newbie preps for tire changing on road

[AlaskaErik]

Originally Posted by robo44

Some may have the touch but I would absolutely NEVER skip the process of a torque wrench. Unless I am driving 10 MPH t get off the freeway so I can torque them.
$50 torque wrench (mechanical) is enough to keep one in the trailer at all times.

Besides its something you should do every few hundred miles, I check mine every time I leave for a trip as a part of my checklist.
its n the label someplace on the trailer or RV

Not sure how I spent fifty years without a torque wrench and yet never having a tire lose all its lug nuts.

[NMWildcat]

So does that imply you had a wheel lose some of it's lug nuts? [emoji2957]
Most folks I know own several torque wrenches. I have six different ones. So it's easy to keep one in the RV and actually use it. Why wouldn't I?
Sorry to hear of your 50 torqueless years

Originally Posted by AlaskaErik

Not sure how I spent fifty years without a torque wrench and yet never having a tire lose all its lug nuts.

[AlaskaErik]

Originally Posted by NMWildcat

So does that imply you had a wheel lose some of it's lug nuts? [emoji2957]
Most folks I know own several torque wrenches. I have six different ones. So it's easy to keep one in the RV and actually use it. Why wouldn't I?
Sorry to hear of your 50 torqueless years

No, I've never lost a wheel or even had lug nuts come loose. I've torqued by feel for 50 years with zero problems. A torque wrench might be nice to have with you, but it's not essential.

[Hersbird]

Totally agree with you AlaskaEric, these things aren't headgaskets, or fasteners going into fragile aluminum. Just make them tight. Put 100 pounds of pressure on a foot long bar and you have 100 foot pounds, AKA tight. I do believe you should check them after a few miles to make sure something wasn't just crooked, but again, just check to see they are still tight.
The only lug nuts I've ever had come off were just after getting new tires at a fancy tire shop. Maybe if they worried more about tightening the lugnuts and less about torquing the lugnuts it wouldn't have happened.

[Comanchecreek]

Harbor Freight sells torque wrenches for under 20 bucks that are certainly accurate enough for torqueing lug nuts. I agree that with experience you can be a pretty good guesser as far as torque, but I would also say that over torqueing can be as bad or worse than under torqueing. Studs can be stressed and break, and/or when trying to get the lug nut off by the side of the road, it can be a real chore if they are too tight. I've helped a number of times with that situation. Usually the result of somebody using an impact driver to tighten the lugs. I've had to use a breaker bar to break the stud off to get the wheel off. It can also ruin the threads on the stud making it impossible to put the lug nut back on because the threads are stretched. Easy enough to do it the right way.

[SeaDog]

I find it interesting that replies to this thread seem to be this or that and I call baloney on that thinking. When I was 50 the speed wrench was no problem with lugs set at 140 either removing or replacing. At 72 its a different story so I use a compensation of equipment battery power impact to remove and replace stopping when the impact hits twice after the lug nut comes up against the rim and finishing up with a torque wrench (expensive snap-on at home inexpensive Harbor Freight in the rig) I have found this is the best combination for me to ensure the lugs are not loose or overtightened and provides the least amount of time change out a tire for rotating or repair. Wheels come off rigs of all verities all the time I'm not concerned about my rig but rather for the poor sot that my wayward wheel might hit.

[dedobias]

With steel wheels a torque wrench didn't matter. Us old *%$^* never had one until aluminum rims and mushroomed lug holes came along. With aluminum you are risking destroying the rim. Too soon old, too late smart. Then again, some never learned.

[MillMitch]

I ended up picking up a 250ft/pd torque wrench and set of large sockets so I could adjust my E2 WDH shortly after getting the TT. (have adjusted it twice, and the difference is unbelievable) Added a 6 ton bottle jack last spring so I could grease the wheel bearings. I'm pretty much set to change a tire if necessary.
I'm also sure this post just jinxed me and I'll be changing a tire this summer

[Comanchecreek]

I just gotta say, the new electric impacts are worth their weight in gold.

[mac1_131]

Originally Posted by Comanchecreek

I just gotta say, the new electric impacts are worth their weight in gold.

My harbor freight with lithium ion batteries is actually pretty darned good. Not as cheap as you might think.

[MR.M]

Originally Posted by jimmoore13

I omitted something very important. Get a TPMS so you can avoid catastrophic blow outs and respond, instead, to low pressure/high temp readings in the TPMS. Then you can pull over to a safe, level place to change a tire...or have roadside assistance do it for you.

Also, I can't remember mentioning an air compressor. This will do the job: https://smile.amazon.com/VIAIR-90P-P...s%2C198&sr=8-2 You can do better, but don't rely on a cheap one that plugs into a cigarette lighter. These have plastic pumps and can only pull 5 amps. My Viair can pull 22 amps straight from the battery. You can draw from the RV battery bank, and you can use jumper cables as an extension cable.

TPMS will not help you to avoid a catastrophic blow out ! it will tell you a tire low on or losing PSI , it can tell you temps and help you to avoid a flat on the road . give you some time to get somewhere safe . but it will not prevent a blow out that just happens sometime without any warning . once blown I'm sure it will show a psi loss .

[dalford]

Originally Posted by mac1_131

Thank you never thought of the visibility items. Will add those.

Here is something I carry with me. I have wired it to a long enough cable to allow me too it on rear of RV. Just might get the attention of someone not paying attention. Amber/Amber lights... really bright am several flashing patterns.

https://www.extremetacticaldynamics....ed-dash-light/

[Tireman9]

A lot of good ideas and info on changing a tire. I feel it would be better to avoid the emergency stop on the side of the road where in many cases tires get a slow leak and may only loose 10 to 20 psi an hour. If you set your low pressure warning at Cold -5 you stand a good chance of getting early warning so you can safely pull off while monitoring the pressure drop. Goof 4 sensor TPM with lifetiime warranty and a signal repeater can be had for less than $200.

[EmersonTT]

Originally Posted by hankpac

AAA RV Plus. Let them change it. Haven’t changed my own flats in 45 years.

Neither AAA nor any of these other services are much use in remote areas, such as the Dempster Highway, Top of the World Highway, Labrador Highway and many others. Not only are there no such services, there is no cell phone coverage to all them.

[dedobias]

Bring a tie down strap to hold the wheel if the tire is shredded and not touching the ground so you can get lugs loose.

[Mr Towed]

Originally Posted by SeaDog

This is just my opinion myself I would not use easy lift. Yes it is fast and it is easy however using that product puts the weight of the trailer on one tire. I prefer a bottle jack or screw jack under the frame lifting enough to change the tire. there is nothing magical about nitrogen filled tires they work great for Nascar and are a money maker sales pitch for tire companies. Put the spare on and get the tire fixed or replaced. I follow hotshot trucking and I have yet to see a hotshot trucker with a trailer tire/axel problem use an easy lift. JMHO

I understand what you are saying but with a flat tire the weight is already on the remaining good tire. When we are leveling up our trailer it will lift a tire easily when the first tire goes up a double 2X8 so it doesn’t take much to get a tire off the ground.

We had our first (and so far only) flat and used the method of backing into our step up blocks and were back in the road in less than 10 minutes using just a T bar.

To the original poster, besides tools make sure you have traffic cones (WITH reflectors) or triangles and that should be your first order of business, to put those out starting FAAAAARRR BACK from your trailer. Like don’t put them 20 feet back, put them like 500 feet back and every 100 feet up to the vehicle. 500 feet only takes 5 seconds at 70 MPH. Protect yourself before you get to work. If the flat is on the traffic side I’d consider sacrificing that tire and wheel to slowly get to somewhere safe to change it.

[dedobias]

Originally Posted by Hersbird

Totally agree with you AlaskaEric, these things aren't headgaskets, or fasteners going into fragile aluminum. Just make them tight. Put 100 pounds of pressure on a foot long bar and you have 100 foot pounds, AKA tight. I do believe you should check them after a few miles to make sure something wasn't just crooked, but again, just check to see they are still tight.
The only lug nuts I've ever had come off were just after getting new tires at a fancy tire shop. Maybe if they worried more about tightening the lugnuts and less about torquing the lugnuts it wouldn't have happened.

Sorry but non steel wheels do NOT tolerate over torqueing. Showing your age.

[jcwest]

I always carry an aluminum racing floor jack (Harbor Freight) and a set of jack stands in the TV for tire emergencies. I carry all the necessary tools for changing tires on the Trailer and The TV, including a Torque Wrench. I also carry a plug kit, as well as a battery powered tire inflator and a plugin 12volt air compressor. I found some battery operated LED flares somewhere and carry 2 sets (6) of them. A head lamp is extremely handy when you have to change or repair one in the dark. After 48 years of professional aircraft maintenance, I try to be prepared for all contingencies. The more you are prepared the less likely you are to need it; but if you do.........