Airstream Touring Coach Interstate 19 2023 Changing Tire User Manual

Table of Contents

Airstream Touring Coach Interstate 19 2023 Changing A Tire User Manual

Changing A Tire

(Partially excerpted from the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Van Operator’s Manual)
After changing a wheel, the wheel nuts must be tightened once the vehicle has been driven for about 30 miles.
If new or repainted wheels are fitted, the wheel nuts must be retightened again after about 600 to 3000 miles. Do not use remolded tires.

WARNING
Fitting wheel sizes other than those supplied by Sprinter to the vehicle will change the Sprinter’s handling characteristics and may lead to an accident resulting in severe personal injuries, death and property damage.

NOTE
Read the Sprinter manual for wheel torque and wheel tightening procedures.

WARNING
The Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Operator’s Manual contains important cautions, warnings, specifications, and operational information on changing, maintaining, and replacing of the tires and wheels. Read, understand, and follow the Sprinter manual sections for changing a tire.

CAUTION
Changing a tire on a touring coach chassis is a physically demanding procedure. It requires specialized tools and knowledge of safety procedures. Only you can determine your knowledge base and physical ability. Don’t take any unnecessary risks. Find a safe area to park your unit, and call a tire service center and supply them with the information in the Sprinter Manual if you have any doubts about changing a tire.

Flat Tire
If you get a flat tire while driving, gradually decrease your speed. Hold the steering wheel firmly and slowly move to a safe place on the side of the road. The pressure of the spare wheel (sold separately) should be checked regularly (at least after every tenth time at the filling station). The vehicle tool kit is located in a hatch under the front passenger foot well.

WARNING
Use a jack (sold separately) designed exclusively for jacking up the vehicle at the jack take-up brackets built into either side of the vehicle. To help avoid personal injury, use a jack only to lift the vehicle during a wheel change. Never get beneath the vehicle while it is supported by a jack.

Precautions When Changing a Wheel

Keep hands and feet away from the area under the lifted vehicle.
Always firmly set the parking brake and block wheels before raising the vehicle with the jack.
Do not disengage the parking brake while the vehicle is raised.
Always use the jack on a level surface.
Do not jack the vehicle up more than 1-2 in. between the tire and the surface. Otherwise, the vehicle may tip over and may cause serious injury or death to you or others.
Be sure that the jack arm is fully seated in the jack take-up bracket.
Always lower the vehicle onto the sufficient capacity jack stands before working under the vehicle.
Do not damage, grease, or oil wheel nuts or stud threads.

Procedure

Park the vehicle on a firm, level, non-slippery surface.
Switch on the hazard warning flasher switch, apply the parking brake, and place the transmission selector in “P”.
Everyone must leave the vehicle before you jack it up.
Everyone must leave the danger zone before you jack up the vehicle. Danger zones vary with location. Take a minute and look at what might happen if the vehicle falls off the jack and rolls. Set up your danger zone.
The vehicle must be safeguarded in accordance with legal regulations (such as using a warning triangle).
Prevent the vehicle from rolling away by blocking wheels with wheel chocks (not supplied with the vehicle) or sizable woodblocks or stones. On a level road place one chock in front of and one behind the wheel that is diagonally opposite to the wheel being changed. When changing a wheel on mild uphill or downhill grade, place chocks on the downhill side blocking both wheels of the other axle. Do not jack the vehicle up on a steep grade.

WARNING
Do not change wheels on a steep uphill or downhill grade. The vehicle may begin to move and fall from the jack, which could cause property damage, personal injury, and/or death.

Jack
Read, understand, and follow the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Operator’s manual instructions, cautions, and warnings for changing a wheel and jack point locations.

Loosen the wheel nuts before raising the vehicle.
Close the release valve on the jack.
Assemble the pump lever provided and insert it into the socket on the jack.
Secure lever by turning it clockwise in the socket.
Position the jack under the appropriate jack point and raise the vehicle by pumping the lever.

WARNING
A jack (sold separately) is intended only for raising the vehicle briefly, for instance when changing a wheel. The jack must be placed on a firm, flat surface only. Do not crawl under the vehicle while it is raised with a jack. Do not start the engine while the vehicle is jacked up. Do not jack the vehicle up more than 1-2 in. between the tire and the surface. The vehicle may tip over and cause serious injury or death to you or others. Jack stands must always be used while working beneath the vehicle. Failure to follow these precautions could result in property damage, personal injury, and/or death.

Installing and Removing A Wheel

Loosen the wheel nuts.
Jack up the vehicle until the wheel is clear of the ground.
Unscrew the wheel nuts and remove the wheel (keep the wheel nuts clean).

NOTE
If the vehicle moves forward or backward while it is being jacked up, lower it, stabilize the vehicle, and repositioned the jack. When the vehicle is jacked up, the jack must stand vertically (plumb-line).

Mounting a New Wheel

Before fitting the spare wheel, clean rust and dirt off the contact surfaces of the wheel and the wheel hub and from the wheel nuts.

Note the specified wheel and tire size, tire load capacity, and speed code.

Do not change the tire’s direction of rotation.
Do not damage, grease, or oil wheel nuts or their threads.

Centering Wheels With Wheel Nuts

If dual assemblies are used, before placement, the inner wheel should be inspected to ensure all ball bearing rings are in the proper position.
Install the wheel and snug the wheel nuts.
Slightly tighten wheel nuts.

Lowering the Vehicle

Slowly open the jack release valve to lower the vehicle until tire is resting on the ground.
Tighten the wheel nuts in a crosswise pattern, as specified, with a torque wrench. For tire pressure and wheel bolt torque procedures, see the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Van Operator’s Manual.
Remove the jack and stow.
Check the tire pressure. For tire pressures see the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Operator’s Manual.
Retighten the wheel nuts to the specified torque with a torque wrench after a distance of approximately 30 miles.

WARNING
Only certain tires meeting the tire size/load/speed index ratings contained in the Tire Pressure Tables, found in the Index Section of the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter’s Operators or Owner’s Manual, are certified to conform to FMVSS 120 for the Sprinter Vehicle at this time. Please check the sidewalls of your originally-equipped tires for specific makes/sizes, and speed load ratings when you need to replace your tires. To prevent accidents, injury, or possible death, use only the correct tires for your tire replacement.

Wheel Bolt Tightening

Tighten all wheel nuts evenly in the crosswise sequence indicated.

NOTE
Consult the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Operators manual for extensive wheel tightening and wheel torque procedures, cautions, and warnings.

WARNING
For safety reasons, the wheel tightening torque must be checked immediately after changing a tire and again after 30 miles to 140 ft-lbs. The wheels could otherwise come loose.

Tire Rotation

Front and rear tires perform different jobs and can wear differently depending on the types of roads driven, driving habits, etc. To obtain the longest tire life, you should inspect and rotate your tires regularly. Many automotive dealers and tire dealers will perform a free tire inspection to look for uneven or abnormal tire wear.
Tires should be rotated every 6,000 to 8,000 miles. For the longest tire life, any time irregular wear is seen have the tires checked, alignment checked, and tires rotated by your truck or tire dealer. Has the cause of uneven wear been corrected?

Rotation Pattern For WheelsNOTE
Read the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Operator’s Manual for complete instructions on tire rotation, installation, and maintenance.

Support

Since touring coaches may sit for long periods it is important to properly support the tires if blocks are used for leveling.
Extreme caution must be taken to ensure that the tires are fully supported when using blocks to level the touring coach. The load on the tire should be evenly distributed on the block. If not done, the steel cables in the sidewall of the tires may be damaged and could lead to premature fatigue of the sidewall.

Correct

The CORRECT method is shown in Figure 1. The tire is supporting the full load. Please note that the block is wider than the tread and longer than the tire’s footprint. This provides maximum support to the tire and ensures that the load is evenly distributed throughout the tire’s footprint area.

Incorrect

The INCORRECT method is shown in Figure 2: A portion of the tire is supporting the full load.

WARNING
Tires that are incorrectly supported may be damaged, which could lead to casing failure resulting in serious injury or property damage. If, on previous occasions, the tires have been incorrectly supported, hidden damage may be present. Please contact your local tire dealer and request an inspection and a determination of possible damage.

Reference Links

View Full User Guide: Airstream Touring Coach Interstate 19 2023 User Manual

Download Manuals: https://www.airstream.com/owners/manuals/