Copied from Yahoo-SprinterVan Message #27097 of 33420 :
ESCAPING DEATH BY LUG NUTS
Late summer 2005
We were going great; no worries for our luscious CMI-converted Sprinter. The
week before our big trip, we had a dealer repair shop remove all four
wheels, check the brakes, and install new pads and front rotors.
The drive out old Route 66 to Albuquerque was fantastic! Onward to the wild
hot springs on the winding roads above Los Alamos, overlooking great vistas,
with but a low fence separating us from precipitous, steep hillsides and
cliff walls. The seven-mile decent on the interstate to Denver was four
lanes of hot brakes, semis with blazing wheels and clouds of blue smoke in
the air.
That was yesterday, and now I am cruising across Nebraska with my sweetheart
sleeping in the seat next to me.
Then, all of a sudden, at 75mph, it sounds like a tire blows out. I can¹t
steer. We are going down the highway sideways. I think, we are either going
to lose it in a very, very bad way, or we are not. My wife is startled
awake. And we slide and slide and slide, with a semi truck braking furiously
just behind us. I pictured our magnificent Sprinter rolling down the hill,
crumpled. Somehow I got it under control and pulled to the shoulder.
Once I could breathe again, I got out to look at the driver side front. That
tire, intact, was not even touching the ground. The back passenger side
wheel was a different story: it was ENTIRELY GONE, the lug nuts sheared off
at the axle. We slid the whole way on the rotor! The drum of the rotor had
shattered but the caliper held the rotor in place. At 75 miles per hour the
wheel broke off and left not a trace, not a nick on the body. I walked back
to find the wheel against a far off fence a good quarter mile back. (photo
in the photos section of the news group, album called "lug nuts")
The wrecker driver recognized the problem immediately. He said this only
happens when the bolts aren¹t torqued right. The dealer and all the
mechanics in Lincoln, Nebraska were amazed and said the same: we were truly
lucky to be alive.
Let this be a message to all: BE SURE THE LUG NUTS ARE TORQUED CORRECTLY
WHENEVER YOU DO BRAKE AND TIRE WORK.
We lived happily ever after. We hope you do, too.
Eric & Trudi
See our beautiful van: http://tinyurl.com/qcent
Pictures of the rear axle (log into YahooSprinterVan):
http://autos.ph.groups.yahoo.com/group/sprintervan/photos/view/2b39?b=1&o=2
ESCAPING DEATH BY LUG NUTS
Late summer 2005
We were going great; no worries for our luscious CMI-converted Sprinter. The
week before our big trip, we had a dealer repair shop remove all four
wheels, check the brakes, and install new pads and front rotors.
The drive out old Route 66 to Albuquerque was fantastic! Onward to the wild
hot springs on the winding roads above Los Alamos, overlooking great vistas,
with but a low fence separating us from precipitous, steep hillsides and
cliff walls. The seven-mile decent on the interstate to Denver was four
lanes of hot brakes, semis with blazing wheels and clouds of blue smoke in
the air.
That was yesterday, and now I am cruising across Nebraska with my sweetheart
sleeping in the seat next to me.
Then, all of a sudden, at 75mph, it sounds like a tire blows out. I can¹t
steer. We are going down the highway sideways. I think, we are either going
to lose it in a very, very bad way, or we are not. My wife is startled
awake. And we slide and slide and slide, with a semi truck braking furiously
just behind us. I pictured our magnificent Sprinter rolling down the hill,
crumpled. Somehow I got it under control and pulled to the shoulder.
Once I could breathe again, I got out to look at the driver side front. That
tire, intact, was not even touching the ground. The back passenger side
wheel was a different story: it was ENTIRELY GONE, the lug nuts sheared off
at the axle. We slid the whole way on the rotor! The drum of the rotor had
shattered but the caliper held the rotor in place. At 75 miles per hour the
wheel broke off and left not a trace, not a nick on the body. I walked back
to find the wheel against a far off fence a good quarter mile back. (photo
in the photos section of the news group, album called "lug nuts")
The wrecker driver recognized the problem immediately. He said this only
happens when the bolts aren¹t torqued right. The dealer and all the
mechanics in Lincoln, Nebraska were amazed and said the same: we were truly
lucky to be alive.
Let this be a message to all: BE SURE THE LUG NUTS ARE TORQUED CORRECTLY
WHENEVER YOU DO BRAKE AND TIRE WORK.
We lived happily ever after. We hope you do, too.
Eric & Trudi
See our beautiful van: http://tinyurl.com/qcent
Pictures of the rear axle (log into YahooSprinterVan):
http://autos.ph.groups.yahoo.com/group/sprintervan/photos/view/2b39?b=1&o=2
Last edited:
to that!
