Wheel fell off.
10-21-2002, 10:04 PM
#1
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2002
Posts: 23
Wheel fell off.
Tonight, my g/f was driving home and the front right wheel just snapped off from her hub. I mean, it literally snapped off 4 studs. Everyone is okay, it scared her more than anything, since she stopped the car immediately (good girl!), and called me. Nothing could be done right away, so we had it towed to the local nissan dealership, where i will call them in the morning to inquire. My question is--is there any way that I could have tightened them too tight? I mean, so tight that they actually sheared the bolts off? I've been in many a tire shop where they have snapped off bolts with pneumatics. But I didn't use any to work on hers. All of the studs except one sheared off and i was the last one to remove the front wheels. I was a little ****ed and wanted to know if i should be ****ed at myself or another.
10-22-2002, 06:10 AM
#3
u think it's possible that it wasn't on tight enough and the wheel was bouncing around the studs until they gave away?
i have heard one or two studs going..but FOUR? that's very odd...too loose on the lugs can also mess up the studs.
i have heard one or two studs going..but FOUR? that's very odd...too loose on the lugs can also mess up the studs.
10-22-2002, 06:54 AM
#4
Originally posted by DanNY
u think it's possible that it wasn't on tight enough and the wheel was bouncing around the studs until they gave away?
i have heard one or two studs going..but FOUR? that's very odd...too loose on the lugs can also mess up the studs.
u think it's possible that it wasn't on tight enough and the wheel was bouncing around the studs until they gave away?
i have heard one or two studs going..but FOUR? that's very odd...too loose on the lugs can also mess up the studs.
At least it didn't happen when they were going at highway speeds.
10-22-2002, 07:13 AM
#5
ture ,ture
Originally posted by nubiannupe
That was MY thought when I read this thread, Dan. I've heard on more than one occasion about the lugs not being on tight enough and the wheel coming off. Heck, I had that happen to my 300ZX when I had it.
At least it didn't happen when they were going at highway speeds.
That was MY thought when I read this thread, Dan. I've heard on more than one occasion about the lugs not being on tight enough and the wheel coming off. Heck, I had that happen to my 300ZX when I had it.
At least it didn't happen when they were going at highway speeds.
10-22-2002, 07:14 AM
#6
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Join Date: Oct 2002
Posts: 1
Re: Wheel fell off.
More likely that you did not tighten it enough. When this happens the lugnuts fall off one by one and the rim starts wobbling and breaking the studs off. The tire will usually start making alot of noise before it falls off all together. I've done it, just about anyone who works on his own vehicle has probably done it. The trick is to catch it before it gets that far and your girlfriend most likely didn't know what to look for.
10-22-2002, 02:22 PM
#7
it happened to myself and 2 friends, i had a tire replaced and my wheel fell off luckily at a light. i stopped, and the car fell to one side, my friend had his go flying out at 2 in the morning on the atlantic city expressway, it destroyed his 1/4. i think when i had nmy tire replaced the guy had over tightened it so i loosened it up a lil, bad move. my friend just had adapters so they came loose and stripped the thread. we couldnt get the adapter off or else we probably could have remounted them. it happens
10-22-2002, 08:41 PM
#10
These stories sound scary. I work on cars all day and have never heard of anything about a wheel falling off that leaves my shop. These are making me TRIPLE check myself now. I've also never heard of overtightened lugs making wheels fall off. You must have one hell of a impact gun to cause that type of damage. Most of the time the rim will give before you damage the stud.
10-22-2002, 10:26 PM
#11
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2001
Posts: 456
Originally posted by DanNY
u think it's possible that it wasn't on tight enough and the wheel was bouncing around the studs until they gave away?
i have heard one or two studs going..but FOUR? that's very odd...too loose on the lugs can also mess up the studs.
u think it's possible that it wasn't on tight enough and the wheel was bouncing around the studs until they gave away?
i have heard one or two studs going..but FOUR? that's very odd...too loose on the lugs can also mess up the studs.
10-23-2002, 05:07 AM
#12
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2001
Posts: 989
Originally posted by FASHIZL
These stories sound scary. I work on cars all day and have never heard of anything about a wheel falling off that leaves my shop. These are making me TRIPLE check myself now. I've also never heard of overtightened lugs making wheels fall off. You must have one hell of a impact gun to cause that type of damage. Most of the time the rim will give before you damage the stud.
These stories sound scary. I work on cars all day and have never heard of anything about a wheel falling off that leaves my shop. These are making me TRIPLE check myself now. I've also never heard of overtightened lugs making wheels fall off. You must have one hell of a impact gun to cause that type of damage. Most of the time the rim will give before you damage the stud.
10-28-2002, 09:08 AM
#14
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Posts: n/a
i had the same experience. 3 studs broke off. For some reason my locks kept getting loose every so often then one day it just gave up and almost lost my wheel but luckily i heard some funny noises and sttopped. It is very noticable when you have loose lug nuts or locks. I didnt hear because i have a system but i felt the wobbleness. I dont get it because i always tighten it good enought then it gets loosen again 2 days later. Since that little incident i havent gotten any more problems with the studs.
And now i wont ever have any more problems with this again with this max because my max is totaled. 2 days ago i was rear ended by some kid who just got his license. Now im looking to join the ve side of the maximas.
bj yang
And now i wont ever have any more problems with this again with this max because my max is totaled. 2 days ago i was rear ended by some kid who just got his license. Now im looking to join the ve side of the maximas.
bj yang
10-28-2002, 02:38 PM
#15
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: Tampa Bay, Fl
Posts: 605
Originally posted by male
I worked at a shop that lost a wheel on a customer's car, but it wasn't my doing. I always torque down by hand or with a tourque limiting socket extension and apply a dab of torque seal/putty. No doubts for me or the customer then. I don't think overtorqueing to the point of stud failure is possible unless you've got that Ingersoll Rand big momma impact wrench. Something like 700ftlbs! MAYBE then, but usually it's the loose lugs that cause failure. I actually saw the center section of a steel wheel turn bluish from fatigue heat and shear right out around the bolt circle because of loose lugs! Wheel went flying but the studs AND center section of the wheel remained. Makes me wonder how long the owner drove like that..they had to feel something very wrong at a point before failure.
I worked at a shop that lost a wheel on a customer's car, but it wasn't my doing. I always torque down by hand or with a tourque limiting socket extension and apply a dab of torque seal/putty. No doubts for me or the customer then. I don't think overtorqueing to the point of stud failure is possible unless you've got that Ingersoll Rand big momma impact wrench. Something like 700ftlbs! MAYBE then, but usually it's the loose lugs that cause failure. I actually saw the center section of a steel wheel turn bluish from fatigue heat and shear right out around the bolt circle because of loose lugs! Wheel went flying but the studs AND center section of the wheel remained. Makes me wonder how long the owner drove like that..they had to feel something very wrong at a point before failure.
I couldn't figure out why my car didn't like the highway until I tried to tighten the nuts up again and a couple just kept spinning...
Got THAT fixed real quick!
10-28-2002, 04:31 PM
#16
Most metal that fails, usually tells you why it failed
It's unlikely you have the broken end of the stud so in that case you will have to look at the broken stud that was left in the hub. Personally I would look at this studs and take a close look at the break. If its a clean break from a sudden shock load it will be nice a shinny, kinda like breaking a pencil, just snap. If it has signs of rust that means it has been crack for a while then finally it broke. If the studs shows signs of rubbing, that tells you something was rubbing on it (like a loose wheel) until it broke. When it comes to replacing susp/steer bolts that has broken for no appearant reason I take a close look to see if I can determine why it broke so not to duplicate the problem again. Its kinda like when I replace blown fuses, I try not to just swap them out but take a close look at the blown fuse.
11-01-2002, 05:56 AM
#17
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2001
Posts: 157
By any chance did the wheel come off and hit a 94-95 blue VW Jetta. about 2 weeks ago. Because my friend was hit by a wheel of a 3rd gen maxima around Charlotte, Nc it took out his driver side mirrior and damaged his fender.
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