Lost a wheel off tandem trailer, but none of the lug nuts are missing

Glosol · Sep 23, 2022

Lost a wheel off tandem trailer, but none of the lug nuts are missing, and the lug nuts are still tight. This is the drivers side of a tandem tilt bed, and its the 2nd wheel this has happened to. Both on one side of the trailer. The first wheel, the nuts loosened and it was wobbly, destroyed the studs and wheel. This time it worked a groove into the hub where the wheel was making contact, and all 8 holes in the wheel finally got large enough for the wheel to slide off over the lug nuts. they were all still on the axle.

How can this happen?

suladas · Sep 23, 2022

Those looks like regular nuts, not the taper lug nuts generally on trailers like that, that's my guess.

Bluox · Sep 23, 2022

lug nuts were loose.
Bad Bob

suladas · Sep 23, 2022

They do seem loose but here's what the lug nuts on all my 7k axles have always looked like, those don't seem to have that taper unless it was worn off?

https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url...ved=0CAwQjRxqFwoTCKjfqpitrPoCFQAAAAAdAAAAABAF

Glosol · Sep 24, 2022

Yea, it wore the taper right off the nuts. You can just make out the taper on a few other nuts, but they are hammered too. After the first wheel almost came off, i was sure to check all the wheels to make sure they were 130 ft lbs of torque. There was no grease, anti-sieze, or anything else on the studs, except the nuts. Even if they did actually loosen up, what would cause that after I was sure to torque everything down correctly?

Pixie · Sep 24, 2022

I would guess that the center hole and lug nut holes and detent for the nuts were mismatched with the hub . If the lug nut detents were the wrong angle relative to the nuts or wrong diameter and the center hole too large, the wheel could easily start with small amount of movement and in the thousands of revolutions, work itself into that state.

oarwhat · Sep 24, 2022

With the groove now worn into the hub you need a new one. If just a new rim is put on the same thing will happen.

Vetech63 · Sep 24, 2022

I know some guys that would weld flat washers over those holes and reuse that wheel with regular nuts and lock washers lol

56wrench · Sep 24, 2022

Lug nuts have to be retorqued a couple times and then checked for correct torque periodically. Sometimes it takes a few hundred miles and a few loads to get everything ‘seated’

92U 3406 · Sep 24, 2022

Without actually being there to see it, I'd say its possible the rims weren't seated fully on the hub. Or the stud holes in the rim were wallowed out to the point the nuts made contact with the hub before they had a chance to clamp the rims properly.

Glosol · Sep 24, 2022

92U 3406 said:
Without actually being there to see it, I'd say its possible the rims weren't seated fully on the hub. Or the stud holes in the rim were wallowed out to the point the nuts made contact with the hub before they had a chance to clamp the rims properly.

Thanks for the great ideas to consider. I had been thinking maybe the lug nuts had bottomed out into the drum and were not grabbing the wheel correctly like 92U 3406.
I did not retorque after the initial lug nut tightening, and I never have before. Thats gonna change.
It is scary to think people would try to reuse that, or weld washers, just to save a buck. That obviously puts people on the road at risk, but thats not me.

Thanks again!

kaffine · Oct 28, 2022

Was this the same hub that had the studs replaced? If so are you sure the studs were fully seated before the wheels were installed? I could see if someone thinking the studs will seat when the wheels are installed however they may not. That would lead to the studs getting seated more over time and causing the lugs to be loose.

Steve Frazier · Oct 29, 2022

Wheels that use the center hole for alignment have nuts with swivel washers attached. On this wheel the tapered nuts align the wheel. It's always a good idea to check your lug nut torque 25 to 50 miles after they've been installed as the rotation along with the weight will reveal any flaws that may have occurred. On trailers a tight turn with a heavy load can cause the nuts to loosen.

My opinion is this damage is the result of the nuts coming loose, the most severe case I've seen!

westerner · Oct 31, 2022

As Steve said, wheels are centered two different ways. Hub centric, or lug centric. I think I can see your stuff is 'lug' centric. If so, then the only conclusion is loose nuts, or the far less likely possibility of the wrong style of lug nuts installed.
If the wheel was chewed up some before, then it will be much easier for the nuts to go loose.

Lost a wheel off tandem trailer, but none of the lug nuts are missing

Glosol

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suladas

Senior Member

Bluox

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suladas

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Glosol

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Pixie

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oarwhat

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Vetech63

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56wrench

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92U 3406

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Glosol

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kaffine

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Steve Frazier

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westerner

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