Had wheel come off while driving..

[theman233]

Hello,...

Sad sad day


I was heading to a grocery store 1.5 miles away, when all of a sudden on a straight away it just came off and there I was, riding on the rotor...Thank god there were no cars around, and also that the car still felt "controllable". My rotor actually looks okay, the same with the studs/lug nuts/wheel. The only thing that got damaged was my front fender, it's bent in a little, I'm thinking from the wheel? Everything just came off clean.

I had a fellow car enthusiast in a silver mazda hatch pull over and actually offer his assistance. I can't believe how helpful he was, everyone else, even fellow subies, just kept going and staring. The guy even ran 2 blocks down the street and found 4 of my lug nuts, so we just installed the wheel back and I drove home.

So it doesn't look like anything was even damaged, even the rotor, but what are am I looking at as far as damage goes? What should I be looking at? on the drive home the car felt fine, but I also took side streets and drove 5-10mph...Really scared to even drive my car now and don't know of any mechanics that would come check it out.

[theman233]

Wanted to get straight to the point, but earlier today I installed my new wheels, I did so without a torque wrench...I went to sears and bought one that was the incorrect size for my lug nut key, I was going to go back tomorrow and try to get a refund and get a proper one, not kidding! I just really couldn't wait to finally put the wheels on, since I was going to a shop tomorrow for a drop/alignment. I hand tightened all the lugs, and then used the socket and gave it a little turn with it. I even "kept note" of how much force was required to break the lugs loose, and tried to imitate that.

[Gear_One_Performance]

The first thing you want to look at is your brake rotor, then check the wheel bearing and lower control arm. All and all though it sounds like you got incredibly lucky in both safety and damages.

[Tcoat]

I have lost a couple of wheels over the years and never had any real damage from it. If the steering felt OK and no weird brake noises or wobbles I would say you got away with it. Drive it over to the dealer and have them check it if you want reassurance though.
A long time ago I learned that when you think the nuts are tight enough give them one more shot anyway. Not like you can over torque them really.

[nos145]

Originally Posted by Tcoat

I have lost a couple of wheels over the years and never had any real damage from it. If the steering felt OK and no weird brake noises or wobbles I would say you got away with it. Drive it over to the dealer and have them check it if you want reassurance though.
A long time ago I learned that when you think the nuts are tight enough give them one more shot anyway. Not like you can over torque them really.

i would marry you if i could

[shiumai]

LOL - i just went down to the garage and checked my lug nuts even though i torqued them down the last time i took off the wheels. this post brought out the paranoia in me haha.

[DaJo]

Pics or it didn't happen!

[nos145]

Originally Posted by DaJo

Pics or it didn't happen!

dashcam vid plz

[ZionsWrath]

You gotta stand on that baby wrench in the trunk to tighten the lugs properly.

I literally bent the one that came in my Honda.

Glad you made out ok.

Harbor freight aint so bad for some tools, they have torque wrench for like $20.

[pfaffendorn]

Originally Posted by ZionsWrath

You gotta stand on that baby wrench in the trunk to tighten the lugs properly.

I literally bent the one that came in my Honda.

Glad you made out ok.

Harbor freight aint so bad for some tools, they have torque wrench for like $20.

I have to stand on it to loosen them, too. Measuring torque for the cylinder head, etc., is important, but the wheel lugs, subjected to so much shock and vibration as they are, just tighten the crap out of them!

[humfrz]

Originally Posted by Tcoat

I have lost a couple of wheels over the years and never had any real damage from it. If the steering felt OK and no weird brake noises or wobbles I would say you got away with it. Drive it over to the dealer and have them check it if you want reassurance though.
A long time ago I learned that when you think the nuts are tight enough give them one more shot anyway. Not like you can over torque them really.

There ya go, @theman233 .........

I suggest you invest in a $10 lug wrench, like shown below.

For years we used one of these to tighten up lug nuts ........ waaay before folks kept saying that you needed a torque wrench to do the job. Most wheels stayed on....

So, with the wheel off the ground, hand tighten all lug nuts ..... then, snug all of them up with the wrench ..... always working in a "cross" pattern.

Then block the wheel and tighten each one down ....... then tighten them more till they "squeak" (if they are "dry").

Then let the wheel down on the ground and tighten each till they either squeak again or you grunt once.

OF course if you have a locking lug in the mix, always make sure it is the first one off and the last one on, in the tightening rotation.

Yep, wouldn't hurt to take it into a shop and have it checked out for any hidden damage.


humfrz

[humfrz]

Originally Posted by shiumai

LOL - i just went down to the garage and checked my lug nuts even though i torqued them down the last time i took off the wheels. this post brought out the paranoia in me haha.

It's best to check them in the mornings ........... in case the trunk monkey gets out at night and loosens them up .......


humfrz

[iamjacob]

I always thought that the torque wrench was for uniformity and not necessarily tightness. Not sure how much I've ever believed it but I've been told that differing torque can lead to prematurely warped rotors.

[humfrz]

Originally Posted by iamjacob

I always thought that the torque wrench was for uniformity and not necessarily tightness. Not sure how much I've ever believed it but I've been told that differing torque can lead to prematurely warped rotors.

Well, yes ...... but "lug nut tight" is "lug nut tight" ...... for all lug nuts.

Again, "lug nut tight" is 2 squeaks (dry) and a grunt ....... unless you're over 70 years old, then it may be two grunts.




humfrz