Wheel fell off!!!

[ADY1983]

I was driving to work this morning; I decided to take the Golf, as it was a very nice morning... The car felt a bit funny when I went round a corner I though it was a flat so I stopped put air in the front was very low so I thought that’s it then. But oh no got to another corner same thing again so I slowed down to stop when there was a bit of a bang and the rear passenger wheel carried on going

I consider my self very lucky though as it could have been allot worse and there is no damage to the car or wheel, I have no idea how they came loose as I have been driving it for 2 weeks.

 

[BTB 500]

Where's it parked? If it has alloys maybe someone had a go at nicking them, and got disturbed after loosening the bolts/nuts.

 

[BlackC55]

Make sure you torque them all up.

 

[jpskiller]

Glad u ok, could have been a lot worse, had same many years ago, when i was doing about 30 round a corner and wheel came off, no cars around so i was ok. had a nice walk to catch up to the wheel

 

[ADY1983]

It's parked on my drive, never had a problem, I have torqued them all again they were fine unless I forgot to torque a wheel up but that’s unlikely as I do them all twice. I had a little walk to get the wheel and I was only doing about 10mph when it actually came off, still went quite away.

 

[DieselE]

It's parked on my drive, never had a problem, I have torqued them all again they were fine unless I forgot to torque a wheel up but that’s unlikely as I do them all twice. I had a little walk to get the wheel and I was only doing about 10mph when it actually came off, still went quite away.

Did you find any of the wheel nuts near where the wheel came off? If they had been loosened by anyone attempting to steal a wheel then some or all of them would have come off in fairly close succession.

 

[glojo]

Thank goodness neither yourself or any other road user was injured. Do you have lock nuts?

My son has a Golf Gti and I am a great listener and prefer tgo learn from other folks mishaps rather than my own What are the settings you use for your torque wrench please? (I trust they are correct and NOT the cause of this incident?) Apologies for my sense of humour. I would appreciate the setting details so I can get my son to check his nuts

I see it hasn't caused any damaged, that is extremely lucky.

Good luck,
John

 

[gina2201]

Oh no!!
Glad to hear you, the car and wheel are all ok! Good job you noticed before it was too late!

 

[ADY1983]

There was 2 bolts just were the wheel came off, I didn't find the other 2 could be anywhere I had travelled about 6 miles before it came off.

John I always do the wheels up to 110 NM of torque and never had a problem before, I have no locking bolts on this one, it did have but the previous owner lost the key so I binned them once I got them off...

 

[Gollom]

Glad you are OK Ady

A wheel came off my car once when doing about 50mph (well, it was an Allegro!) on the Windy Hill stretch of the M62 and it was one of the scariest things ever. (I understand the 'stub axle' sheared off)

Gave the car to Mrs. Gollom shortly after

 

[Dieselman]

Ady
wasn't there any knocking noises ars the bolts came loose, there normally is?

Are the bolts the correct ones to fit the wheels as the seat radius can cause them to come loose, especially on the nearside of the car.

As others have said, nice to hear there was no harm or damage..phew.

 

[pammy]

I'm glad all is well and I can now reveal I did have a little chuckle - only because all is well

 

[Howard]

How have you not damaged it ?

Didn't it 'sit down' on that corner when you came to a stop , crushing the brake lines and everything ?

 

[Carrotchomper]

I imagine that if a wheel fell off my car my nuts would tighten fairly rapidly.

 

[MBManInKen]

I have no idea how they came loose as I have been driving it for 2 weeks.

As others have said, the fact that you're ok and no accident resulted from it is the most important thing.

Any possibility that some idiot thought loosening the bolts would be a funny practical joke?

 

[crockers]

As they say

"If only everything was as reliable as a volkswagen..."


Glad you're ok..

 

[Chris_J]

Glad you're ok Ady. My MK4 Golf had some wheel bolts on which kept snapping, so I'd sometimes find myself running on 4 and once 3 wheel bolts. Lucky the wheel never fell off, and I once found the wheel bolts all loose on my way to work once. I had only 2 miles before that been doing maybe 70 mph.

The only explanation for the snapped bolts was fatigued metal. I work scientists who had a quick look, and pointed out where the metal had snapped through fatigue.

Very scary stuff thinking back to it.

 

[GazCaff]

Good to hear that the only casualty was possibly a pair of underpants!

 

[bolide]

The only explanation for the snapped bolts was fatigued metal

Which is caused by the bolts being loose

Nick Froome
www.w124.co.uk

 

[Dieselman]

Make sure the centre spigot is the correct size. If the wheel is too large for the hub all the weight is on the bolts, which will cause snapping.