Could it be possible to drive 200 miles without wheelbolts?
Discussion
I'm unsure, but it seems unlikely to me?
News report said:
A LABOUR MP is lucky to be alive after driving 200 miles – with all the nuts removed from his car wheels.
John Mann drove from London to his Nottinghamshire constituency office in Worksop unaware of the sabotage.
The Bassetlaw MP and Treasury Select Committee member struggled to control the vehicle after he turned off the A1 onto winding country lanes.
He said it was probably the work of a thief but was not ruling out a more sinister motive.
Mr Mann said: “The consequences of this madness do not bear thinking about.
"I and others could easily have been killed.
"It may well have been the work of a thief who was interrupted - but I find it strange that the hub caps were put back on, meaning I couldn't tell that anything was wrong.
"I thought as I was driving up the A1 that I was having a bit of engine trouble but it was only at the end of the journey that I saw one of the wheels had almost fallen off.
"This could have killed me and possibly other people if the wheels had fallen off on the A1."
The Metropolitan Police are investigating the incident after the right front wheel almost fell off when he reached the car park at his office.
The wheels had been stripped of their wheel nuts and all 4 locking nuts had been removed from each of the tyres.
Mr Mann is an outspoken member of the Treasury Select Committee renowned for his tough questioning of ministers and senior bankers.
In a statement on his website, he said he was "calling on motoring organisations to audit security devices in order to reassure the general public and is publicising his traumatic experience in order to alert other motorists.”
The incident follows one in May when Mr Mann's wife Jo White, a Labour councillor, was sent a dead bird in the post.
John Mann drove from London to his Nottinghamshire constituency office in Worksop unaware of the sabotage.
The Bassetlaw MP and Treasury Select Committee member struggled to control the vehicle after he turned off the A1 onto winding country lanes.
He said it was probably the work of a thief but was not ruling out a more sinister motive.
Mr Mann said: “The consequences of this madness do not bear thinking about.
"I and others could easily have been killed.
"It may well have been the work of a thief who was interrupted - but I find it strange that the hub caps were put back on, meaning I couldn't tell that anything was wrong.
"I thought as I was driving up the A1 that I was having a bit of engine trouble but it was only at the end of the journey that I saw one of the wheels had almost fallen off.
"This could have killed me and possibly other people if the wheels had fallen off on the A1."
The Metropolitan Police are investigating the incident after the right front wheel almost fell off when he reached the car park at his office.
The wheels had been stripped of their wheel nuts and all 4 locking nuts had been removed from each of the tyres.
Mr Mann is an outspoken member of the Treasury Select Committee renowned for his tough questioning of ministers and senior bankers.
In a statement on his website, he said he was "calling on motoring organisations to audit security devices in order to reassure the general public and is publicising his traumatic experience in order to alert other motorists.”
The incident follows one in May when Mr Mann's wife Jo White, a Labour councillor, was sent a dead bird in the post.
I once forgot to tighten the bolts on a wheel after removing it. I could tell straight away something was wrong, as the steering wheel was wobbling from side to side. That was with bolts on, just not tightened, so I find it nigh on impossible that somebody wouldn't notice until 200 miles later with no bolts at all.
^^ that, although wouldn't they be trapped behind the hubcaps if the hubcaps had been replaced? Possibly not I suppose?
Make sure you're turning gently, and if at all possible avoid turning away from the wheel without the bolts (i.e. avoid turns that create tension rather than compression)? Still a lucky escape methinks.
Make sure you're turning gently, and if at all possible avoid turning away from the wheel without the bolts (i.e. avoid turns that create tension rather than compression)? Still a lucky escape methinks.
How the feck could someone think it was engine trouble?
I finished refitting the engine into my old Impreza once. I hold my hands up, that I didn't do the wheel bolts up properly as I was eager to test drive the car. I got 100 metres down the road and heard a large clunk and felt it in the wheel....I knew straight away it was the front wheels trying to make a bid for freedom.
If my wheels were coming off after 100 metres, how on earth has this pillock managed 200 miles?!
I finished refitting the engine into my old Impreza once. I hold my hands up, that I didn't do the wheel bolts up properly as I was eager to test drive the car. I got 100 metres down the road and heard a large clunk and felt it in the wheel....I knew straight away it was the front wheels trying to make a bid for freedom.
If my wheels were coming off after 100 metres, how on earth has this pillock managed 200 miles?!
Must have been loosened, not all wheel bolts missing. There's a chance the grime and muck could have held some onto the splines I guess, but only if he drives like a granny.
Saw a guy at a sprint who hadn't tightened up the wheel bolts properly, and he got nearly to the end (about 70s or so) before one of the wheels came off.
Saw a guy at a sprint who hadn't tightened up the wheel bolts properly, and he got nearly to the end (about 70s or so) before one of the wheels came off.
Citroen Picasso with wheel trims - why would anybody want to pinch the wheels? And why would it have locking wheel nuts.
None of this makes any sense - 200 miles with no wheel nuts, or even loose wheel nuts? And he didn't notice? Thought it was the engine? And the "wheel nuts on the tyres"? Sloppy journalism as well!
None of this makes any sense - 200 miles with no wheel nuts, or even loose wheel nuts? And he didn't notice? Thought it was the engine? And the "wheel nuts on the tyres"? Sloppy journalism as well!
ks to me.I've done something similar. I accidentally crossthreaded a wheel nut rather than a wheel bolt. The little bit of play that that allowed was enough to loosen the other ones when I was on the motorway. My guess is that he doesn't do a lot of fast driving and one of the wheel nuts hadn't been tightened properly the last time he had a wheel changed.
My favourite bit is how he thought he was having engine trouble but carried on anyway.
My favourite bit is how he thought he was having engine trouble but carried on anyway.
Dupe...http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&f=23&t=1188675&mid=334630&nmt=MP+losing+his+nuts
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-19354209 In that story it said only one wheel was loose.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-19354209 In that story it said only one wheel was loose.
Fartgalen said:
I think it might be possible. Once took me about half an hour of hammering, kicking, pushing, pulling and lots of swearing to get a wheel off the hub with all nuts removed !
Me too. Alloys can bond really firmly to a hub... to the point where I now carry tyre foam in case I can't get a wheel off.EDIT: I've re-read this when I don't have an attack of The Stupid. 200 miles? No way.
Edited by blearyeyedboy on Friday 24th August 22:58
Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff