Aluminum Wheel Failure - Montana Owners Club

Ormee and Ginette · 09-15-2005, 02:50 AM

The 3670 Big Sky is a 2004 model... This past July while caravan throughout Newfoundland we experienced an aluminum wheel failure (not a tire) in the form of a slow leak on the passenger side rear... After investigating the wheel further (using soapy water) we found a microscopic hole in the wheel... These aluminum wheels are the STAR shaped model... The wheel was brought to a tire repair shop and they tried without success to repair this hole in the wheel using liquid steel (epoxy with steel) they of course knew that this may or may not work so they did not offer a quarantee on the repair... Well needless to say this repair lasted about 200KM and then the spare had to be put back on the RV...

Returning back home we went to our dealer "Cornwall Camping Centre" and showed them the defective aluminum wheel, within two days Keystone had agreed to change the wheel for a new one and I would have it within 10 days or so... By this time my warranty on the Rv had already expired... Keystone came through, THANKS...

Last week while hitching up in Kingston, on our way to Cobourg my dear wife says during our walk around the RV that the drivers side front RV tire is flat, this is not the same one as above... Again we had to remove the wheel and tire and put the spare on... Again upon inspecting the wheel we found another microscopic leak in the aluminum wheel... This again was reported and the defective wheel was brought to the dealer who will try agin to get us another wheel but the dealer and I are convinced that we have a bad batch of aluminum wheels... The story will continue when I find out if Keystone will again replace the defective wheel and also replace the other two wheels which we believe could also fail...

Dave e Victoria · 09-15-2005, 03:43 AM

That is the same aluminum wheels that failed on our 2004 3295RK Big Sky. Same tiny holes There have been two or three posts on this subject. Sounds to me like Keystone got a bad batch of rims.

CountryGuy · 09-15-2005, 04:13 AM

Are those 6 or 8 lugs???

richfaa · 09-15-2005, 04:45 AM

The aluminum wheel issue has come up on this forum before and on the forums of other brands. It has convinced me to go with the steel wheels when we buy our 3670..Maybe not as pretty but IMHO safer.

tweir · 09-15-2005, 04:54 AM

All,
On certain Keystone models, listed by VIN, there is a "fix" offered by Keystone. I received my instructions yesterday via UPS. If your unit is covered under this "recall", there is no out-of-pocket expense on your part.

Dave e Victoria · 09-15-2005, 09:02 AM

Al & Carol,These are eight lug rims

adelmoll · 09-15-2005, 12:12 PM

We are having a little different problem with our wheels. Both of the tires have been leaking air on the left side. We used the soap and tracked it down to the inside part of the tires. Whoever worked on those aluminum tires failed to make a good seal on both of them. We noticed this just a few months after we picked up the Monty but the dealer said this is maintenance and we were on our own

Sounds to me like it was more like negligence.

Montana_984 · 09-15-2005, 01:26 PM

I recieved my recall notice today from Keystone it refers to 2004 Montanas with the last 6 didgits of the vin number ranging from 506030 to 510774 My unit is a 3400 with six lug aluminmum wheels.

WE were also the members that reported the improper valve stems being used on the aluminmum wheels. after I talked with the Keystone Customer service regarding the valve stem problem that had caused a tire to disinteagrate, the rep told me to send all reciepts regarding tire replacement and replacing all 5 valve stems with the proper metal screw in stems that are rated for 80 PSI I did so and was reimbursed by Keystone for the full amount.

The recall letter states that the dealer will need your unit for approx. one day it also states the dealer will remove inspect and replace the wheels with the proper torque. That would take me about one to two hours not a day. Do you think they may just want to look at all the 6 lug aluminmum wheels that could possibly have the rubber push in valve stems that are only rated to 50 PSI?

Hummmm, I wonder! Anyone going in for the recall service check and see if they replace your valve stems, and report back to the forum, I would but mine have already been replaced.

Bill and Ann · 09-15-2005, 01:31 PM

Our 3670RL Big sky falls into the vin catagory but haven't received any recall yet. It is the same yr. and model as yours Ormee

tweir · 09-16-2005, 03:43 AM

As noted by "donlinda", the instructions adressed the cleaning and re-torquing of the wheels. I do not remember anything about valve stems. When I take mine in, I will request valve stem inspection/replacement at the same time. If I incur a cost, I will submit the bill to Keystone----obviously "mismatches" are a safety and quality item the manufacturer should fix. I will also notify NHSTA of this issue if mine are found not in compliance with rim specifications.

Ormee and Ginette · 09-16-2005, 11:04 AM

Well, just heard from Cornwall Camping Centre and they advised me that Keystone is sending three Star Model aluminum wheels to replace the bad one plus the other two suspected ones WOW thanks KEYSTONE... They will be shipped on Monday to my dealer... Double WOW

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