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Old 07-16-2021, 03:02 PM   #1
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Isata 3 Catastrophic wheel failure, RV Roadside Assistance Plan no help

Last month in IDAHO we had a catastrophic wheel failure in our 2020 Isata 3. While driving on I-90 both dual wheels on the driver's side came off without warning: just a big boom and then scary as hell until I regained control of the RV and navigated to the shoulder. Both dual wheels off of studs and tucked up into wheel well; I was driving on the disc brake and the steel plate of the leveling jack. No sign of lug nuts anywhere and no shimmy or vibration indicating pending loss of wheels before incident. All wheels had been changed and torqued about 5000 miles earlier by reputable local tire shop. Damage = 2 tires and rims destroyed; wheel hub needed replacement; RV body side at back of wheel well/generator access door pushed out, etc. Side Note, after incident we discovered Continental Fourseason Vanco tire had sidewall separation - second time we've had sidewall failure with these tires!

Good news is we were all safe (watch those Youtube videos on how to recover from a catastrophic blowout!). Bad News: (1) Forest River/SafeRideRV Motor Club Emergency roadside assistance not able to provide tow; (2) MBS took a week to deliver new steel wheel, wheel flange and lug nuts; (3) MBS only supplied one replacement wheel after two were ordered. I still need to find a replacement Alcoa wheel.

In over 50 years of driving I've never lost a wheel like this. Has anyone else had an unexplained wheel failure similar to this on their Sprinter?
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Old 07-16-2021, 03:16 PM   #2
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Originally Posted by The2002Wanderer View Post
Last month in IDAHO we had a catastrophic wheel failure in our 2020 Isata 3. While driving on I-90 both dual wheels on the driver's side came off without warning: just a big boom and then scary as hell until I regained control of the RV and navigated to the shoulder. Both dual wheels off of studs and tucked up into wheel well; I was driving on the disc brake and the steel plate of the leveling jack. No sign of lug nuts anywhere and no shimmy or vibration indicating pending loss of wheels before incident. All wheels had been changed and torqued about 5000 miles earlier by reputable local tire shop. Damage = 2 tires and rims destroyed; wheel hub needed replacement; RV body side at back of wheel well/generator access door pushed out, etc. Side Note, after incident we discovered Continental Fourseason Vanco tire had sidewall separation - second time we've had sidewall failure with these tires!

Good news is we were all safe (watch those Youtube videos on how to recover from a catastrophic blowout!). Bad News: (1) Forest River/SafeRideRV Motor Club Emergency roadside assistance not able to provide tow; (2) MBS took a week to deliver new steel wheel, wheel flange and lug nuts; (3) MBS only supplied one replacement wheel after two were ordered. I still need to find a replacement Alcoa wheel.

In over 50 years of driving I've never lost a wheel like this. Has anyone else had an unexplained wheel failure similar to this on their Sprinter?
My guess is when the wheels were reinstalled 5000 miles ago they weren’t torqued enough or they were bound on the hub and gave a false reading when tightening. I’ve seen this before, especially with aftermarket wheels. When ever you have the wheels off in the future I would recommend re-torquing them within about 500 miles.

When our shop mounts aluminum wheels on a truck they test drive it than pull it back in the shop and retorque.
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Old 07-16-2021, 03:20 PM   #3
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I can’t add anything, just happy you were not injured.
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Old 07-16-2021, 03:46 PM   #4
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"were reputable"
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Old 07-16-2021, 03:55 PM   #5
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Every time I've seen a wheel come off it was related to the last person to install it .... regardless of reputation
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Old 07-16-2021, 03:57 PM   #6
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What did Roadside say? They clearly tow things, they do it for a living.
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Old 07-16-2021, 04:00 PM   #7
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My experience, and yes happened to me..

Re-torquing them within about 500 miles is a must.... glad you're okay
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Old 07-16-2021, 04:03 PM   #8
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My experience, and yes happened to me..

Re-torquing them within about 500 miles is a must.... glad you're okay
Agreed. One wheel is bad enough, but BOTH? Suddenly, leveling jack pad being low was a benefit. Might have saved some damage.

kudos to the driver for staying in control....and the "little jack pad that could". They get a bad rap...but he held strong!
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Old 07-16-2021, 04:05 PM   #9
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Agreed. One wheel is bad enough, but BOTH? Suddenly, leveling jack pad being low was a benefit. Might have saved some damage.

kudos to the driver for staying in control....and the "little jack pad that could". They get a bad rap...but he stayed strong!
Last I checked both dually were held on with the same lug nuts
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Old 07-16-2021, 04:07 PM   #10
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Last I checked both dually were held on with the same lug nuts
This is why you are the last pick in kickball.
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Old 07-16-2021, 05:08 PM   #11
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Remember this, there is no such thing as a "reputable local tire shop".
I once almost lost a front wheel on a car that I just had new tires put on. They never tightened the lugs all the way. Luckly I started to get a shimmy before the wheel came off.
Now every time I have work done I check all the lugs before I even pull out of their yard.
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Old 07-17-2021, 12:24 AM   #12
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Originally Posted by The2002Wanderer View Post
Last month in IDAHO we had a catastrophic wheel failure in our 2020 Isata 3. While driving on I-90 both dual wheels on the driver's side came off without warning: just a big boom and then scary as hell until I regained control of the RV and navigated to the shoulder. Both dual wheels off of studs and tucked up into wheel well; I was driving on the disc brake and the steel plate of the leveling jack. No sign of lug nuts anywhere and no shimmy or vibration indicating pending loss of wheels before incident. All wheels had been changed and torqued about 5000 miles earlier by reputable local tire shop. Damage = 2 tires and rims destroyed; wheel hub needed replacement; RV body side at back of wheel well/generator access door pushed out, etc. Side Note, after incident we discovered Continental Fourseason Vanco tire had sidewall separation - second time we've had sidewall failure with these tires!

Good news is we were all safe (watch those Youtube videos on how to recover from a catastrophic blowout!). Bad News: (1) Forest River/SafeRideRV Motor Club Emergency roadside assistance not able to provide tow; (2) MBS took a week to deliver new steel wheel, wheel flange and lug nuts; (3) MBS only supplied one replacement wheel after two were ordered. I still need to find a replacement Alcoa wheel.

In over 50 years of driving I've never lost a wheel like this. Has anyone else had an unexplained wheel failure similar to this on their Sprinter?

Any pics of what the sidewall separation looked like. Interested to know more as I and probably many others have the same tires.

PS: Anyone know offhand what the proper torque setting is for the lug nuts?

Thanks
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Old 07-17-2021, 07:04 AM   #13
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Any pics of what the sidewall separation looked like. Interested to know more as I and probably many others have the same tires.

PS: Anyone know offhand what the proper torque setting is for the lug nuts?

Thanks
Look in the owners manual. I believe the ram 5500 spec is 140-160 ft lbs. Just checked the tourqe on my tires 2 weeks ago, as many have said I don't trust anyone. Got the number from the owner manual.
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Old 07-17-2021, 07:13 AM   #14
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Originally Posted by The2002Wanderer View Post
Last month in IDAHO we had a catastrophic wheel failure in our 2020 Isata 3. While driving on I-90 both dual wheels on the driver's side came off without warning: just a big boom and then scary as hell until I regained control of the RV and navigated to the shoulder. Both dual wheels off of studs and tucked up into wheel well; I was driving on the disc brake and the steel plate of the leveling jack. No sign of lug nuts anywhere and no shimmy or vibration indicating pending loss of wheels before incident. All wheels had been changed and torqued about 5000 miles earlier by reputable local tire shop. Damage = 2 tires and rims destroyed; wheel hub needed replacement; RV body side at back of wheel well/generator access door pushed out, etc. Side Note, after incident we discovered Continental Fourseason Vanco tire had sidewall separation - second time we've had sidewall failure with these tires!

Good news is we were all safe (watch those Youtube videos on how to recover from a catastrophic blowout!). Bad News: (1) Forest River/SafeRideRV Motor Club Emergency roadside assistance not able to provide tow; (2) MBS took a week to deliver new steel wheel, wheel flange and lug nuts; (3) MBS only supplied one replacement wheel after two were ordered. I still need to find a replacement Alcoa wheel.

In over 50 years of driving I've never lost a wheel like this. Has anyone else had an unexplained wheel failure similar to this on their Sprinter?



Is your RV part of this recall for broken wheel studs announced last month?


https://www.forestriverforums.com/fo...ds-233240.html
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Old 07-17-2021, 10:20 AM   #15
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He has an Isata 3, so it would not be part of the Ram recall.
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Old 07-17-2021, 11:33 AM   #16
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He has an Isata 3, so it would not be part of the Ram recall.
Excellent that's why I asked as I don't know exactly what models are on which chassis.
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Old 07-17-2021, 01:56 PM   #17
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Responses to previous comments:
#8 - Yes, BOTH wheels separated from hub ring and were tucked up inside wheel wheel. At least they didn't become projectiles flying down Interstate. And the leveling jack "skid plate" was a life saver - I don't want to think about what might have happened if it hadn't held the axle/brakes above the pavement.
#11 - This was a locally owned shop that I've dealt with for years and is highly respected in the community. I doubt that a tire shop of less character would still be around as long as this one.
#12 Re: sidewall separation. See my post on previous sidewall separation.
https://www.forestriverforums.com/fo...-a-208700.html
#12 Re: torque - torque varies based upon whether steel rims or Aluminum rims are installed according to MBS charts. All lugs were re-torqued after being driven a few hundred miles.
#14 - Isata 3 was not a part of this recall although now I'm thinking maybe it should be.

Thanks all for your comments and concerns.
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Old 07-17-2021, 02:40 PM   #18
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I’m so happy that you were able to safely stop. I have had numerous incidents with sloppy/lazy technicians at supposedly reputable tire shops near me. It took Good Sam two days last summer to get someone able to fix a flat rear dually last summer near Lake Tahoe. No one wanted to take the call . The first person they called arrived ( 7 hrs. later) without an impact wrench and couldn’t remove the tire.
The supposedly reputable rv dealership who claimed their “best technician “ did my Sprinter’s very first oil service and blew up my engine with an improper filter…….
No, I don’t have a lot of faith in some of these so called professionals.
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Old 07-17-2021, 06:40 PM   #19
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Professional?

I don't know what that means. Wife says it has to be done professional, you can't do it. Guy at RV shop tried to hire me to work at his shop. Retired, don't want the grind anymore.
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Old 07-18-2021, 08:52 AM   #20
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This is why you are the last pick in kickball.
Quite often I have found when someone is right (both wheels secured the same lug nuts) they are picked first.
Even 18 wheelers only one set of lug nuts per wheel.
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