I forgot to add secure to the correct torque.
Which clearly cannot be achieved with the supplied wrench.
Which clearly cannot be achieved with the supplied wrench.
Quote;
Important: The torque settings should be rechecked
after 50 Km.
What a ridiculous clause! Our dealer is more than 50 kms (35 miles) from where we live. Am I supposed to buy a torque wrench, stop on the motorway and check the settings.
Trading Standards would chuck it out on its ear and award the customer if the wheel fell off as the caravan was not in a fit state to be sold.
As per SOGA "Wherever goods are bought they must "conform to contract". This means they must be as described, fit for purpose and of satisfactory quality (i.e. not inherently faulty at the time of sale)."
End of story!
Important: The torque settings should be rechecked
after 50 Km.
What a ridiculous clause! Our dealer is more than 50 kms (35 miles) from where we live. Am I supposed to buy a torque wrench, stop on the motorway and check the settings.
Trading Standards would chuck it out on its ear and award the customer if the wheel fell off as the caravan was not in a fit state to be sold.
As per SOGA "Wherever goods are bought they must "conform to contract". This means they must be as described, fit for purpose and of satisfactory quality (i.e. not inherently faulty at the time of sale)."
End of story!
Hi Ian,
Quote: What a ridiculous clause! Our dealer is more than 50 kms (35 miles) from where we live. Am I supposed to buy a torque wrench, stop on the motorway and check the settings.
For the safety of you your family, and other road users.........YES
Regards
Graham (Ponty)
Quote: What a ridiculous clause! Our dealer is more than 50 kms (35 miles) from where we live. Am I supposed to buy a torque wrench, stop on the motorway and check the settings.
For the safety of you your family, and other road users.........YES
Regards
Graham (Ponty)
Let's look at it another way. Say you were driving down a dual carraigeway with your caravan on the back, walking towards you was a young mother pushing a pushchair, just then without warning your nearside wheel comes off bounces down the road lands on the pushchair and kills the child instanly......What would say to that!!!
On the other hand say it's your wife or daughter pushing your child or grandchild in the pushchair and the same thing happens to them..........What would you say to that!!!
For the sake of a few pound and a couple if minutes of your time is it worth it. I'm planing on going to Cornwall on Saturday, I have already planed where to pull of the M4 at a junction, check the wheel nuts and drive back onto the M4, 5 mins at the most, I can't see the problem.
Regards
Graham (Ponty)
On the other hand say it's your wife or daughter pushing your child or grandchild in the pushchair and the same thing happens to them..........What would you say to that!!!
For the sake of a few pound and a couple if minutes of your time is it worth it. I'm planing on going to Cornwall on Saturday, I have already planed where to pull of the M4 at a junction, check the wheel nuts and drive back onto the M4, 5 mins at the most, I can't see the problem.
Regards
Graham (Ponty)
Graham
How do you sleep at night?
If you don't have confidence that you wheel nuts will stay on after 35 miles. Maybe its time to use public transport. But then how can you be sure that the bus wheel might not come off?
Is your torque wrench calibrated correctly? Maybe they didn't do it properly?
How do you sleep at night?
If you don't have confidence that you wheel nuts will stay on after 35 miles. Maybe its time to use public transport. But then how can you be sure that the bus wheel might not come off?
Is your torque wrench calibrated correctly? Maybe they didn't do it properly?
Reading this has opened my eyes.As Graham says whats does 5 mins take to check your wheel nuts on a preventitive scale.In 20 years as an industrial Diesel engineer ive never seen power units put together without torque wrenchs.A typical unit retails near
Here we go again, it's like a Worry Widows guide to caravanning.
WELCOME TO THE VANTASTIC WORLD OF FANTASTIC CARVANNING
WHERE YOUR CARAVANNING DAYS WILL BE FULLER WITH THE THRILL THAT YOU HAVE THE WHEELS MIGHT FALL OFF LOTTERY IF YOU DON'T STOP AT EVERY OTHER LAY-BY OR SERVICE POINT AND RUN AROUND YOUR CARAVAN WITH TORQUE WRENCH CHECKING THOSE WHEEL NUTS n BOLTS.
Don't forget that you will need to have had your torque wrench callibrated every year anD have attended a 2 day torque wrench users course. And don't any of you dare miss out on the 3 day Health & Safety course and there is of course the optional 2 day first aiders course.
And don't forget before attempting to pick a point to stop to check the torque settings you must have done a full risk assessment report for your own personal safety.
Sorry but vehicles on wheels travel for thousands of miles after tha wheels have been torqued and checked without stopping every few miles to re check the torque settings.
Loose wheel bolts let wheels fall off tightened ones do not come undone if hubs,wheels and bolts are healthy when they are done up and torqued correctly!
Some of these posts are enough to put those thinking of caravanning run a mile
WELCOME TO THE VANTASTIC WORLD OF FANTASTIC CARVANNING
WHERE YOUR CARAVANNING DAYS WILL BE FULLER WITH THE THRILL THAT YOU HAVE THE WHEELS MIGHT FALL OFF LOTTERY IF YOU DON'T STOP AT EVERY OTHER LAY-BY OR SERVICE POINT AND RUN AROUND YOUR CARAVAN WITH TORQUE WRENCH CHECKING THOSE WHEEL NUTS n BOLTS.
Don't forget that you will need to have had your torque wrench callibrated every year anD have attended a 2 day torque wrench users course. And don't any of you dare miss out on the 3 day Health & Safety course and there is of course the optional 2 day first aiders course.
And don't forget before attempting to pick a point to stop to check the torque settings you must have done a full risk assessment report for your own personal safety.
Sorry but vehicles on wheels travel for thousands of miles after tha wheels have been torqued and checked without stopping every few miles to re check the torque settings.
Loose wheel bolts let wheels fall off tightened ones do not come undone if hubs,wheels and bolts are healthy when they are done up and torqued correctly!
Some of these posts are enough to put those thinking of caravanning run a mile
Euro,no one is saying stop of at every other lamp post,but it does no harm to check the wheel faseners before you set off.i also find it hard to believe people would need to attend courses to operate a torque wrench.
Oh dear, the H&S and training was a joke Seth!
Time to be real, how often do people check and torque there car wheel nuts and bolts?
How many caravanners actually have a torque wrench?
Were going on a bike run on Friday, the bike hasn't been used for a while and I checked the tyres earlier. I didn't check the 4 wheel bolts on the rear wheel as I know they are fine. Once torqued down they don't move.
Why not check the tow cars cylinder head torque settings before a run out or the tow hitch and chassis bolts.
Brake calliper! Brake Calipers. I must remember to pop out and check all ours cars calliper torque settings
Thers is checking and then there is going over the top!
Time to be real, how often do people check and torque there car wheel nuts and bolts?
How many caravanners actually have a torque wrench?
Were going on a bike run on Friday, the bike hasn't been used for a while and I checked the tyres earlier. I didn't check the 4 wheel bolts on the rear wheel as I know they are fine. Once torqued down they don't move.
Why not check the tow cars cylinder head torque settings before a run out or the tow hitch and chassis bolts.
Brake calliper! Brake Calipers. I must remember to pop out and check all ours cars calliper torque settings
Thers is checking and then there is going over the top!
Euro an excellent post and I agree with you 110%! I cannot believe that people are standing up for the dealers etc when it si the dealers job to make sure that everything is OK. It is called a PDI!
Factory fits wheels, tows caravan around yard to load up onto trailer. Trailer shakes caravan around on its trip to dealer. Is then off loaded and towed around dealers yard prior to a PDI being done. This is more than ample opportunity to check the torque on the wheels nuts and is the right time.
Stopping after 50 kms on a motorway to tighten up your wheel nuts with the new torque wrench that you have just bought is about the most laughable and ridiculous thing I have read in my entire life! Maybe tightening up a few loose screws at the same time will help.
Factory fits wheels, tows caravan around yard to load up onto trailer. Trailer shakes caravan around on its trip to dealer. Is then off loaded and towed around dealers yard prior to a PDI being done. This is more than ample opportunity to check the torque on the wheels nuts and is the right time.
Stopping after 50 kms on a motorway to tighten up your wheel nuts with the new torque wrench that you have just bought is about the most laughable and ridiculous thing I have read in my entire life! Maybe tightening up a few loose screws at the same time will help.
When I was young and impoverished, like now, we couldn't afford torque wrenches.
We were told to do up the the nuts FT. I've never lost a wheel yet.
Cheers
Dustydog
We were told to do up the the nuts FT. I've never lost a wheel yet.
Cheers
Dustydog
HELLO EVERYONE
HAD AN EMAIL FROM DEALERSHIP LOOKS LIKE I WILL BE GETTING A NEW CARAVAN. DATE UNKNOWN.
HAD AN EMAIL FROM DEALERSHIP LOOKS LIKE I WILL BE GETTING A NEW CARAVAN. DATE UNKNOWN.
John
And so you should, well done.
Push for the extras i mentioned, i got mine when my new caravan was replaced, back in 1997.
And so you should, well done.
Push for the extras i mentioned, i got mine when my new caravan was replaced, back in 1997.
Justice done!
Well it was an accident John and there will be a wait involved but I hope you and your family can sleep sound now.
I hope you were not side tracked by some of the side issues raised here.
Caravanning is a very enjoyable relaxing pastime and the towing to and from sites should be the same, as relaxing and calm as possible.
Correctly fitted and torqued wheels just do not fall off so you should be able to leave home on your next caravanning trip knowing that you don't have to stop every hour or so and whip out your torque wrench.
A good and correct result and hopefully somebody at the dealers has learnt from this lesson.
ps. They get upset here if you use block capitals as it is seen as 'shouting'. No doubt with your experience you've had good reason to shout
Well it was an accident John and there will be a wait involved but I hope you and your family can sleep sound now.
I hope you were not side tracked by some of the side issues raised here.
Caravanning is a very enjoyable relaxing pastime and the towing to and from sites should be the same, as relaxing and calm as possible.
Correctly fitted and torqued wheels just do not fall off so you should be able to leave home on your next caravanning trip knowing that you don't have to stop every hour or so and whip out your torque wrench.
A good and correct result and hopefully somebody at the dealers has learnt from this lesson.
ps. They get upset here if you use block capitals as it is seen as 'shouting'. No doubt with your experience you've had good reason to shout
Good news John
Your perseverance paid off!
Let's hope you get the new one asap or you'll miss the summer sunshine!
Cheers
Dustydog
Your perseverance paid off!
Let's hope you get the new one asap or you'll miss the summer sunshine!
Cheers
Dustydog
Well done John, I'm glad things have been sorted out for you. Now go and get yourself a torque wrench, better to be safe than sorry "AGAIN"
CONTRARY to what Euro say's you do not need to stop every hour John, just the once does it for me.
Regards
Graham (Ponty)
CONTRARY to what Euro say's you do not need to stop every hour John, just the once does it for me.
Regards
Graham (Ponty)
Congratulations John,
That vindicates your stand.
I hope you will soon be able to enjoy the delights of caravanning very soon.
That vindicates your stand.
I hope you will soon be able to enjoy the delights of caravanning very soon.
Some of us safety minded people just do the job properly in the first place, nowt falls off and we sleep tight.
Why not whip your bumper off and check the tow bar bolts are still torqued down?
Around 950k's today, and nothing dropped off our bikes.
Why not whip your bumper off and check the tow bar bolts are still torqued down?
Around 950k's today, and nothing dropped off our bikes.
I think it's a good idea to mark all wheel bolts/nuts at the 12 o'clock position with a marker pen then a walk around the van can check the bolts.
I must go and do that.
I must go and do that.
WELL WELL WELL,
Page 14 of the July 2009 addition of PRACTICLE CARAVAN under Your Letters, TONY GRIMA, writes:
We had a bad experience with our 2007 single-axle on our Easter trip to France. While still in Calais and on a dual carriageway leading to the A16, the nearside wheel fell off and came to rest some 50 yards behind the van. Our speed was 40mph and I managed tobring the outfit quickly and safely to a stop. ALL FIVE BOLTS HAD WORKED LOOSE; the ploice who attended the scene found two on the carriageway.
We got the spare wheel on using the two found bolts and two from the other wheel, which were also not as tight as they should have been. We bought more boltsand continued our journey.
On our return I spoke to the Caravan Club's and Swift Group's technical departments which said a wheel would only come off if the bolts had not been tightened correctly.
The dealership where the van had been fully serviced in March was adamant that the bolts would have been checked by two mechanics and REFUSED TO ACCEPT liability. I was also advised that IT WAS UP TO ME TOCHECK THE BOLTS for correct tightness with a torque wrench.
While I accept that caravan owners must carry out safety checks periodically, it is unacceptable to be told that I should have checked the wheel bolts after the van had just been serviced. If this is a requirement, then why was I not informed? How many caravan owners carry out this task.
My comment: I DO
Practicle Caravans DOUG KING replies:
IT'S NOT SURPRISING that it was the NEARSIDE WHEEL that came off - insuch incidents, it almost always is. This is because the nearside wheel rotates anti-clockwise, which is the same direction as when you undo wheel bolts. The dealer should have warned you to recheck the nuts 30 miles or 30 minutes - whichever came first - after your van was serviced. I have three owners handbooks for different vans on my bookshelf and each states that the wheel bolt torque should be checked 30 miles after the wheels have been replaced or adjusted.
Don't be put off by the thought of carrying a torque wrench. Many caravanners do. It ensures that the wheel nuts are tightened totheir designated limit, which is 65lb.ft for M12 steel wheel bolts and 81lb.ft for alloy wheels.
JOHN, there's two way's to look at this. Take the advice from those that think they know better or take the advice from those that do know better. My advice is to buy a torque wrench and check your wheel nuts around 30 miles of travel.
Regards
Graham (Ponty)
Page 14 of the July 2009 addition of PRACTICLE CARAVAN under Your Letters, TONY GRIMA, writes:
We had a bad experience with our 2007 single-axle on our Easter trip to France. While still in Calais and on a dual carriageway leading to the A16, the nearside wheel fell off and came to rest some 50 yards behind the van. Our speed was 40mph and I managed tobring the outfit quickly and safely to a stop. ALL FIVE BOLTS HAD WORKED LOOSE; the ploice who attended the scene found two on the carriageway.
We got the spare wheel on using the two found bolts and two from the other wheel, which were also not as tight as they should have been. We bought more boltsand continued our journey.
On our return I spoke to the Caravan Club's and Swift Group's technical departments which said a wheel would only come off if the bolts had not been tightened correctly.
The dealership where the van had been fully serviced in March was adamant that the bolts would have been checked by two mechanics and REFUSED TO ACCEPT liability. I was also advised that IT WAS UP TO ME TOCHECK THE BOLTS for correct tightness with a torque wrench.
While I accept that caravan owners must carry out safety checks periodically, it is unacceptable to be told that I should have checked the wheel bolts after the van had just been serviced. If this is a requirement, then why was I not informed? How many caravan owners carry out this task.
My comment: I DO
Practicle Caravans DOUG KING replies:
IT'S NOT SURPRISING that it was the NEARSIDE WHEEL that came off - insuch incidents, it almost always is. This is because the nearside wheel rotates anti-clockwise, which is the same direction as when you undo wheel bolts. The dealer should have warned you to recheck the nuts 30 miles or 30 minutes - whichever came first - after your van was serviced. I have three owners handbooks for different vans on my bookshelf and each states that the wheel bolt torque should be checked 30 miles after the wheels have been replaced or adjusted.
Don't be put off by the thought of carrying a torque wrench. Many caravanners do. It ensures that the wheel nuts are tightened totheir designated limit, which is 65lb.ft for M12 steel wheel bolts and 81lb.ft for alloy wheels.
JOHN, there's two way's to look at this. Take the advice from those that think they know better or take the advice from those that do know better. My advice is to buy a torque wrench and check your wheel nuts around 30 miles of travel.
Regards
Graham (Ponty)
I am totally confused by the apparent necessity to check the torque of caravan wheels. I have been driving a car for approx 40 years but never found it necessary to check the torque of the wheel nuts on any car I have owned. The cumulative total of the number of times wheels have been removed by garages and tyre replacement organisations must be in the hundreds. My car wheels have never fallen off. Whats the difference with caravan wheels and/or the organisations who put them on/off?
leonard
Same with me, i have never used a torque wrench on any car i have used, or any caravan wheel.
never had one come off either, plus i grease my nuts/bolts, all be it very slightly, never had a nut or bolt size on since.
The the wheel bolts come loose, then they haven't been put on correctly in the first place, or someone has loosened them maliciously!
Graham, will not accept he is wrong.
Ask your self, how many people EVER check the cars wheel nuts, between services, answer very few.
Same with me, i have never used a torque wrench on any car i have used, or any caravan wheel.
never had one come off either, plus i grease my nuts/bolts, all be it very slightly, never had a nut or bolt size on since.
The the wheel bolts come loose, then they haven't been put on correctly in the first place, or someone has loosened them maliciously!
Graham, will not accept he is wrong.
Ask your self, how many people EVER check the cars wheel nuts, between services, answer very few.
Graham the whole point is that bolts that come undone have not been done up correctly in the first place.
That may be due to operator error or possibly corrosion or excess dirt on the seating. Again that is operator error really, you should check the surfaces you are tightening on to.
Having forgotten to tighten trailer bolts myself and knowing others who have done the same on trailed vehicles and cars I would say that checking the tightness of wheel bolts with or without a torque wrench after 30 minutes or 30 miles would be no good as the UK near side wheels would probably have dropped off before then if they had not been tightened correctly in the first place.
I repeat, do the job correctly in the first place and the wheels don't drop off. The advice in the caravan manuals is just a cover for people failing to do their job correctly.
As with Ray and Leonard, if the bolts are tightened enough wheels just do not fall off!
That may be due to operator error or possibly corrosion or excess dirt on the seating. Again that is operator error really, you should check the surfaces you are tightening on to.
Having forgotten to tighten trailer bolts myself and knowing others who have done the same on trailed vehicles and cars I would say that checking the tightness of wheel bolts with or without a torque wrench after 30 minutes or 30 miles would be no good as the UK near side wheels would probably have dropped off before then if they had not been tightened correctly in the first place.
I repeat, do the job correctly in the first place and the wheels don't drop off. The advice in the caravan manuals is just a cover for people failing to do their job correctly.
As with Ray and Leonard, if the bolts are tightened enough wheels just do not fall off!
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