It Happens - Escape Trailer Owners Community
Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×

Go Back   Escape Trailer Owners Community > Escape Tech > Maintenance, Winterizing and Routine Care
Click Here to Login
Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
 
Old 10-29-2020, 10:09 PM   #1
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: SLO County, California
Trailer: 2014 Escape 21C 2019 Expedition
Posts: 5,210
It Happens

Do your wheel maintenance please. A fifth wheel lost a wheel and it killed someone today.

https://www.ksby.com/news/local-news...obles-1-killed
__________________
"We gotta get as far away as we can!"
- Russell Casse, Independence Day
Rossue is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-30-2020, 06:11 AM   #2
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Southwick, Massachusetts
Trailer: None, sold my 2014 5.0TA
Posts: 7,124
I've had 2 tire go airborne at highway speeds, neither on the Escape. The first was right after having all 4 tires on a van replaced. The repair shop we got towed to found 7 broken lug nut studs over the 4 wheels. The 2nd was when I got distracted and didn't torque the bolts on a truck tire after rotating them. Took about 30 miles for them to loosen enough for the tire to fall off. Both were incorrectly finished maintenance.

Never did find the 1st wheel.
__________________
Happy Motoring
Bob
padlin is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-30-2020, 09:57 AM   #3
Member
 
Dee08802's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2018
Location: Asbury, New Jersey
Trailer: 2019 19'
Posts: 56
I too have forgotten to fully tighten the lug nuts on a van wheel. Luckily I noticed the wheel vibration before it totally fell off. I now do a final recheck of all lug nuts after a tire change out is completed.
Dee08802 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-30-2020, 10:38 AM   #4
Senior Member
 
Ronn's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2018
Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota
Trailer: 2019 5.0 TA
Posts: 864
Ken and Bob (oddly these are also the names of my two older brothers).

I too had the experience of not tightening the lug nuts on a 1970's year Maverick. Luckily, like Ken, within 10 miles I felt the vibration!
__________________
The Sweet Suite
Ronn and Colleen
Ronn is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-30-2020, 05:52 PM   #5
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2018
Location: washington, Washington
Trailer: Escape 21NE
Posts: 206
I had a heart-stopping incident where a wheel came off a boat trailer in front of me on the highway, bouncing completely over my car, and the towing driver just kept tooling along unawares. It could have killed us. Just blind luck that it bounced high enough, and that I was traveling at the right speed to pass under the bounce.
felix2 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-30-2020, 06:41 PM   #6
Senior Member
 
Iowa Dave's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Benton County, Iowa
Trailer: 2013 Escape 21 Classic Number 6, pulled by 2018 Toyota Highlander
Posts: 8,235
In the Fall of 2017, I related my experience where a semi trailer tire and wheel came off of a trailer, crossed the Interstate median and because I saw it early on, I was able to time my reaction and the tire bounced about 10 feet off of the passenger side corner of our Highlander. It’s scary to be sure. I knew after that what my last words would be because as I saw the the tire approaching I said “Oh Holy ....”. I was successful because I keep my eyes on the road and my surroundings, I had the WDH perfectly adjusted so when I swerved at the last second the trailer stayed behind me like it was one unit with the Highlander. I never give up in a tight situation regardless of my chances and finally as Lombardi said “Luck is where preparation meets opportunity”. Over 50 years of towing didn’t hurt either. I had seen runaway tires a couple times in my life, one of which rolled into the wash bay where we worked in the service station and did a job on the rear bumper of a 1957 Oldsmobile. It had about run out of energy and still did damage.
Iowa Dave
__________________
Ain’t no trouble jacking a double Burma Shave
Dave
Iowa Dave is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-30-2020, 07:12 PM   #7
Senior Member
 
rubicon327's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: Burlington Twp., New Jersey
Trailer: 2010 Escape 19
Posts: 7,126
My sixth grade teachers daughter was killed by a loose tire that crossed the median. She was never the same after that. Make checking your lug nuts part of your routine - especially after someone else has worked on the trailer.
__________________
Mods to Rubicon: https://www.escapeforum.org/forums/f...tml#post249508
“One way to get the most out of life is to look upon it as an adventure.”― W.F.
rubicon327 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-30-2020, 07:35 PM   #8
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Edmonton, Alberta
Trailer: 1979 Boler B1700
Posts: 14,935
Fortunately I've only seen one loose wheel and tire in person; it was headed in my direction on my side of a divided highway, so I slowed down and let it find its way off the road before passing it. It had come off of a cargo trailer.
Brian B-P is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-30-2020, 08:10 PM   #9
Senior Member
 
Mike Lewis's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Santa Rosa County, Florida
Trailer: 2014 Escape 21 Tow: 2024 Toyota Tundra
Posts: 3,097
Several months ago a young woman, a college student, was walking back to her car at a rest stop in my general area when she was killed by a loose wheel that had detached from a tractor-trailer. Just out of the blue. A young life was ended and her family traumatized forever.
__________________
Mike Lewis
She don't lie, she don't lie, she don't lie-- propane
Photos and travelogues here: mikelewisimages.com
Mike Lewis is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-30-2020, 08:30 PM   #10
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Southwick, Massachusetts
Trailer: None, sold my 2014 5.0TA
Posts: 7,124
To quote Rossue, "It Happens" more often then one would think.
__________________
Happy Motoring
Bob
padlin is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-30-2020, 10:24 PM   #11
Senior Member
 
Iowa Dave's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Benton County, Iowa
Trailer: 2013 Escape 21 Classic Number 6, pulled by 2018 Toyota Highlander
Posts: 8,235
From time to time I see reports of accidents that are “chance” occurrences. However having spent a good deal of my career on safety issues, the cause of accidents is usually determinable and previous or ongoing maintenance or the lack of can be to blame. It is tragic to see any life cut short. Car/ deer accidents, dead tree limbs falling on occupied tents, gates not secured and spearing cars, may accidents could be avoided or at least mitigated. Torquing the lug nuts, checking the tire pressures and wear, lights, brakes etc. Its part of owning a trailer. Help other people and be safe.
Iowa Dave
__________________
Ain’t no trouble jacking a double Burma Shave
Dave
Iowa Dave is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-30-2020, 10:31 PM   #12
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: SLO County, California
Trailer: 2014 Escape 21C 2019 Expedition
Posts: 5,210
We will probably never kmow why this latest fatality happened. I was trying to impart the importance of total wheel maintenance- not just secure wheel lugs. Not sure how many realize a wheel can come off due to a bearing failure. Here's a link on that:

https://www.goodsamroadside.com/tech...%2C000%20miles.
__________________
"We gotta get as far away as we can!"
- Russell Casse, Independence Day
Rossue is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-30-2020, 10:37 PM   #13
Senior Member
 
MyronL's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2013
Location: ..., New Mexico
Trailer: 2013 Esc19/'14 Silvrado
Posts: 4,193
When I read about high winds ripping solar panels off the roof of an Escape trailer it scared me into being happy my solar panels are portable - always on the ground. When I read about loose wheel lugs causing a tire to fly off it scared me into rushing over to Harbor Freight and buying a torque wrench. When I read about possibly becoming old sparky I made sure all electricity is disconnected when doing my WFCO upgrade work.
__________________
Myron
"A billion here, a billion there...add it all up and before you know it you're talking real money." Everett Dirkson
MyronL is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-31-2020, 12:14 AM   #14
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Kent, Ohio
Trailer: 2017 21c Sold, 2023 Bigfoot 25RQ
Posts: 1,382
A good friend of mine had a truck tire that had come off a pickup truck cross the median and knock him off his motorcycle. He was not injured critically. I learned my lesson in the 70’s when I had a wheel fall off my Volkswagen and pass me on a hill, no one was hurt and I didn’t forget that experience. Torque wrench is your friend. The biggest mistake is to hurry and not focus on the preparation before moving any vehicle.
oldwave is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-31-2020, 12:41 AM   #15
Senior Member
 
gbaglo's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: North Vancouver, British Columbia
Trailer: 2009 Escape 17B 2020 Toyota Highlander XLE
Posts: 17,136
Reminds me. A fellow photographer owned a late '50s Triumph TR3. Believe it or not, he towed a boat trailer with it, and slowing to enter a BC town, his boat and trailer passed him.
He was a legend. The barge loaded with his kit log cabin sank and it took weeks to round up the parts. Horses ate the fabric wings of his plane, which he later crashed. He and his buddy slid off an icy road and ran a cable across the road to a power pole to winch it out of the snow bank. VW driving the same highway came to an instant stop, snapping the cable, when it hit it. So many stories.
__________________
What happens to the hole when the cheese is gone?
- Bertolt Brecht
gbaglo is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-31-2020, 01:15 AM   #16
Senior Member
 
Ron in BC's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: North Van., British Columbia
Trailer: 2014 Escape 19, sold; 2019 Escape 21, Sept. 2019
Posts: 8,744
Quote:
Originally Posted by gbaglo View Post
A fellow photographer owned a late '50s Triumph TR3. Believe it or not, he towed a boat trailer with it
I believe it. I towed my racing TR3 with my street TR3. Later I towed my homemade tent trailer. The engines were basically tractor engines with twin SUs.

The old piece of 2" channel that held the ball is lag bolted on the ceiling over my milling machine. Note the large bolt used for the safety chain.

To be older and wiser you first have to survive being young and stupid.

Ron

PS, was the Pete McMartin?
Attached Thumbnails
IMGP0009_resize.JPG  
Ron in BC is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-31-2020, 09:02 AM   #17
Senior Member
 
cpaharley2008's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Central, Pennsylvania
Trailer: Escape#5 2022 E19
Posts: 26,268
Young and stupid...

Speaking of young and stupid, my first job was working a gas station owned by a relative. Age 14 and I thoughtI knew everything. I learned to drive a variety of customer's cars moving them around and the mysteries of stick vs auto. When the first Corvairs appeared in the early 60's with the motor in the rear we had one in for oil change on day. After pulling it up on the lift and draining out the old oil out, I went to drop the lift and stood at the rear while the car slowly dropped down, I unsnatched the rear hood to hold it up while the car went down. Suddenly pain arrived in my left foot. I looked down and the lift was on my foot. I hollered for help screaming "up" when another person quickly reversed the lift. Luckily I had steel toed work shoes. My ego was damaged but my foot was just bruised. No more shortcuts taken for a long time.
__________________
Jim
Sometime life gets in the way of living.......
cpaharley2008 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-31-2020, 09:12 AM   #18
Senior Member
 
UncleTim's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2019
Location: Boulder, Colorado
Trailer: 2020 Escape 5.0TA "Zen"
Posts: 1,390
I would be interested in hearing from practical minds, what they do on a year in and year out basis for tire and wheel maintenance. Is servicing wheel bearings once every 10,000 miles sufficient? How often do you tighten lug nuts? How about other torque settings for offsets and pin connections?

I am not sure what a regular trailer, not a fifth wheel, requires.

I probably need some schooling here.
UncleTim is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-31-2020, 09:15 AM   #19
Senior Member
 
Iowa Dave's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Benton County, Iowa
Trailer: 2013 Escape 21 Classic Number 6, pulled by 2018 Toyota Highlander
Posts: 8,235
Ive done some stupid things too, still do once in a while. I do not share these stories unless I’ve been drinking (heavily). Which is stupid in itself.
Iowa Dave
__________________
Ain’t no trouble jacking a double Burma Shave
Dave
Iowa Dave is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-31-2020, 09:19 AM   #20
Senior Member
 
UncleTim's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2019
Location: Boulder, Colorado
Trailer: 2020 Escape 5.0TA "Zen"
Posts: 1,390
Quote:
Originally Posted by Iowa Dave View Post
Ive done some stupid things too, still do once in a while. I do not share these stories unless I’ve been drinking (heavily). Which is stupid in itself.
Iowa Dave

We need a rally!
UncleTim is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off




» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Disclaimer:

This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by Escape Trailer Industries or any of its affiliates. This is an independent, unofficial site.


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 09:03 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Copyright 2023 Social Knowledge, LLC All Rights Reserved.