I'm more than a little embarrassed to admit this....

ChiliDawg

ChiliDawg

New member
...but, I need some advice on what to do now that I've done it.

So after installing my coil spacers this evening I was starving and drove down to the corner to get some food. Now I've taken off and put wheels back on more times than I could ever remember, but it wasn't till I was on my way back and I hear an odd sound I had the horrifying realization that I had forgotten to tighten the lugs on the driver rear wheel. I immediately began to slow and looked to pull off the road but it was too late. The wheel came off, Jeep dropped down and hit the road, tire and wheel go rolling down the road as I drag the rotor about 15 feet to get off the road before jumping out to take off after the tire.

(In retrospect, this must have looked quite comical)

Anyway, I recovered everything (lugs all fell off in the same damn place, inner fender liner and flare was ripped off) got it jacked up, got the wheel back on, only visual damage was the scraping on the edges of the rotor. Drove fine afterward, didn't notice any noise when braking.

Question is - what all should I be worried that I might have f'd up? I'm thinking about taking it by a mechanic for a look over in the morning.


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wayoflife

wayoflife

Administrator
Staff member
First off... BAWAHHAHAHHHA!! Sorry but that's pretty damn funny. Glad nobody got hurt.

Second, with the exception of your rotor being possibly damaged, I would think you're fine.


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ChiliDawg

ChiliDawg

New member
wayoflife said:
First off... BAWAHHAHAHHHA!! Sorry but that's pretty damn funny. Glad nobody got hurt.

Second, with the exception of your rotor being possibly damaged, I would think you're fine.


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Click to expand...


Yeah, I would laugh about the whole ordeal if I weren't so pissed off at myself at the moment for being such a dumbass.

I was just concerned maybe the force of hitting the road could have caused some damage to the bearings or shafts. I think the fender is fine, will probably pop right back in. Got a little scratch from the hi-lift on the side where it rubbed while jacking it up. Touch up paint and a new decal will fix that.


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wayoflife

wayoflife

Administrator
Staff member
It is possible that you could have bent your axle flange but if you did, you'd start to hear it squeaking at the brakes.


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jeeeep

jeeeep

Hooked
:cheesy::cheesy::cheesy: that must have been some damn good food to make you forget to tighten your lugs!

Glad no one got hurt.

if you bent the axle shaft flange you'd know it, mine had a nice squeal to it.

other that the rotor not much else as mentioned. Does it stop straight - no feeling of a pull or push to either side?

try doing a panic stop somewhere with not much traffic from about 50mph, if you don't feel anything abnormal in the brakes, its all good.
 
ChiliDawg

ChiliDawg

New member
jeeeep said:
:cheesy::cheesy::cheesy: that must have been some damn good food to make you forget to tighten your lugs!

Glad no one got hurt.

if you bent the axle shaft flange you'd know it, mine had a nice squeal to it.

other that the rotor not much else as mentioned. Does it stop straight - no feeling of a pull or push to either side?

try doing a panic stop somewhere with not much traffic from about 50mph, if you don't feel anything abnormal in the brakes, its all good.
Click to expand...

No, braking felt fine. No noise and didn't sense any pull one side or another. I'll try the fast stop tomorrow as you suggest.

And if you must know, I had a hankering for some nachos. [emoji12]


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Kaylinator

Kaylinator

Member
Several years ago I had a shop replace my tires on my car. Didn't even make it to re-torque mileage. Front pax wheel came off while going around a corner. Luckily, it was from a stop sign and I was going super slow at the time. Still had to replace the entire front end. FB_IMG_1485411921880.jpg

🇨🇦 eh?
 
aermotor

aermotor

Member
Could have been worse... Was doing 70 on the 15 south around 9PM and hit a LARGE pothole where the asphalt connected to a concrete bridge, somehow my front right lug nuts sheered off (I shit you not) 3 or 4 of them and 1 was bent. I think I was missing a lug nut which might have led to the weakening, no idea. Somehow was able to recover it without being destroyed by a semi or going off the side down a massive embankment (where I had to fetch my tire from) but it was a hairy experience.

Wheel safety is now paramount for me. Stay safe out there!
 
JeepJeep75

JeepJeep75

New member
You should be fine dude. Shit happens. As said above, a bent flange makes its presence know immediately. I'm betting just the very edge of your brake rotor got a little road-rash. Just make sure the face of the rotor that the brake pad touches is still smooth. If it is, and no squeak-squeak-squeak is heard while driving you should be fine.
 
cozdude

cozdude

Guy with a Red 2-Door
Glad your ok! It is kinda comical at least lol

As mentioned your rotor should all that needs to be replaced. If you did bend a flange you will hear it squeaking
 
Sheaffadelic

Sheaffadelic

Caught the Bug
cozdude said:
Glad your ok! It is kinda comical at least lol

As mentioned your rotor should all that needs to be replaced. If you did bend a flange you will hear it squeaking
Click to expand...

remember that time that guy "torqued" my lug nuts and my tire fell off going down the highway? good times good timess wonder who that guy was? :thinking:

And OP glad your ok!!!
 
WJCO

WJCO

Meme King
Glad nothing worse happened. I've done it myself but luckily caught it before the wheel fell off. Now I always leave the tire iron or torque wrench somewhere in the garage where I know I'll see it or stumble over it before a test drive.
 
NecessaryEvil

NecessaryEvil

Caught the Bug
It happens more than you think. The good thing is that you are okay and you were not going fast. A wheel falling off in a taller vehicle at highway speeds is bad news. That being said, you jumping out and running after your tire sounds hilarious!!! :cheesy:
 
sipafz

sipafz

Caught the Bug
WJCO said:
Glad nothing worse happened. I've done it myself but luckily caught it before the wheel fell off. Now I always leave the tire iron or torque wrench somewhere in the garage where I know I'll see it or stumble over it before a test drive.
Click to expand...

This is great advice! I do the same thing!
 
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