Flying Tire

[joesnomad]

I had the opportunity yesterday to have a tire and wheel from a tractor trailer come flying in my direction. We were in a tow truck coming home from dropping off a car. On a 2 lane road we were greeted by the site of a tire and wheel headed straight for us. Luckily the driver of another car was thoughtful enough, and happened to see what was happening, moved off the road so we could swerve around it. Ive often seen tires and wheels laying along the road but never seen one flying at me before and hopefully never will again.

[ells]

Saw one come loose from a pick-up a couple months ago on I-25, was going the other way and me in a cage but it was coming across the median in my direction. Gives you a good "What if?" I've also seen 18-wheeler tread let go while following directly behind one and that is no fun in/on any vehicle.

[hollywood]

I remember reading a couple of years back about a biker in Houston who got killed by a spare tire that fell off of a tractor trailer. He never had a chance - those things must weigh 300lbs and factor in the speed........

Wrong place - wrong time

[jussmatt]

Yea...hollywood... I remember something about that. I haven't seen a flying tire myself...and hope I don't, but I have been behind some re-treads/tire seperations. I was following some friends driving a horse trailer... We were going down I10 about 70mph... then all of the sudden it felt like I was in the middle of a Nascar race... the tire came apart and ripped apart the fender... parts were flying everywhere!! It was all I could do to avoid hitting something and ripping my tires!!! I couldn't imagine a whole tire and rim flying at me!!!

[ringadingh]

A few years ago we had a couple of people killed by truck tires coming off. They really clamped down on unsafe trucks here now. If you lose a wheel, your in really big trouble in Ontario. I havn't heard of one coming off now for quite a while.

[cactusjack]

Never experienced it first hand, but I remember my friend and his dad were driving a car they had bought from Buffalo, NY to Salt Lake City when we were teenagers and he told me a truck traveling in the oposite direction lost a wheel/tire assembly and it was rolling head-on towards them bouncing 20 feet in the air at times, luckily his dad managed to avoid it.

My dad was a Greyhound bus driver for 38 years and had millions of miles under his belt. He used to tell me stories about stuff like this.

We have to be alert at all times. Imagine if that happens at night coming at you.

[beezer]

flying tires show no mercy

[socwkbiker]

I saw that just last week. It was on the opposite side of the highway, but when you see a tire rolling down the highway by itself, you have to wonder just how that happens, beyond the obvious. I saw the car as it was pulling over and a truck in front of them to help them out.

That can be a scary sight, unless your Dan and then it's an opportunity to practice high speed maneuvers or jumping or something like that.

[dantama]

flying tires show no mercy

In Utah once, an 18 wheeler tire and rim went through the outside wall of a house near the freeway.

There's a lot of energy stored up in one of those.

[beezer]

I saw the front rear axle on a dump truck break loose at a stop light once. The whole freakin' axle with the duallies attached on each side. Good thing the duallies held the axle under the truck. The truck was bouncing and the noise was attention grabbing to say the least if not less.

[bobzinger]

I saw a 150hp Outboard Motor come of a boat being towed, hit the road and become airborne, landing on a midsize car. It smashed it pretty good.

[mcdaddy]

My dad worked with a guy in Houston that was riding his bike on 610. An 18 wheeler ahead of him lost a lug nut. It took a bounce and the bike rider got it in the face. Took our a couple of front teeth but he was able to get pulled over to a stop.

[bear]

There are approximately 5000 wheel separations a year in the U.S. A smaller number occur in Canada. As a heavy truck mechanic Instructor I can tell you that 95% of the technicians who install wheels on large trucks haven't a clue as to the proper method to install and torque them. Every wheel and axle manufacturer has specific requirements for installation of their axles, brakes, bearings and wheels.

Ask a truck stop mechanic how to properly install a wheel on a truck after a tire change and he'll tell you to tighten the axle nut until the tire stops rotating then back it off and install the lock ring. He won't have a clue about bearing pre-load, axial end play, or anything else about safeguarding the wheel from coming off.

Never, Never, Never!! follow a truck closer than 1/8th mile unless you're overtaking for a pass. ANY Truck!!! You're playing Russian Roulette with five rounds loaded in the cylinder.

If you have any doubts Google wheel separations and the DOT and see for yourself what a problem its is.

BE SAFE!!!

[dantama]

There are approximately 5000 wheel separations a year in the U.S. A smaller number occur in Canada. As a heavy truck mechanic Instructor I can tell you that 95% of the technicians who install wheels on large trucks haven't a clue as to the proper method to install and torque them. Every wheel and axle manufacturer has specific requirements for installation of their axles, brakes, bearings and wheels.

Ask a truck stop mechanic how to properly install a wheel on a truck after a tire change and he'll tell you to tighten the axle nut until the tire stops rotating then back it off and install the lock ring. He won't have a clue about bearing pre-load, axial end play, or anything else about safeguarding the wheel from coming off.

Never, Never, Never!! follow a truck closer than 1/8th mile unless you're overtaking for a pass. ANY Truck!!! You're playing Russian Roulette with five rounds loaded in the cylinder.

If you have any doubts Google wheel separations and the DOT and see for yourself what a problem its is.

BE SAFE!!!

+1

And thanks for the reminder.