Wheel fell of car following service - likely outcome?

[s2sol]

Last night, the nsr wheel came off my truck. As a consequence, all the studs, the brake drum and pads and tyre are damaged. I was only able to find 2 of the 6 nuts - it was dark, and I was a bit pissed off, so I might not have looked all that thoroughly.

When the recovery guy turned up, he immediately asked if someone had been working on the truck recently. His diagnosis was that the nuts hadn't been torqued.

I had it serviced a month and about 1300 miles ago by a local independent garage. It's the first time I've used them. They're handy for where I work, and my employer uses and recommends them.

If I'm honest, I'd be very surprised if the wheel could stay on a month with no symptoms of loose nuts. However, nobody else has had a spanner on it in that time. I had it recovered there last night and went to see them this morning. The owner and I discussed the matter in a very civilised way, and he told me they'd put it on a ramp and have a look, then give me a call. As I left the yard, it was on a ramp, but I've heard nothing as yet.

Is it plausible that a wheel could hang on for a month and 1300 miles incorrectly torqued with no symptoms? If so, what do I expect from the garage? I'd be happy with new brake shoes, the drum skimmed, new bolts and nuts. I expect the sticking point to be the tyre. Or he might flatly deny responsibility, which leaves me about £300 down.

[scorcher]

A lot of places put a disclaimer on their paperwork about wheelnuts, if they have had the wheels off they normally advise to check them after 30 miles or so.

[RB Will]

I used to be a driver for a Jeep dealer. I was delivering a customers Cherokee back after a service. got 1/4 mile away from the dealer and thought it felt a bit wayward so pulled into a side road to have a look, as I pulled into the road the rear left wheel came off and went rolling down the road. luckily it didnt hit anything. In leaving the car the wheel popped off a wheel arch and dumped the thing on its brake disc.

Found out that tech had not torqued the nuts so the dealer paid for everything and the tech got a disciplinary. I got it in the neck from the customer when I dropped off a loan car for him.

But as I said this happened 1/4 mile after the service. You might have a bit of trouble getting them to admit or pay for anything after 1 month/1300miles as there is nowt to show that the wheel has not been off again since then.

[TooMany2cvs]

Six nuts worked loose and came off, and you didn't notice any vibration or other forewarning?

[V8forweekends]

bd vandals have been known to loosen wheelnuts.

ETA
http://www.torquayheraldexpress.co.uk/Police-appea...

[Snowboy]

When the garage didn't tighten my wheel nuts I noticed on the first corner it wasn't right.

I would guess it vandals.

[s2sol]

RB Will said:

But as I said this happened 1/4 mile after the service. You might have a bit of trouble getting them to admit or pay for anything after 1 month/1300miles as there is nowt to show that the wheel has not been off again since then.

Yeah, that's what concerns me. Hand on heart, nobody (that I'm aware of) has touched it.

[73mark]

1300miles there's no way they'll take responsibility.

[s2sol]

TooMany2cvs said:

Six nuts worked loose and came off, and you didn't notice any vibration or other forewarning?

That's about the size of it, yes. Given that I found 2 within about 30 yards, I reckon it was quite a quick event from start to finish. I drive for a living, and I like to think I'm a mechanically sympathetic driver. If it had been going on for a mile or more, I'm sure I would have noticed.

[s2sol]

V8forweekends said:

bd vandals have been known to loosen wheelnuts.

ETA
http://www.torquayheraldexpress.co.uk/Police-appea...

The thing spends all day parked in a secure yard, and at nights and weekends the nearside is hard against a wall. You could barely get a fag paper down that side, far less loosen 6 nuts. If it's vandalism, the only people with any real opportunity to do it are my colleagues, which is incredibly unlikely.

[SVTRick]

In the words of Harry Brown ... "You have failed to maintain your weapon"

What about your (Drivers) daily / weekly vehicle inspections ? - FAIL
Cant blame service guy after all those miles.

[TooMany2cvs]

s2sol said:

Given that I found 2 within about 30 yards

But the other four?

[s2sol]

SVTRick said:

In the words of Harry Brown ... "You have failed to maintain your weapon"

What about your (Drivers) daily / weekly vehicle inspections ? - FAIL
Cant blame service guy after all those miles.

Yes, that too. I can't deny that I'm pissed off with myself for allowing this to happen.

[s2sol]

TooMany2cvs said:

But the other four?

I don't know. It was dark and wet, and there was a lush verge on the nearside. They might have been within feet of me, and i'd have been lucky to find them.

[speedking31]

Do you have a locking wheel nut? How's that?

[s2sol]

speedking31 said:

Do you have a locking wheel nut? How's that?

I've not got any.

[John145]

Rear wheel on a van; I can believe you might not have noticed loose bolts.

There can a lot of thread travel on van hubs too so longer to work off.

The only cause for a wheel falling off is the wheel bolts coming off. The root cause however is either vandals or the incorrect procedure taking place for the mechanic torquing the bolts on.

What would I expect? Well if it had happened the same day/week I'd expect them to fully repair the car FOC. After this much time / mileage I'd be pleased with a gesture of good faith.

Unfortunately not many people check their wheel bolts on a daily/weekly/monthly basis so can easily fall foul of this. My car has centre caps that entirely cover the wheel bolts!

I'd wait for them to come back and see what they say then update us.

[markmullen]

If I drove a truck, a job where VOSA are red hot on safety, and I'd neglected to check my wheel nuts for a month and 1300 miles till the point I lost a wheel I'd be thanking my lucky stars no-one had been hurt and hoping no-one had seen, and keeping it quiet, not going on a popular forum bleating about it and publically admitting my safety checks aren't up to scratch.

That's just me though.

[anonymous-user]

s2sol said:

SVTRick said:

In the words of Harry Brown ... "You have failed to maintain your weapon"

What about your (Drivers) daily / weekly vehicle inspections ? - FAIL
Cant blame service guy after all those miles.

Yes, that too. I can't deny that I'm pissed off with myself for allowing this to happen.

Lucky escape ? They can bounce for 'miles'


At least it didn't go through someones windscreen on the motorway which I have known to happen

The owner driver who's truck it came from was wasn't the best at maintenance shall we say.
Pity the other beggar cut out of his cab with broken legs where the wheel hit it

[s2sol]

markmullen said:

If I drove a truck, a job where VOSA are red hot on safety, and I'd neglected to check my wheel nuts for a month and 1300 miles till the point I lost a wheel I'd be thanking my lucky stars no-one had been hurt and hoping no-one had seen, and keeping it quiet, not going on a popular forum bleating about it and publically admitting my safety checks aren't up to scratch.

That's just me though.

This is a personal vehicle, not a commercial vehicle. It's referred to as the truck because it's a pickup. Had it been a work vehicle, it would have covered 1500 miles a week, rather than 1300 in a month. I carry out my daily checks on commercials diligently.

I think "bleating" is a bit of an overreaction. I've said that I'm unhappy that I've allowed this to happen. I'm not trying to absolve myself of culpability. I don't know how or why it happened, and I'm trying to find out.

Edited by s2sol on Monday 28th April 13:46