Close Call For Oklahoma State Trooper Due To Loose Lugs

That brake was disabled and lugs probably wouldn’t tighten down all the way because they now have to tighten a extra 3/4 inch or so.. something was left hanging with the bungee cord I suspect that’s what hit trooper. A drum coming apart would seriously mess up wheel and everything around it ..

 

Typical hub pilot crap. Bad design for big trucks. Studs are to small for duals and the torque yield type nuts do not stay tight to clamp them together. We see wheel off’s almost everyday since they became standard. Studs just break with no visual signs they are loose or damaged. They did this to make them idiot proof and easier to use but have caused more problems. The nuts really are one time use and should be replaced every time they are removed, torqued to spec , and checked regularly. There is a reason why they make those ugly bright colored plastic pointers to put on them so you can make dang sure they are tight.

My guess is that rubber tarp strap was holding in a broken s-cam shaft that got loose and fell out hitting the troopers cruiser. The wheels did not.

 

Be nice if those who tighten said lugs would use centering tools or centering lugs. The hub doesn’t center wheel(s).

 

Seems pretty rare to lose wheels out this way. Then again its mandatory to use a torque wrench at the vast majority of shops.

 

Even if a shop uses a t-wrench most don’t routinely check calibration on them or get them recalibrated frequently. I wouldn’t trust some else's wrench. Most tire guys don’t know how to use one correctly. They drop wrenches, slide and throw them around, and the worst thing I see all the time is the fast snap torque action that rounds off the calibration adjustment set screw tips. Instead of easing into it.

 

A few years ago a friend of the family kept having head gasket issues on a 400 Big cam Cummins he and his son overhauled in their ‘71 Pete. The engine was solid in the head and cylinder dept. before they pulled it and tore it down. The truck was getting a complete frame up repaint so They just wanted to freshen it up to go along with it. For a few months they couldn’t keep head gaskets sealed and replaced them a couple times scratching their heads the whole time as to what the heck. Then one day just tooling around the flywheel bolts sheared off the crank as the last straw.
I was at there shop one day listening to the saga and asked them about what their T wrench was? They got kinda offended because they are Snap-On men. Lol! And he had a high quality 3/4 drive Snap-on about 20 years old but only used maybe a dozen or 20 times in its life. No biggie. Right? Still looked new and was still kept in case. Well after some talking I convinced them to put it on an analyzer. It was - 22lbs. and was severely under torquing every nut and bolt the put it on. That is a ton off when messing with engine related fasteners.

 

Should have got a Mac. Used mine regularly for 10 years before it needed to be rebuilt. Had them check the calibration while it was there and it was still bang on what the original factory paperwork said.

 

Depending on what model Mac you have they are from the same manufacturer as Snap-on. The click beam types are made by Precision Instruments and are same exact wrench for all 3 and use same exact parts. Just different color handle grips and prices.

 

Getting them retorqued--especially on new assemply replacements!--as I have found loose lugs.

Also on slip seating, I took the rig the next day, tanker. Morning pretrip looked good, and I didnt get the memo of the previous day's repair. After dumping and leaving on a US highway, a state trooper passed me in oncoming lane. I watched to see if he wanted to u turn for inspection. Moments after he passed I watched a rear tire wobble and roll into the oncoming lane. 30 seconds earlier and I would probably be on trial.

Seeing what disaster can and do happen are the lessons that teach me to look at my equipment EVERY TIME I GET OUT OF MY CAB. I take time and do stretches at axles to see if anything stands out. Hazmat load 2 days aho, Ifound a snapped spring cable on my airline carrier under the trailer.