tuflehundon

Note: I was not injured at all, and the truck is gonna be fine.

I was driving yesterday in the boonies while working. Going about 70 mph, and something felt off. So I started slowing down and pulling over. Felt what I thought was a tire blowing out. As I pulled off the pavement and onto the grass, the whole back end on the drivers side dropped. Came to a stop, and my driver rear wheel was behind my truck. Had several wheel studs sheered off.




I was able to cobble the wheel back on good enough to get her onto and off of the flatbed tow truck, and get her home.



I had my wheels rotated and balanced last Sunday. Appears they did not torque the lug nuts properly, and they worked there way off while I drove. The last 2 that were still on where on the same side, and they snapped off. Destroyed the rim. Tire seems fine. I am waiting to hear from my mechanic, but I did not see any other damage to the truck. Likely because it came off while I was over the grass and not the concrete road.

Honestly I was lucky it didn't come off when I was going faster. I could have flipped the truck. Tire place knows what I do for a living. (insurance inspector) and what my wife does (she works for a judge). They were very accommodating. They are are paying for my mechanic to replace the wheel studs and check everything else. They were going to order me a new rims, but my rims have been discontinued, and they couldn't find 4. So I found some rims I like better, and they ordered me a new set. I am getting these Fuel rebel 6 D681's. (pic is not my rims, it's a stock pic I found online of the same one)

Gearhead54

Too many uggs from big impact more than likely broke 1 stud and rest worked loose. I had it happen on an s10 and dakota.

Breanna

****ty story, sharp looking rims.

marshallr

Would have been about 1968 when I was in 4th grade. The right rear duals ran off the school bus I was riding on just as we pulled into the school parking lot. The bus had to do a hard left turn (basically a U turn) to get from the road into the school. I've often wondered if that had something to do with it. I can still remember watching the wheels rolling through the football practice field. I was sitting on very back seat on the left side. When the bus hit the pavement I was thrown all the way to the other side of the bus. Pretty violently. We just got off and walked the rest of the way to school, about 100-150 yards.

Thankfully you were observant enough to recognize a problem before it was a lot worse.

DarrinT04

damn that really sucks. but its not really your fault. whoever put those lug nuts on needs to be punched in the teeth

MrFlash

Had the same thing happen on my Jeep several years ago.
Except I was able to stop before wheel came off completely. Got towed home.
Unfortunately I was the last monkey to have worked on it, so I had no one to blame but myself.

moparado

OP, if misery loves company i bought new tires from one of those discount tire places for my old Ford Ranger.
About a couple miles away made a sharp right turn and the front left wheel let go...rolled in front of the truck.
Bent the front left fender and did some damage to the brakes.
That shop sent out a tow truck and made good for all the damage and by the way i was told later by the manager they fired the guy on the spot who torqued the lugs.

Since then whenever i have new tires replaced or a rotated i always bring my torque wrench with me just in case before driving off.

DarrinT04

Good for that shop owner. If they mess up that's one thing, mistakes will happen even from the most professional mechanics out there. But taking up for the mistake is an honnest thing to do

B.Cooper

Happy to hear no one was injured and the shop is doing the right thing, I do love the new rims.

tuflehundon

He got fired. Apparently it wasn't his first mistake. Had the wife's car in for balance and rotate today as we talked about my rims. and the manager did it. Had me come out and watch him use a torque wrench to hand torque them. Apparently that's the new policy. Have the customer watch you do the torque from now on.

I may get some new tires out of it too. They are going to check my tires for damage when they install the new rims, and will replace if they are damaged.