Loose Tires Again

Sure looks like the stick hauler. Another bearing failure, and this time, it's not just a tire and rim, you got the whole magila there. Lot of rolling mass. Don't recall a lot of bearing failures. You'd see a Dayton tire and wheel once in a while, but not the whole dual and hub. I suppose it is possible the driver never knew it. I see these grease hubs are taking over, you think that's the problem here? With oil hubs, I never remember seeing this happen.

 

didnt know he lost the tires.

I call BS. That poor truck depending on which dual losing a set would be behaving very odd...

 

I'd think you'd know that too, but it was the RR on the trailer, and empty, let's say the nut came off and the whole unit gradually slipped off, they might not know it. Loaded or off the tractor, be a different story, but that RR trailer axle is pretty far away. I hope they didn't pull up to the yard pumps with 16 wheels. Think the boss might notice that?

 

Thank you for your thoughts. It's really good.

First, the Boss sees everything. Second don't you think those drums, wheels etc or maybe even the tires are stamped with numbers that can maybe be traced? I once avoided a set of Duals in my lane some time ago on I-70 just past the 76 truckstop east bound. Took a heavy evasion to get around that at 80+ To this day Im not sure if any of the herd with me hit it or not. (I hope they didnt)

A complete and absolute bearing failure will have the axle and wheels come out of a tractor. I have had that happen in the past when my truck suffered one or two. In my case nothing happened until I took a formal right turn off the stop sign and my first left drive axle shaft came out almost entirely along with the wheels and drums etc intruding against the oncoming traffic in the opposite lane and then against the passing traffic from shoulder. State police had to gaurd me until the recovery dealt with the problem. It was not a good day. The truck did exhibit behavioral and power issues as the bearing failed needing much more power from engine.

In the oil days you popped the rubber cap and presto there is oil. Easy.

Today you have that sealed grease? I never thought they were that good of a idea. If oil worked for two wars and generations after leave it alone. Or go roller bearing like the railroads do. (Those are really cool... on their hubs)

Back to the oil I say. Anything else is BS and we will have more of these failures as our trailers age in time.

 

Here's a sad thought, maybe the oil hubs were lasting too long, and the grease hubs sells more bearings. Wheel separation is probably an unwanted offshoot of that.

 

I think I follow. It would be horrible to follow that down the rabbit hole.

When I had a speedshop work on one of my cars which turned out ok considering the challenges we overcame with it (Or the mechanic rather once I made a decision on whats best based on his advice) Once in a while a job like brake rotors were put on because they were 20.00 each and cheap.

Did I say 20.00 each and cheap? Just unvented unslotted, untreated for severe service, literally slabs of metal that are minimum DOT allowed for braking.

Grocery store braking that is. Not the 135 down to 40 for a curve kind of braking I was doing.

I learned that lesson when the rotors failed in short order and how. They did not just fail but crumbled into their individual parts and made a neat pile on the pavement surrounded by cars at a red light. Mechanic was right whenhe said I will be back soon with those crappy brakes.

He put a set of brakes on all 4 wheels at some expense. I think it was 1800 total. But now that car has brakes that can stand up for a while to 135 down to 40. Its back in the shop for additional minor issues which if allowed to accumulate would become a unsafe car.

Love on it, hug it, dust it, sweep it, fix on it, spend money on dates etc a very long time.

HOWEVER.

Quite a few trucks did not get a moment's attention from me. I think about them now and then. Have they lost their hubs or bearings, axles etc yet? Or worse, have they killed or hurt people because of the neglect?

Something to keep you up in the day time.

 

Yeah, I know about cheap Asian rotors, and the notices in the auto parts stores about recalling them. I think what happened here, was a simple nut backed off due to improper installation, and the whole works just came off. If it was a bearing failure, if empty, it would just skid the wheel.

 

There is only one nut and I called them the Jesus nut for lack of a better word choice. The spindle its supposed to be on is pretty long. So by the time that nut finally came off, that whole dual set should be rattling the cage of the tractor pretty good as a form of early warning.

 

That's true, I suppose it depends on the power unit. Them Pete's ride so nice, they may not have noticed, conversely, those Macks ride so rough, they may not have noticed it.