Weird Tire Experience

[Silk]

I once had the front wheel come off a MkII Jag I was driving.Coming down a long steep hill,everytime I braked a horrible noise came from the front wheel...finally near the bottom the wheel came off.As I was fighting to bring the 3 wheel car to a halt,I watched the wire wheel go across the road,launch over a flax bush and disappear.When I went to look for the wheel,behind the flax bush was a car with the wheel embedded in the drivers door.

It had wire wheels with knock off hubs - the hub and wheel are splined.A common problem was the splines corroded,and then stripped....this normally happened on the rear wheels as there was more load.On the right front,the hub locks under brakes,and the knock off unwinds....and off goes the wheel too.

 

[rshunter]

Yep, that's why a lot of racing teams that run single-nut wheels have left-hand and right-hand threaded hubs, on opposite sides of the car.

 

[TallPaul]

Originally Posted By: moribundman
What camera did you use?

Pro photographers also ask what lens was used.

(This was typed on a Microsoft keyboard and written on a Dell monitor).

 

[opus1]

Originally Posted By: TallPaul
....Imagine a tire coming off an 18 wheeler.

My Dad didn't have to imagine this, he saw the spare come off a semi, on the interstate. Fortunately it missed his car, but did some damage to the front end of a car in the next lane.

I saw the wheel come off of a boat trailer on the interstate once, this was a large boat and a 4-wheel trailer. Wheel comes off, starts bouncing across the lanes and hits the Jersey barrier in the center, then straightens out and starts heading down the highway. Fortunately the driver of the vehicle was able to pull over without taking out himself or anyone else, and as I was exiting anyway, I stopped at the first pay phone I saw and called it in to the state troopers.

 

[Silk]

Originally Posted By: rshunter
Yep, that's why a lot of racing teams that run single-nut wheels have left-hand and right-hand threaded hubs, on opposite sides of the car.


So does Jaguar - but when the hub locks,it turns the nut off.

 

[andyd]

I have 2 personal experiences with losing a wheel. Both times the rim failed and the lugmuts wore through the holes. The 1st time it happened, it was a relief, I thought the rear end was toast.

 

[bretfraz]

I've got a great story but will post Cliff's Notes here.

*High school friend has super fast El Camino, mostly paid for by dad.

*One day, leaves school with a friend, goes tearing up I-5 at high speed.

*Sees black Camaro behind him, decides they want to race, cranks up speed to 100+.

*Black Camaro turns out to be brand new 1981 CHP pursuit Camaro being field testing at local CHP station.

*El Camino friend pulls over when he sees red light. Spends 3 days in jail because dad is royally ticked off (not the first time kid has been caught driving fast).

*Several weeks later I see him at local tire shop getting new wheels and tires installed on El Camino. Friends seems rather mellow, prolly due to dad's "rehab efforts".

*A few hours later I see said El Camino crashed on side of main road, down a steep 50 foot embankment. Both right side wheels are missing. Car is only 2 blocks from tire shop.

*Ask cops a few questions, tell me right side wheels came off when driver pulled out of tire shop at high speed. Apparently the shop did not install lug nuts on right side wheels and both came off, causing crash.

*Heard friend was OK but I never saw him again. Dad was not the sensitive New Age type so I can imagine what happened to that guy.

 

[tom slick]

Anyone ever see an entire axle/wheel come out. It is easy enough on a "c-clip" rear end like a GM 10 bolt.

I watched a wheel come off a car and roll down the road about 100 yards, hit the curb, bounced up and over a 3' fence, bounced again and over a 6' fence into someone's back yard. Imagine knocking on someone's door to get you tire out of their backyard.

I was a young mechanic working in a small (crooked) shop where standard procedure was to install lug nuts with an impact set to a lower setting. I finished up a car and zipped the lug nuts on, everything felt normal. Customer picked it up and drive it around town and brought it back with a clunking sound. Sure enough the lug nuts were loose. It scared the @#$% out of me and I've used a torque wrench ever since.

 

[Canawler]

There was a local incident a few years ago where a tandem wheel pair came off a semi, bounced over the center median wall, and crashed thru an oncoming car's front window.
Killed the driver instantly.