Wheel “wobble” - Montana Owners Club

RickyRobert · 07-03-2021, 09:23 PM

CW recently completed a wheel bearing repack on a low mileage 2020 3931FB. On the rig’s first excursion I was performing a re-torque when I accidentally found that the rear wheel of the driver’s side had a slight “wobble” to it. I haven’t lifted the other wheels for a comparison. Before I pull the wheel to check on the bearing and it’s lock nut, I was wondering if this could at all be by design to account for the stresses placed on the rear wheel during sharp turns while backing. Knowing that many members perform their own wheel maintenance, which I do not, I thought that I would ask those experienced in this area for their recommendations. I must admit, this condition certainly does not seem “normal” to me. Thanks

Montana Man · 07-03-2021, 11:03 PM

Does it wobble while off the ground on jacks? How exactly and how much does it wobble? It should be as true as any wheel on a car, truck, bike, etc.

Daryles · 07-04-2021, 04:35 AM

I have had all 4 of mine off to balance them. None had any wobble when I took them off or after I put them back on and torqued them down.

RMcNeal · 07-04-2021, 05:27 AM

There should be no wobble. I wonder if the castle nut wasn't put back on tight? You really need to pull the hub and look at what's going on.

Dave W · 07-04-2021, 05:39 AM

A steel wheel may have some wobble while an aluminum will seldom unless it's cracked. Jack the wheel and check that spindle nut. Not all wheeled vehicle mechanics are cast from the same die with that job being at the bottom of any shop's list of their favorite jobs. Wheel specs (new) are .024 for steel and .012 for aluminum

81SHOVELHEAD · 07-04-2021, 07:37 AM

Sounds like a loose castle nut. Remove wheel & check to see if castle nut has cotter pin ? If so remove cotter pin & tighten nut as tight as possible to remove wobble then back off 1/8 to 1/4 " or next available slot to insert cotter pin.

RMcNeal · 07-04-2021, 08:36 AM

According to the spec sheet I read, you should torque castle nut to 50 ft-lbs. then back off to the next available space for the cotter pin. Honestly, I don't know anyone who actually does this. Most everyone I know tightens it pretty tight, then backs it off a quarter turn or so. It's mostly feel.

mlh · 07-04-2021, 09:28 AM

Aluminum wheels are machined and like Dave said there should be no runout in them. If there is you probably have a broken wheel but I suspect the problem is elsewhere.
How much wobble do you have? A quarter inch? An inch? If it’s an eight of a inch, no problem.
Lynwood

RickyRobert · 07-04-2021, 11:24 AM

Thanks everyone - my suspicions and yours regarding the castle nut were correct. These axles no longer make use of the tried and true cotter pin; instead using a clip-on thin metal retainer. My thinking is that the retainer should be replaced every time that it is removed - mine, obviously, was not. With the retainer no longer doing its job, the castle nut had unwound sufficiently to cause the wobble. CW will be hearing from me, big time. This condition, if not found and corrected could most certainly have resulted in catastrophic damage if not loss of life!

Montana Man · 07-04-2021, 02:34 PM

Thanks for the follow up and nice find.

Dave W · 07-04-2021, 04:41 PM

Glad you found it - but do check the bearings for possible damage as well

As far as that retainer - if it's installed correctly every time, there is no need of replacing it until one of the leg clips or spindle flat clip is damaged - they do a good job though my mechanic's life says that cotter pins have always worked and are dirt cheap.

RickyRobert · 07-04-2021, 07:19 PM

I remember from my younger, more agile days when I was willing to repack the bearings, that a cardinal sin was to reuse a cotter pin after you had straightened for removal. Seeing what I found this morning, the so-called technician had pried back the prongs/clips to remove the retainer, and had not properly bent them back into clip-shape (which, in my opinion, weakens the bend/fold), or as I would want for the over priced dollars charged for a bearing repack, new restraining clips. Or is this another one of those save seventy cents - make more profit - cross your fingers that you don’t get caught situations? If so, I have a personal injury lawyer in the family that will now be informed on what to look for should he ever be confronted with a loss wheel scenario after a repack - the customer is only responsible for the re-torque. Hopefully the noise that I intend to make with CW will have some effect on their repack procedure.

Dave W · 07-05-2021, 05:34 AM

Just because I could, looked up the retainers as a kit. From Dexter's site:

Retainer Kit Fits Dexter axles (after 6/02).

Part #K71-622-00

$30.80

Kinda proud of that 'kit' though it does fit two hubs(one axle). I'm sure it can be purchased elsewhere for less but ......

RickyRobert · 07-05-2021, 08:06 AM

Just to clarify, the kit includes the “D” washers, the cage spindle nut retainers, the hex jam nuts, and an instruction manual for 1 axle (both sides). The cage nut retainers (alone) retail at $3.65 a piece, which says to me that Montana’s or CW’s wholesale cost is surely less than a dollar. Not trying to be testy here, but we are talking a pittance of an expense when CW charges $340 (plus, plus, plus) for double axle wheel bearing pack. I apologize for coming across as “correcting” another’s post, but my blood boils when I think of the potential (and likely, if I had not had an Angel at my side that day) consequences of saving a buck or two. Please forgive me …

phillyg · 07-05-2021, 07:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RMcNeal

According to the spec sheet I read, you should torque castle nut to 50 ft-lbs. then back off to the next available space for the cotter pin. Honestly, I don't know anyone who actually does this. Most everyone I know tightens it pretty tight, then backs it off a quarter turn or so. It's mostly feel.

This is what I know from 50 years of experience, and bearings haven't changed in that time. And, a hair looser is better than a hair tighter.

ChuckS · 07-06-2021, 07:19 AM

The Dexter axle EZ lube style axle with spring clip retainer is as good as the cotter key from olden days provided the fella doing the work takes the time to install the spring clip properly... Mine on my two axles have been reused many times over the last 8 years and there has been and is no reason for me to replace the spring nut retainer ....

The task of removing the hubs and cleaning and inspecting the wheel bearings and races along with the brake hardware is a simple task requiring no special tools..

To me its something that the owner needs to do themselves unless physically unable to do so...

And I wouldn't pay anyone $350 for this task... its just price gouging and RV shops should be ashamed of the labor rates they are charging....

With this Dexter axle service manual most RV owners should be able to maintain the axle components themselves... and save a lot of money plus know the job has been done right.

https://www.dexteraxle.com/user_area...ice_manual.pdf

beeje · 08-01-2021, 12:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RickyRobert

Thanks everyone - my suspicions and yours regarding the castle nut were correct. These axles no longer make use of the tried and true cotter pin; instead using a clip-on thin metal retainer. My thinking is that the retainer should be replaced every time that it is removed - mine, obviously, was not. With the retainer no longer doing its job, the castle nut had unwound sufficiently to cause the wobble. CW will be hearing from me, big time. This condition, if not found and corrected could most certainly have resulted in catastrophic damage if not loss of life!

Hence, why many people (including myself) will not let camping world do anything to there unit.
That could have resulted in catastrophe if the entire wheel/hub were to come off in travel.

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