Cruiser on three legs...

[Philip A]

I was driving at around 100km/h when I was suddenly overtaken by my own wheel. That left quite an impression, I must say (and some marks on the asphalt too...).

Apparently, the last genius who mounted the wheel torqued the bolts so hard that he overstressed them...

 

[Mblinko]

Jeeesss, that's a shocker. Shearing studs is one thing but shearing out the centre of the rim as well is quite another. Did it give you any warning?

 

[froggy Steve]

how the heck did that happen?

 

[Philip A]

The bolts sheared off, the drum fell on the inside of the rim and gouged it deeply, the rim sheared and took off... Just felt a bump, the car's rear swerved wildly for a few seconds (I first thought that the trailer had a puncture or a problem with a wheel), then a long screeeeech and the wheel overtook us as I was steering the whole thing to the berm.

Now, here comes the African miracle: that was 3pm, 50km from Kampala, having left the extreme North East of the country a day earlier. Our original plan was to reach town, have a shower, and head for the Swiss Consulate for the National Day party. Obviously, the plan's timeline was going to be revised...

I made a few calls, got the number of the right guy with the right parts, and got my driver in town to go and fetch another car, the parts and a "fundi" (closest thing to a mechanic around here). By 6pm everything and everybody was on location and we were on our way to town with the second car and the trailer. We changed clothes on the fly in the car, and arrived just an hour or so late - which is being pretty punctual by local standards.

And when we reached home by 11pm, the Cruiser was in the yard, fixed.

Try that in Europe...!

 

[Shayne]

Shocking indeed glad you got it sorted so quickly there could have been far more serious consequences . The numpty must have used a bloody great scaffold pole on his wheel brace to over stress the studs like that ! Personally i like to think wheel spanners are all pretty much equal in length for a reason and as tight as you can get it with that spanner alone is tight enough . Better check the rest if you struggle to undo them then replacing the studs seems sensible .

 

[clivehorridge]

That's scary! I've never understood the obsession with overtightening wheel nuts. There's 5 of them to share the load and they have chamfers to reduce the need for massive torque. I also grease mine. I've never had a wheel come lose in 43 years of vehicle ownership, what's the matter with these people, they could have easily killed you and your family, and for what?

Great that there was no more collateral damage and everyone safe.

 

[joinerman]

Probably been done up with a good comercial windy gun

 

[Philip A]

For those who know Africa, no explanations needed... For those who don't: the general consensus on torquing anything here is "Till it breaks, or nearly does". An average mechanic will cause more damage to your car in thirty minutes, than six months of rutted trails could do. The problem is that one can't be doing every single thing around by himself...

I've already ordered new studs for all wheels, and the ham-fisted soul who mounted that wheel won't ever be allowed within ten meters of any of my cars while holding a tool of any kind.