friendly reminder: check your lugs

[a.mus.ed]

About 5:00pm and 55mph yesterday afternoon my driver rear wheel separated from my truck.

I had noticed a inconsistent vibration on my way home from Phoenix. At the last moment before separation the rear end went a little wild. I decided to pull over just before I saw the rear tire shoot past my truck.

As if it weren't scary enough yet, going 55 on 3 tires and a rotor, the loose wheel hit a barricade and launched about 30 feet into the air and landed on my roof. My roof rack took all the damage, and possibly saved my passenger from serious injury as the tire landed directly above the sunroof and her head.

The wheel sheared off all the lugs on its way off the axle. Needless to say I will be replacing all the lugs and lug nuts before driving any significant distance. The rotor will also need to be replaced, as it has a large flat spot where it ground on the asphalt.

After looking for hours last night for the wheel with no luck, MaddBaggins and Tmac (from another forum) came out and helped me find the wheel, which is badly mangled and will be heading to the scrap yard. The rotor wore a deep line all the way around, actually penetrating all the way through at one point so it will not hold air.

Luckily no one was injured, even with the wheel passing through traffic on the other side of the median before coming to rest in some brush.

The backstory: While replacing the rear springs MaddBaggins confirmed what I had suspected about my lug nuts: they were the wrong style (acorns), and they were mismatched to boot; although, I could have prevented this entirely if I had just checked the lugs before leaving.

Next step is getting it all fixed up. I'm compiling a parts list to order up from Dan tomorrow, any suggestions of things I should check/replace would be appreciated. Already on the list is ALL the lugs/lug nuts, and also to begin the search for new wheels (going to steelies).

CHECK YOUR LUGS! There are so many ways this could have ended much worse. Please don't let this happen to you.

[NLXTACY]

Oh wow, this has never happened to me but I've seen it happen...twice. Once coming back from Lake Havasu and I watched a $220k boat get shattered into oblivion because the wheel came off the trailer. Just came off. And just like you said, it was going faster than then truck hauling it was. Second time was a jeep cherokee. Same thing, rear DS tire came off, the rotor dug in and started sparking bad and the truck wound up fishtailing and spinning out. Luckily it didnt flip!!!

Sound advice, check yo NUTZ!

Check it before you wreck it!

[nicholas]

That is one obscene story. I am glad everybody walked away safely. I can't believe the tire actually landed on your roof!

[e9999]

wow! glad you're OK!

curious: any evidence of wear around the wheel holes?
any of the other wheel lugs nuts looked "loose"?


(dang, as if I'm not checking these things often enough....)

[a.mus.ed]

Originally Posted by e9999

curious: any evidence of wear around the wheel holes?
any of the other wheel lugs nuts looked "loose"?

Do you mean the lug holes? If so, yes - on the wheel that came off they're totally chewed up. Since they didn't have the shanks there, it looks like the wheel was riding on the lug for a while, without being held away by the lug nut. I didn't get any pictures of it yet, I'll post some up later on - it's pretty crazy to see what can happen to a wheel in this situation.

I haven't had a chance to look at the rest of the wheels/lugs/etc. yet, but everything is going to come off and new parts will be going on.

[1shot1kill]

Glad you are all okay! It could have been worse. I know my spare has a different type lugs, so I can a specific set just for my spare so I would n't run into the same issue.

[jfz80]

Dang dude!!! glad everyone was alright !!! off to check my nuts

[mainemike]

That is quite a testimonial to crossbar strength on the Tradesman rack... glad everyone walked away OK.

[gotmud]

Had something similar happen on a different vehicle Something you'll never forget! Glad everyone was unscathed.

[NocalFJ60]

That is crazy. Glad everyone was fine. I always use a torque wrench now to check my lug nuts.

[-Spike-]

I think everyone should keep in mind that the lug nuts were not the correct shank-style for the wheels. PO's can't be trusted- check 'em when you buy the truck.

-Spike

[LockedLX]

Originally Posted by a.mus.ed

As if it weren't scary enough yet, going 55 on 3 tires and a rotor, the loose wheel hit a barricade and launched about 30 feet into the air and landed on my roof.

Holy crap!! That's unreal.. thankfully that roof rack was there!

Glad no one was hurt.

[Ruadhrigh]

another scary lugnut thread

[latinoguy]

Originally Posted by a.mus.ed

As if it weren't scary enough yet, going 55 on 3 tires and a rotor, the loose wheel hit a barricade and launched about 30 feet into the air and landed on my roof. My roof rack took all the damage, and possibly saved my passenger from serious injury as the tire landed directly above the sunroof and her head.

The roof rack came in handy for sure. Add that as another benefit for having a roof rack.

Last year I saw a semi's tire come off, spin straight down the freeway, faster than the semi was driving...went ridiculously straight down the 605 fwy...then hit an exit ramp and flew like 30 feet up in the air and 30 yards distance...luckily it did not hit anybody....

[mkaustin]

Had a tire come off the trailer that I was hauling w/ a load of rock. The only thing that I heard was a bang and looked back to see a HUGE plume of sparks flying from the DS trailer hub and the tire rolling past me an up the hill in front of me. It was rolling fast enough to PASS another car in front of me and than roll to the right across the path of that car. The driver was so spaced out that he almost drove over the rolling tire in front of him.
Pulled to the side and examined the hub, only to find four clean bolt holes where the four lug bolts used to be. Walked up the highway to retrieve the wheel and only found one small nick on one of the lug holes in the wheel. No other evidence that the wheel had come off or how.
Left the trailer at drove up the road to an auto parts store and bought 4 new lug bolts. Put the tire back on and the bolts snugged up just fine. Felt just as snug as they did when I checked the lugs before I loaded the rocks. Drove the rest of the way w/ out any other issues.

[Brentbba]

Thank god for a strong roof rack!

[e9999]

yup, this is the most improbable rationale for getting a HD roof rack! and yet....


of course, now it'll never happen again to any other mudder - hopefully...!

[Miescha]

Proof that LC tires are designed to return to the vehicle if they are ever seperated (it went right for the rack where the extra, extra tire is normally stored ).


In case you missed it, looks like your flare was ripped off too.


Seriously, glad everyone walked away (including the cruiser, for the most part).

[-Spike-]

Originally Posted by Miescha

In case you missed it, looks like your flare was ripped off too.

Standard Arizona trail mod. Meaning, the trails do the mod, free of charge.

-Spike

[a.mus.ed]

Originally Posted by -Spike-

Standard Arizona trail mod. Meaning, the trails do the mod, free of charge.

-Spike

That was C-Gap's way of telling me I should try another line.

[-Spike-]

LOL, I was thinking specifically of Charleau Gap when I posted that since you're in Tucson, and that trail (rock on the west downhill run from the Gap?) got me the first time I ran it.

-Spike

[a.mus.ed]

i think i know where you're talking about. this happened on the west end near the slick rock section - pinned my mud flap between a rock and my tire, pulled everything off.

back on topic: does anyone have suggestions for what i should be replacing? the key word is safety - i don't want this happening again. here is what i think i need:
24 lugs
24 lug nuts
4 wheels (moving to steel, scrapping the one and selling the 3)
2 rear rotors (100 series for rear?)
???

i've gotta call up dan before too long so i can get the 80 moving - can't leave it forever where i had it towed - so your timely suggestions are much appreciated.

thanks, everyone.

[Brentbba]

To my knowledge, 100 series pads won't work on the rear of an 80 - just the front. Dan will confirm one way or the other when you call to feed his dogs.

[hj60]

Originally Posted by latinoguy

Last year I saw a semi's tire come off, spin straight down the freeway, faster than the semi was driving...went ridiculously straight down the 605 fwy...then hit an exit ramp and flew like 30 feet up in the air and 30 yards distance...luckily it did not hit anybody....

A tire coming off will roughly double its speed as soon as it is unloaded. With a 13" trailer tire, it'll hurt, dent up your hood/trunk and not too much more.
A 22.5" or even 24.5" semi tire can weigh over 200 lb. Now imagine that coming at you at 140 mph. Your car will not be recognizable. And you will be smeared all over the interior of it.
This is stressed by many of our vendors.
I check lugs at every service. I'm not gonna have a tire I installed become an unguided missile.

[CreeperSleeper]

[clarkrw3]

80 series rear rotors and pads...I would get a rebuild kit for the rear calipers they are cheep and you might need new boots etc.

[MaddBaggins]

Cayce, don't forget you need at least a handful of axle shaft studs and nuts. I saw at least one that was bent. Also get the axle gaskets. Other than that, wheel studs all around, lug nuts all around, new rear rotors (80 series, I hadn't heard this weird rumor that you asked me about putting 100 series rears on the 80. You can ask Dan if they work, but I'd stick with 80's)

We'll get that biotch runnin again in no time.