Scary wheel failure

[ray66v]

The alloys I've seen come off are from loose lug nuts then the holes beat themselves larger from driving with it loose.

Yes, that's how it happens.

 

[Diamondpilot]

165 ft-lbs actually. I think they upped the spec after SD's were out a couple years. And I think it is a ton of torque. My large 1/2" torque wrench (25-250 ft lbs) requires quite some pressure to click out on these. I don't weigh enough, so I need to leverage against the ground or truck to make that click sometimes. I love when I run across the occasional 200+ ft-lb crankshaft nut:confused2:

Yes, you are right. Both of my Superdutys call for 150 to 165 ft lbs.

Chris

 

[tungularafishcamp]

:laughing::laughing::laughing:
Lbrown, when I was a punk kid we did that to a cranky neighbor with rocks in the hubcap. He took it to the shop 2x to figure that rattle out. Kinda feel bad about it now, but not then he was sure a grump to all us kids.

 

[PoorMansCat]

Yet another reason why I do my own brake, suspension, and tire rotation work. Some idiot with a pneumatic "torque wrench" set to full stun!!!.. There goes the studs, nuts, brake rotors, etc..

 

[dstig1]

Same here, but everyone forgets or makes mistakes...you are just less likely to if you take this stuff serioulsy, especially on your own equipment.

 

[Mace Canute]

Years ago I was driving the company tandem digger truck pulling the pole/material trailer which had tandem duals on it. Somewhere on the highway, a complete set of wheels/tires/hubs/brakes left a spindle on the back trailer axle and went off to see the world; we never did find it. This was a new trailer too, still had the shiny on.

I remember one guy we worked with, the type who is a magnet for practical jokes. We would pop the hubcaps off his work truck and add a rock or two. WELL worth the effort! Guaranteed hissy fit!! The funny thing is, if he hadn't put on such a show every time we did it, we wouldn't have done it. :laughing: He wasn't a tall person but he used to push the front bench seat almost all the way back when driving it and since it was a crew cab, it really cut down on the foot room in the back seat. I was taller with longer legs and I couldn't drive it comfortably with the seat that far back. Now you have to realize, we were Linemen...wearing Line Boots, not little loafers or sneakers. These boots are physically large and almost clumsy to wear. Our feet were quite literally jammed into the foot well. He wouldn't ever slide the seat ahead for us so one day, I slide the seat fully ahead and took a small 1/4 inch bolt and put it in the hole in the track that the adjuster locks into locking it fully ahead. The track was a u-channel shape and the bolt head fit perfectly down in it and I tightened it up. He was so pi**ed off when he went to slide it back, he was beating and banging on the steering wheel, seat adjuster lever and the seat itself! We darn near peed our pants laughing at him!! It had the desired effect though, next time he gave us a decent amount of room for our feet. I miss tormenting him...

 

[Mike Costello]

My father told me a story about having a funny rattling noise from his car, think it was a ford. He could never find it so he brought it to a shop and they put it up on the lift and couldn't find it. It slowly got worse but just ot use to the noise.

When it came time for new tires and they pulled the hubcap off the wheels (it had those hubcaps that only covered the lug nuts but left part of the steel wheel exposed) they 3 of the five lug nuts fall on the ground from both front wheels.

Best they could figure is that the last time the wheels were removed the mechanic put two nuts on the hold the wheel on than then finger tightened the last three but never finished them off before putting the hubcap on. Because the noise wasn't specific to one tire or side of the car nobody thought about lug nuts. My father figured he put 30,000 miles on those tires.

I like the Toyota style of lug nuts for Aluminum wheels, the kind that has a flat washer over the cone shape that's also used for steel wheels. If they loosen up Aluminum is just too soft and will wear quickly.

This story illustrates why I had standing orders to never interrupt the tire installers while they were installing wheel assemblies. If in doubt, they were told to recheck the torque. A wheel off situation can turn tragic in a hurry.

Years ago, I had a rear axle complete with brake drum, wheel and tire separate from a car and come right at me as I drove in the opposite direction. It must have bounced 50ft in the air before coming down. I stood on the brakes to slow down, but a lady on the inside lane of the freeway passed me and the axle and wheel landed squarely on the hood of her car. She did a good job of controlling her car, though, as it slid off the road. I pulled over and ran back to her car, to see if she was OK. I'll never forget the frightened look on her face.

 

[mojoinco]

Yeap, took the hub caps for my wifes then new horse trailer off at pick up from the factory. Checked the torque the next day before leaving town. Reminds me, I need to check the skid steer lug bolts. Have had them loosen up too.

 

[jonyyuma]

Guys, reading this made me go home and check alll my lug nuts on my new Alum wheels. It has been about 500 miles. None had loosened. But I too have seen Semi wheeels depart their trailer...Awakening at the least. Jy

 

[flyingcow]

Yep, I bet they were over torqued at some time.

I had a flat on the drivers rear of my brand new 1999 S-10 blazer when it was 4 months old. Actually had a kitchen fork in it. Anyway I could not get the lug nuts off. I had to walk a mile to a farm house, before cell phone days, and ask to use the phone. I called my dad and he told me what a dumb *^$%^$ I was but he was on his way to help with some tools. The farmer offered to give me a ride back to my truck and on the way he stopped to pick up a 7' long piece of pipe at his barn.

Well we got there and my dad showed up with a 3/4 drive socket set. We put the pipe over the wrench and actually lifted the tire off the gound without the lug nuts budging. My dad said just drive it to the dealer on the flat. It was a Sunday. I did and they had to replace every stud and all 4 wheels on it. They said they had to burn a few lug nuts off they were so tight.

Chris

The nuts i have to tighten are on a big rig, we usually push them to specs, which is actually 450 to 500 lbs.


But I've been there with personal vehicles. Nothing like giving a "mechanic" a 1/2 inch drive air ratchet to put tires on. Like you had to do, 3/4 inch breaker bar w/4ft pipe. Not pleasant.