Towing mishap

Our adventures continue:

Travelled to Muskegon Michigan last week to pick up our new 5th wheel and surprise my dad on his birthday (Detroit suburbs). Beautiful new Montana 3000RK from Lakeshore RV. These guys do a brisk volume even in the snow months. They have 4 "sites" set up on their lot and we spent the first night in our new unit on the lot. I purchased a 2001 Chevy Silverado 2500HD Crew Cab with the duramax Diesel at the end of February. Figure I could swing a 5th wheel by the end of June (for our 25th wedding anniversary) but those that have met my wife know how resourceful she can be. She found a deal we couldn't ignore and to my surprise we were approved for financing even with the note still out standing on our TM and old TV (02 Trail Blazer).

First day on the road wasn't bad. Towing a 5er does wear on you more than towing a TM but no real problems with sway. Was still getting used to manuevering the Silverado with it's much longer wheel base than the Trail Blazer and adding a 35 foot TT to the mix made for some sweaty palm manuevering at times.

Spent the 2nd night in our unit just over the border into PA from Ohio. Again no problems. Now for Friday ----- about 2 PM traveling on the PA turnpike (65 MPH) just west of Bedford PA and a loud noise and the trailer and truck start weaving all over the road! The left rear wheel on the truck decided to travel a different path than the rest of the group! By the grace of GOD, I was able to control the units and get over to the shoulder without hitting anyone or flipping the trailer. One other car was damaged when it ran over (or was run into) by the forementioned wayward tire. In addition to flattening a spot on the rotor the rear quarter panel of the truck was dinged but nothing happened to the trailer.

Once the tow trucks came out and got us we pulled into their main location in Bedford about 3:30. They called Thomas Cheverolet just down the street and even though it was almost 4 PM on a Friday the Service Manager said bring the truck down, they had all the needed parts in stock and they could get us back on the road that day! Unbelievable - by 6 PM I was back at the tow service office where the TT had been towed, walked into dinner Lisa had prepared while waiting for me to rejoin her and we were back on the road again!

I am still in "negotiations' with the dealership that sold me the truck on some form of responsibility on their part (state inspection done just prior to selling me the vehicle which required a front and rear tire be removed to inspect brakes) but one point worth passing on for the good of all.....

My "new" truck had after market aluminumn rims. Thomas Chevy mentioned problems with after market rims have problems with lugs coming loose and that they should be checked once a month. I had only had the truck 3 weeks and drove it under 2,000 miles when I lost the tire. The Dealer in Va who sold me the truck is checking the "weight rating" of the aluminumn rims. While I was under the weight for the GCVWR for the truck the weight of the 5th wheel may have exceeded the weight rating of the rim. This "could" have caused the rims to "flex" while I was driving and result in the lugs working loose in a very short time. Not sure I buy all of that theory but it is worth being aware that not all rims are equal. I will be going to factory issued steel rims as soon as possible on all the wheels. I do not want a repeat anytime in the rest of this lifetime. I also own a torque wrench now.

Bill

[B_and_D]

AAUGH!

That's pretty scary - I'm glad you are all OK and nobody got hurt. I get scared sometimes even just towing the TM when I think about the weight, and the velocity, and the potential for damage on the highway going 55 - 60 mph.

I think I'd consider changing those rims right away.

Picked up the truck from the dealer 2 days ago with a set of 4 new steel rims. I had found out that the aluminm rims were rated at 3400# so that wasn't the problem. (Not being able to find a replacement rim to match the others was a problem).

Why did the tire fall off. Dealer is sure his guys tightened the lugs or we would have never made it to Michican... so Dealer tried to suggest maybe someone had tried to steal that rear wheel the night before the accident while we were sleeping above it in the 5th wheel still hooked up to the truck......

Or maybe someone tried to sabatage us.....there were 3 or 4 other campers in the whole campground but no one knew we were going to be there so.......

While the dealer wouldn't admit it was their fault the did (as a good will gesture) purchase the 4 rims, remount and balance all of the tires and do some other miner repairs at no charge and are giving me a break on the repair job to the truck quarter panel.......

I am happy that the only things damaged were those that money could replace and the "generocity" of the dealer has compensated me for my deductible and out of pocket expenses.


Bill.

[Virginia Deacon]

Bill and Lisa:

Thank you for sharing your story and suggestions! I'm thankful this forum is available, for all of us to keep in touch.

It's always enlightening to see the blessings out of trials: You are both safe (though shaken), no one else was hurt, help was nearby and willing to pitch in to get the repairs done, and you've shared "lessons learned" with us.

Of course, I'm sure you both already figured this out!

The best is yet to come! Happy camping!