SERIOUS DEFECT IN THE ALUMINUM WHEELS ON A ROADTREK MOTORHOME. *MR THE ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT ALUMINUM WHEELS, BUT THE SALES DEALER TOLD THE CONSUMER THAT THE VEHICLE HAD COME EQUIPPED WITH STEEL WHEELS. THE CENTRAL HOLE OF THE AXLE IN THE ALUMINUM WHEEL WAS 1.5 MM LARGER THAN THE SIMILAR HOLE IN THE NEW STEEL WHEELS. THE NEW STEEL WHEELS FIT TIGHTLY ON THE AXLE. THEY CONCLUDED THAT THE WEIGHT WAS ENTIRELY ON THE STUDS AND CONSEQUENTLY THE STUDS WOULD BE PRESSURED TO BEND BACK AND FORTH WITH EVERY WHEEL REVOLUTION. THE RIGHT REAR HUB HAD ALL EIGHT STUDS SHEARED OFF OR PULLED OUT. THE LEFT WHEEL HAD ONE BROKEN STUD WITH THE REMAINDER OF THE STUD AND MISSING NUT. THE MECHANICS CHECKED THE TORQUE ON THE SEVEN REMAINING NUTS. SIX TORQUE TO AT OR NEAR 140 POUNDS. THE SEVENTH LUG NUT HAD TAKEN TEN OR TWENTY POUNDS OF TORQUE AND THEN THE STUD SHEARED OFF. A SIXTH STUD SHEARED OFF LATER AT THE REPAIR SHOP WHEN THE MECHANIC TRIED TO LOOSEN THE LUG NUT. THE FRONT WHEELS SHOWED STUDS THAT WERE NOTICEABLY BENDING AWAY FROM THEIR CORRECT POSITION SO THE MECHANICS THOUGHT THAT IT WOULD BE BEST NOT TO TORQUE THEM AT THE SITE. A WEEK LATER AFTER THE MOST RECENT SERVICE, THE CONSUMER BRAKED MODERATELY DOWN A STEEP GRADE, WHEN WITHOUT ANY PREVIOUS VIBRATION OR NOISE, THE RIGHT REAR WHEEL FELL OFF. THE CONSUMER FOUND FOUR SHEARED OFF STUDS, WITH NUTS ON, IN THE GRASS AND ROADSIDE DITCH. THE CONSUMER DEMANDED COMPENSATION FOR THE DAMAGE THAT RESULTED FROM THE NEGLIGENCE ON THE PART OF THE HOME/PARK MOTORHOMES AND THE SALES DEALER. (ROADTREK 200) *SCC *NLM
- NHTSA ID
- 10026831
- Incident
- May 1, 2003
- Mileage
- 28,000 mi