warning! Spare Tire Missing - Page 2 - Montana Owners Club

Dustytuu · 10-09-2006, 10:27 AM

Quote:

quote:Wait a min..that story sounds familiar???

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Yes that is familiar. I posted the good Keystone service. I thought it was very good service.

I wasn't going to post anything about our tire being stolen and I see it was a mistake in doing so. I just had the mistaken idea that I might help someone.

bsmeaton · 10-09-2006, 10:33 AM

Dusty -
I apologize if it sounds like I didn't believe you, just didn't see the whole story in the posts. Obviously if you checked it the night before it didn't fall off on the road. I just read in previous posts that folks have had them fall off, as the retainer does not have a very big lip over the wheel opening like the TVs do.

I'm sorry for you loosing your spare - it sucks and it's a pain to replace. If you aren't particular about the wheel, a steel wheel might be cheaper. You should post your locking mechanism, as I would be curious as to how you do it.

Brad

Mrs. CountryGuy · 10-09-2006, 10:38 AM

Dusty

Your post was not a mistake! And, yes, we are learning something here.

I'm with Brad, please post your lock solution, a photo always helps, if you can.

Saw someone post that shrink wrap might be helpful to keep dirt and sludge out of the lock, thought that was kinda a good idea.

Gotta say, to steal a tire in the middle of the night is pretty low. Since most of us are pretty trustworthy in a campground, who would think of such a thing?? One good thing, you guys found it right away, instead of when you had a flat. Al does not go around an look at his spare each evening like Don was doing.

Dustytuu · 10-09-2006, 11:07 AM

Our wheel was steel.

Thanks Carol.
I will post picture of it when we get the wheel, tire and locks on there.. A Montana dealer here in Co is checking on price of steel wheel like we had.

Ozzie · 10-09-2006, 11:13 AM

The very notion that this took place while you were sleeping leads me to believe that we must now consider protecting our property while we aren't present or are sleeping. I have heard of stories where people got all their outside stuff taken at night. Add it up once...we have close to $500 worth of stuff sitting outside our rig that anyone could help themselves to.

We have a dog that would sound the alarm if she suspected something, but she has long been conditioned to campground activity. It isn't unusual for people to be moving around doing things (all but in the wee hours), so I doubt she would even take notice unless she knew they were under our rig or trying to get in.
We also run a fan or something at night to drown out the noise of others but maybe this isn't such a good idea any longer.

I don't mean to sound the alarm here (sorry for the pun), but I'm going to put some thought into security for our peace of mind.

Dustytuu · 10-09-2006, 12:05 PM

Our spare tire is mounted under the end kitchen and our bedroom is in the other end. Our dogs didn't bark all night but they are too accustomed to a campground noise at night.
The longer we are on the road the more they are not likely to bark at somethiing. Unless someone was coming in our door and they would be very noisy.
We have camped for many years and this is the first time we have lost anything at a campground. A year ago we did accidently left our water filter and a hose, pressure valve. But only once!

ldunning · 10-09-2006, 12:08 PM

I just went out and installed a lock on the spare. I used a piece of chain to go over the channel iron at the top and then put a padlock through the ends of the chain and through one of the bolt holes in the rim. When you go under the Monty you might want to take a 7/16 box end wrench and a 7/16 socket to adjust the ears on the bar that holds the tire up. Mine were set so that if the bar shifted at all the tire could drop off.

Mrs. CountryGuy · 10-09-2006, 12:09 PM

Sadly, there are always a few jerks that think they are due all of our stuff, and that no rules apply to them.

We all know that. Al and I did manage to get a half of a case of adult beverages stolen this summer, our fault.

Other than that, we cannot remember anything being stolen and we leave bikes out, sometimes not even locked, many times not locked. Leave the grill out, chairs, mats, we all do it, it is part of our life style. Sometimes bad things happen to really nice people, as in this case. Dusty and Don are very nice people, met them at the Rally and enjoyed our visits with them. Sorry you two that some dweebs came across your paths.

Dustytuu · 10-09-2006, 12:32 PM

Made a police report this afternoon. They said they would file it and gave me a case number.... That will be the end of it.

Have a wheel ordered. That is going to cost about a hundred dollars counting the shipping cost! The tire was a Michland and it was much over $200.
Momma always told me "What goes around.... comes around"

Good ideas about how to put a lock on. Thanks!
On our previous 5th wheel we kept the spare in the basement. But don't really want to do that because it gives up some storage.

Sweetfire · 10-09-2006, 01:03 PM

Hey Dusty, this is Dennis, I saw your post over in the Campground section. We were the Montana that left Grand Island a couple days before you. After reading your post I had to run out and check my spare. I'll be putting a lock on ours this weekend. I'm sorry your trip had to end on such a negative note. That scumbag could have at least left you his wheel. That really took some cojones though, one loud squeek and he could have been looking into the barrel of an attitude adjuster. I was going to comment on where you were parked, in hind sight it was a good place to get ripped off. On the end of the row, at the edge of the park. Those thieves really only had to worry about being seen from your left side. I can't remember if there was a light pole by your trailer or not but it will sure make me think of a few more things when I'm checking out a potential camping spot. I'm sorry you got ripped off but I'm glad you told us about it so we could be on our guard. Thanks.

Dustytuu · 10-09-2006, 03:56 PM

Dennis this happened that next night after you all left. You all were gone.

That motor home that was on the other side of us must be parked there to store it. No one was there the two days we were there. So we were in a prime spot to be ripped off!
I think the creep that took our spare left in wee hours of the morning because we left early and they were already gone. They were not there when you all were there. They stayed one night Sept 30. Came in about dark and left very early. They were not MOC members. We talked to them about 5 or 10 minutes when they came in.

Dustytuu · 10-09-2006, 04:35 PM

Carol you and Al are very nice people too!

Enjoyed talking to you. Wish we could have met everyone. Not enough time and too much rain. All MOC members are good people!

I feel a little better now than I did last week,

about our spare being taken. After all it is only a thing. Nothing to be excessively upset over I guess.

Fordzilla · 10-09-2006, 10:16 PM

Dusty, sorry to hear about your tire and wheel getting ripped off. I hope they pursue the lead you gave them and at least check it out. I am surprised the dogs didn't notice any noises and wake you guys up. I know for a fact they didn't like tall guys from Iowa knocking at the door. But they warmed up to me after I started petting them for a while.

Dustytuu · 10-10-2006, 03:50 AM

Thanks Ron,
They don't notice much of small noise in campground but if someone is coming into trailer they bark a lot as you can relate.

The longer we are on the road the less likely they are to bark.

Our spare tire was under the end kitchen and our bedroom is in other end of trailer.
Our dogs have been known to sleep through a lot of things that go bump in the night. They sleep under the covers so....
They didn't wake up when that amulance came to the Davenport Rv park when we all there on way to Ind. We would have never known if you and Melinda had not told us about it.

HamRad · 10-10-2006, 05:25 AM

Dustytuu,
Sorry to hear about the stolen tire. If the folks were in the same trailer park as you the office should have the name and address as well as the license plate numbers of the trailer and or the tow vehicle. Wouldn't it be a relatively easy thing to track them down and search for your tire? Maybe I've been watching too many CSI episodes!

As you said.... it is just a "thing". And things can be replaced.

Happy Travels!

HamRad

Mudchief · 10-10-2006, 10:27 AM

The person that stole it was looking for a 16 inch tire. The tire not the rim fits most 3/4 ton trucks. I don't think it was another Montana owner. I will be locking the tire on my new unit.

Dustytuu · 10-10-2006, 10:31 AM

I ask the park owner and he wouldn't give me the information and refused to have a police report made.
I called the police after we got home and they made a report. Police told me that nothing would come of it. They would file it and etc. We had to be on the road early that morning because we had to be home by certain time.

Dustytuu · 10-10-2006, 10:46 AM

There were 4 Montana's there that night and by elimination we narrowed it down to this one Montana owner that was a shady character.
None of the Montana owners there that night were MOC members.
(We talked with all of them and most everyone in the park) Leave it to me and I will know almost everyone in the park if a small park.

The shady guy had a flat earlier that day before and had no spare. We talked to all of them the day before. The one we think it was is guilty of something else a lot worse. We felt very uncomfortable when talking with him. We were walking the dogs . We were courteous, left and finished walking dogs.

I think if we were in a regular spot this wouldn't have happened. My lesson is not to accept a spot that is blocked from everyone's view. There was a building on the side by our front door, a building behind us and nothing in front of us. Also there was a big motor home that was stored there on the other side of us.... so we were blocked from anyone's view.

Thanks to everyone for their concern and kindness.

txkrumm · 10-10-2006, 12:23 PM

That stinks dustytuu! Sorry it happened to you. Not a fun way to have to spend 200 bucks. I know I think everyone is as honest as I am, then am hugely disappointed when something awful like that happens to me. Bet you felt the same...
tara

Fordzilla · 10-10-2006, 03:22 PM

I would stay on the police department and make sure they investigate it. If you don't those people are only going to get away with it again. Stealing something else away from another honest trustworthy person like you guys. I guess if it was me I would be hounding the police and even have my lawyer call them and get involved. If you are pretty sure it was someone in the park I would make sure they investigated each person that was there that night.

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