catastrophic rim failor

[wooden]

My 2010 JD 2720 had a new twist yesterday that I have never seen the likes of.
I was working a small pile of dirt from one spot to another when I notices a wobble
on my left front wheel. Stopped and set the load down to inspect, and could not
believe what I was looking at. The rim had split in several places fronm the lug nuts
outwards, and around the outer edges if the inner rim plate. Has anyone seen this before ?
And, what could be the cause of such a failure???

 

[SteveM70]

Lug bolts loose?

 

[Gary Fowler]

Loose lug bolts are the usual cause of rim failure. I don't think I have ever heard of a rim failure without the bolts being loose. Better check all of the other lug bolts also. Loose bolts allow the rim to start flexing which causes metal fatigue and cracks follow the fatigue lines.

If you have an FEL, check all the bolts on the sub-frame also as those also tend to loosen up which can cause bolt failure or in the case of the rims, rim failure.

 

[Cataclysm]

These guys pretty much have it.

I will add that the lugs could be bottomed out and appear to be tight while leaving enough flex to fatigue the wheel.

Also from the picture it looks like this has taken a long time to happen. Rust in the break, rust at the edge where the paint peeled long before the rim broke.

Whats the other rims look like?

 

[wooden]

Lug nuts are 7/8 on lock washers and they are tight with no flex! I just tried to remove the rim and it took a 1/2 inch breaker bar with an extention pipe to get movement, so, my conclusion is, this is not loose nut
failure by any means. Oh well!! Any word on a new rim?? Price is up there from the green parts store $112.40 and shipping to the US. Virgin Islands is hefty!!

 

[wooden]

These guys pretty much have it.

I will add that the lugs could be bottomed out and appear to be tight while leaving enough flex to fatigue the wheel.

Also from the picture it looks like this has taken a long time to happen. Rust in the break, rust at the edge where the paint peeled long before the rim broke.

Whats the other rims look like?

Other rim is fine and in tact. Lugs are also tight as a drum with no signs of fatigue I am thinking this may have happened over three days or so.
I will check to see if the bolts were bottomed out , but I think not!

 

[Cataclysm]

Lug nuts are 7/8 on lock washers and they are tight with no flex! I just tried to remove the rim and it took a 1/2 inch brealer bar with an extention pipe to get movement, so, my conclusion is, this is not loose nut
failure by any means. Oh well!! Any word on a new rim?? Price is up there from the green parts store $112.40 and shipping to the US. Virgin Islands is hefty!!

Even with the lugs tight, that rim broke due to flexing, which fatigued the rim to failure over time.

Maybe the rim just wasnt built heavy enough for this application.

Good thing is no one hurt and it sounds like no property damage.

 

[Cataclysm]

I keep looking at that rim. Looks like maybe the rim had a weak spot at the stamping bend on the outer edge. Lots of break at that point.

Careful inspection of the other rim may show fatigue there.

Can we get a good pic of that rim?

 

[topbuilder]

Well, don't want to be called Captain Obvious here... The metal is fatigued. It did not happen over night... That can be the result of a poor design, inadequate building materials, or the use of the product which exceeds what it was designed for. It would appear the problem started with the enlarging of the bolt holes in the wheel.

 

[wooden]

Ok, upon second inspection with the rim off the tractor, I see where the lugs had to be loose enough to cause this to happen, and infact, it did take some time to break away in the way that it did without me noticing it. The weare on the underside of the bolts show serious weare, enough so that this could happen over time. All the more cause for more maintenance inspections. I put this little cut through **** and can say this is one tough little unit. Thanks for all the feedback on this issue guys!