Lost wheel

[Ickisrulz]

I replaced the brakes and repacked my wheel bearings this weekend. My son and and I took the trailer out this morning to see how everything works. The brakes work nicely. However, while driving down the road I noticed one of my tires had come off and sped away into a ditch. Apparently I had forgotten to torque down the lug nuts on one wheel. Other than losing 5 lug nuts (I found one) I don't think anything was damaged. I got the wheel back on (borrowing lug nuts from other wheels) and drove home. I ordered a lug nut set from Amazon.

So, but sure to check all your lugs after installing your wheels.

[Second Chance]

I'm so sorry this happened to you. It sounds an awful lot like an old joke my father liked to tell... minus a cotton field and a mental health facility.

Rob

[trailrydr]

Good thing nobody got hurt. God Bless.

On a lighter note, this happened one time to a buddy of mine who took his car to Firestone for a balance and rotate. He claims he was driving down the highway thru KCMO, got to the Benton curve (which tends to slow you down) and noticed a wheel with tire went by him. As he tells the story, he said "man that wheel and tire looks real familar", and then realized it was his. LOL!!

Luckily, no one got hurt then either! The little things that get our attention....

[Ynot4me2]

That's a step often forgotten, skipped. I just did this myself. Before this current trip, I checked the brakes and bearings, reinstalled the tires, torqued and said to myself that I would retorque after our first overnight. Well, we're on our 3rd and I still haven't done the recheck.

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[trailrydr]

That's a step often forgotten, skipped. I just did this myself. Before this current trip, I checked the brakes and bearings, reinstalled the tires, torqued and said to myself that I would retorque after our first overnight. Well, we're on our 3rd and I still haven't done the recheck.

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Unfortunately, I'm anal retentive about that. I probably check each lug 2 times after the torque wrench clicks the final torque.... just making sure in my haste that I didnt miss one. Too many heard of stories of those who have joined that club.

[Likes to tow]

I lost a wheel on the way to a campground 90 miles away and did not know it until I had backed in to my campsite!! Thing that really amazed me was I had done the wheel bearing/brake adjustment maintenance about 3 months prior to this trip. We had pulled to Colorado and a couple of WV mountain trips with no issues. I guess it took all summer for those lug nuts to work their way loose. I had not checked them again after the spring maintenance. Now I thoroughly and repeatedly check lug nuts before and sometimes during a trip with a proper torque wrench. You don't want to over tighten them either.

[trailrydr]

A friend of mine who pulls/delivers manufactured homes usually is tightening lugnuts several times even on short trips.

[Butcher]

Good thing nobody got hurt. In my state, you would have gone to jail. There are so many people that have got hurt/died all because of an 'accident'. Ignorance is no accident.

I know I have a very unpopular opinion but as far as I'm concerned, most of us should not be working on our trailers, let alone driving them. We think we have a clue on what we are doing but having a wheel coming off just proves you don't. It's' not as simple as nuts and bolts. If it was, the wheel would have never come off.

We all make mistakes and pros do to but just because you have a set of tools, does not make you a pro. Well, in my State you could, but I have a problem with that too.

Good think brain surgery is not a hobby.

[Ickisrulz]

Good thing nobody got hurt. In my state, you would have gone to jail. There are so many people that have got hurt/died all because of an 'accident'. Ignorance is no accident.

I know I have a very unpopular opinion but as far as I'm concerned, most of us should not be working on our trailers, let alone driving them. We think we have a clue on what we are doing but having a wheel coming off just proves you don't. It's' not as simple as nuts and bolts. If it was, the wheel would have never come off.

We all make mistakes and pros do to but just because you have a set of tools, does not make you a pro. Well, in my State you could, but I have a problem with that too.

Good think brain surgery is not a hobby.

So mistakes made by amateurs are different than those made by the professionals (that have long waiting lists and highly inflated prices)? I won't accept your label as ignorant either since I am well aware a wheel needs to be tightened securely, I just made a mistake.

What state do you live in that jails people for accidents?

Thanks for your input!

[trailrydr]

Good thing nobody got hurt. In my state, you would have gone to jail. There are so many people that have got hurt/died all because of an 'accident'. Ignorance is no accident.

I know I have a very unpopular opinion but as far as I'm concerned, most of us should not be working on our trailers, let alone driving them. We think we have a clue on what we are doing but having a wheel coming off just proves you don't. It's' not as simple as nuts and bolts. If it was, the wheel would have never come off.

We all make mistakes and pros do to but just because you have a set of tools, does not make you a pro. Well, in my State you could, but I have a problem with that too.

Good think brain surgery is not a hobby.

Thats why alot of shops today typically have another mechanic re-check torque on each lug before releasing vehicles. 2 different checks can catch a brainfart better than one.

Had a Goodyear shop one time tell me they couldnt align my Ranger. Every time they would get it off the alignment rack and test drive it the truck would pull to one side or the other. When they had it on the rack the 3rd time, I went up to the tech and asked what the problem was. As he was tellling me, I happened to lean against the front left tire. IT WAS LOOSE! Well that explains it, he said! Well the kid who did the rotate and ballance never torqued the lugs, and nobody checked his work. That was in the late 80's, and I dont go to Goodyear for service since. Now i only trust shops that tell me they have someone else recheck the torque of each lug prior to releasing the vehicle.