Wheel ever fallen off while driving?

[2timer]

I have a 1991 Toyota Corolla w/180k miles. When I bought it I paid $500 and the timing belt was broken. I replaced the belt and it drove great. The car was only used by the wife of the man I bought it from. Since it was her car and garage kept, I thought it would be in pretty good condition considering it's age. And it mostly was.

Only main problem was, besides the belt, that some dumb shit mechanic he took the car to threaded a lug on the front right wheel. So the lug nut was stuck. I absolutely had to get the wheel off to replace the timing belt, so I sheared the lug off.

I drove the car for approximately 1,000 miles with 3 lugs, and it didn't give me problems. They say hindsight is 20/20, but for some incredibly dumb reason, I thought : "3 wheel lugs = triangle = structurally sound."

Well anyways I'm driving it today and I start to hear a shaking sound that keeps getting progressively louder. I know car sounds and I could tell by the noise increasing that something was wrong. But I didn't pull over immediately because I was trying to figure out what it was. I thought maybe the motor mounts had given out because I had to flex them a bit when I jacked the engine up. Then I thought, "I must be crazy, but, could it be the lug nut?"

After about a few more miles and noise I had a feeling that was it. So, I pulled over and went to inspect my wheel. When I pulled off the hubcap, the 2nd lug nut just falls into the ground - still attached to the lug.

The lug directly across from the 1st sheared lug also sheared off, by itself, after about 1,000 miles. And I attempted to drive, very slowly, just to see if I could make it back home. I probably could have made it the 20 miles or so, but it was making noises and I just didn't want to take the risk.

Think the wheel would've fallen off completely on the way back? I wonder how long you can drive on 2 lugs. It seems like they would balance each other out, but shit, what do I know. My triangle theory was a total failure.

This one's done. It's devolved into bickering and the basic answers have long since been provided.

Zenmervolt - AnandTech Moderator

 

[2timer]

Anyways, to finish up, I've owned a few Toyotas in my life, and never have I had this lug problem before.:hmm:

 

[brainhulk]

 

[Fenixgoon]

i lost a lugnut once. had 4/5 right before i was set to autocross ! thank god the driver behind me noticed.

managed to hit a local NAPA, get the extra lugnut, re-torqued everything tightly, and squeeze in to the last heat

 

[2timer]

i lost a lugnut once. had 4/5 right before i was set to autocross ! thank god the driver behind me noticed.

managed to hit a local NAPA, get the extra lugnut, re-torqued everything tightly, and squeeze in to the last heat

Yeah, that's happened to me as well. No biggie if it's 4/5.

 

[jaqie]

jeep grand wagoneer. father bought it used, from a dealer in granite city, Illinois. We drove it a few weeks and then on a normal straight level 2 lane road felt the whole thing just shiver-shake like mad, and the whole wheel just flew off, front right. We were fine, but that was one scary skid with the brakes on the other three locked up (from slamming them on)...

Turns out the dealer had only put 3 lug nuts on (out of five) and it was one of those aluminum wheels with covers over the lugnuts so we never knew - my father sued and got full repair and law costs out of him, it was not sold as-is so the judge ruled it was to be assumed it was in drivable condition. How we found out after the fact was only three out of five of the wheel lug holes were wallowed out.

 

[PClark99]

I was in highschool, had a 73 VW Superbeetle.

I had the car in the shop for a brake inspection.

The genius mechanic when he put the drum back on the wheel didn't secure the cotter pin properly.

Going to school one morning the rear of the car dropped on the left, I look out the window to see my wheel and tire passing me at highway speed as I ground to a stop. Luckily the wheel went between two parked cars before it hit a brick house so no damage.

Shit happens.

 

[Topweasel]

Didn't have the wheel come off but it was close. But it was close. I had to replace my tires at a Bell Tire the day before a trip from Mid Michigan to Sandusky (Cedar Point). On the way back it started shaking like crazy. Stopped and the one of the lugs were sheared off and the rest of the lug nuts were being shaken off. Since this was for all intents and purposes my first car (13+ years ago). I had no idea that on aluminum rims that they needed to be tighten after 500+ miles. Even then it barely made it 400 before falling off. Got the other four on tight and got Bell Tire to replace the lug the next day.

 

[2timer]

jeep grand wagoneer. father bought it used, from a dealer in granite city, Illinois. We drove it a few weeks and then on a normal straight level 2 lane road felt the whole thing just shiver-shake like mad, and the whole wheel just flew off, front right. We were fine, but that was one scary skid with the brakes on the other three locked up (from slamming them on)...

Turns out the dealer had only put 3 lug nuts on (out of five) and it was one of those aluminum wheels with covers over the lugnuts so we never knew - my father sued and got full repair and law costs out of him, it was not sold as-is so the judge ruled it was to be assumed it was in drivable condition. How we found out after the fact was only three out of five of the wheel lug holes were wallowed out.

That just makes me wonder, was the dealer that cheap that they could only put 3 lug nuts on? I guess it was just the one wheel, so it was probably a mistake. Amazing how stupid some people can be.

 

[Zap]

I was in highschool, had a 73 VW Superbeetle.
...
Going to school one morning the rear of the car dropped on the left, I look out the window to see my wheel and tire passing me at highway speed as I ground to a stop.

Something similar happened to someone I knew in high school. He had an orange Beetle (he called it "Orange Crush" after the OMD song, and because it had a dent) and about a block from school one front wheel came off. He didn't have a jack, so me and another buddy held it up while he reattached the wheel.

 

[Kaido]

Think the wheel would've fallen off completely on the way back? I wonder how long you can drive on 2 lugs. It seems like they would balance each other out, but shit, what do I know. My triangle theory was a total failure.

You can do it on 2 lugs, but usually not for very long. My buddy's work truck went down to 2, and since it was working, he just kept driving it. Wheel fell off on the way home like a week later :awe:

 

[halik]

i lost a lugnut once. had 4/5 right before i was set to autocross ! thank god the driver behind me noticed.

managed to hit a local NAPA, get the extra lugnut, re-torqued everything tightly, and squeeze in to the last heat

Same with my old 300zx, heard rhytmic noises from the wheel and noticed 1 gone and 4 lose.

 

[Arkaign]

My old mechanic always advised people to 'drive it till the wheels fall off', as a piece of economics advice. He was a character. Man it's pretty true though, though I like to drive my new cars, they're a poor economic value, actually a horrible economic value. Tbh this '12 TC is probably the last new car I'll ever buy. Too much good stuff out there used to pay out the arse, and with two little ones I've got more important things to spend/save my money on.

 

[mmntech]

Happens occasionally. Scary stuff if you're on the highway and see a wheel coming at you. Really no excuse for it though. Even if one lug is gone the other three or four should still hold. Shoddy worksmanship and poor maintenance causes that to happen.

 

[JCH13]

Knowingly leaving three of four lug nuts on a wheel is basically criminal negligence. You're lucky you didn't kill yourself or someone else. You wouldn't have noticed so gradually had you been required to stop in an emergency situation.
/annoying rant

Your 'triangle theory' is bogus because:

1) You were at best getting 3/4 of the required clamping force holding the wheel in. Strike one.

2) With three asymmetrically located lug nuts you're causing a bad moment across 1-2 of their clamping points as the wheel rotates causing extra fatigue in each lug stud. Strike two. This also causes extremely high localized stresses which would cause the remaining lug nuts to loosen, exacerbating Strike 1.

3) With the reduced or non-existent clamping force from a lack of one lug nut and the others failing, the studs were put into bending. Threaded fasteners in bending = serious fatigue crack growth. Strike three.

 

[SpatiallyAware]

..................I sheared the lug off.

I drove the car for approximately 1,000 miles with 3 lugs.....................I start to hear a shaking sound that keeps getting progressively louder. ................. I didn't pull over immediately ...............
After about a few more miles .........................I pulled over and went to inspect my wheel. When I pulled off the hubcap, the 2nd lug nut just falls into the ground ...........................I attempted to drive, very slowly, just to see if I could make it back home..................

Irrelevant information removed.



Here's a big FUCK YOU for your behaviour.

Not at all surprising, you were probably waiting for someone else to come along and fix your lazy incompetent issues since that what you've been trained to do.

There is no swearing in The Garage, doubly so when it doubles as a personal insult.

Zenmervolt - AnandTech Moderator

 

[SpatiallyAware]

I was in highschool, had a 73 VW Superbeetle.

I had the car in the shop for a brake inspection.

The genius mechanic when he put the drum back on the wheel didn't secure the cotter pin properly.

Going to school one morning the rear of the car dropped on the left, I look out the window to see my wheel and tire passing me at highway speed as I ground to a stop. Luckily the wheel went between two parked cars before it hit a brick house so no damage.

Shit happens.

Yes, sometimes "shit happens". But 2timer intentionally disregarded everyone else's safety purely due to his own incompetence.



This is NOT in any way a "shit happens" situation. This is a lazy, disrespectful, selfish person who is completely willing to risk the lives of everyone around him due to the fact that he's a spoon fed lazy asshole.


Obviously, this thread pisses me off. I hope that all the info is saved and used against the OP in his next accident.

 

[SpatiallyAware]

Knowingly leaving three of four lug nuts on a wheel is basically criminal negligence. You're lucky you didn't kill yourself or someone else. You wouldn't have noticed so gradually had you been required to stop in an emergency situation.
/annoying rant

Your 'triangle theory' is bogus because:

1) You were at best getting 3/4 of the required clamping force holding the wheel in. Strike one.

2) With three asymmetrically located lug nuts you're causing a bad moment across 1-2 of their clamping points as the wheel rotates causing extra fatigue in each lug stud. Strike two. This also causes extremely high localized stresses which would cause the remaining lug nuts to loosen, exacerbating Strike 1.

3) With the reduced or non-existent clamping force from a lack of one lug nut and the others failing, the studs were put into bending. Threaded fasteners in bending = serious fatigue crack growth. Strike three.

Not just 3 lugnuts either. As bad as that is, he actually knowingly drove around with only TWO lugnuts.

 

[SpatiallyAware]

Yeah, that's happened to me as well. No biggie if it's 4/5.

Are you serious... This isn't the first time this has happened?

 

[SpatiallyAware]

That just makes me wonder, was the dealer that cheap that they could only put 3 lug nuts on? I guess it was just the one wheel, so it was probably a mistake. Amazing how stupid some people can be.

Yes, yes it is.

 

[JulesMaximus]

I have a 1991 Toyota Corolla w/180k miles. When I bought it I paid $500 and the timing belt was broken. I replaced the belt and it drove great. The car was only used by the wife of the man I bought it from. Since it was her car and garage kept, I thought it would be in pretty good condition considering it's age. And it mostly was.

Only main problem was, besides the belt, that some dumb shit mechanic he took the car to threaded a lug on the front right wheel. So the lug nut was stuck. I absolutely had to get the wheel off to replace the timing belt, so I sheared the lug off.

I drove the car for approximately 1,000 miles with 3 lugs, and it didn't give me problems. They say hindsight is 20/20, but for some incredibly dumb reason, I thought : "3 wheel lugs = triangle = structurally sound."

Well anyways I'm driving it today and I start to hear a shaking sound that keeps getting progressively louder. I know car sounds and I could tell by the noise increasing that something was wrong. But I didn't pull over immediately because I was trying to figure out what it was. I thought maybe the motor mounts had given out because I had to flex them a bit when I jacked the engine up. Then I thought, "I must be crazy, but, could it be the lug nut?"

After about a few more miles and noise I had a feeling that was it. So, I pulled over and went to inspect my wheel. When I pulled off the hubcap, the 2nd lug nut just falls into the ground - still attached to the lug.

The lug directly across from the 1st sheared lug also sheared off, by itself, after about 1,000 miles. And I attempted to drive, very slowly, just to see if I could make it back home. I probably could have made it the 20 miles or so, but it was making noises and I just didn't want to take the risk.

Think the wheel would've fallen off completely on the way back? I wonder how long you can drive on 2 lugs. It seems like they would balance each other out, but shit, what do I know. My triangle theory was a total failure.

Almost definitely it would have fallen off. You need to have the car towed to a mechanic and have the two broken lugs replaced and the other two inspected and possibly replaced if they are worn or damaged (which they probably are).

You're lucky the wheel didn't come completely off because then you'd be looking at damage to the brake rotor and possibly the caliper and front suspension.

 

[JCH13]

Happens occasionally. Scary stuff if you're on the highway and see a wheel coming at you. Really no excuse for it though. Even if one lug is gone the other three or four should still hold. Shoddy worksmanship and poor maintenance causes that to happen.

Only OP's incompetence and negligence is an excuse, an excuse that would get one thrown in jail.

The other three might hold to get you onto a flat-bed or tow truck. They should NOT be expected hold up under driving, let alone emergency driving. Ignorance like that gets people killed.

 

[SpatiallyAware]

I have a 1991 Toyota Corolla w/180k miles. When I bought it I paid $500 and the timing belt was broken. I replaced the belt and it drove great. The car was only used by the wife of the man I bought it from. Since it was her car and garage kept, I thought it would be in pretty good condition considering it's age. And it mostly was.

Only main problem was, besides the belt, that some dumb shit mechanic he took the car to threaded a lug on the front right wheel. So the lug nut was stuck. I absolutely had to get the wheel off to replace the timing belt, so I sheared the lug off.

I drove the car for approximately 1,000 miles with 3 lugs, and it didn't give me problems. They say hindsight is 20/20, but for some incredibly dumb reason, I thought : "3 wheel lugs = triangle = structurally sound."

Well anyways I'm driving it today and I start to hear a shaking sound that keeps getting progressively louder. I know car sounds and I could tell by the noise increasing that something was wrong. But I didn't pull over immediately because I was trying to figure out what it was. I thought maybe the motor mounts had given out because I had to flex them a bit when I jacked the engine up. Then I thought, "I must be crazy, but, could it be the lug nut?"

After about a few more miles and noise I had a feeling that was it. So, I pulled over and went to inspect my wheel. When I pulled off the hubcap, the 2nd lug nut just falls into the ground - still attached to the lug.

The lug directly across from the 1st sheared lug also sheared off, by itself, after about 1,000 miles. And I attempted to drive, very slowly, just to see if I could make it back home. I probably could have made it the 20 miles or so, but it was making noises and I just didn't want to take the risk.

Think the wheel would've fallen off completely on the way back? I wonder how long you can drive on 2 lugs. It seems like they would balance each other out, but shit, what do I know. My triangle theory was a total failure.

I just want to quote the entire thing, so that if the OP kills someone due to his extreme and knowing negligence there is a good record of his history.

 

[JCH13]

A video on how easy it is to replace lug studs:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vm3WvmfM9Oo

I bet all that can be done with wheel/caliper in place too.

 

[Raduque]

A video on how easy it is to replace lug studs:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vm3WvmfM9Oo

I bet all that can be done with wheel/caliper in place too.

I replaced two lug studs on my '88 Accord, in the parking lot of a gas station, with hand tools, with the rotor still on the car. I nearly lost the tire and almost killed myself and two other people - some asshat had loosened two lugnuts on my right front and put the cover back on so I never knew about it till it sheared one stud off.

For the record, I didn't drive it off the highway, me and the guys pushed it off.