Runaway Tire!

[Deere Dude]

Going through town to a campground after a 100 mile run on the interstate pulling a big 5th wheel I kept hearing ticking type sounds. Was beside a semi so thought it was from him. Another 3 miles in the campground still heard the ticking sound. Just before the last turn to the campsite I inspected the camper wheels and they seemed okay. I came to the dually and popped off the wheel liner covers from all 4 corners.

I almost crapped a brick when I saw the left rear wheel nuts were hanging on by about 3 threads each. Every one, all 8. The only thing keeping them on seems to be the cover. I got the tire wrench and snugged them up to the wheels, moved ahead and redid it. Kept doing that until all were tight. Should have jacked it up but this seemed easier. The reason this happened was I just spun the nuts on with an air wrench, didn't torque them and didn't recheck after 50 miles. That my friends could have been a major disaster if I was on the interstate going 75 another half hour.

Another lesson learned.

 

[ruffdog]

Several years ago on the nearby interstate, a semi lost a set of duels, they went through the median, they bounced and hit the top of the windshield of a pickup going the other direction. The whole top of the cab was crushed back. They ended up safely driving into the ditch and stopping, with the huge RV they were towing. Scary stuff.

 

[two_bit_score]

I had just left my dooryard when I heard a "thud." Looking behind me I saw my spare tire lying in the road. It hadn't just come off; the bracket holding it under the truck had broken. If it had happened 2 hours later I would have been going down the interstate through Bangor and most likely would have resulted in a serious crash.

The truck was 3 years old, and that was the last time that I used the spare tire holder.

Where did you keep the spare after that?

 

[PILOON]

I had just left my dooryard when I heard a "thud." Looking behind me I saw my spare tire lying in the road. It hadn't just come off; the bracket holding it under the truck had broken. If it had happened 2 hours later I would have been going down the interstate through Bangor and most likely would have resulted in a serious crash.

The truck was 3 years old, and that was the last time that I used the spare tire holder.

Same happened to me, heard noises coming from the rear and discovered that I was dragging my spare tire on the road.

Today many manufacturers have solved the spare tire problem.
They don't provide one!
Instead they give you a can of air and or maybe a 12 volt compressor.

 

[4570Man]

Same happened to me, heard noises coming from the rear and discovered that I was dragging my spare tire on the road.

Today many manufacturers have solved the spare tire problem.
They don't provide one!
Instead they give you a can of air and or maybe a 12 volt compressor.

Not a bad solution IMO. The chance of the user being able to change it, getting the ridiculous toque tire store lug nuts off, the wheel not being stuck to the hub, and the spare tire not being flat are pretty slim.

 

[Industrial Toys]

That force is incredible for what was probably not a large tire. I can't even imagine a super-single coming along with your name on it.

 

[4570Man]

That force is incredible for what was probably not a large tire. I can't even imagine a super-single coming along with your name on it.

I saw his post on another forum and attempted to calculate the force. At a 120 mph closing speed ( which probably wasn’t that fast here ) a 50 pound tire would have 24,000 foot pounds of energy and a 200 pound truck tire would hit with 95,000 foot pounds. A bouncing tire in the windshield would be bad news.

 

[orezok]

A number of years ago we were pulling our camping trailer to a remote campsite in the Redwoods. The spare tire was mounted underneath in front of the axles on a winch similar to a pick up. We turned off 101 and headed up this narrow road that kept our speed to 25 or so. We get to the final turnoff to the campground which we had been to before and stopped at the turn off.

The final .4 miles was a one lane road with redwood trees in some places only 6 clear of either side of the trailer. There were no shoulders or turnouts if you met someone coming the other direction.

While I was scouting out the road to see if anyone else was on it, a guy stops and asks if we lost a tire. I look under the trailer and the spare was gone. The steel cable that held it broke.

The tire somehow managed to stay completely flat while it slid under the axles. Fifteen minutes earlier we were doing 55 on the freeway and if the tire had caught an axle it might have been a disaster.

 

[civilian]

Around the turn of the century, we had a GM plastice van. Spare tire mounted underneath behind the rear axle. In a parking lot we loaded all our bikes and camping gear in it and slammed the rear hatch. I hear a thunk. Looked underneath and there is my spare tire on the ground. We just had a high school junior friend of my daughter drive the van to us, some 200 miles. Lucky for all of us, the spare came off when it did.

Another story. I have a Tundra that came with steel wheels. Bought a set of used tires and aluminum style wheels. Took them to a tire store to swap them out. Couple days later I start hearing clicking noises. So when I get home I look and two wheels were missing some lug nuts. And the holes are wallowed out of round. Opps! Call the tire store and talked to their after hours repair man. He came out and inspected and we decided to have it hauled back in to fix the situation. Me not knowing and the rookie tire guy not knowing, the steel wire lug nuts should not be used on aluminum style wheels. One wheel had to be replaced.

One last story. One of my dad's semi drivers called to report loosing a set of duals off the rear axle of the trailer. Fortunately he was coming to a stop on the off ramp when he saw them pass him down in the ditch. He got the duals back up to the road side and realized the lock nut came off the bearings. Both tires and brake drum came off the axle. I had to go down and chain up the axle, get the tires and drum in the trailer and send the driver on his way. The trailer was basically empty. Jon

 

[Jstpssng]

Where did you keep the spare after that?

In the bed of the truck. It's a PITA, but at least it's there when I need it.