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   Montana Owners Club - Keystone Montana 5th Wheel Forum > MOC Technical Forums > Maintenance
Click Here to Login

Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
 
Old 09-10-2009, 09:08 AM   #1
Exnavydiver
Montana Master
 
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Land O Lakes
Posts: 2,751
M.O.C. #7753
Send a message via AIM to Exnavydiver Send a message via MSN to Exnavydiver Send a message via Yahoo to Exnavydiver
U-bolts, TOO CLOSE for Comfort

Well folks I am going to thank whoever first posted about loose U-bolts, I think it was Richfaa. I just got under the rig to torque mine and I found the following: two nuts within three threads of falling off, and all others took three full turns or more to hit 65ft lbs of torque. Damn, was that close. We are hitting the road on Tuesday heading south eventually to the rally. This few minutes of work probably made the difference between getting there and breaking down. So from now on before we get underway that item is on the check list...... Dave
 
Exnavydiver is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-10-2009, 09:15 AM   #2
JimF
Montana Master
 
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: anywhere
Posts: 912
M.O.C. #6260
Send a message via ICQ to JimF Send a message via AIM to JimF Send a message via Yahoo to JimF
Dave, I seem to recall they torque to 45.
JimF is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-10-2009, 09:44 AM   #3
8e3k0
Montana Master
 
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Ardrossan
Posts: 729
M.O.C. #9261
The range is 45 to 60 for national fine thread 1/2 inch u-bolts, assuming they are grade five tensile strength. I like to stay at the upper end of torque specs.
If your u-bolts were that lose, you may want to check alignment and also ensure the bolts were equally torqued up to have equal amounts of threads showing above the nut. The axle may have moved around with that amount of slack at the u-bolts.
Good thing you caught it before your unit separated from the axles and what a mess that would created.
8e3k0 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-10-2009, 10:37 AM   #4
H. John Kohl
Montana Master
 
Join Date: May 2003
Location: New Bern
Posts: 4,294
M.O.C. #311
Send a message via AIM to H. John Kohl Send a message via MSN to H. John Kohl Send a message via Yahoo to H. John Kohl
Dave,
Glad you found it before you hit the road. MOC STRIKES with a POSITIVE STROKE AGAIN.

Well worth a $15 donation fee per year. Yes the donation is just my idea for this wealth of information.

H. John Kohl is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-10-2009, 11:15 AM   #5
Exnavydiver
Montana Master
 
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Land O Lakes
Posts: 2,751
M.O.C. #7753
Send a message via AIM to Exnavydiver Send a message via MSN to Exnavydiver Send a message via Yahoo to Exnavydiver
Measurements between tires equal, distance between axles equal, number of threads sticking out of nuts equal... Dave
Exnavydiver is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-10-2009, 12:40 PM   #6
bob n pam
Montana Master
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: sioux falls
Posts: 1,835
M.O.C. #2121
I'm adding this to Bob's checklist. Thanks.
bob n pam is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-10-2009, 12:44 PM   #7
richfaa
Montana Master
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: North Ridgeville
Posts: 20,229
M.O.C. #2839
The guys at Burnside Rv where we had our axle slip disaster repaired said 60LBS. All of the U bolts on ALL the axles were loose. They had never been checked on the 06 3400. ThAT is a maint check that must be done. See on other forums that others have had the problem on other brands. GET UNDER THERE NOW AND CHECK THOSE U BOLTS.
richfaa is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-10-2009, 01:26 PM   #8
TLightning
Montana Master
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Kville
Posts: 2,865
M.O.C. #7871
Checked mine...found a couple loose, an a number held by less than 60 lbs/torque.
TLightning is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-10-2009, 01:39 PM   #9
exav8tr
Montana Master
 
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Casa Grande
Posts: 5,369
M.O.C. #6333
Richfaa, I can't seem to find any U Bolts under my rig. Do I not get them with the IS....I really wanted to check mine.....

Phil
exav8tr is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-10-2009, 01:45 PM   #10
8.1al
Montana Master
 
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Benson
Posts: 3,121
M.O.C. #1658
Phil,
You don't have any but if you want you can crawl around under there awhile just for the heck of it. You do have some bolts holding your IFS in place that you can check
8.1al is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-10-2009, 02:56 PM   #11
mail2us
Montana Master
 
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location:
Posts: 2,156
M.O.C. #6920
Quote:
quote:Originally posted by Exnavydiver

Measurements between tires equal, distance between axles equal, number of threads sticking out of nuts equal... Dave
Your Safety - Priceless!
mail2us is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-10-2009, 04:44 PM   #12
richfaa
Montana Master
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: North Ridgeville
Posts: 20,229
M.O.C. #2839

Phil I will no longer have U Bolts, Axles, etc after next week. That last little "problem" was the last straw.
richfaa is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-10-2009, 05:16 PM   #13
bigmurf
Montana Master
 
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Sunshine
Posts: 1,445
M.O.C. #538
I think with Mor Ryde you look for cracks in the rubber.gg
bigmurf is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-11-2009, 04:16 AM   #14
8e3k0
Montana Master
 
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Ardrossan
Posts: 729
M.O.C. #9261
Hardest thing on those u-bolts and other suspension parts is hitting railway tracks that are sloped and at an angle to the highway on County/ State roads. These Monty axles are always loaded to the max so they take a beating every time they wheels hit a sharp hole or rough area. Good to check wheel bolts, shackle bolts. u-bolts and also look for any cracks in the frame, shackle hangers etc. Better to repair it ahead of time rather then on the road after serve damage is done. This is something every RV Dealer should check but evidently they don't. Ellis
8e3k0 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-11-2009, 04:49 AM   #15
sreigle
Montana Master
 
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: Oceanside
Posts: 20,028
M.O.C. #20
Rich, what does that mean that you'll no longer have axles, u-bolts, etc?

After the first thread I checked ours. I guess we were fortunate. A couple of the nuts required slight tightening but only a little. The rest were fine. Nevertheless, it bought me some peace of mind and also is something that will be checked periodically in the future.
sreigle is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-11-2009, 07:08 AM   #16
Tom S.
Montana Master
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Waterford
Posts: 3,693
M.O.C. #7500
He's having the independent suspension installed. Technically, he'll still have axles, just not the tubes going across the trailer like we do.
Tom S. is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-11-2009, 05:31 PM   #17
jackel1959
Montana Master
 
jackel1959's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Oak Harbor
Posts: 1,529
M.O.C. #2471
Quote:
quote:Originally posted by richfaa

The guys at Burnside Rv where we had our axle slip disaster repaired said 60LBS. All of the U bolts on ALL the axles were loose. They had never been checked on the 06 3400. ThAT is a maint check that must be done. See on other forums that others have had the problem on other brands. GET UNDER THERE NOW AND CHECK THOSE U BOLTS.
Rich,
Can you tell me what the indications of your "Axle Slip Disaster" was? I have a post in "Montana Technical Help and Problem Solving" regarding spacing between tires and axles. I did check the nuts on the U-Bolts and they were tight but I didn't know the torque specs. I will check again tomorrow.
Jack
__________________
Previous:2004 Mountaineer 325FKBS,2010 Montana 3455SA Now:2018 Bighorn 3575EL (SOB's ) Res. Fridge,W/D,Disc Brakes,Water Softener,Dish Tailgater PRO,LioN Batts, several mods.
2021 RAM 3500 Laramie...."LOADED", 4x4, SB H.O. 6.7L, Aisin Trans, PullRite Super Glide Hitch, 52 Gallon Titan Fuel Tank.
jackel1959 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-12-2009, 02:53 AM   #18
NCFischers
Montana Master
 
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: New Bern
Posts: 4,369
M.O.C. #8728
Send a message via Yahoo to NCFischers
Checked my u-bolts this morning in preparation for the trip to Goshen. I found two of them weren't tourqued to 60#. They maybe moved 1/2 a turn. This forum is invaluable!! Thanks guys.
NCFischers is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-12-2009, 05:43 AM   #19
richfaa
Montana Master
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: North Ridgeville
Posts: 20,229
M.O.C. #2839
jackel 1959..In our case it was a trucker who waved us over to tell was we were "dog tracking down the interstate" The U bolts had already slipped and caused the center pin of that spring to shear off and the entire assembly had slid forward. Had he not stopped us it would have been a disaster and we will have a chat with Dexter and Keystone at the fall rally. The distance between the wheels on one side was over 9 inches.
richfaa is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-12-2009, 06:28 AM   #20
ChuckD
Montana Fan
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Lakeland
Posts: 261
M.O.C. #7916
Send a message via Yahoo to ChuckD
It sounds to me, that a whole bunch of us should be unde our rig with a torge wrench before its too late
ChuckD is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
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
Forum Jump

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Dometic Comfort Controls MAMalody Montana Problems, Problem Solving & Technical Help 4 10-26-2015 08:29 AM
Comfort control 2 dmacy General Discussions about our Montanas 4 01-02-2013 09:45 AM
Too Close for comfort bigmurf Sitting around the Campfire 11 09-14-2010 05:58 AM
Duo-Them comfort control jordjd General Discussions about our Montanas 4 02-18-2010 05:24 PM
sleep comfort bed richfaa Additions & Improvements 20 06-10-2006 04:50 PM

» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Powered by vBadvanced CMPS v3.2.3
Disclaimer:

This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by Montana RV, Keystone RV Company or any of its affiliates. This is an independent, unofficial site.


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 06:32 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.9
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.