Changing Class C Tire

knockando · 10-03-2016, 07:29 PM

I have three kids and really like to be prepared. We have roadside assistance but would think that I could change a tire if needed. The spare is hanging underneath the rear on our 3170DS Sunseeker, I think it weights 14,500. Has anyone ever changed a flat on the road on one of these or something similar? I have two scissor jacks that I could use but have not checked into limits on those.

Thanks!

wana65stang · 10-03-2016, 07:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by knockando

I have three kids and really like to be prepared. We have roadside assistance but would think that I could change a tire if needed. The spare is hanging underneath the rear on our 3170DS Sunseeker, I think it weights 14,500. Has anyone ever changed a flat on the road on one of these or something similar? I have two scissor jacks that I could use but have not checked into limits on those.

Thanks!

Scissor jacks AREN'T going to cut it, look into a eight ton bottle jack if you want to lift it. Just make sure you chock the wheels if you do.

grumpy0374 · 10-04-2016, 01:07 AM

I speak from personal experience and a bit of knowledge....
Get a bottle jack. A good heavy duty 20 ton bottle jack. An 8, 10, 12 ton won't cut it. A 20 ton will lift the front or rear with very little effort on your part. Tried the little ones...save your money and just get a 20 ton from the git go.
As for a lug wrench...forget the manual type bust your back rip your shoulders out type. Get a good electric 1/2 inch drive impact wrench. If your at home or a campground you just use the electric pedestal. If your on the road, just kick your generator on for power.
I have a Lowes Kobalt 1/2 inch drive corded impact wrench. Has enough power to take off and tighten the lug nuts, 350 ft lbs. Or, Lowes has a 24 volt cordless 1/2 drive impact wrench with enough "ooomph" to get the job done.
I also carry a small Sears air compressor, Airboss, that has enough power/pressure to do large tires right. Never did like the wimpy little 12 volt compressors.
I have used my equipment for maintaince on my class c, but have also used it on the road, twice, to help others with flats, who had a spare, but no proper tools.
Proper bottle jack, Harbor Freight 20 ton, can be had for under 35 bucks.
1/2 inch drive impact wrench, Lowes, 130 bucks
Decent small 115 volt air compressor can be had for under 100 bucks.
And now your set.
Grumpy

Davidjeff · 10-04-2016, 06:23 AM

Having already own a set of Ryobi 18+ tools I ordered one of these from Home Depot with free shipping, ( beats Amazon price)
Ryobi ONE+ 18-Volt 1/2 in. Cordless 3-Speed Impact Wrench (Tool-Only)-P261 - The Home Depot

The nice thing is it has 3 speeds and 300 lbs torque, it does the lug nuts and I use it for the scissor jacks as well. If you have to buy a battery buy the larger extended battery as well.

grumpy0374 · 10-04-2016, 06:47 AM

Davidjeff, I think you may be a bit disappointed in the Ryobi with only 300 ft lbs of torque. The Kobalt corded has 350 ft lbs, and does an adaquate job. Dewalt also has a 350 ft lb corded wrench. And the Kobalt 24 volt battery 1/2 inch has around 600 ft lb rating. I'm not saying they are the best, just the most powerful, and its better to get the most powerful from the start, rather than spend money on something that may or may not be adaquate.
300 ft lb may or may not do a proper job of taking the lug nuts off and then back on. Hope I'm wrong, but it may not have the power needed to do a proper job.
Grumpy

RamblerGuy · 10-04-2016, 11:18 AM

A problem with jacking the E450 is the twin I-beam front suspension. There's no good place to put the jack. I made an adapter from a pipe cap and piece of pipe to fit the lifting pin on the axle.

A previous poster is correct. My 12 ton jack strains to lift one side of the rear axle, which should be less than 3 tons. The ratings on those Chinese jacks are a joke.

I'd suggest carrying a stout jack stand to support the axle while the wheel is off, along with some boards or plywood to keep the jack and jack stand from sinking if you are not on pavement.

mtnlvr · 10-04-2016, 12:47 PM

I posted a few days ago on a thread about the difficulty I had last wknd. When I got a rear flat tire (nail) with my Solera; Sprinter chassis and spare tire under the rear. Both the tow truck driver who put the spare on( it was after hours and tire shops closed)?and also the tire shop the following day had a h*ll of a time getting the spare off and the next day, putting it back underneath. It took these pros about 75 or more minutes to figure it out and complete their jobs. I was told by the tire shop tech that this rear spare was the most complicated to assemble that he had seen. Their shop is on the busy hwy 395 travelers route. There is no way that I could have done it myself!!
I'm curious have others with the Sprinter chassus had thus problem? Is the rear tire undercarriage the same design for all Foresters??

Davidjeff · 10-04-2016, 12:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by grumpy0374

Davidjeff, I think you may be a bit disappointed in the Ryobi with only 300 ft lbs of torque. The Kobalt corded has 350 ft lbs, and does an adaquate job. Dewalt also has a 350 ft lb corded wrench. And the Kobalt 24 volt battery 1/2 inch has around 600 ft lb rating. I'm not saying they are the best, just the most powerful, and its better to get the most powerful from the start, rather than spend money on something that may or may not be adaquate.
300 ft lb may or may not do a proper job of taking the lug nuts off and then back on. Hope I'm wrong, but it may not have the power needed to do a proper job.
Grumpy

So far it has performed well, I have used it on rusty lugs that. Had not been removed and after tightening finished with a torque wrench and tested to see if it would tighten further, it did.. I was skeptical but it appears to work fine...there are cordless that go up to 700 ft lbs but are $700 which would be overkill and expensive. Thanks for the tip though!!!

Boso · 10-04-2016, 01:29 PM

I can't remember what my jack can lift but it would get the wheels up on my 39' 5er and and I know my leveling jacks will be the first thing I will use and yes I do know that is not what they are for except when I have a flat

mhaskell · 10-04-2016, 03:25 PM

20 ton bottle jack, breaker bar and wheel chocks. If it's a rear, try to get to a rest area or pull-off. If a front goes down, get as far off as possible. I wouldn't go lighter than a 20 ton jack. Electric impact is a good idea. I had to change one on I-95 in Virginia. Not difficult, but be careful.

nothermark · 10-05-2016, 08:28 AM

You are missing a key piece of equipment. You also need a 150 Ft lb torque wrench. Home Depot has one at a reasonable price. Impact wrenches are fine for getting wheels off but not for putting them back. Check the torque rating for the size wheel stud and torque to that in steps. My number is written inside the coach compartment where I keep the bottle jack and some blocking. I did both dual wheels when I put on the valve stem extenders all units also need.

NoviBill · 10-05-2016, 08:24 PM

Comments from he loyal opposition...

I am in good health and relatively fit and am not bad with a wrench. I purposely do not carry the equipment required to change a tire because it would tempt me to do it.

Lots can go wrong both as you are changing the tire and if you don't tighten to spec it gets worse...

My two cents: If you are highly mechanical and already own the right equipment for other work, go ahead. If you are an office worker who can turn a wrench but don't really have the background (me) leave it to a someone who does it well (worst case is you have to campout for another night

).

Davidjeff · 10-05-2016, 08:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by grumpy0374

Davidjeff, I think you may be a bit disappointed in the Ryobi with only 300 ft lbs of torque. The Kobalt corded has 350 ft lbs, and does an adaquate job. Dewalt also has a 350 ft lb corded wrench. And the Kobalt 24 volt battery 1/2 inch has around 600 ft lb rating. I'm not saying they are the best, just the most powerful, and its better to get the most powerful from the start, rather than spend money on something that may or may not be adaquate.
300 ft lb may or may not do a proper job of taking the lug nuts off and then back on. Hope I'm wrong, but it may not have the power needed to do a proper job.
Grumpy

Upon more thinking I went and purchased one of the Kobalts you spoke of, at 650 ft lbs and only $249 with battery, charger, tool and bag it's a real bargain, guess the Ryobi will be relegated to home stuff

knockando · 10-05-2016, 08:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NoviBill

Comments from he loyal opposition...

I am in good health and relatively fit and am not bad with a wrench. I purposely do not carry the equipment required to change a tire because it would tempt me to do it.

Lots can go wrong both as you are changing the tire and if you don't tighten to spec it gets worse...

My two cents: If you are highly mechanical and already own the right equipment for other work, go ahead. If you are an office worker who can turn a wrench but don't really have the background (me) leave it to a someone who does it well (worst case is you have to campout for another night

).

You know I was just starting to think the same thing! Roadside assistance should be good (until I drive to Alaska). Thanks for all the great responses, this is such a great place for second year rv'r.

Davidjeff · 10-05-2016, 08:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by knockando

You know I was just starting to think the same thing! Roadside assistance should be good (until I drive to Alaska). Thanks for all the great responses, this is such a great place for second year rv'r.

I carry State Farm on the MH and for pennies less than $1 a month I have roadside, lockout,towing (unlimited), fuel, jump starts etc... we also have AAA covering the same cause my DW travels a lot in here job. I still personally want to be prepared in case I don't have time or cell service etc... for tire replacement.

grumpy0374 · 10-06-2016, 05:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NoviBill

Comments from he loyal opposition...

I am in good health and relatively fit and am not bad with a wrench. I purposely do not carry the equipment required to change a tire because it would tempt me to do it.

Lots can go wrong both as you are changing the tire and if you don't tighten to spec it gets worse...

My two cents: If you are highly mechanical and already own the right equipment for other work, go ahead. If you are an office worker who can turn a wrench but don't really have the background (me) leave it to a someone who does it well (worst case is you have to campout for another night

).

To each his own.
But, be aware, you might be sitting, waiting for hours on the side of a road waiting for roadside assistance. And, if you have roadside assistance, check with them as to their policy about getting the right help to you. Many companies that respond to a call WILL NOT change a the inner dual tire if it is the one thats blown. And if you don't have a spare tire, you are at the mercy of the company and what they charge for bringing you a tire.
If your physically able too, and have the proper tools, you can be on your way in around 1/2 hour. It's not rocket science, and just like changing the tire on your car, just a bit bigger and heavier. As to tightening it to "spec"...its a steel wheel. I've always just used my electric impact wrench to tighten the lugs down. Unless you keep cranking/impacting after their tight, your not going to overtighten them. Your reading too much between the lines as to what you need. Just simple basic equipment.
And, for info, I'm 66 years old and still able to, and will not hesitate to change my flat if I have one, nor will I hesitate to help someone else.
Grumpy

nothermark · 10-06-2016, 07:05 AM

I carry the tools because I might not want to wait or might not be able to get help to where I am. All the road services have limits.

I carry a torque wrench because getting caught up in the power wrench race results in bent rotors and broken studs. BTDT.

geeman53 · 10-06-2016, 07:13 AM

We've got a 20 ton bottle jack that does the job.

Davidjeff · 10-07-2016, 11:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nothermark

I carry the tools because I might not want to wait or might not be able to get help to where I am. All the road services have limits.

I carry a torque wrench because getting caught up in the power wrench race results in bent rotors and broken studs. BTDT.

I also finish tightening with a torque wrench as well, the power tool helps run the stabilizers up/down and help get lug nuts off and back on snug to use the t/w

grumpy0374 · 10-08-2016, 07:51 AM

In a perfect situation, or with aluminum rims, I could see using a torque wrench.
In reality, when was the last time you saw a tire company using a torque wrench to mount a set of steel rims, especially on a heavy duty E-450 with steel rims. They don't. I could just imagine them checking torque on 32 seperate lug nuts. Aside from that, they use air impact wrenches that are a heck of a lot more powerful than the electric wrench I carry.
Unless you really continue to crank down with an electric impact or a manual breaker bar your not going to break a stud or warp a steel rim.
Also, if I'm on the side of a roadway, changing a flat, last thing I'm going to worry about is checking the torque on the lug nuts.
On our two Subies or Mustang with alloy rims, yes, I do use a torque wrench.
Real world, on our Lexi, I have had my rims off a number of times, either to replace my shocks, mount new steel valve stems, and to rotate the 6 tires on my rig. Always used the impact wrench, and have never stripped or broken a lug nut or wheel stud.
Grumpy

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