Message Forums

Caravan wheels bolts have a habit of working loose. I always use thread locking compound on my wheel bolts. Having said that - the bolts on a new van ought to have been torqued up so that it is higly unlikely they would have worked that loose in just 15 miles.

Is it possible someone might have tampered with it whilst in storage? When we used to leave ours in storage we had a few odd events which indicated someone had been tampering.

 So sorry to read this. After reading your other thread I would have thought the dealer would have checked the new van with a fine tooth comb.  15 miles is no distance to travel.  I hope you have not had too much damage, but I would try and get the dealer to accept responsibility for this (trading standards maybe?)

Shirley

Blimey - you havent had alot of luck with that van/dealer!

Hope you get it sorted out!

Could someone of undone them whilst it was in storage? I guess these things do happen.

Thankfully no one injured, however not an experience you wish to have.

On section 1.5 of the manual there is a section entitled safety, where it states that Wheel torque should be checked after 30 miles and before every journey.

We never did this with our new van and if it is so important then it is negligent of the dealer not to instruct you about this.  As you hadn't even done 30 miles even this is irrelevant.  Who is going to check the torque of their wheel bolts before every trip.

You sure have my sympathy!

Again I suppose the Caravan had a PDI, sorry but it should be 'back to the dealer' again!, wheels just do not drop off after 15 miles!

Also when we bought our Bailey Ranger GT60 earlier this year we got a set of 'locking wheel nuts' thrown into the deal! maybe you should consider them when you get sorted, as you 'cannot get the wheels' off without the special nut, AND don't loose the nut or your in dead trouble!

Good luck

Mike

The dealer is saying that the wheels may have been tampered with whilst in storage. If that were the case why was the nut that was hidden by the alko wheel lock also loose? If someone had loosened the other 4 nuts the one hidden under the wheel lock would have remained tight and therefore would it not have sheared off rather than just dropping out by the side of the road like the others??

There is nothing we can do to prove that the dealers were negilent just the same as we're unable to prove that the van hadn't been tampered with. So basically we're lumbered and have to claim on our insurance. I will never use this dealer again and will not recommend them to anyone else, either for sales or service. Not that it will make much difference to them, they are a large dealer and I'm sure our business was a mere drop in the ocean.

Sara.

So you had a wheel clamp on that covered one of the nuts - in which case (as you say) that nut could not have been loosened whilst in storage. As has been said I'd suggest a conversation with Trading Standards - I've always found them to be very helpful.

And I agree - name and shame time.

Having spent a lot of time visiting dealerships looking for a new van we've sadly decided that the manufacturers and the dealer networks are so poor that we shall give up caravanning once our current caravan wears out.

Name and shame the dealer???????

It may have been an oversight on the part of the dealer, it may not have been. We need to remember that these websites can involve libel against the owner of the site.

Sometimes in life things happen that we know we are not responsible for and we just cannot find sufficient proof of just who was to blame. Thats what we have insurance for. Sorry about the accident but I think its a shrug of the shoulders and put the claim in and then get a Torque wrench and check the nuts yourself before every journey and don't rely on any one else.

Phil