Lost Wheel While Driving - Event Date: 03 Jul 2014

Help!   I need advice!  
My RP178 is still under warranty as I bought it just last December.  it had 2 short trips, totaling approximately 300mi.
I 'started' my 3rd trip last week when the right wheel came off while driving! 
ALL the studs were completely sheared off as well.   The tire slammed into my truck in 2 places before it headed down the road.  Thankfully I was on a remote road.
It was a camping trip that ended up in a motel for 3 days while it got towed, etc.
It was towed to one of their authorized dealers for repair.
Of course I had to go through the 'no call backs' day after day.
I could not afford to keep paying for lodging so I paid out of pocket to get it repaired by their authorized mechanic.
The mechanic said he will work very hard with FR to get my  back.

I finally had to call FR again due to no callback to the mechanic as promised, only to be told
"It's a maintenance problem".  
Hence, they do not want to cover the damage.
I was told I should have torqued down the lug nuts before leaving on my trip. 
Any mechanic will tell you if they were properly torqued by the manufacturer, the tire would not have come off in such a short time, if at all!   A couple other mechanics said the studs were probably defective.   How many tires go flying off because one did not torque them AFTER they were just done 6mos ago.....and it sat most of the time.
I have a serious problem with this.  What if I told them I DID torque them?  I assume I would be told I did not do it properly, therefore they will not cover it.
As you know, its new and that tire was never removed by me or anyone else.
Perhaps I should tighten every screw on the rig, in case I lose something else and get the blame.
They guy in the warranty dept starts telling me he torques his 'car' tires all the time just to be sure.
I thnk that is BS.    I am very good at maintaining both my TV and the POD.   I have donbe everything I can think of before leaving on this trip......except taking it to a tire place to TORQUE the lug nuts.   Not that I would never check this in the future (especially now), my point is I feel its just too soon for me to be held responsible.  

Any opinions or suggestions as to whom I may go for help?
And thank for reading my very long story.


 

   I agree with Budward, I too lost a wheel and marwayne lost a wheel you are not alone. What I have been told aluminum wheels especially ones made in China have a history of lug nuts becoming lose. The heating and cooling of the wheel causes them to expand and contract. After we lost a wheel I changed the aluminum wheels for steel wheels, its a experience I did not want to repeat. We changed our r-pod for a Vibe and now we are back to aluminum wheels, but I have learned my lesson and often check the lug nuts for tightness. Sorry that it has happened to you but thankful no other vehicles were involved and you were not injured. A lesson learned and I am sure you will not forget to check your lug nuts often before and during a long trip.

It is unfortunate that this happened to you.  Fortunately, no one was injured.

Can anyone suggest a good torque wrench? Thanks

+1 on what has been said above.  Checking tire pressure and lug nut torque is on my checklist before every trip.  After the wheel has been removed for some reason, I've found it takes at least a half-dozen re-tightenings before they finally set.  This was true with the steel wheels my popup had, too.