Lost a wheel on the highway

I was hunting the South river area on Friday for grouse and on the way home my front diver's side wheel came off on hwy 11.

No injuries and thank goodness no other vehicles were involved. I had let of the throttle has soon as I heard something and we were going much slower than the speed limit when it came off.

At this point i don't know how it happened. The last time that wheel had been off the vehicle was in the spring when the summers were put on.

Don't know if it was tampered with. Just a heads up if you are out in the woods this fall.

... And I only got one bird and the photo wasn't in focus, so a great day all around.

Close call glad it turned out ok

Did you change the tires or was it done by someone else?

They were done by hand in the spring.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by kickingfrog

They were done by hand in the spring.

---

Is it possible that the wheel nuts were untorqued and came loose?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by trimmer21

Is it possible that the wheel nuts were untorqued and came loose?

---

Just doesnt seem plausible that changing the tires in the spring has anything to do with this one coming off. It probably would have happened way sooner if that was the case.
Glad to hear everything turn out safe as worse things could have happened.
I lost a tire yrs ago after my truck was at the dealer for front end work. It was a scary ride. Dealer replaced rim tire, fender, bumper, wheel hub, brake caliper etc, it wasn't fun.
now I give the top of my tires a good push with my foot once a week just to check

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by gooseman

Just doesnt seem plausible that changing the tires in the spring has anything to do with this one coming off. It probably would have happened way sooner if that was the case.

---

I would tend to agree. Usually,loose wheel nuts can be felt in the steering as a "wobble" before they let go completely.

Glad to hear you're ok.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by kickingfrog

Don't know if it was tampered with. Just a heads up if you are out in the woods this fall.

---

Did you notice anyone around where you parked or see anyone else in the area?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by trimmer21

I would tend to agree. Usually,loose wheel nuts can be felt in the steering as a "wobble" before they let go completely.

---

X2 - Had loose wheel nuts on a front wheel once, You could hear it kinda clunking, especially at low speeds and around corners. Were there literally just wheel lugs sticking out of the hub (so the nuts were GONE) or was it a god-awful mess of sheared bolts, etc.

Good luck getting everything fixed up!

That's why they say to recheck that the nuts are torqued down properly shortly after changing/replacing wheels (or shortly after being used on road for a few km's). I had it happen once where I checked the nuts on my boat trailer by hand and could turn one nut by hand. That kind of scared me.

Lost a tire years ago... upon investigation it was found the rims were at fault... the holes were the lugs go through misshapen and went oblong.... these particular rims got recalle...

Glad you made it OK with no injuries! I had a wheel come off a U-Haul trailer once and it wasn't fun.

You didn't say what make/model truck. I have a 2011 Ford Ranger and was recently told by the dealership that Rangers are "prone" to losing wheels due to bad wheel bearings.

Just spent the afternoon going over it with a mechanic. Everything points to tampering. I've just decided on a new spot during the big game seasons. I'll also be bringing some game cameras as well. Haven't decided on whether or not my brother and I will be sitting in the woods watching with a couple more cameras.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by kickingfrog

Just spent the afternoon going over it with a mechanic. Everything points to tampering. I've just decided on a new spot during the big game seasons. I'll also be bringing some game cameras as well. Haven't decided on whether or not my brother and I will be sitting in the woods watching with a couple more cameras.

---

Call the OPP and lay a complaint,NOW. Give them all the details including the name and address of your mechanic that checked the wheels. If it's some ding-a-ling anti hunter,this is a whole new approach to harrassment. It may also be attempted murder. A nut like this needs to be stopped ASAP.

As a rule, nuts on the drivers side tend to loosen off while the passengers side tighten up. This is why Chrysler used to have left hand threads on the drivers side. It would NOT take months for this to happen if they were not torqued properly however.....I'd report it...

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by kickingfrog

Just spent the afternoon going over it with a mechanic. Everything points to tampering. I've just decided on a new spot during the big game seasons. I'll also be bringing some game cameras as well. Haven't decided on whether or not my brother and I will be sitting in the woods watching with a couple more cameras.

---

Glad you weren't injured.

That's a whole new low if it was in fact tampered with.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by trimmer21

Call the OPP and lay a complaint,NOW. Give them all the details including the name and address of your mechanic that checked the wheels. If it's some ding-a-ling anti hunter,this is a whole new approach to harrassment. It may also be attempted murder. A nut like this needs to be stopped ASAP.

---

Or possible someone who dosent like you in their perceived hunting grounds.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Camp Red Maple

Or possible someone who dosent like you in their perceived hunting grounds.

---

If that's the case,lots of people will know who hunts that area. It shouldn't be difficult to find out.

I have a hard time seeing somebody putting in the effort to loosen off some wheel fasteners but hey, stranger things have happened.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by last5oh_302

I have a hard time seeing somebody putting in the effort to loosen off some wheel fasteners but hey, stranger things have happened.

---

It could be something as silly as kids out for a lark or a concerted effort by someone with an axe to grind. In any case ,we need to know about it ASAP. It shouldn't be ignored.

Some antis do weird things.....

Some hunters do weird things as well, lest you be hunting their deer, their moose, their spots.


There is no doubt the nut were loosened on purpose (at least the 4 regular ones) and where they were loosened. The who is completely unknown, but the fact that at this point no one else in the area reported the same issues on Friday tells me that it was that particular spot as opposed to kids doing random acts of kindness in the area.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by GoldenLakePete

Glad you made it OK with no injuries! I had a wheel come off a U-Haul trailer once and it wasn't fun.

You didn't say what make/model truck. I have a 2011 Ford Ranger and was recently told by the dealership that Rangers are "prone" to losing wheels due to bad wheel bearings.

---

I had a 2008 ranger and the front wheel bearings on those are scary small. My wheelbarrow has larger bearings.

Sent from my SGH-I317M using Tapatalk

check the threads make sure nothings stripped or warn, sometimes it can make the nuts loosen and i was about to mention bearings but..

Glad no one was hurt!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by GoldenLakePete

Glad you made it OK with no injuries! I had a wheel come off a U-Haul trailer once and it wasn't fun.

You didn't say what make/model truck. I have a 2011 Ford Ranger and was recently told by the dealership that Rangers are "prone" to losing wheels due to bad wheel bearings.

---

Any wheel will fall off if a bad bearing is not taken care of in time. You would be amazed how many people dont know or pay attention to new abnormal aounds and "just drive it".
That wheel issue was an old one i have an '07.

i had the same thing happen to my 96 YUkon but it was my own fault. I had done the front brakes two weeks prior and the Compressor had been acting up. Turns out it only tightened down the nuts to 45 lbs. For two weeks I kept hearing 'pops' and couldn't figure out what it was. Finaly up in North Bay one last pop and the front started to shake. We were just pulling out of Billy Bobs and pulled over and were down to one wheel nut! Lesson learned. Bought a big torque wrench!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by floater

i had the same thing happen to my 96 YUkon but it was my own fault. I had done the front brakes two weeks prior and the Compressor had been acting up. Turns out it only tightened down the nuts to 45 lbs. For two weeks I kept hearing 'pops' and couldn't figure out what it was. Finaly up in North Bay one last pop and the front started to shake. We were just pulling out of Billy Bobs and pulled over and were down to one wheel nut! Lesson learned. Bought a big torque wrench!

---

I know of (and was actually there to see it) someone who put ATV wheels on but used their inch pound torque wrench instead of their foot lb wrench..lol Yep, a wheel came off right on the trail. Lost 2 of the four nuts in the process but the two we found was enough to get us back. Most ATV wheels are torqued down around 40 ft lb's, so you don't want to make a mistake there because 40 ain't much!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by last5oh_302

I have a hard time seeing somebody putting in the effort to loosen off some wheel fasteners but hey, stranger things have happened.

---

I certainly don't. Some guys have no problem slashing tires, smashing windows, etc, over hunting spots. Hell one guy in our deer camp had his truck set on fire at the launch. (He was a C/O at the time and was the gov truck).

Have lost wheels twice, once on a trailer half way beween the soo and wawa, last I saw of the wheel it was going down one of those steep embankments towards lake superior, no apparent reason to come off, had checked wheels before we left(spun and rocked them to check bearings etc.) Other one was between massey and espanola when started hearing funny noises from rear of truck, stopped and found only one stud nut left on wheel, rim holes were oblonged and rim screwed, put spare on and robbed a nut from other three wheels and made it home, again no apparent reason as wheel had been on for at least 10,000 kms. So in my opinion 55hit happens!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by TurkeyRookie

I certainly don't. Some guys have no problem slashing tires, smashing windows, etc, over hunting spots. Hell one guy in our deer camp had his truck set on fire at the launch. (He was a C/O at the time and was the gov truck).

---

I suppose in this scenario the supposed vandal could have researched the proper wheel nut size and brought in a ratchet with the proper sized socket.

I'm picturing this trailer being parked away from most people out in the bush, hence my belief for it seeming far fetched that someone could be bothered.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by jlmorgan

Have lost wheels twice, once on a trailer half way beween the soo and wawa, last I saw of the wheel it was going down one of those steep embankments towards lake superior, no apparent reason to come off, had checked wheels before we left(spun and rocked them to check bearings etc.) Other one was between massey and espanola when started hearing funny noises from rear of truck, stopped and found only one stud nut left on wheel, rim holes were oblonged and rim screwed, put spare on and robbed a nut from other three wheels and made it home, again no apparent reason as wheel had been on for at least 10,000 kms. So in my opinion 55hit happens!

---

As the wheel nuts become loose they make a mess of the holes an they certainly do elongate. Then studs can start breaking. Seen it more than once on big trucks. Scary stuff.

You didn't mention that you checked the torque, and they will loosen off.

Glad nobody was hurt.

By chance, I had my car in last week to check out some road noise. It was an alignment issue, but I was also told there was a lot of play in one of the ball joints and not to drive much before I get it fixed. I got it swapped out next day and was glad we have two vehicles because I left that one in town! I drive 80km a day going 100km/hr with lots of bends and curves;all with the whole family in the car. I certainly wouldn't want to lose stability/steering during the drive, and I hope I never experience it.

I commend you for backing off the speed, and keeping everyone safe, must have been a pucker moment for sure.

You sure it wasn't the grouse sabotaging you ? Lol��Glad your ok , scary thing been there before ,but with a trailer and 2 atvs been towed in the back