Filler tube replacement and wheel removal

[Adam Hicklin]

I need to replace the filler tube hose on my 98 Marquis, Magnum chassis. This looks like it will be a million times easier if I remove the passenger side front wheel.  Having never removed a wheel this large, a few questions:  1.  Can I use use one of those torque multiplier sockets to actually torque the lug nuts when I re-install the wheel?  2.  I see several bolts holding the plastic wheel well in place.  Does anyone know if the bolts are the only thing holding it in?  Will it come out easily? 3. Any other advice you can give me Taking this project on?  The actual replacement of the filler tube looks easy.  Getting to it seems to be the difficult part.  Thanks in advance. 

[Mike Shumack]

Your asking about removing the front wheel. What filler tube do you have in the front (fuel filler hose, I assume)?
You can use a torque multiplier to remove nuts but you can not (should not) use it to torque the nut  when you reinstall. It is too inaccurate.

With that said, when I worked as truck mechanic we just used a 3/4" impact gun to install truck tires. Being older and wiser now, and since any mistakes cost me money, I would always torque the nuts now. An improperly torqued wheel could come off.

I have this torque wrench (but there are cheaper ones available) https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000RT8ENE/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I also have this to make removal/installing easier https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01DWHSM0M/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1
If you think you will be removing tires (more than once) these tools are a must - but for the money, you could pay someone a couple of times before you would break even on the cost of tools. For me its a more a matter of convenience and that I like to work on my own stuff.

[Adam Hicklin]

Hi Mike.  Thanks.  Yes, the fuel filler tube. 

[Adam Hicklin]

What’s the process for jacking this thing up?  Axel or frame?  Air bags deflated or max inflated?

[Mike Shumack]

If you are pulling a wheel, you would put your bottle jack under the axle. Then put a 20T jack stand under the axle in case the bottle jack fails. On the rear axle there is not enough room under the axle housing for a jack and a stand side by side, so I put the jack stand under the track arm bracket coming down from the frame (not the track arm itself).

If you have the hydraulic leveling jacks that are capable of lifting tires off ground, I would be tempted to use those, but with jack stands too. However manual says not to use the hyd leveling jacks to lift coach.

If you just want to go under to work on something, I use wood blocks screwed together to form a ramp I can drive the back or front tires up on. I have a post on this ramp with pictures.

[Adam Hicklin]

Ya, I thought about just extending the hydraulic jacks once I’ve raised that corner with the bottle jack.  Just for added insurance.  Having a hard time finding a 20 ton jack stand.

Still not sure what to do with the airbags.  If I inflate them fully, then jack the axel, the wheel is extended out of the wheel well, but I’m not comfortable working under there with inflated airbags. If I deflate the airbags, then jack the axel, it seems that the wheel would be tucked up in the wheel well and unable to get it off/out. 

Any recommendations? 

[Mike Shumack]

I have these stands https://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200365421_200365421
Sometimes I need to stick a couple of 4x4s under the base to get the height I need so the jack is right at the frame/support height. I keep some 12" long 4x4s in the basement compartment too.

I leave the airbags inflated. The more room the better. I am aware of how things could move if a bag were to blow out - and would not get myself into a space where i could be injured by a blown air bag or line). When I did work on my HWH system, I had to remove air lines so I dumped the air before going under the coach. Once under the couch there is quite a bit of room even with the bags deflated (its getting under the body skirt that is tough with the bags down). I can still get under with the air bags deflated, even on a creeper when I park the rear wheels on the ramps. http://beaveramb.org/forum/index.php/topic,7889.0.html
I use the ramps way more than the bottle jack. The jack is only used if I need to lift a wheel (remove a tire or rotate the drive shaft, etc.).

[Joel Ashley]

I have a lighter coach and carry a Craftsman 12 ton bottle jack with two 4 ton stands.  They take up surprisingly little bay space.  That is more than adequate for our loaded 12,000 lb front if I'm raising one side for a tire issue.  The trick is to not twist the front cap too far, so the 24,000 lb jack could handle the entire front if required. 

For the 5 ton load on one rear side, they should still work as long as I use both stands;  but for added peace of mind I'd likely use two up front also.  If you are only concerned with one front side, two stands may suffice in lieu of one spendier or harder to come by heavier one. Many here don't trust jack stands and prefer a large chunk of solid wood.  In a way I understand, as that is what we always used on the farm when I was growing up.  But that big old 12X12 Doug Fir hunk would take up a sizeable amount of my limited bay storage  .
 
Joel

[Adam Hicklin]

Thanks guys.  So I realized that I never considered taking off the skirt around the front wheel.  I took off the skirt, maxed the airbags up, and it gave me enough room to access the fuel filler tube at both ends.  A few trial and error fittings and I was back in business.  It definitely would have been easier with the wheel removed, but I didn’t have to deal with jacks, jack stands, lug nut removal and torquing.  The worst part of the whole operation was pumping and containing about 30 gallons of fuel.  Of course, I had just filled it up.  I’d like to have a talk with the genius who decided to put a filler inlet halfway down the side of the tank.  Lazy engineering.  Now on to my electrical issues.  Thanks for the help and encouragement. 

[Roy Boles]

You might consider replacing the filler hose with with exhaust tubing. You should be able to get it at a muffler shop. I have done that before.