My Wheel Came Off the Axle While Towing

[hlcapo]

I was driving home from a trip (1700 miles) and was about 50 miles from home when I saw the back of the trailer jump. I pulled over and discovered that the entire wheel, including the brake drum, was missing. Some guy pulled in behind me saying he saw where the wheel went and offered to get it for me. Thank you. The wheel tore the fenders off, ripped the skirt, ripped off the extender arm, damaged the hydraulic line for the leveler, and ripped up some fiberglass on the end cap and cracked it. Total damage, including the roadside repair: $6800. Turns out the locking washer that keeps the nut on the axel from backing off didn't have the tab set into the nut. The washer on the other wheel was set.

The trailer has 1000's of miles on it but the brake drum was never removed. This happened at the factory. Might be worth checking next time you get new tires.

[Grumpy]

Originally Posted by hlcapo

The trailer has 1000's of miles on it but the brake drum was never removed. This happened at the factory. Might be worth checking next time you get new tires.

That would be a DEXTER or LIPPERT screw up since the axles are sent completely assembled to JAYCO. All they do is attach them to the frame. How old is the rig?

[hlcapo]

It's a 2013 Jayco Pinnacle 36REQS.

[Mopar_Earl]

Originally Posted by hlcapo

It's a 2013 Jayco Pinnacle 36REQS.

A 2013 with thousands of miles on it and it's never been taken apart for bearing inspection and repack and brake inspection!!?? No state safety inspection? Bet you will find all kinds of stuff worn if you looked.


Earl

[2edgesword]

Glad no one was injured.

[Jagiven]

That is scary. I have to admit, those hubs should be removed and manually inspected periodically.

I recall when I did my first bearing grease job (full tear down). I had the TT about 2-3 years, I found something wrong with the nut and the retainer clip would not clip in. Don't recall the details anymore, but recall that I felt lucky as I had not lost a wheel, while on the road. It could have ended with a similar result as what happened to you.

Hopefully insurance covers most of it.

[Nature Ist]

I can't help but conclude that routine maintenance would have detected something long before the wheel came off. 7 years is far too long to have never been removed for bearing and brake inspection.
I also have to ask how you concluded that the locking washer was never set correctly at the factory? If the wheel came off the spindle, the nut, tab, washer and bearing all came off with it; making it very hard to say the washer was loose for 7 years before this happened.