Wheel / Axle Dust Cover - RV-Dreams Community Forum

ROPeach · RV-Dreams Community Member

Wheel / Axle Dust Cover

tktoth · RV-Dreams Family Member

We had the same problem with our 2016 DRV so I emailed them and they sent me replacements which are a more durable material. Is yours under warranty?

ROPeach · RV-Dreams Community Member

Think so, bought in Feb 2015. Also have 'extended warranty' contract and currently working this path to resolution. Do you remember the the email address you used to contact DRV?

TRAILERKING · RV-Dreams Family Member

If that's an "Oil-Filled" hub you don't want to move it at all until that's repaired. If it got broke off I doubt would be warranty but the part is "small potatoes" cost anyway. The big deal would be to pull the hub, check/clean bearings, check/replace seal, install new cap and oil.

Cummins12V98 · RV-Dreams Family Member

Call DRV they will send you replacement parts. They also sent me a new cap.

-- Edited by Cummins12V98 on Tuesday 23rd of February 2016 12:21:39 PM

ROPeach · RV-Dreams Community Member

We had the broken oil cap replaced along with the hub cap cover. Drove 30 miles back to the RV park and discovered we had the same problem on another wheel.

contacted DRV and was told the was a problem with the 'white' oil caps. They were replaced with a 'clear' one. They are sending me replacements as a result.

Bill and Linda · RV-Dreams Family Member

I do wish RV manufactures would refrain from putting those ridiculous plastic "lug nut" / wheel covers on trailer wheels. First, they are hard to put on and off. Second, the sticker by the wheel (at least there is supposed to be a sticker) indicates one should check the lug nuts often and torque properly. (Various wordings as to mileage between checking but it isn't that far.)

So is one going to remove those useless plastic "bright things" every time to properly check the lug nuts? Me things not. And checking the torque on lug nuts is a very important task. Trailer wheels are not truck / car wheels. The lug nuts do loosen.

Nice, attractive, shinny lug nuts are available for most size bolts required by the trailers we all have. But no, its got to be really pretty at delivery in spite of the fact it is not conducive to safety.

This is NOT a DRV thing. Many OEM are at fault with this. Some have changed, but not enough.

The "white / clear" thing inside this plastic lug nut cover, as was commented, is very important to keep dirt and water out of the bearings. The plastic lug nut cover isn't important to safe operation. (Note how semi trailer's wheels look. Same deal.)

BTW, you can find those clear plastic oil cap covers that are important at many trailer / automotive supply stores and probably truck stops. They are not "special" and don't have to come from DRV if you don't want to wait. They come is various sizes but most probably are 2" ones for our trailers. Just information.

Very sorry for your trouble. Been there and the only reason I no longer have this issue is because I changed them all and eliminated the plastic lug nut covers. Now I can check the lug nuts and don't have to mess with the bright, shinny, useless IMO, thing.

My 2 cents - Good luck.

Cummins12V98 · RV-Dreams Family Member

Geese Bill how do you really feel?

The bright shiny thing is VERY easy to remove and install.

IMHO this is VERY ugly and deserves to be covered!

-- Edited by Cummins12V98 on Tuesday 8th of March 2016 11:10:10 AM

TRAILERKING · RV-Dreams Family Member

Bill and Linda wrote:

The "white / clear" thing inside this plastic lug nut cover, as was commented, is very important to keep dirt and water out of the bearings. The plastic lug nut cover isn't important to safe operation. (Note how semi trailer's wheels look. Same deal.)

WRONG.......It is a big deal. They keep oil in the hub.

Bill and Linda · RV-Dreams Family Member

Cummins12V98 wrote:
Geese Bill how do you really feel?

The bright shiny thing is VERY easy to remove and install.

IMHO this is VERY ugly and deserves to be covered!

-- Edited by Cummins12V98 on Tuesday 8th of March 2016 11:10:10 AM

Perhaps for you, but I check the lug nuts at least twice a day, sometimes more, with a torque wrench and that means taking off 6 of those wheel covers and reinstalling 6 each time. (BTW, yes, I have the tool to do that.) And I do find, especially in the first 500 or so miles, out of 48 lug nuts 3 or so are not torqued to the spec. Trailer wheels work the nuts loose. The only way to know for sure is to use a torque wrench, not an electric drill.

Feel free to remove and install those wheel covers (like I used to have) as many times as you like. But I will submit most don't bother to remove and install them very often because they are just enough trouble to not check the lug nuts as often as they should be checked. With 3 axles its just more trouble than it is worth especially when there are other options which better allow the owner to do the check without as much trouble. But, as I often say, "A choice."

'Just Trying to promote a little safety here.

Bill

Terry and Jo · RV-Dreams Family Member

TRAILERKING wrote:
Bill and Linda wrote:

The "white / clear" thing inside this plastic lug nut cover, as was commented, is very important to keep dirt and water out of the bearings. The plastic lug nut cover isn't important to safe operation. (Note how semi trailer's wheels look. Same deal.)

WRONG.......It is a big deal. They keep oil in the hub.

Bernie,

His reference was to a lug nut cover, not an axle nut cover.

On our Mobile Suites from 2010, each lug nut has a separate cover instead of a full cover that covers all with one wheel cover. I purchased some rubber-like tips that will fit on a pari of water pump pliers to let me remove them without damaging them.

Terry

TRAILERKING · RV-Dreams Family Member

Sorry I guess should understand "fully" what they're "trying" to ask about.

Cummins12V98 · RV-Dreams Family Member

"Perhaps for you, but I check the lug nuts at least twice a day, sometimes more, with a torque wrench and that means taking off 6 of those wheel covers and reinstalling 6 each time."

Why do you check the lug nuts twice or more per day?

I use a Proto torque wrench (same quality as SnapOn) and torque in a cross pattern then when done go around the wheel in a circle. I have to say I have never had a loose lug nut when checking. Are you sure your torque wrench is working properly?

Bill and Linda · RV-Dreams Family Member

Cummins12V98 wrote:
"Perhaps for you, but I check the lug nuts at least twice a day, sometimes more, with a torque wrench and that means taking off 6 of those wheel covers and reinstalling 6 each time."

Why do you check the lug nuts twice or more per day?

I use a Proto torque wrench (same quality as SnapOn) and torque in a cross pattern then when done go around the wheel in a circle. I have to say I have never had a loose lug nut when checking. Are you sure your torque wrench is working properly?

Funny you should ask about the torque wrench working properly. Yes, in fact I have two and checked both against a very high end unit at the shop just to make sure they were in calibration as I was getting the same result with both. I check them because out of 48 lugs I often find one or two just a tad loose from the torque spec and not the same ones. I've seen a wheel come off. Wasn't pretty. So I do this. I too do the appropriate cross tightening pattern. But also have heeded the advice I got from the techs at MOR/ryde who use the same "gun" in your picture. After tire installation they remind me, "Make sure you check the torque on these. They do loosen." Yes, thank you.

Granted, I don't really think it is all that necessary to check as often as I do. But when we stop for a brief rest and Linda's inside I do a walk-around check of the rig and truck. I do a check of the tire and hub temps one time and check the lugs another. But I'm sure most don't check lugs often enough and one of the reasons is that it is too much trouble. That's my opinion. (Eventually I find the lugs do "seat." But I find it can take 750 - 1,000 miles before that happens.)

As I say, this is a choice to err on the side of caution. We probably travel and tow more miles than almost anyone on the forum - at least in an RV for pleasure. So we get to see more stuff going side-ways than perhaps others and not just on our rig. Experience and observation is a great educator. I've caught issues before they become problems and sometimes pass along my experiences. I usually have what I consider valid reasons for my suggestions and some have found those helpful. Some have written so say, "Wish I had listened to you the first time." That's all this forum is about - IMO - sharing experiences, opinions and helping. Nothing else.

Safe travels,

Bill

TRAILERKING · RV-Dreams Family Member

Bill and Linda wrote:
But also have heeded the advice I got from the techs at MOR/ryde who use the same "gun" in your picture. After tire installation they remind me, "Make sure you check the torque on these. They do loosen." Yes, thank you.

Yes even though using an air gun to zip them off and on ...........MUST ALWAYS USE A TORQUE WRENCH!

Cummins12V98 · RV-Dreams Family Member

Bill I want to make sure you know I was not being critical as I am an overkill type of guy also!

I use my impact to just run the lug nuts up after I hand start them.

Something I am wondering tho is what effect is there checking torque on a hot wheel???? I have never thought of torquing a hot wheel. I usually check the wheels when they are cool.

Bill and Linda · RV-Dreams Family Member

Cummins12V98 wrote:
Bill I want to make sure you know I was not being critical as I am an overkill type of guy also!

I use my impact to just run the lug nuts up after I hand start them.

Something I am wondering tho is what effect is there checking torque on a hot wheel???? I have never thought of torquing a hot wheel. I usually check the wheels when they are cool.

Actually had the same thought as to hot vs. cold torque. Found the same results - hot or cold - as to finding one or two - sometimes more - just a little loose from spec.

What I have found - and now we're really down in the weeds - is that it takes about 750 to 1,000 miles after wheel installation for them to really get seated. Once they do get seated they seem to stay put. But it can take a lot of miles for that to occur and most just don't travel enough - checking them as they go - for that to happen. Honestly if people would check them once a day it would be good. Perhaps some of this discussion will spur those who are concerned to do that.

Let me make a comment of suggestion: When one shows a picture using an impact gun to install the nuts (I carry one by the way) it might leave the impression that is the correct, or more over, the final action required to install the nuts. I, for some reason, get a number of emails looking for advice or help and I find it doesn't take much for someone without background to get the wrong impression. I know you follow me and obviously your a knowledgeable RV-er. So you might want to keep that in mind.

But back to Ruth and Dale's problem, I really should carry a spare center nut screw cap. I don't have one because the last time I went to get one they didn't have the right size. That's a pretty inexpensive, light, spare part and without it your pretty well stuck, especially if you have oil filled bearings. BTW, some suppliers use the plastic cover even without oil filled hubs. Mine are traditional split bearings and at first glance you would think they are oil filled. Nope, just look that way.

Bill

Cummins12V98 · RV-Dreams Family Member

I can see that being a problem! I posted the pic to show what the wheel looked like without the Cap. It was the only one I had and it just happened to show the impact.

To clarify ONLY use an IMPACT to run the lug nuts up with light force AFTER hand starting the lug nuts!!! THEN properly torque the lug nuts.

HighwayRanger · RV-Dreams Family Member

We had the same exact problem. Three of the four dust caps disintegrated, leaving the grease to leak out. DRV is no longer using oil bath setups, but they used the white dust caps, which are all defective. We also had the center chrome cap disappear, and the white, plastic dust cap broke off mid-thread. So, I went and bought the clear replacements, and had them installed on all four wheels. I assume the white caps were defective from the start, or the chassis sat in a field in Indiana through a winter and/or a summer, and were degraded. Sounds like something DRV needs to prevent, rather than respond to later. This is an example of penny pinching that results in no confidence in the manufacturer.

Roy

Cummins12V98 · RV-Dreams Family Member

HighwayRanger wrote:
We had the same exact problem. Three of the four dust caps disintegrated, leaving the grease to leak out. DRV is no longer using oil bath setups, but they used the white dust caps, which are all defective. We also had the center chrome cap disappear, and the white, plastic dust cap broke off mid-thread. So, I went and bought the clear replacements, and had them installed on all four wheels. I assume the white caps were defective from the start, or the chassis sat in a field in Indiana through a winter and/or a summer, and were degraded. Sounds like something DRV needs to prevent, rather than respond to later. This is an example of penny pinching that results in no confidence in the manufacturer.

Roy

If you would have contacted DRV they would have sent you free replacements. It had nothing to do with "penny pinching". As far as your Chrome cap contact them and they will send you a replacement.

Really think you should have given DRV a chance to take care of your problem before bitching about them!!!

HighwayRanger · RV-Dreams Family Member

Cummins12V98 wrote:
If you would have contacted DRV they would have sent you free replacements. It had nothing to do with "penny pinching". As far as your Chrome cap contact them and they will send you a replacement.

Really think you should have given DRV a chance to take care of your problem before bitching about them!!!

I did, and they did. Never mind the travel delay caused by the failure of these parts. But, 3 of the 4 OEM caps should not have disintegrated after a mere 6 months of ownership. They know about the problem, but are apparently still shipping units equipped with these defective parts. So, bitching is in order here.

Roy

-- Edited by HighwayRanger on Tuesday 15th of March 2016 11:57:42 AM