My wheel fell off while driving! Major bummer

[Sempertoy]

Ok so here is the story. I recently got FJC steelies on the cruiser. I felt that they sat a little bit narrow so I called up justdifferantials and got a set of 1.5" spacers. I put them on on friday, nice and snug but I did not use loctite. Maybe that is where I went wrong. So fast forward, I took the scouts out to Anza borrego for friday night and saturday. Did maybe 100 miles off road and drove home. About ten minutes from home I felt a slight wobble. I pulled over, checked it out and checked all lugs. Dropped all the scouts off and headed home, next thing I know I am three wheeling it, watching my wheel race past me up the road. I came to a stop, ran out and got my wheel, went over and collected my flair that came off and waited for a tow.

Here is where it gets interesting. The tow truck didn't have a flat bed so we jacked up the rear, bolted the wheel on and went on my merry way. I am going to loctite all the other wheels and have the rotor looked at by San Diego Trux, as well as new bearings installed because I am headed to Death Valley next week. So if I do the bearings should I just do a whole front axle rebuild?

And the required picture

 

[MotoDave]

Typical rule of thumb is to re-check lug nut torque after a few street miles.

Are these the type of spacers that bolt onto the stock lung nuts, and have a second set of lugs that you mount the wheel to? I'm guessing the spacer came off the hub, and stayed with the wheel?

Seems easier to me to get some cheap steel wheels with the right offset than screw with a proven unsafe setup .....

 

[1911]

Just to make sure, you did use tapered-seat acorn lug nuts for the steelies, and not the stock lug nuts, right?

 

[adventureduo]

I'd double check like above said about the style nuts used. Also, they're correct.. after the first bit of driving you're supposed to take the wheel off and double-check the adapters/spacers.

Here is where it gets interesting. The tow truck didn't have a flat bed so we jacked up the rear, bolted the wheel on and went on my merry way. I am going to loctite all the other wheels and have the rotor looked at by San Diego Trux, as well as new bearings installed because I am headed to Death Valley next week. So if I do the bearings should I just do a whole front axle rebuild?

Your bearings shouldn't be damaged. Toyota bearings and races last a long time. Have SD Trux feel them and check, but most likely you're fine. If anything you'll need a new rotor. Im confused... If you're accident happened with the rear axle, why would you do a front axle rebuild?

 

[yohavos]

Just to make sure, you did use tapered-seat acorn lug nuts for the steelies, and not the stock lug nuts, right?

It would appear (from the pictures) that the spacer itself came off?

His is a 97, which I believe takes the acorns as well.

 

[Sempertoy]

Sorry for not making myself clear, the spacer came off the lugs and was still attached to the wheel. I am going to loctite it back on.
The axle rebuild is an unrelated issue, when I pulled the front wheel off to try and figure out where the wobble was coming from there was play in the rotors so I figured that was the problem and didn't check the rear like a dummy. The whole thing seems to be oversight on my part. Lesson learned and now I need to figure out how to put the flair back on.

Also, I am using the correct lugs

 

[IdaSHO]

Typical rule of thumb is to re-check lug nut torque after a few street miles.

Uh, no its not.
You dont see tire shops driving cars around town after a tire rotation, do you?

Torque is torque. That's why a torque wrench should be used to tighten lug nuts down.

 

[alosix]

Uh, no its not.
You dont see tire shops driving cars around town after a tire rotation, do you?

Torque is torque. That's why a torque wrench should be used to tighten lug nuts down.

Every shop manual I've looked at recommends that practice and most decent tire shops will recommend you come back for a check in that interval.

Things move as they heat and cool a bit. I've had several nuts take another 1/2 turn or so a few hundred miles after a rotation after properly torquing them the first time.

To the OP.. glad you're OK and got away with pretty minimal damage. Red locktite is your friend for this sort of installation. Spacers like this also tend to need a little more looking after. I'd probably check them around every oil change or so just to be sure.

 

[HenryJ]

New wheels or new wheel adapters should be checked after about 100 miles to make sure they seated properly and the nut torque remains the same. Sometimes imperfections and residual oxidation (rust) can create a condition where the wheel does not fully seat on the initial installation. Checking torque after a "run-in" is a good practice.

...I'd probably check them around every oil change or so just to be sure.

Good advice. I check mine. Never did need tightening, but still a good idea.

 

[IdaSHO]

Checking torque after a "run-in" is a good practice.

With new hardware, absolutely.

 

[@just_rich_young]

Spacers are safe as long as you do a little more upkeep with them. Pull the tire after 100 miles and re-torque the spacer's lug nuts. Then put the tire back on. Remember to recheck the torque on the wheels after another 100 miles. I rotate my tires at every oil change. I also check the torque on the spacers at that time. I've never put loctite on the spacer's lugs. I don't see why that would be an issue, just make sure you use the high temp stuff.

 

[SyncroHead]

Sorry, but I have to ask...

Dude, what's that mast on your rig?

Jim

 

[fjrohrs]

Walmart takes your rig out and does a figure eight after the initial torque, then torques them again to make sure everything was seated correctly prior to handing the keys back to the customer. Despite how much I dislike the store I applaud their practice with lug nuts.

To the OP, what brand of spacer did you use? I'm looking at installing some myself to run 16" TRD Ivan Stewart's that I have in my garage.

 

[Sempertoy]

Sorry, but I have to ask...

Dude, what's that mast on your rig?

Jim

mast on the rig? im not sure what you are talking about?

 

[Sempertoy]

Walmart takes your rig out and does a figure eight after the initial torque, then torques them again to make sure everything was seated correctly prior to handing the keys back to the customer. Despite how much I dislike the store I applaud their practice with lug nuts.

To the OP, what brand of spacer did you use? I'm looking at installing some myself to run 16" TRD Ivan Stewart's that I have in my garage.

I ordered them from just differentials. Not sure if I would endorse or avoid them again..