[TerraformTom]

I was driving the other day on I-78, westbound, when my driver's side rear tire broke off my axle. It snapped all the studs clean off and the tire flew into the eastbound lanes of traffic, striking another car. Luckily those people were perfectly fine. I was also able to get my truck safely into the shoulder without any other incidents. I have heard of this happening if a lug nut is loose but the particular tire that flew off had not been off in over 6 months. I was just wondering if anyone has heard of this happening to anyone else?

I have attached photos of my truck and tire for your viewing pleasure.

 

[ken6881]

wow that sounds terrible luckily everyone was okay. And the truck doesn't appear hurt besides the studs.

 

[rascal]

Glad to hear no one was hurt.

 

[19 STROKER 95]

WOW that is Fn crazy!!! You are very lucky.

 

[forddieseldoctor]

I've heard of lug nuts working loose over several months if they were torqued to about half of their spec. I had one wheel come loose after about 3 months cause there was corrosion that was under the lugs.

 

[TerraformTom]

Yeah I am definitely blessed that my guardian angel was watching over me that day. I was actually in the fast lane going about 75 mph, passing two tractor trailers, when the tire came off and I somehow managed to have enough room and time to get across two lanes into the shoulder. The trooper told me because of the location of where the truck was when the tire came off that if I had to go into the center median because other cars blocked my 'escape' route, I most likely wouldn't be here today.

As for the truck, the mechanic said that that was the best wheel to go...if it had been on the other side, my exhaust would of most likely been damaged or ripped off and I would of had difficulty moving from the left to the right into the shoulder.

 

[shatesme]

Wow! This story makes me want to take one wheel off at a time and check everything on my truck.I know its not like you can see something like studs about to break off but I think I'd feel better knowing I checked.

 

[DillonC]

a lot of people think this is caused by loose lug nuts which it can be, but most of the time it's because a shop used an impact on them and over tightened them. this stretches the studs and then they work their way loose until the pressure breaks them off. thats why you are supposed to hand torque each nut down.

glad everything is ok though.

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[700xxmaniac]

Just went and re torqued all my lugs.. I've have had a signal lug bust off about two months ago idk how it happened but i replaced it within the hr.


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[Schnot]

Yep been there done that twice now. Loaded with my dually.


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[nine6stroker]

Damn, glad you're ok! I had that happen to the same tire on my old '90 suburban, but thankfully when it happened, I was only going about 5 mph on some offroad trails, and only cleaned off two of the lugs, so I was able to bolt it back on with 4 lugs on the side of the trail and limp it home.

I also saw a trailer lose a tire in the canyon when I was going camping a few years ago, the tire totally smashed in the front of the next oncoming car, and the sparks from the hub dragging on the ground lit the grass on the side of the road on fire.

 

[TerraformTom]

Thanks. Luckily the people my tire hit were all okay and the trooper was able to get them to drive off the highway on their own power. The sparks from my hub dragging on the ground were pretty intense as well. When I drive pass the spot on the highway now, you can see were my hub slammed into the pavement and see the marks where it was dragged all the way into the shoulder were I stopped.

 

[nine6stroker]

This is the prime example of why I always properly torque my wheels and wheel spacers, and check them at every oil change, if I'm not rotating them.

 

[TerraformTom]

A very smart move...I have also gotten into the habit for checking them frequently.