How Do You Change a Tire? - Montana Owners Club

rames14 · 07-28-2008, 04:14 PM

Well, five years into being an RV owner, I finally had a flat tire. Fortunately, I was just pulling out of the storage area of the campground, and for some reason decided to do a walk around. Picked up a nail. However, I was forced to change the tire. I had plenty of boards that I keep for leveling the trailer. I walked the trailer up the boards until the tire was off the ground. Forgot to break the lug nuts free, so I pulled the safety plug for the brakes and was fine. I'm just curious how others handle it. Bottle jack under the frame, bottle jack with an adapter under the axle? Good Sam? I look forward to learning something here.

Fire5er · 07-28-2008, 04:34 PM

Good Sam's ERS for us. But to date we, Thank God, have not had too. We do carry a 6-ton bottle jack just in case we have to change it ourselves in a remote area where we can't get the ERS. I did jack it up last month to take all the wheels off to have metal valve steam installed at the tire store and jacked it up with the bottle jack with wood between the jack and where the "U" bolts connect to the axles.

sailer · 07-28-2008, 04:39 PM

Its a simple thing to run 1 wheel up on a stack of boards or as i bought a ramp for changing tires from cw but it works great , 1st break the lugs, then run it up on the plateform and zippo change tires,, but 1st back up get the spare off before jacking so if it falls you are not under it ,, sailer

dsprik · 07-28-2008, 04:45 PM

I used a bottle jack at the parking lot of a truck stop and changed it myself. Even with a bad shoulder. Only surprise was the incredible weight of that 16" tire and rim. I lowered the spare to the pavement beneath it. Then I reached under and gave it what I figured would be a sufficient tug to drag it out of there. OMG. Didn't even move. Those things are a LOT heavier than any other wheel and rim I have ever wrestled around with...

Trailer Trash 2 · 07-28-2008, 06:32 PM

Those steel rims are heavy......

If I'm in a hurry I use a bottle jack lift the axel high enugh and put the spare on, or I call Good Sams ERS if I'm to lazy.

rames14 · 07-29-2008, 01:11 AM

As I picked that steel wheel and tire up into the bed of the truck, I was also surprised that it had some heft to it. I have a bottle jack, but I'm thinking of getting an adapter made at work with a v-groove on top.

scattershot · 07-29-2008, 05:46 AM

On my SOB, I just raan it up onto a board or two. With the Monty and MorRide, I find it easier to use a bottle jack.

Fire5er · 07-29-2008, 06:49 AM

rames14 I would be very interested in what you find as far as a v-groove adapter for the top you a bottle jack. We ran into the same issue when we were jacking the Monty. Resorted to using a small half round of fire wood to bite on both the "U" bolts and hit the axle. Worked OK, but it really needs a v-groove.

Trailer Trash 2 · 07-29-2008, 07:29 AM

I got a piece of 3 inch channel and had it welded to the adjuster screw on the top of the jack, I will never have to worry about the jack ever slipping off the axel or a round serface. this is the one I use for the trailer only and it's always on the trailer. If I need to ues it on a flat surface a piece of wood in the channel works very good.

Glenn and Lorraine · 07-29-2008, 10:27 AM

Carry a 12 ton bottle jack for extreme emergencies. You see, I also belong to Good Sam ERS. On 2 different occasions last September I waited very contentedly for ERS to arrive. The first time was in a restaurant parking lot and the second was on a concrete pad in an RV park. In both cases their was plenty of room and no reason I could not have done it myself. No way Jose! The hardest thing I did was to push the buttons on the cell phone. ERS works for me.

**Rondo** · 07-29-2008, 11:10 AM

Don-- any chance of posting a picture of your jack and the unit you had made for jacking the Monte? I'm interested in seeing this for possible modification of my jack!

Trailer Trash 2 · 07-29-2008, 11:17 AM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by Rondo

Don-- any chance of posting a picture of your jack and the unit you had made for jacking the Monte? I'm interested in seeing this for possible modification of my jack!

Sure I have to go check on the trailer in a bit, that eartquake we had was severe enugh to maybe set of the alarm I get a picture and post it for you.

Don

OK here you go.

fernsco · 07-29-2008, 11:25 AM

Being new to this RV game, I have a dumb question that I am embarrassed to ask. Does the Montana come with a jack and lug wrench or do you use your truck's lug and jack? I used my lug wrench from my garage to check the lugs but that won't help me on the road!

dsprik · 07-29-2008, 11:31 AM

Most of us use a torque wrench, Fernsco. Get a semi-good quality one - not the cheapest one. Torque all lug nuts to spec, depending on the type of wheel - aluminum or steel.

rames14 · 07-29-2008, 01:03 PM

I carry a torque wrench and a four way lug wrench. No, they do not come with a jack or a lug wrench. As far as the channel, I was going to have the weld shop take a piece of round pipe to slip over the top of the bottle jack with a piece of angle iron welded on top. One thing I haven't seen posted is the roll up thing that CW sells.

**Rondo** · 07-29-2008, 01:22 PM

Thanks for the picture Don! Now I can have my jack modified to work a little better and no chance of slipping off while I have the Monte up in the air!

stiles watson · 07-29-2008, 02:08 PM

I carry a bottle jack (10-ton) just in case I have no choice but to change it myself. For the 4 flats that I have had, I called Coach-Net and they were Johnny-on-the-spot. The only reason for doing it myself would be if I were in an area with no phone service to call Coach-Net.

Joe-n-Doe · 07-30-2008, 06:49 AM

We have ERS from Camping World for back-up I have an EZ Jack (http://www.pplmotorhomes.com/parts/r...heel-jacks.htm). I've never had to use the EZ Jack on my Monty, but have used it to change tires on my BIL's travel trailer. Worked like a champ and was EZ to use.

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