Escapees July-August 2022

weight and safety

NEEDS YOU! Due to a family emergency, Escapees needs to replace the Weighmaster at our permanent site at North Ranch, in Congress, Arizona. This is a great opportunity to help your fellow RVers while enjoying the nearby attractions in picturesque Arizona and Nevada. This position is open to all Escapees and Xscapers. Training can be tailored to your schedule or completed during Escapade 61 in Lebanon, Tennessee. The position o ff ers monetary compensation and a fl exible schedule.

Lug Nuts By JIM KOCA #86367, Escapees RVers Boot Camp Instructor

An important item that is commonly overlooked is the lug nuts on the wheels of our vehicles. Lug nuts are essentially

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fasteners that secure the wheel to a vehicle. In order for the lug nuts to do their job properly, they must be torqued to the recommended speci fi cations for your vehicle. These spec i fi cations are usually found in the owner’s manual or from the dealer. In some cases, the torque speci fi cations would be on a sticker on the side of the RV. I n order to properly install new wheels or to reinstall wheels, due to a fl at, or for general tire or wheel maintenance, this calls for the stud to have clean threads that are free from grease or dirt. Lug nuts are started by hand until they are snug against the rim. The next step would be to use a lug wrench or impact wrench in a crisscross pattern. To fi nish the tightening, it is recommended that an accurate torque wrench be used to set the proper torque on the lug nuts. If a lug nut is over torqued then there is the chance of strip ing it, stretching or breaking the stud or bolt or even distorting the rim, the brake drum or rotor. Lug nuts should be torqued only when they are cool and never when they are hot. If the lug nuts are under tightened then there is the chance of the wheel coming off the vehicle. After wheels have been installed and have traveled 50 to 100 miles, the lug nuts should be retorqued. This is necessary due to the metal compression or thermal stress that can affect the wheels as they roll down the road. A problem that I have encountered with the installation of wheels is the nonuse of the torque wrench. We see that the standard impact wrench is used to remove and install the wheel. I have seen the impact wrench overtighten the lug nuts and strip or break the stud. As an educated consumer, we should insist that a torque wrench be used for the fi nal part of the installation process. If not, then consider carrying your own torque wrench to ensure that your wheels have been installed properly.

NOTICE! CHECK WHEEL LUG

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On fi rst trip, tighten wheel lugs at start and at 10 and 50 miles. Tighten to manufacturer’s speci fi cations. Theresafter, check wheel lugs before each trip, after excessive braking and following winter storage.

LD-101

“…consider carrying your own torque wrench to ensure that your wheels have been installed properly.”

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ESCAPEES Magazine July/August 2022