Wheels, model, warranty, care

[Raspy]

No, I didn’t re-check the torques..50 miles from Hohenwald, was just coming home (about a 5.5 to 6 hour drive). It happened on a good interstate, I-55 at the ~111 mile marker,between Cape Girardeau and Jackson, Mizzoura. I am trying to figure out why I shouldn’t get steel wheels right now..they may not be as pretty, but they may be safer…I think they’re safer.

 

They make the steel wheels in a powder coated silver/gray that looks very nice.  I had a set on an enclosed trailer. You could even get them in galvanized if you were concerned about corrosion.

[Vector - Lanham]

Thanks Raspy. It'll work out one way or another...just want to go camping w/ the family really.

[Vector - Lanham]

Pictures of the Wheel

[Spike]

Torquing lug nuts could be a whole thread with lots of input from all.

 

Yes, I hope someone with a lot more knowledge than I on the subject starts this new thread--or addresses torquing issues here. These are some of my questions:

What is the best torque wrench for the Ollie II? (I put one in my Amazon cart, but will wait to see if it is indeed the best for my trailer.)

What settings are needed to tighten lug nuts? (I understand that there are different stages when tightening them.)

How often, realistically, should one recheck the torque? (I have read, somewhere, that it is best to do this during every stop, but this seems like it might be excessive--as well as a hassle.)

What other nuts and/or bolts need to be torqued on the Ollie? (And how often?)

What else should one consider about torquing?

I have a 2017 Ollie II (Hull #222). I run 60psi in my trailer tires and use a tire pressure monitor system and the Hayes Sway Master Electronic Sway Control System.

[RnA]

1.  I use a 1/2" drive with 6" extension.  The extension lets you get the wrench out past the sidewall of the tire.  A shorter extension may work but I'd have to check.  You want at least 150 lb-ft limit.  If you got the socket / lug nut wrench that came with my Ollie, you can use the appropriate sized socket in the kit with the 6 inch extension.  There are 3 basic types: 1.) Manual with a dial (least accurate and least precise).  Accuracy is important to ensure you are getting the right load on a given lug.  Precision is important to ensure the loads are consistent from lug to lug.  2.) Pur mechanical.  On these you set the target torque value (make sure you are reading the scale for lb-ft!)  As you tighten the bolt you will feel a very distinct "click" when the torque value is reached.  3.) Mechanical electrical have digital readouts.  I have type 2 and it works fine. Get a good case to put it in.  It is important to protect it from being damaged or knock out of calibration.

 

2.  See attached PDF.  Oliver publishes these values.  They may be different for different configurations.  The site may have some other values.

 

3.  After a wheel change I torque at 20/ 50 and 100 miles.  Yes I do stop, get out with my torque wrench and check the lug nuts.  I also check when I start out on a trip and usually before I leave the campground for the next site.  I don't check every stop however try to do a walk around the trailer and truck at every stop which includes a good look at the lug nuts to see if any are backing off.  I have discovered loose lug nuts on my truck by looking.

 

4.  See PDF.  I'm sure there are more though.  I check the spare tire nut occasionally and the wing nut hold down the propane tanks.  I probably should check the jack bolts once or twice a year.

 

5. Don't use lubricants on the lugs.  If you ever have to use liquid wrench or such to get a rusty lug nut off, the lug nut must be thoroughly cleaned of lubricant.  If lubricant is on the lug when the torque is set you will over-torque the lug.  The torque values are based on the amount of friction between the threads of the nut and the lug.  If lubricant is added the friction becomes significantly reduced to reach the torque value.  The bolt "yields" or stretches and becomes much weaker.  If you over torque a lug, it should be replaced.  Not that expensive considering the amount of damage a failure can cause.

 

Hope that helps,

 

- Randy

Olliver-LE2-Torque-Specs.pdf

[Vector - Lanham]

2nd Batch of Pix

[Raspy]

It does look like the nuts were all loose.  But then there was a severe impact that bent the wheel.  That actually looks like a very good wheel, in that it bent rather than just break.  Maybe they are forged.

[Overland]

What is the best torque wrench

Precision Instruments ½”

 

You can get a more expensive digital one that will be more precise, provided it’s handled with kit gloves and calibrated regularly. Great if you’re building Porsche engines. The PI is more than accurate enough, super easy to set and use, and most importantly can bump around in the back of your truck for years without losing any of that accuracy.

[Spike]

See attached PDF.

 

Thanks, RnA for the detailed and very helpful response. The PDF would not open for me.

[donthompson]

I had my Ollie serviced when Lanham did and we camped together at the winery the first night out. I have a TPMS system and I was carrying 55 psi in all four tires (cold pressure) when I dropped the camper off for service in Hohenwald and the tire pressure was the same when I picked it up. I think they used to put 80 psi in the tires, but that may have just been when they delivered a new Oliver.

[RnA]

Spike,

 

No success with the pdf right now.

 

Here's what Jason Posted a couple of years ago.  Same as what is on the pdf.

 

""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""

 

March 10, 2017 at 12:34 pm #46879

JEssaryKeymaster@essary17

 

TORQUE SPECS

 

WHEEL LUG NUTS

 

STAGE 1: 90 LBS

STAGE 2: 110 LBS

STAGE 3: 120 LBS

 

BULLDOG COUPLER: 80 LBS

AXLE/U-BOLTS: 70 LBS

SHACKLE BOLTS: 40 LBS

----------------

 

Jason Essary

 

Service Manager

 

Oliver Travel Trailer Sales, Inc.

 

866-205-2621

 

"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""

 

For lug nuts, go around each with torque wrench set to stage 1, then do all nuts to stage 2 and finally do all nuts to stage 3.

 

For periodic checks I just use stage 3.

 

The reason to tighten incrementally is to not warp the wheel.

 

- Randy

 

 

[RnA]

Spike,  You probably already know this but I won't ASSUME you do.   Tighten the lug nuts by going back and forth from one side of the wheel to the other (tightening the next lug across the axle).  Do not tighten in circular order around the wheel.

 

- Randy

 

 

[Spike]

Spike,  You probably already know this but I won’t ASSUME you do.

 

That is a safe un-assumption. I appreciate it when folks giving advice don't assume I know more than I do. I did happen to have learned this earlier, but I thank you, Randy, for the detailed help. I feel more confident and torqued up to handle the whole torquing thing. I bet others are appreciative of the advice offered by you and others that might help them avoid a mishap similar to vector's.

[Townesw]

Regarding torque wrenches, I have always been reminded to return a torque wrench to zero for storage. See item 9 in the following attachment.

 

https://www1.snapon.com/display/231/ToolNews/TechRefs/2008/TorqueWrench08.pdf

 

 

[RnA]

Thanks Townesw.  Great info sheet from a great tool manufacturer.  Per their sheet you should store the tool at “the lowest setting”.  I don’t know if any go as low as zero.  I store mine at the lowest setting on the wrench of 20lb-ft.  - Randy

[rideandfly]

Vector,

 

Happy to hear no one was hurt!

 

Talking about torque wrenches, have not thought about this since retirement (tried to forget about ISO) :) . We were certified to ISO standards in our rebuild/manufacturing facility. All of our torque wrenches and many measuring devices had to be checked and/or re-calibrated on set dates.  If a torque wrench was dropped, it was not allowed to be used until it was checked and/or re-calibrated.

 

Something RnA mentioned earlier. We had several grade 8 bolt failures in the field due to torquing nut/bolt assemblies to dry torque values with oil on the bolt threads. After finding this, we educated everyone in the facility on proper torque methods and followed up annually with this type of training.

[Overland]

FYI, rule to return the wrench to zero is only relevant to spring type (micrometer) wrenches. The split beam design, like the Precision Instruments that I linked to above, doesn’t require that.

 

By the way, Snap On sells the exact same wrench with their name on it, if anyone wants to pay double. ;)

[Vector - Lanham]

Well, my situation 'is this:

I  was exactly 200 miles away from the Oliver  facility in Hohenwald,  between Jackson and Cape Girardeau, Missouri when the event transpired.

One hub''s lug bolts sheered off (possible over tightening), I think this wheel came off first., I felt a jolt here, and that makes sense.

~1 to 4 miles later, the other hub's lug bolts appeared to have not been tightened or loosened up possibly, and those lug nuts came off  lug bolts, followed by the wheel at 70mph on I-55.

I thought i hit a pot hole, but further thought, I think it was highly probable that that was a wheel that came off (the sheered bolts), because i recovered the single wheel that appears to have had the lug nuts work their way off (as has been analyzed by a few mechanics already).

I've never lost a wheel before.

I am very happy that no one was hurt, and that I calmly and brought the trailer to a stop on the far edge of the shoulder without any additional damage to the trailer or another vehicle (the hitch performed very well), since the left wheels were off, it could have been potentially pulled (it was leaning left). The Mo State Trooper gave me an adaboy for how i' parked it square on the shoulder's edge..which was nice.

The tow truck did a good job of minimizing damage as they put it on the flatbed..which had to be done. it's currently in storage on a lot in that area.

I want to get this resolved one way or another very quickly. I have an upcoming vacation and i have a lot of deadlines at work in the next couple weeks. Hopefully, it will go smoothly, but if not I'll deal with it best I can.

I appreciate all of the positive and insightful comments ya'all have made here.  I enjoy being a part of the Oliver Community and enjoy this Forum as well as the FB page.

Thank you.  Vector.

[DavidS]

What is the best torque wrench for the Ollie II?

 

First a disclaimer. I had never heard of a torque wrench before I started researching travel trailers.

 

Overland recommends a Precision Instruments torque wrench, which is probably a very good one, but at $155 it seems quite expensive to me. I have not used my torque wrench for anything but the lug nuts on my car and trailer.

 

Based on my research, before I picked up Ollie I bought a Tekton torque wrench for $38, along with the Tekton socket set for $23. They have very good reviews.  I liked the fact that the Tekton torque wrench came with a hard plastic case, as I had read it is important to protect the wrench during storage (and to set it to zero before storing). The socket set comes with a 3-inch extension bar; a 6-inch extension bar, as mentioned by RnA, would probably be preferable. But this one gets the job done.

[Raspy]

Spike wrote:

What is the best torque wrench for the Ollie II?

First a disclaimer. I had never heard of a torque wrench before I started researching travel trailers.

 

Overland recommends a Precision Instruments torque wrench, which is probably a very good one, but at $155 it seems quite expensive to me. I have not used my torque wrench for anything but the lug nuts on my car and trailer.

 

Based on my research, before I picked up Ollie I bought a Tekton torque wrench for $38, along with the Tekton socket set for $23. They have very good reviews. I liked the fact that the Tekton torque wrench came with a hard plastic case, as I had read it is important to protect the wrench during storage (and to set it to zero before storing). The socket set comes with a 3-inch extension bar; a 6-inch extension bar, as mentioned by RnA, would probably be preferable. But this one gets the job done.

 

Good choice on the Tekton torque wrench.  The possible  inaccuracy of the torque wrench is much less than the acceptable variation in wheel torque.  The nuts have to be tight enough to do the job without coming loose, but not so tight that the studs get over stressed. The cleanliness of the tapers and any lube on the threads will have a large affect on how much stud tension there is per ft lb of torque.  Even the difference between a chrome nut against an aluminum wheel taper, vs a non-plated nut against a steel wheel taper will affect the torque vs tension ratio.  And aluminum is more important to re-torque.

 

I'm sure a low cost torque wrench is fine and much better than just guessing or making them up to as tight as you can.

 

The need for a precision torque wrench is similar to someone saying we must have a high quality digital thermometer to measure the tire temp.  When in reality, in the case of the tires, feeling the temp with our hands is all we need to know.

[ScubaRx]

If you want to calibrate your own torque wrench, check

out.  I ordered the little scale from Amazon for less than $9.00 dollars.  All I've got is a cheap one from Harbor Freight and I'll be curious to see how accurate it is.

[dbp05ret]

Overland recommends a Precision Instruments torque wrench, which is probably a very good one, but at $155 it seems quite expensive to me. I have not used my torque wrench for anything but the lug nuts on my car and trailer.

 

I ordered it off of Amazon on Sunday and got it today. I used it on the lug nuts and bulldog this afternoon. Thanks for the recommendation! It was the most expensive tool that I have ever purchased but it should last my lifetime. It worked as advertised and it is nice to use really good tool(s).

 

 

[bugeyedriver]

UPS just delivered my $155 torque wrench an hour ago.  It's still in the box.  For 11 years, Ive used a cheap, non calibrated, torque wrench which was jostled and banged around and never set back to zero after using.  Who knows what my torque values have been?  But I have been lucky so far, knock on wood.

 

This new fangdangled gadget does not need to be set back to zero and can be set in much more nuanced degrees than my previous cludge.

 

The way I see it is that another ten years of be-bopping around the land for another 130,000 miles with this OMG expensive tool, will only cost me $15.50 per year.  And it will be accurate!  Cheap insurance as far as I am concerned.

 

Thanks, Overland!!!

[Overland]

Lol - I went with the 25 year plan on mine. Much cheaper per year and it will last over twice as long.

 

Coincidentally, I was washing my truck yesterday before heading down to the rally and noticed that my right rear wheel is missing a lug nut. I’d taken it in for service last month before our trip and they rotated the tires.  Glad I just lost the nut and not an entire wheel.

[Raspy]

You could connect your new and very accurate torque wrench to the old one you think might be wrong, and apply some opposing torque.  A connector between the two square drives and pull one against the other.  A nut screwed all the way onto a short bolt, and then a socket on each, will do it.  When the new one clicks, see how far off the other one is.   This will give you a reference as to how far off the old one might be.  It might be 10% off, or ten ft lbs at 100 ft lbs, etc.