old.bodger Posted October 14, 2012 Share Posted October 14, 2012 Just had a very nasty moment. Returning from well known builders / DIY supplier with about 500kg of bags of garden topsoil in back of 110 (favour for Son) strange noise like flat tyre (had on of those this week) stopped and nothing flat........went 50yds and the rear NS wheel came off. So we unloaded and jacked it up put wheel back on and found three of the wheel nuts in 150yds of the 'event' and with the use of the ones from the spare carrier we linped home. The wheel has been untouched for about 6 months - first time for such a load. Not able to provide an explanation for the rapid demise of so many fixings. Should I trust them (they seem to be tight) or should I replace? If so how difficult are the old studs to remove .....splined fit I see. Slight Chuff chuff noise from rear but I THINK it's the damage to the brake back plate which has a flat on the bottom now! Finally......various sizes or just one? Thanks in advance Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Retroanaconda Posted October 14, 2012 Share Posted October 14, 2012 Was it the same tyre you had the flat on? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old.bodger Posted October 14, 2012 Author Share Posted October 14, 2012 No not guilty!! The flat was the Front NS and my guess is that it's done up so tight by the tyre guys that I will have a right old struggle to get it undone! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Retroanaconda Posted October 14, 2012 Share Posted October 14, 2012 Well if the studs look in OK condition then I would see how it goes. Re-check the torque in 100 miles or so, see if they've loosened at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maverik Posted October 15, 2012 Share Posted October 15, 2012 You can get wheel nut indicators, like you see busses driving around with them on and big HGV's, I know they lokk a bit naff, but maybe its worth popping them on until you feel you;re happy to take them off!? - if neaither the studs or the nuts have been changed recently then I would 1) check the threads to make sure they were all healthy 2) Suspect foul play 3) re-torque all your nuts back up and put some kind of indicator on the nuts, be it obvious ones or indicators only you can see, and keep an eye on them. Got to say I'm a little intruged as to what happens when you loose a wheel?... thank goodness I've never had it happen to me.. Just some thoughts. Mav Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quagmire Posted October 15, 2012 Share Posted October 15, 2012 Saw a disco a few weeks ago southbound on the a3 just climbing the hogsback that appeared to have lost it's left front. Looked like it had come to a stop ok, no gouges in tarmac or suchlike. Must be scary though! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UdderlyOffroad Posted October 15, 2012 Share Posted October 15, 2012 Experienced a wheel coming off on an old scooby pickup my parents had. Fortunately we were doing less than 30 through Bampton village high st. Wheel over took us and came to a stop 100m or so after we did! Cause was my brother not torquing the wheel nuts up properly. Not as instable as you'd think driving a three wheeler (or so am told, I wasn't driving at the time due to not being in long trousers yet). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davie Posted October 15, 2012 Share Posted October 15, 2012 agree with ideas above of marker - what we have on our new tractor but will work same is wheel nuts torqued up properly, go round the entire wheel twice to be sure ( i made that mistake once of missing a nut) and then once satisfied get white paint/tippex or similar and mark over nut onto rim so if it moves you see in a walkround. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sean f Posted October 15, 2012 Share Posted October 15, 2012 We had a safety alert about this type of thing a while back. Apparently people will loosen all the wheel nuts on a vehicle in preparation for coming back later to steal all the wheels in one quick go, it has been known to happen to quite a few vehicles in long stay car parks. I assume you have checked the rest by now anyway?. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elbekko Posted October 15, 2012 Share Posted October 15, 2012 I wonder how you didn't notice this before the wheel fell off I've had wheel nuts come loose a few times, and every time I noticed serious wobbling in corners. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bushwhacker Posted October 15, 2012 Share Posted October 15, 2012 I've had a rear o/s nuts come loose, fortunately I was going slow and felt/heard this odd rumbling. I blamed it on an offroad day I had just been at. I have seen people put copper grease on the wheel studs,"to make it easier to change wheels". Thread lock might be worth a try. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old.bodger Posted October 15, 2012 Author Share Posted October 15, 2012 Thanks for the replys. I must say that the thought of 'foul play' crossed my mind. Fortunatly we had stopped to look for the 'flat' just before it happened and had only moved about a 100 yds before the wheel came off. Shame I didn't look closer but my mind was on the bottom of the tyre! To be honest it was a very 'controlled' incident just stopped in about 25 yds in a straight line tyre beside the defender. Only damage slightly mangled brake back plate bottom edge and the rear panel behind the tyre caused by the wheel 'escaping' nothing the careful application of a hammer won't tidy up. I like the Tippex idea - good for a start. and a daily check round I think. Thanks again all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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