the head end was dropped down.
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Calgary Campers
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01/07/12 06:34pm |
Travel Trailers
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RE: Packing your own wheel bearings
I had all that in the trailer when it happened to us. Two issues arose...
1) it was on the side of a major highway and I could not move it becuase
2) the wheel had fallen right off. on the way off, it gouged out the brake pads and cracked the brake drum. Hence the tow.
my other option, I guess was to go rent a flat bed trailer and drag it up myself. My brother-in-law and I could have taken it to his campsite and done the work. Since it was a Sunday on a long weekend, I could not find a flat deck. Heck, even a complete axle replacement would have been cheaper.
Oh well, lots learned and no injuries.
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Calgary Campers
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09/02/11 10:23am |
Towing
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RE: Packing your own wheel bearings
wish I could have done this myself but couple of things messed that up:
1) had to rebuild the whole axle and brakes on both sides. Not hard but I really did not have the time. I was on holidays!
2) needed more tools then I had and I had lots. Drives my wife nuts. But I needed axle stands, brakes tools, etc and I had all of those at home.
3) needed to get the roof looked at too. I decided a long time ago that roofs were not in my scope of knowledge.
4) I was hurt. the part I neglected to tell everyone was were I did the boneheaded maneuver of not taking the tension bars off of the TT when I put it up on the trailer. Have you any idea how much tension is on those bars when the trailer is at a +30 degree angle? I put a dent in his deck about 3/4" deep and whacked the whole side of my left leg from crotch to foot. I had more cute colors then one of my wifes scarves. The only words I could say were "THATS GOING TO LEAVE A MARK" and dropped to the deck. It took me two oxycodin each night for three night to get any sleep. Doc figured I had a Deep Vein Thrombosis or something like that. Didn't but wow did that hurt.
Final note to self, remove tension bars before you push trailer up above level.
interesting trip but all in all, it was worth it. Found a new campground, some very nice people and was treated to some great food and drinks from my relatives along the way.
Just think. All of this could have been prevented by the shop doing the work correctly or better yet, if I did it myself.
:)
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Calgary Campers
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08/24/11 03:13pm |
Towing
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Packing your own wheel bearings
I have been an avid rv'r for over 30 years and on this group for a long time (just not a frequent poster). My wife and I have owned four rv's, the latest being an Extreme RV's Road Ranger 252T. It has normal axles and, like always, I have packed the wheel bearings and changed the seals myself for years.
I "treated" myself to a professional service in Calgary. I was getting some body work done and had the place pack the bearings and adjust the breaks last fall. We went out twice after that, both very short trips to the mountains (1.5 hours from Calgary).
This spring we took the trailer to Winnipeg. 63 km, short of Brandon, Manitoba, a very nice couple pulled up beside us and were frantically waving their arms and pointing at the back of the trailer. You guessed it. SMOKE and lots of it. My wife pulled over and I ran back to check the right side wheels. Guess what, if there is smoke coming out of the wheels, you do not need to touch them to know if they are hot! Anyways, after I quit swearing at myself for such a dumb move, we took stock of the damage. The wheel was cock-eyed, so I knew the bearings were shot on that side of the rear axle. We called and got a flat deck to come out from Brandon. (Note to self....do not let Good Sam membership expire again).
The guys winch was busted. So I had to push the trailer up. The wheel fell off so now the skid bar on the right side is catching the tow deck and sliding the TT to the right. Three tries to get it on and in the center of the deck. Second note to self, do not trust a tow truck driver who tells you it is ok to keep backing up, even when your right side wheel is 1/2 off of the deck. Listen to your wife ! as I did. Thankyoudear.
Got it to a dealer in Brandon called Pic-A-Dilly. Oh, this is sunday of a long weekend. We dropped it off in front of the service bays and went to spend the rest of the weekend in Portage La Prairie at a very nice place called Creekside. AWESOME RV PARK! Back Tuesday to get the work started. Heather, the service maanger, says "You know, your trailer is a little broken?" Funny ...... but a very nice place. They did a wonderful job and fixed up some other issues as well. Turned out they could not find even a piece of a cotter pin in the right rear axle. HMMMMMMMM. COULD THAT HAVE BEEN THE PROBLEM ! As well, the right front wheel had a cracked bearing! I am going to guess the Calgary service shop did not put the cotter pin in but my nice side says they did but re-used the old one. Wow, they saved $.20 !
So WHAT DID I LEARN?
1) do not let Good Sam ERP lapse ($400 tow}
2) Pic-A-Dilly RV in Brandon is AWESOME
3) HOBO RV in Calgary will never see me again
4) A LOT of people will stop of offer help on the side of the highway !
5) Do not let your wife talk you out of keeping an emergancy vest in the truck or trailer. I had ours and my wife looked very fashionable 30 yards back doing a pylon imitation
I have been TOLD that I am doing my own from now on. and I always do what I am told.
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Calgary Campers
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08/21/11 08:35pm |
Towing
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