Your wheel may come off!
http://www.bailey-caravans.co.uk/information-centre/latest-news/newsitem.php?recordid=225
http://www.bailey-caravans.co.uk/information-centre/latest-news/newsitem.php?recordid=225
unicorn recall
- Thread starter xtrailman
- Start date
What I can never understand is why caravan wheel nuts need to be checked for EVERY journey, when a car can make many journeys over thousands of miles and never have its wheels checked. Car wheels don't tend to fall off. Is it bad manufacture/design of caravans?
The subject of wheels becoming loose and in some cases coming off has been discussed at some length in the past.
Whether the problem Bailey's are responding to is just the same issue or whether its same new problem I don't know. However it is good to see a manufacture taking the issue seriously and issuing some sensible temporary advice.
I agree with Woodlands Camper, that we don't seem to see the same issue with car wheels - of which there are many more in use and they all do far more miles than a caravan, so it is a perplexing issue as to why we hear of caravans loosing wheels.
It's easy to assume that car and caravan wheels are sufficiently similar and they should remain attached as effectively, but perhaps there are more dissimilarities than we realise.
Perhaps now a manufacture has acknowledged there can be a problem we will see some serious research into the issue.
Whether the problem Bailey's are responding to is just the same issue or whether its same new problem I don't know. However it is good to see a manufacture taking the issue seriously and issuing some sensible temporary advice.
I agree with Woodlands Camper, that we don't seem to see the same issue with car wheels - of which there are many more in use and they all do far more miles than a caravan, so it is a perplexing issue as to why we hear of caravans loosing wheels.
It's easy to assume that car and caravan wheels are sufficiently similar and they should remain attached as effectively, but perhaps there are more dissimilarities than we realise.
Perhaps now a manufacture has acknowledged there can be a problem we will see some serious research into the issue.
I follow your reasoning completely, Woodlands Camper, and I would agree that if it is a specific problem of caravans then it must be a basic design fault.
The case in question refers to caravans with alloy wheels and I strongly suspect that it has something to do with poor design of these wheels. It is possible that no provisions have been made to reinforce the relatively soft alloy in the highly stressed areas where the wheel is bolted to the brake drum. This could be a cost cutting measure which car manufacturers simply can't afford to take.
The case in question refers to caravans with alloy wheels and I strongly suspect that it has something to do with poor design of these wheels. It is possible that no provisions have been made to reinforce the relatively soft alloy in the highly stressed areas where the wheel is bolted to the brake drum. This could be a cost cutting measure which car manufacturers simply can't afford to take.
I've had a wheel come loose on a car but heard/ felt it before any damage was done. Could it be because loose wheels on caravans aren't so easily noticed?Prof John L said:
I can't imagine why loose wheels should be any more difficult to notice on a caravan than on a car or, in fact, why they should be loose in the first place so long as they were torqued up correctly. No, I am convinced it is a design fault. It would be interesting to know whether the problem is primarily one associated with alloy wheels.chrisbee 1 said:
From people's comments above the problem could be a combination of 2 or more of the following, rather than a single problem:
a. soft alloy wheel material (do steel wheels come off if torqued correctly?)
b. wheels not torqued
c. wheels not balanced - causing excess vibration
d. design fault
a. soft alloy wheel material (do steel wheels come off if torqued correctly?)
b. wheels not torqued
c. wheels not balanced - causing excess vibration
d. design fault
Actually, I would cut it down to one of two possibilities:
a. Soft alloy wheel would, in itself be a design fault. If material is going to be used that it likely to flow when subjected to high stresses then the wheels should have harder metal inserts where they are bolted. If these seat properly, then the wheels should not be influenced by possible vibration due to wheel unbalance.
b. Wheels not torqued properly.
a. Soft alloy wheel would, in itself be a design fault. If material is going to be used that it likely to flow when subjected to high stresses then the wheels should have harder metal inserts where they are bolted. If these seat properly, then the wheels should not be influenced by possible vibration due to wheel unbalance.
b. Wheels not torqued properly.
Is this a twin or single axle issue? if twin more than single I would hazard a guess it will have something to do with the stress on the wheels when in a tight turn,ie into the pitch,storage,driveway when you almost turn it on its axis. that stress far exceeds a cars wheels and may be a hint to the cause?
Not so much a design fault but one thing not mentioned is a possible slight misalignment of wheel nut holes in a batch of alloy wheels?, This would allow correct torque figures to be applied but much more of the torque would be disapated sideways rather than clamping the wheel to the hub, this would soon result in the nearside wheel coming off.
Of course, aided and abetted by 'C' ie the vibration caused by total lack of wheel balance, if indeed that's not all the problem?!
Of course, aided and abetted by 'C' ie the vibration caused by total lack of wheel balance, if indeed that's not all the problem?!
latest info
While the firm has so far been unable to find the root of the problem, Bailey Caravans today released an update to share its findings so far. According to the report, "no units manufactured before the week commencing 22/11/10 have been affected by this issue, and neither have any Unicorn Barcelona or Seville models. Bailey stated that "as a result we no longer consider these particular caravans to be at risk - which reduces the potential number of units affected from 3,356 to 1,202".
Not sure when my caravan was built as it was a stock item, will phone Robinson's tomorrow.
While the firm has so far been unable to find the root of the problem, Bailey Caravans today released an update to share its findings so far. According to the report, "no units manufactured before the week commencing 22/11/10 have been affected by this issue, and neither have any Unicorn Barcelona or Seville models. Bailey stated that "as a result we no longer consider these particular caravans to be at risk - which reduces the potential number of units affected from 3,356 to 1,202".
Not sure when my caravan was built as it was a stock item, will phone Robinson's tomorrow.
It seems to me that this happening far to often for it to be down to the owners not torqueing their wheel nuts up correctly, l torque mine before every journey but l still get apprehensive about losing a wheel, hopefully doing all the checks and towing at the correct legal speed will help in the matter also l have ATC on the van that gives piece of mind has l am sure if a wheel would become loose this should pick the problem up before l lost it. Since coming back to caravanning in the last 5 years we have seen more over turned vans and accidents than we ever saw back in the eighties which is hard to believe with all the new safety aids available, is it down to excessive speed, bad loading or inferior products on the running gear. Hopefully Bailey will get to the bottom of the problem sooner that later and that the other Manufacturers are checking to make sure they don't have a similar problem with their wheels.
NigelH
NigelH
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