Lost rear wheel while on freeway

[larrie]

Bummer about the van. Glad to hear that everyone is ok. Am especially glad to see how well the exterior took the damage and how the forces got transferend to the interior components.

Had a 55 Jeep station wagon in the 70s. Felt an odd vibration and sound coming from the drivers rear tire. Stopped at a filling station to see what was happening. Only had two lose lugnuts left. Tightened them up and stole a couple off another wheel to make it home. Definately spooky.

[rltilley]

Wow. I'm really glad everyone came out of that ok! I just had a freeway speed blowout of the same drivers side rear tire that I though was bad. Losing a tire is far worse. I have a torque wrench so I'll be out soon making sure mine are ok after having Discount Tire replace all 5 tires.


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[86Scotty]

Makes perfect sense Max. I just wasn't thinking it through.

[TomH]

OH.....MY.....GOD! I am so sorry you have had to go through all this headache, but extremely grateful that no one was hurt. I've always hand torqued everything when changing tires on the car, but used the impact wrench when changing between turf tires and ag tires on the tractor. I did have a couple of lug bolts that had seemed tight and came loose later because of something not being completely aligned. I'm surely going to be doing checks from now on. I hope insurance covers everything and you can be on the road again soon.

[JackTuppVan]

86Scotty
"why is it usually the driver's side that comes loose?"

Pritikin
"This vector is in the loosening direction on the left side when the vehicle is driving forward and is the cause of wheel nuts spinning off the left side."


This is the reason Chrysler used left-hand lug nuts and studs on the driver side of cars built during the 1950s and 1960s.

[rallypanam]

Originally Posted by 86Scotty

Is that on steel, aluminum, or both?

Ah hell I don't know... Ford doesn't specify, but then all left the factory with steel, no?

From Eagle wheels.. which mine are:
Use the torque specifications supplied by the vehicle manufacturer. If not available, refer to the following general torque guide:
• 9/16” stud dia.::95-115 ft. lbs.
The installer must instruct the customer to re-torque or return immediately after 25 miles, 100 miles maximum, so installer can re-torque to proper vehicle specifications.
http://images.americaneaglewheel.com/pdf/AEINST0811.pdf

From Ford:
WHEEL LUG NUT TORQUE SPECIFICATIONSOn vehicles equipped with single rear wheels, retighten the lug nuts tothe specified torque at 500 miles (800 km) after any wheel disturbance(tire rotation, changing a flat tire, wheel removal, etc.).

E-250, E-350 and E-450: 9/16–18: 140 lb. ft.
https://www.manualslib.com/manual/62....html?page=117

[86Scotty]

Thanks Rob. Looks like rechecking them is the most important thing, which I've always done anyway. I'm just a bit OCD.

[carringb]

Lugnut torque is based on stud diameter (and pitch of the seat), not wheel material. Ford did offer an Aluminum wheel option, however it was forged, as are most OEM alloy wheels. So 140 ft-lbs is correct for most wheels.

Aftermarket alloy wheels are nearly all cast. My alloy rear wheels have always had a tendency to loosen up after a few thousand miles. It's only my rear though, which I'm sure it from the higher loading, combined with the longer wheel studs (since it's a dually) combined with the wheels being lug-centric, unlike the hub-centric OEM wheels.

Note: Eagle has a lower torque spec because they use piloted lug-nuts.

[86Scotty]

Great info as always CarringB. What about aluminum spacers then? Same torque?

I'm also curious what you think about medium grade loctite on the spacers, bad idea or would it even help at all?

[MadScience]

Technically you're supposed to drive ~40 miles after wheel installation and then re-torque everything. If I understand things correctly that's to catch anything where a single nut was a bit looser or ended up crushing some dirt in the wheel, which led to any sort of settling.

When I've had a wheel off myself I generally do that, just as one more check to make sure nothing was missed. I don't think I've ever not just had the wrench click.

However if I've handed a car to a shop, half the time I'm not even sure they pulled the wheels and I don't do any follow up work. I doubt many folks do.