Low tire on trailer - Montana Owners Club

HamRad · 06-28-2009, 07:33 PM

So there we were winding our way up and down the mountains between Grass Valley, CA and Plymouth, CA. Total distance only about 70 miles. This trip was the first and last time I'll pull the rig on this section of the fabled CA route 49. The section between Auburn and Placerville consists of a very narrow and windy steep road. You wind your way down to the North Fork of the American river. Then you must work you way up the other side of the mountain. Did I mention that it was steep and narrow as well as very windy?

So about half way up the mountain I notice my transmission is starting to heat up. So I find a spot to pull over and let it cool down. While stopped I walked around and noticed my right rear trailer tire looked low. As it turned out it was down to 34 #. So we limped on into Placerville where our favorite tire store, Les Schwab, has a store. It took a while since they were so busy but finally got the wheel off and started checking it. All looked good so we suspected a bad stem. Dunked the wheel in the water and the source of the leak became immediately apparent. The wheel was leaking. A very very small crack, unnoticeable by the naked eye, was the cause of the leak.

The wheel is one of China's chrome models. It has the round holes in it and I did not think it was subject to the same problem that another model seemed to have.

Les did not have a wheel that would fit. So I checked my spare. It looks to be in excellent condition. It is a steel wheel. We throw the bad one in the bed of the truck. We'll work at getting some help from another store somewhere along our travels. Hopefully the manufacturer will help with the replacement cost. At least I can hope so. But the wheels are about 8 years old. I won't hold my breath.

Best part of the deal was that the young man doing all the work would not take any money for what he did. So no charge is a good thing. Naturally the young man did get a small tip for all his efforts.

Anyone else pulled their rigs on the Auburn to Plymouth leg of hwy 49?

We would be interested in reading about your experiences.

A busy worrisome day but ultimately worth every bit of the trouble.

We are at the 49er Trailer Village in Plymouth. It is a nice older park. A nice enough park but weather was not cooperating since it was about 105 both days we've been here!

Happy travels.

HamRad

Art-n-Marge · 06-28-2009, 08:47 PM

Hey HamRad,

Sorry to hear about your tire. I hope you are able to get this taken care of. The towns are small so I don't know how well you will do finding a tire.

I have towed a TT in that area you mention - it is a steep, windy road all right. I'd take it slow and watch the curves. I've stayed in Coloma north of where you are. I have not been on 49 below HWY 50.

I see you are in Plymouth. Are you continuing south on 49? Expect to get more of the same. I have towed my Monty from hwy 120 all the way down to Fresno and it can get steeper, and still curvy. I try to travel those highways mid week because weekends can get crowded, but 49 has not been so bad.

Watch the speed to keep your tranny cool. My brother-in-law drove with us and he had an 2003 F-250 with the 7.3 PSD and had tranny troubles requiring him to stop for a few. In fact, he also lost an RV tire on that trip but I don't know what kind it was. But he had a lightweight SOB 5er and drives with a lead foot (70-75 mph on the interstates).

KTManiac · 06-28-2009, 08:48 PM

Haven't done that one, but just did Hwy. 29 from Middletown to Calistoga, CA. Only 17 miles, but very narrow, winding, and steep in places! Would not have wanted to do it without the Jake Brake, that's for sure! It sure was interesting.

Also, the local roads around Occidental, CA were quite interesting. narrow, winding, and lots of tree branches looking for a rubber roof! It does keep you on your toes.

NCFischers · 06-29-2009, 12:52 AM

I lived in Placerville for 20 years and drove line trucks pulling pole trailers up and down Hwy 49 and the back roads every day. Sometimes there would be "pucker" moments on some of those curves and grades. It sure is pretty country, though.

sreigle · 06-29-2009, 03:50 AM

Dennis, we towed that road back in 2003 or maybe it was 2004. I'm pretty sure it was 2003. I don't remember much about the road other than it was as you described. I liked it, though, but I also liked towing 49 from Oakhurst to Coulterville. So long as I don't have to worry about scraping the rig on the rocks on the side of the highway nor be forced over the center line on a curve because of our length, I'm ok with it. Or if there's much traffic.

On that 2003 trip we then took 50 east to south of South Lake Tahoe, then 89 south to 88, then east to 50. We took 50 well into Utah where we caught I-70 to Denver.

I'm glad Les Schwab took good care of you. Hopefully you'll find a replacement rim soon. I don't like traveling without a spare.

The only rim I've ever had leak was on a truck. Knock wood.

jackandh2o · 06-29-2009, 04:47 AM

Hi Dennis and Mary Kay, sounds like you are taking the scenic route back from the rally or is this a new trip? We traveled 49 back in the early 70's pulling a 22 foot TT. It wasn't too bad with that short rig. A lot of history in that area.

Glad you were able to carefully drive into the next town and not have to change that tire on the road. Keep us posted on your luck replacing that rim.

Enjoy the rest of your trip and pet the hounds for me.

Ray

hazmic · 06-29-2009, 07:14 AM

Never been to CA,so can not say anything about the hi way. One thing I would do its s%# can the Chinese junk wheels and get good American wheels made of steel or aluminum. You know they are cheap junk when the can't even put the hole in the middle in center as better wheels have. When turning,the wheels have to bend some and bad rims will flex and crack while good rims will flex and NOT crack. If one is bad the rest have done the same thing or will. If the paint starts to crack the wheels are doing the same.

Art-n-Marge · 06-29-2009, 08:53 AM

On my post I meant wheel not tire.

I wonder where Ford is getting their wheels from, because I had a similar issue?

DW and I were on a crosscountry trip from Calif, to FLA. After driving all the way to Fl. then backtracked through the Florida Keys, up to Savannah, GA, back to Naw'lins, LA and headed home, we eventually stopped near Tucson as our last overnight stop. The next morning as I was packing up the truck, the left rear tire was flat. My first puzzling thought was "Why now and what gives?" but we appreciated the fact that the flat did not occur until the final and shortest day of our trip. I replaced it with the spare and headed to the local tire shop. They dunked the tire and found the same type leak HamRad had with his wheel - a crack in the center not anywhere near a spoke or anything. The guy wrote me a nice letter that I could use to help getting a replacement wheel from Ford when I returned home - he didn't want payment either but I gave him $20 which he agreed to take when I explained I wanted him and his boys to share some beer after work with it.

Of course, when I got to Ford you should have heard all the BS so they could try and blame me for this. It took over a week to get my tire. This is the only problem I have had with my truck.

I think the wheels are made in the U.S. but problems can occur. I have had plenty of Fords with Ford wheels and this is the first problem. My son-in-law bought a Nissan 350ZX and opted for custom wheels. He has had two of them crack on him. I don't know what the wheel nationality was, but it happens.

02pullin · 06-29-2009, 10:25 AM

Dennis,

It's back to the weight issue. I know with the time you've been in those hills this trip your likely over weight with all the Gold you
two have been digging up.

**Carl n Susan** · 06-29-2009, 10:31 AM

Highway 49 from Auburn to Placerville is one of my favorite roads! I loved driving this road. Of course I drove it in a Porsche or a motorcycle 30 years ago when the traffic wasn't an issue. Had the Auburn Dam been built, the road would be under water today and likely replaced by a dull, boring bridge.

I doubt I would tow the Montana over the road today. It is eminently doable (as you know) but a slow, tight cornered, ride. The uphill section just east of the river was the worst I bet.

I haven't been on the rest of Hwy 49 past Plymouth for a long time, but I don't recall any piece of it as bad as the Auburn/Placerville (actually Cool is the end of the really bad section) portion.

firetrucker · 06-29-2009, 10:55 AM

Dennis, I was on part of that road last weekend with the motorcycle, and as Carl said, it was a good road for two wheels (I suspect Carl was on two wheels in the Porsche, too).

Saturday in Elko, I pulled the wheel on the Monty and inspected the outer bearing. The wheel had a little slop in it, but the bearing looked ok. The innner bearing didn't feel bad when I rotated it in the race, so I put a little more grease in the outer, tightened it to spec, swapped out the tire for the spare, and tooled on home on Sunday with only a stop in Winnemucca to check the torque and temperature.

Did you read the post on the HDT forum about swapping the 235/85-16 for 215/75-17.5 G load rated tires? Either way it's expensive, but the 215's have an extra margin of safety. I'm going to shop around a bit to see if I can pick up a set of used rims, to ease the pain.

Bob

GregN · 06-29-2009, 11:00 AM

Drove that road many years ago on my motorcycle. From the south end of 49 up to Grass valley in one day, was a very hot ride at the time of year I went. But a very nice ride. Going north on 49 going into Placerville would be interesting. Never pulled with the rv yet. I just stay in Plymouth and make day trips.

HamRad · 06-30-2009, 01:50 PM

I've been trying to get on the Forum for the past few days. No air card service up this direction (Verizon) and the park's wifi was down.

The ride from Auburn to Placerville was a very scenic and historic drive. We did enjoy that part of it. I'll try to respond to everyone's posts. Sorry if I miss someone.

Art -- I still need to get a replacement wheel. I do not like to travel without a spare.

KTManiac -- Man I wish I had one of those Jake Brake things!

Jim and Vickie -- Oh! Yes! There were several true "Pucker" moments.

Steve -- I thought I remembered you folks taking that section of road. It is a truly "scenic" route. Next visit will be without the rig though. Just do some "Day Trips".

Ray -- Still on the same trip. We've never been in CA Gold Country. So we're checking it out.

Hazmic -- Hopefully we'll get a good replacement wheel. But now I'm worried about the other three!

Dave -- Guess I should not have loaded that last 100 lb nugget!

Carl -- Great road! Great History! It is definitely a Porsche and MC type road. You're right the uphill side was the most intense. The worst is over. We're pretty much headed west from this area. Next stop is San Jose.

Bob -- No doubt you are correct about Carl and the two wheels in the Porsche! Thanks I'll check out the info about the different wheels. I know you had a good ride on the bike.... next time I hope to do it that way too!

Greg -- Next time we will be doing "Day Trips" only! The rig will not see this part of the world again!

Thanks for all the information sharing. I appreciate it.

Dennis

sreigle · 07-01-2009, 07:10 AM

Awww, Dennis, those are FUN roads, even when towing! I think I know you better than to think you'd wimp out!

jackel1959 · 07-01-2009, 06:14 PM

Dennis,
We have never towed on the road you speak of but did have a similar experience at Les Schwab a couple of weeks ago. I noticed that one of the tires on the new Hickory was loosing about 1 pound per day. So I pulled the tire off and took it in to have it checked. They found a small nail in the tire, dismounted it and patched it from the inside, remounted and rebalanced it. When I went to pay they said "no charge". Les Schwab has a good road hazard policy but when I explained to them that the tires were not purchased there, the response was "you have given us your business in the past and are sure you will again". I thanked them and went back home to put the tire back on the rig. Another example of fine customer service from this tire shop. And yes, they will continue to receive my business.
Jack

HamRad · 07-10-2009, 07:33 PM

Well we made it home. Our trip is officially over. We had a wonderful time in our almost two months on the road. We did manage to make it home without a spare. It was a nervous time but it worked out OK. I'll start looking for a replacement wheel.

After our new adventure in California Gold Country we spent a week in San Jose visiting with our daughter and family. The weather was perfect. Never got over 90 degrees. But we finally had to head back to the hot confines of home (Bakersfield). Tomorrow 98 and by Monday over 100 degrees. So all is back to normal. We visit and then leave perfect weather to come home to some of the hottest weather in the country! Go figure. I think we still have some details to work out on this RVing thing!

Got some cleaning up to do on the rig and TV to get ready for our next outing in Sept. on the Oregon coast. And then of course Q!

So we sadly and happily put this Memorial Day, Rogue Valley Park, The Mill at Coos Bay, 7 Feathers at Canyonville, Oroville KOA, Plymouth Trailer Park Village, Jacksonville Rancheria Park, and finally Trailer Tel park in San Jose to rest. It was great. Thanks to everyone we met! It was a wonderful trip.

Dennis and Mary Kay

**Rondo** · 07-10-2009, 07:44 PM

Dennis-- does Nailbender have anyspare wheels from his experience? Might pay to find out!

HamRad · 07-10-2009, 11:19 PM

Rondo,

Thanks for the reminder about contacting Nailbender. I seem to remember that he has already gotten rid of the wheels and tires. But as fuzzy as I am about things I could be mistaken. I'll drop him a note just to make certain.

HamRad

nailbender · 07-11-2009, 03:23 AM

Dennis, I do have the tires and wheels from our 3075, but I put them on my dump trailer. Great looking dump trailer.

ARJ · 07-11-2009, 03:49 AM

Driving 49 from Auburn to Sonora with 36' of trailer behind you is how the interior decorations of the trailer get rearranged!

Saves on having to plan furniture placement.

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