Today's fun experience: Unexpected wheel evacuation whilst driving.

[Guest GUTTERbOY]

Joy!

My brother got dropped off at the office by his wife today, since she needed the car. So I graciously volunteered to run him down to his house in the evening rather than her driving all the way back up the ridge to get him. Which, all in all, was probably a beneficial decision for me.

Anyway, as you come down off the ridge, there are two pretty sharp switchbacks, followed by about an eighth of a mile of straight road, then one final switchback, which isn't nearly as tight as the first two. (Hamill Rd down from Big Ridge for you locals) As I went around the second tight switchback, a loud grinding noise emitted from the left front wheel. Well, I get tire rub from time to time when turning tightly; I'd never gotten it in this turn before, but then I figured maybe the extra weight of a passenger was enough to cause the rub. I didn't really think anything of it.

We proceeded down the short chute and into the final switchback turn, back to the left. Nothing dramatic happened here, no real indication that things were about to go suddenly south.

I came out of that turn, down into a tight area with no real shoulder to speak of. About 200 feet out of the turn, there's a manhole cover right on the center line. As my left front went over it, suddenly it felt like I'd just driven the left front into a hole.

I got so far as to think to myself, "what the f-" when the answer to my question appeared in the form of my now-free-range wheel outrunning me down the hill. Let me tell you, that thing picked up some pretty good speed. Eventually, it ran off the road, across the ditch, and ricocheted off a chain-link fence.

I was only marginally aware of this, as my attention was now on getting the truck stopped. Surprisingly enough, driving it on three wheels and a rotor was pretty undramatic. It behaved itself nicely as I braked gently and headed for the first miniscule patch of shoulder. I actually got stopped still on the road, so I just drove it the rest of the way onto the shoulder. Visibility at this point is pretty bad, so I really wanted to be as clear of the road as possible.

As I got stopped and was getting out of the truck, a guy and girl in a Pathfinder come screaming down the hill and stop beside me.

"You guys OK?!?!?!"

"Yeah, fine..."

Turned out they had met me about the time the wheel struck off on its own, and were quite alarmed. I really hope they didn't narrowly miss the free-range wheel; if so, they didn't mention it.

Luckily, my brother has Triple-A, so I called upon his good graces to secure a tow truck for me.

Cue an hourlong wait.

But now she's back home in the driveway, so I was able to do a initial assessment of the damage just now. Brake rotor is definitely shot. (no surprise there) The dust shield behind the rotor also rode on the pavement, and is bent up into the rotor pretty good. I may be able to hammer that back into shape, unless it's just a ridiculously inexpensive part. Other than that, it doesn't appear that any suspension components were damaged. Lower ball joint is far enough above the bottom of the rotor that it didn;t grind, though it did collect an impressive amount of dirt from when I hit the shoulder.

Wheel looks to be in OK shape. Lug hole got a little chewed up; I'll inspect them tomorrow in the daylight and decide whether I think the wheel should be replaced. I might just get a replacement and relegate this one to spare tire duty.

As for what caused it- well, I'd like to be able to say something went terribly and freakishly wrong, but the evidence points to a high level of ignorance on my part. One of the studs is snapped off, but the other four appear undamaged. The operative conclusion seems to be that the other four loosened up and evacuated, and I somehow failed to notice this, and today was when the remaining one gave up the ghost. I'd like to say that there's no way I could miss FOUR absentee lug nuts... but it sure looks like that's exactly what I did.

*sigh*

On to carnage photos:

Did someone order a flat spot?

Close up of the remaining studs

Wheel

Closeup of mounting area

[Punisher84]

Glad you're ok brother.

[Guest GUTTERbOY]

Thanks. It actually wasn't frightening at all. Once i got stopped, the mere thought of that wheel sprinting away from me made me laugh harder than I have in a while. I still chuckle when I think about it.

Of course, the flip side of that is that wheel could have really caused a problem had it crossed the yellow line, and had there been a car coming at a bad time. I'm more relieved that I didn't cause someone else to get in a wreck than myself.

[BrasilNuts]

Had the same thing happen to me while doing about 65mph on the highway. The truck didn't veer off or anything and was surprisingly controllable. The scariest part was seeing that 35" tire go bouncing down the road. If it had met an on coming car.... Glad it turned out all right for you.

[Guest Verbal Kint]

Yep... glad that no one was injured, and your truck came away in good condition (minus the obvious parts). As they say... live to fight another day.

[waynesan]

My wife was driving down the highway in Kingsport a few months back and a wheel from a car going in the opposite direction came off, crossed the median, and slammed into our left front wheel. Did $3500 in damage to our car. The lady driving the other car said her Dad had been working on her brakes and I guess he just hadn't tightened the lug nuts back up. Those runaway tires can really do some damage.

[Guest tnmale46]

wow also glad youre ok

[Angus]

Dude...damn, glad yer still among the living.

Now, just an FYI for everyone.

I used to work in an aftermarket shop, and installed rims and tires. Never, ever, never let yourselves or anyone else put your lug nuts on with an air ratchet. Initial problem, and I have been guilty of this, is the ratchet will strip the threads and eventually the nuts will work themselves off. Secondly, and I am also guilty, as well as a victim. On my older vehicle, the studs were just plain old, and the pressure of the ratchet actually cracked the stud, causing it to break.

I am a little OCD about this, but when I get new tire. I go home, and back the nuts off one at a time, and replace them by hand, and tighten them with a manual tire wrench.

I am not saying any of this happened to you GB, just adding my .

[MudBugjr]

Glad your O.K. I had a front wheel come off a cab over Mac front end loader truck once. Luckily I was in a parking lot. The guy riding with me liked to $#%# his pants. I was headed to the interstate glad I didn't.

[G27]

My next door neighbor had an accident where a stray wheel crossed over the interstate and hit her little Toyota SUV at frightening speed (totaled her SUV, she was OK).

From their description, it sounded like a similar case. Glad you're OK and no one was hurt.

[Tobashadow]

A couple years ago my s10 blazer had a noise in the front like a dry spring for a couple day's. Drove to work at 70 and crossing railroad tracks, then after a long day at work i put it in reverse to back out of the spot and POP the right front dropped like a rock onto the tire.

Lower ball joint broke thru the A arm.

Would have been fun at speed.

[Guest Astra900]

Believe it or not, this happens more often than you think. We see it all the time at the shop. I know you don't wanna hear this, but you REALLY ought to replace that wheel. It's probably okay overall, I doubt it's warped or anything, but it relies on a taper seat to torque properly. Now that the lug holes are damaged, they will not torque down properly. It MIGHT stay tight if you put it back on:rolleyes:, you might steer a car with your feet too, but that don't make it a good idea:)

Glad you're okay.

[strickj]

Those rotors looks like they needed replacin anyway

Hell dude,if you need a ride for something the bike wont cover,let me know

Edited December 9, 2008 by strickj

[Magiccarpetrides]

While your at it you might want to think about replacing the wheel bearings and hub assembly since they probably suffered quite a bit of stress damage whilst you were riding on a rotor.

[jughead]

guess a lot of us have had that experience. road testing chevy for noise several years ago. coming off old jones gap road in soddy, i found the noise. left rear wheel axle and all passed me. almost hit another customer coming up the moutain.

[Punisher84]

Dude...damn, glad yer still among the living.

Now, just an FYI for everyone.

I used to work in an aftermarket shop, and installed rims and tires. Never, ever, never let yourselves or anyone else put your lug nuts on with an air ratchet. Initial problem, and I have been guilty of this, is the ratchet will strip the threads and eventually the nuts will work themselves off. Secondly, and I am also guilty, as well as a victim. On my older vehicle, the studs were just plain old, and the pressure of the ratchet actually cracked the stud, causing it to break.

I am a little OCD about this, but when I get new tire. I go home, and back the nuts off one at a time, and replace them by hand, and tighten them with a manual tire wrench.

I am not saying any of this happened to you GB, just adding my .

That is damn good advice. I went to change my brakes out a few months ago after I had just had some new tires put on. Well the brain trust at Wal-Mart had (over time) stripped the lug-nuts and studs. So when I went to put the tire back on...SNAP, SNAP, SNAP! Broke 3 studs. Had to go buy new studs, new lug nuts, and it cost me the rest of my day. Air ratchets are the devil.

[Guest eyebedam]

Glad your safe.

[Guest abailey362]

I had a similar experience but somehow managed to stop before the wheel came off. I bought a 300zx twin turbo a couple of years back and the guy had put some aftermarket ebay wheels on it. apparantly he didn't get the right offset and it was stressing the front lugs. I was driving home from indy to nashville and coming down the last big mountain on 65 before nashville (doin about 90 too) the front pass wheel starting feeling weird. by the time I stopped at the bottom of the mountain, i had 3 studs sheared off, one lug with one twist and one holding it on....i got lucky. Sold the wheels that night after the tow home

[Guest GUTTERbOY]

Well, pulled off the rotor; looks like the damage is indeed confined to the rotor and dust shield. Dust shield can be hammered/Dremeled back into submission, no problem. No other suspension damage.

Now it's time to go make a parts run... on the bike.

Thank God for saddlebags.

[Guest Rem_700]

Dang,Glad no one got hurt!