wheel R&R

Topic: wheel R&R (Read 663 times) previous topic - next topic

wheel R&R

August 05, 2013, 03:33:34 am

I'm at a point on repairs that I need to remove wheels(front and back).
I will admit that I'm intimidated by the process. The weight of the coach frankly scares me, but its something I will have to get over by successfully learning to do it.

My apprehension about attempting this was fortified when I had a major truck tire dealer in the Chicago area TOTALLY screw up when replacing my tires last year.
Apparently the installer didn't know that the inner wheel studs have a reversed thread(ATTEMPTING TO REMOVE WHEELS). He drove the studs so hard into the inner wheel that they sheared off. They then had to cut the inner aluminum wheel off. They replaced the wheel at no charge. Cost me $600 to take the MH to a different repair facility to have the broken studs replaced.

These were "experts" and I saw them screw this up.

I plan to buy a 20ton jack and a pair of large stands.
Harbor Freight has a hydro/air jack on sale, I have never worked with a combination hydro/air jack before, are there any good advantages to this model over a regular hydraulic ?

I also need a air impact wrench that will be capable of removing the lug nuts. My shop compressor is a 5hp, 30gal, 125psi unit. will a 3/4" or 1" air impact wrench be capable of generating enough power with this compressor?

How do you torque your lug nuts? I saw the size of the torque wrench the tire shop used that replaced the tires. I don't plan on investing in something that big and obviously expensive if there's another way to accomplish this.

Re: wheel R&R

Reply #1 – August 05, 2013, 07:05:50 am

Lon, your compressor will be marginal for a 1" it might work on a 3/4 impact just not enough CFM. When you purchase your jack and stands make sure it is short enough to fit under the axles, as you know it's tight under there.
No more than the wheels need to come off, if you have found a shop that you like and does good work you may be ahead to take the coach to them every 18 mos or so for a look see. As you are aware every thing on the wheels ends is very heavy and tight. The only reason I work on mine is I have access to a full service shop on the weekends, and even then it's about too much for this old guy to pull all the wheels, clean the brake pins,and lube and adjust the brakes in one day. If you are going to work on your brakes you also need to down load the MM4 manual from Arvin Meritor's web site it has all the information you need, I think it is on Barry's site as well Barry and Darlene Brideau's Personal Website.

Re: wheel R&R

Reply #2 – August 05, 2013, 08:57:04 am

Just for the record, the wheels are now too much for me to do too. You probably should get a two stage compressor and a one inch gun with a long anvil so you do not need an extension on the rears. I now use Cummins for brake work. They only put certified guys on my coach who know air disc brakes.

Re: wheel R&R

Reply #3 – August 05, 2013, 09:14:13 am

Quote from: John S – August 05, 2013, 08:57:04 am

I now use Cummins for brake work. They only put certified guys on my coach who know air disc brakes.

But not all Cummins locations will do brakes (or other things). Cummins Southern Plains in Ft. Worth won't touch anything but engine-related components so you'll have to check with the locations in your area ahead of time to make sure.

Re: wheel R&R

Reply #4 – August 05, 2013, 09:51:56 am

Simply Google "cummins coach care". You will find the list of many Cummins shops that Do have full service on most items on a coach. Having dealt with Cummins over 40 years, they try todo it right, yes everyobe makes a mistake at obe time or other,

My 5 hp compressor is set at 185 psi and the 3/4" pistol with 1/2" air hose WILL remove very stuburn wheel nuts

, not highly recommended, but gets r done nice.

Re: wheel R&R

Reply #5 – August 05, 2013, 09:52:40 am

Actually, not that difficult to do manually. I use 3/4" drive breaker bar and 6' cheater bar (black iron pipe). Lug nuts are torqued to around 500 ft-lbs. Even assuming they are 600 ft-lbs, all you need is 100 pounds of body weight (no muscle) at the end of the 6' bar.

This works just fine in front. A little more difficult on the rear wheels, as you need a jack stand or some means of supporting the breaker bar (with extension to reach into the lug nuts.

Brett

Re: wheel R&R

Reply #6 – August 05, 2013, 10:06:07 am

I used to take my wheels off with a breaker bar as Wolfe mentions (on the GV) and found it more a case of having the support for lug wrench. One thing I will say is that the first time I was taking them off to replace rotors/seals etc the nut end broke on bar (I gather bad casting) so I welded a steel flat bar strip around the repaired female end while heating it to bend and that baby could remove anything it wanted. Cast steel needs to be heated up pretty good before welding or it may crack at joint. I used a 2x4 under the tyre to get it off mounting. Not that hard.
John H

Re: wheel R&R

Reply #7 – August 05, 2013, 10:12:34 am

And then there are tools like these:
60X Torque Multiplier Lug nut Wrench with 1" Drive Sockets "under 0"
Which torque multiplier geared wrench (like X-12) to buy?

Re: wheel R&R

Reply #8 – August 05, 2013, 10:59:15 am

Buy the HF air jacks. I have two and they work slick. Just make sure you are on a level, hard surface and the parking brake is set and an opposite side wheel is chocked. Nice to make a little tool to transition from jack to rear axle to spread the contact area.

Jack up only until the tire clears the ground. Much easier to remove and replace. Don't really need a jack if you are removing the outer dual, just a 2x6.

Buy the proper double sided socket for removing the lug nut and flipped over, the stud.

Gone are the days you needed a 1 inch impact. I have one but not needed. I just use a HF double anvil 1/2" impact works fine. Any compressor will work if you have a good sized air tank to go with it. Air tank has large quick connect for the big air hose I keep just in case. I bought a Craigslisted contractor's small compressor @ $45. The smaller the compressor, the more patience you have to have.

If you have an extra $4-600, a small Snap-On or Milwaukee battery impact make the job easy. AAA used one on ours and it worked like magic.

Use the socket with a 10"-12" extension, breaker bar, 6' pipe plus bathroom scale to torque the nuts/studs. Just divide the torque by the distance. I use a little Anti-Seize on the threads and reduce torque 20%.

Carry something like a 2x6 2 foot plank in case you are in dirt or sand to place the jack on.

Pierce

Re: wheel R&R

Reply #9 – August 05, 2013, 04:02:11 pm

Quote from: Dave M – August 05, 2013, 09:51:56 am

Simply Google "cummins coach care". You will find the list of many Cummins shops that Do have full service on most items on a coach.

I never thought of that - thanks Dave

Re: wheel R&R

Reply #10 – August 05, 2013, 06:25:25 pm

Thanks for all the suggestions.
Looks like a trip to Harbor Freight is in the future, NEVER a bad trip when its a "tool run".

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wheel R&R

August 05, 2013, 03:33:34 am

Re: wheel R&R

Reply #1 – August 05, 2013, 07:05:50 am

Re: wheel R&R

Reply #2 – August 05, 2013, 08:57:04 am

Re: wheel R&R

Reply #3 – August 05, 2013, 09:14:13 am

Re: wheel R&R

Reply #4 – August 05, 2013, 09:51:56 am

Re: wheel R&R

Reply #5 – August 05, 2013, 09:52:40 am

Re: wheel R&R

Reply #6 – August 05, 2013, 10:06:07 am

Re: wheel R&R

Reply #7 – August 05, 2013, 10:12:34 am

Re: wheel R&R

Reply #8 – August 05, 2013, 10:59:15 am

Re: wheel R&R

Reply #9 – August 05, 2013, 04:02:11 pm

Re: wheel R&R

Reply #10 – August 05, 2013, 06:25:25 pm

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