My wheel fell off!

[grooveshysta]

Has this happened to anyone before? I was driving to work the other day and I hit a major spot of bother.

I have been meaning to blead my brakes for ages cause they have been a bit spongy, so when my 1975 series III started pulling over to the right, I thought the brake was sticking. How wrong was I! After going around a roundabout, I heard a massive clunck and the smoke and no brakes at all. I limped off the road to find my front right wheel had come off!

After recovering it to a friends house for closer inspection I found that the outer wheel beariing had collapsed into a million bits and the other was well worn. It looks like this has then let the wheel move around and break the end of the half shaft right off. The stub axle has been bent by the brake drum. Its a right mess.

It has really shaken me up. I was doing about 50 mph before the roundabout and I dont like to think about what could have happened.

The thing that has really bugged me is that it passed its MOT about a month ago. Does anyone know where I stand that it passed but a component that they should have checked then failed and could have killed or seriously injured me?

Any other advice on things to look out for when repairing this mess would be great. I plan to take off the brake anchor, draw out the halfshaft and stub axle replacing the outer shaft and UJ. New stub axle and bearings.

[lowecolinuk]

Hi grooveshysta,
I understand that for the MOT the wheels should be checked for play by garabbing the wheels and feeling it for play and then at 90 degrees to the first test.
I would be suprised if one them wasn't showing symptoms!
You may of taken your vehicle to a Lazy MOT centre i.e we take your money in exchange for a cert. was it a tyre dealer by chance? only interested in selling tyres to you?
I doubt that you will get any resolution to this and it might be bite the bullet time, you can ring the number on the back of the MOT Cert in order to stop(??) doing it again. the number is 0845 600 5977, they maybe able to point you in the right direction (unless it is a automated system).

regards `

[mathew]

You want to take it up with the DVLA and tell them wat has happend. Take pictures of it if you can and send them. Tell them who done the MOT and the will go and do a check on them or matbe close them down.
I am an MOT tester it should have been checked.

Were did you get it done at.

If u need any advice plz email me and i will do my best for you

[onslow]

apparently you can claim upto 3 months after the test is carried out proving fault is another matter

[mathew]

you can do that. The other People To write to is VOSA the are the MOT bored. That is going to be your problem is proving the acdent happend.

[grooveshysta]

I got in touch with the MOT folks and they told me that you can put in a complaint if something happens within 1 month of something going wrong with your vehicle; Or 3 months for rust. I had my MOT 6 weeks prior to my wheel comeing off. I am still able to make a complaint about the garage but they will only go and have a word with them and prooving it happened would have been a right hastle.

THe whole process of sorting it out went better than I thought. I stripped off the hub. I could only find the inner bearing as the out had completly disintigrated! I then removed the stub axle and pulled out the remains of the half shaft. Swapping the Universal Joint was easy. I was not looking forward to this bit, but I bought a right big vice and squeezed in the bearings nice and slow. So my tip would be to do this also. Everything was going great until I noticed the inner half shaft bearing was also buggered. My tip here would be to pull the half shaft before taking anything to bits. I found out later and I will not bore you how that the bearing holds the half saft really tight. Wear can be detected by pulling the shaft from outside. If there is any movement, get a new one before you start.

I changed this bearing by removing all of the bolts holding the swivel pin to the axle and with the help of a friend, turned it on the ball joint. I then pushed it out and pushed the new one back in.

Eveything else is just bolting everything back together.

Driving now is an experiance. It scares me everytime I go any where. I here every bump, grind or rattle and crap myself that something is going to drop off. I think to my self and think, well I have an MOT. Then I think, my whell dropped off with a brand new MOT! I am planning on selling it now because it I no longer enjoy it. Anyone interested? Get in touch.

[Kevin88RRC]

Originally Posted by grooveshysta

Driving now is an experiance. It scares me everytime I go any where. I here every bump, grind or rattle and crap myself that something is going to drop off. I think to my self and think, well I have an MOT. Then I think, my whell dropped off with a brand new MOT! I am planning on selling it now because it I no longer enjoy it. Anyone interested? Get in touch.

Unfortunately, I know exactly how you feel. Had the right rear wheel come off my 78 Wagoneer going about 50mph on the freeway 3 hours away from home. We hit an embankment and rolled landing back on all 3. Wife, dogs, and I were all fine, but severely shaken. It's been 1 1/2 years since and still everytime "I hear every bump, grind or rattle and crap myself that something is going to drop off". My wife is still deathly afraid of Wagoneers.

The upside is she loves the Rover , but I do miss the rebuilt 401 (6.6L) engine from the Wag.

Give it some time, and don't sell it yet. Unlike me, you sound mechanically inclined and can make sure it is as safe as possible.

[LRWheelman]

Hello, All!
Here in the "States" we have what is called an "MVI", or motor vehicle inspection. The state that I live in requires that we take our vehicles for "inspection" every two years as a part of our license renewal process. The "inspection" stations make almost nothing off of the inspections, so they like to find things wrong w/your car, that you may pay them to repair. The problem for me is that I won't let most mechanics wrench on my car, so I have to either convince them that it's alright, or go & fix it & come back for the "Approval Certificate" to get my truck licensed. I believe that each person should be responsible for the safety of their own vehicle, keep up on maintenence, etc. If you fear your vehicle has a problem, check it yourself. If you find a problem, fix it. My .02, Thank You, LRW.

[xavitoLR]

In Costa Rica we have "RTV" and it sucks!!!!!!!!!!

Only one company can do it, its a monopoly so it's really bad and BTW, it happened to me once, the tire complete with rim came off

Bad experience and my front right drum has a flat side, but still using it