REAR WHEEL FELL OFF!!!!!

[budder]

The rear wheel just fell off my '96 Eddie Bauer. Ford dealer told me the same thing just happened on a new ('06) Explorer. Apparently the bolts are just snapping??!! Has anyone else experienced this??

 

[Seabronc]

I've never had one fall off, but I have had lugs break. Unfortunately, it was my own fault since I rotated tires and didn't tighten them properly. It was about 1 mile from falling off as the lug nuts came loose. Te pressure on the lug from the lose wheel caused it to break.

Good luck,

>-

 

[BroncoJoe19]

I've never had one fall off, but I have had lugs break. Unfortunately, it was my own fault since I rotated tires and didn't tighten them properly. It was about 1 mile from falling off as the lug nuts came loose. The pressure on the lug from the loose wheel caused it to break.
Good luck,

>-

Yep me too... one time didn't tighten them properly, and heard a little clunking (actually it was a little sharper like a ticking sound) as I went around corners, the rim was slapping back and forth between the nuts, and the axle plate. So it was also my fault.

Ron White of the "Blue Collar" Comedy tour fame, does a bit on his tire falling off. It is really funny, (I guess if it didn't happen to you /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" /> sorry.)

I could only imagine that if this was a regular problem, it would be all over the news.

joe

 

[Broncobill78]

Yup, I've done that too. Had the lugs back off on a front tire and it almost DID fall off but I got to work before it happened. I had been jammin' down the road with the radio turned up to 11 and never heard a thing until I started to notice the truck was a little more squirrly then normal. After a few more turns it seemed worse, I turned the radio down as I pulled into the station and THAT's when I heard the ominos Thump, whack, Thump and connected it with the loose steering. What a mess. Unfortunately I DIDN'T snap any lugs, but I did push 3 of them back out thru the rotor so not only were they mangled but they just spun without holding. I ultimately had to borrow a torch to cut the three of them off because there was just no other way to remove them It was a steel wagon wheel & I had egged out the holes so much that it *almost* slipped right off over the lug nuts.

As far as the original post goes, no I've never seen or heard of a wheel just falling off but I can certainly imagine brittle or overtorqued lugs snapping. I'd be more likely to think some tech with a brand new 3/4" impact wrench was at fault (not to impune the integrity of anyone here, but hey we've all seen they quality of work I'm talking about)

 

[Seabronc]

I've never had one fall off, but I have had lugs break. Unfortunately, it was my own fault since I rotated tires and didn't tighten them properly. It was about 1 mile from falling off as the lug nuts came loose. Te pressure on the lug from the lose wheel caused it to break.
Good luck,

>-

Oh Yah, I forgot the moral of that story. Check your lungs on a periodic basis. I do it about once a month now. Oh yes, that noise BroncoJoe19 was talking about and the noise of the lug sheering off got my attention. Glad it did that or I might have had the experience of watching a wheel pass me.

>-

 

[wtfdissux]

if the " Tech " that put the wheels on used a gun and socket only they would have stretched the stud causing it to weaken most decent guns are capable of at least 175 ft. pounds the correct torque is 100 ft. lbs. the correct way is to mount thaw wheel with a torque limiting extension or a torque stick that wont allow the nut to go over 100 and then with all four wheels on the ground re check with a torque wrench in the star pattern

doing it correctly makes it almost impossible to cause this unless there is already damage it is also a good way to keep rotors and drums from warping and making sure that all nuts get tightened fully if you have aluminum or aftermarket rims you should have them re torque after 25 to 50 miles

working in a garage there are some corners that can be cut but not where safety is concerned so this should fall on whoever had the wheels off last the bill for the wheel since the lug holes may have oblonged and the studs and nuts as well as the tow and all other damage can be charged back to the shop that had them off last. I have seen more than once where a green kid has had it happen and if he doesn't get fired you can bet he never forgets again when the bill comes out of his check saw one kid have it happen on a old caravan of all things and after the rim tire and tow pluss the shock and axle from dragging across the highway when all came undone it ground the shock eye and stud right off the axle was almost a grand

 

[jsomedaysoon]

if the " Tech " that put the wheels on used a gun and socket only they would have stretched the stud causing it to weaken most decent guns are capable of at least 175 ft. pounds the correct torque is 100 ft. lbs. the correct way is to mount thaw wheel with a torque limiting extension or a torque stick that wont allow the nut to go over 100 and then with all four wheels on the ground re check with a torque wrench in the star pattern
doing it correctly makes it almost impossible to cause this unless there is already damage it is also a good way to keep rotors and drums from warping and making sure that all nuts get tightened fully if you have aluminum or aftermarket rims you should have them re torque after 25 to 50 miles

working in a garage there are some corners that can be cut but not where safety is concerned so this should fall on whoever had the wheels off last the bill for the wheel since the lug holes may have oblonged and the studs and nuts as well as the tow and all other damage can be charged back to the shop that had them off last. I have seen more than once where a green kid has had it happen and if he doesn't get fired you can bet he never forgets again when the bill comes out of his check saw one kid have it happen on a old caravan of all things and after the rim tire and tow pluss the shock and axle from dragging across the highway when all came undone it ground the shock eye and stud right off the axle was almost a grand

haha thank you all that makes me feel better. my first bronco taught me alot about mechanics... especially that you have to TIGHTEN the lugs. i had my son in the truck on a rainy day and i had ignored the warning sounds all day telling myself i'd check it out when i got home then all the sudden BAM the left front hits the ground at about 50 mph and there goes the tire down the highway. i slid off the side of the road stunned. after a few mins of nobody stopping i decided to walk to the house as i was only like a mile from the house. all in all it taught me alot because i learned how to change the whole rotor and hub and all that got messed up skating across the highway at 50 haha.

 

[Broncobill78]

Yeah, nothing ruins your day faster than driving down the road & seeing your own tire roll past you.

 

[crazyhorse85]

THE GUY THAT I BOUGHT MY 85 FROM MUST HAVE HAD THAT EXPERIENCE,FOR THE FRIST TIME I CHANGED THE FRONT PADS ON THE TRUCK I NOTICED THE FLAT SPOT ON THE RT.ROTOR MY SON ASKED ME WHAT HAPPENED THERE...I SAID THE WHEEL MUST HAVE COME OFF GOING DOWN THE ROAD....MUST HAVE BEEN LOOSE LUGS NO NEW STUDS OR ROTOR ON THAT SIDE EXCEPT FOR THE ONE MY IMPACT STRIPPED...AFTER SEEING THAT I DID REPLACE BOTH ROTORS...I CAN ONLY IMAGINE A BUTT TIGHTENING RIDE LIKE THAT...BUT DON'T WANT TO EXPERENCE IT THOUGH...I TRY AND CHECK MINE ONCE OR TWICE A MONTH,LIKE WHEN I CHANGE THE OIL OR ROTATE THE TIRES....GLAD TO SEE EVERYBODY THAT HAS HAD IT HAPPEN TO THEM IS STILL HERE TO TELL ABOUT IT.......

 

[cowboydan]

i had a front wheel fall off. i had been on a wheeling trip and i knew i packed a bunch of mud into the wheels. got home ok, but i still drove my truck to work. 4 days of driving and i had just left to take my son to school... and then to the shop to clean and repack the bearings. shortly after though, i was just down the street from my freinds shop the driver side bearing came apart and took out brake caliper. tried to pump the braks but the pedal hit the floor and styed there. then my sleering went all loose and goofy. i negotiated a right turn, and it happend to be a slite down grade. so i went for broke and aimed her straight into a big tree. hit my target at 25mph. as soon as i got out to asses the damage, a cruiser roles up and they both just stared at me, but they never stoped. the wheel hadn't fallen off the truck (thank god)! but it was dangling off the edge of the spindle. crack between the hub and the spindle join was what kept the wheel from falling off. total damage.... one hub, spindle, bearings, caliper, rotor.