Anyone else have tire come off on the highway

[Tristarboarder]

Oh have I ever....Always wanted to tell this story, but was always too embarassed to tell, but apparently it happens more than I thought. Two Summers ago, I was driving down the highway at about 65 mph whenI heard a loud bang. At first I thought I just had a flat. Not 2 seconds later, I saw in my rear view mirror the wheel and tire go skipping across the opposite lane and into the ditch. Apparently the bearing got hot, seized up, and then locked up, dragging the tire until it blew. So, as I am angrily looking at my axle laying on the ground, I look up and notice that about 200 yards down the road, the sparks from my dragging axle created a small brush fire. It then grew rapidly, and started to char the grass up the hillside. About 15 minutes and 2-3 burnt acres later, 3 fire trucks and 2 state patrol showed up. The highway was closed down for a good hour, all the while about 40 tow boats gathered to watch the show in the river that paralleled the road. No ticket, but a bad day. Had to have it towed away on a flat bed tow truck. I was able to repair the axle by saving the threads, but had to replace the hub assembly, the bent wheel, and the blown tire. Always, always check your bearings by jacking up your trailer and looking for movement of the wheel side to side. Make sure to grease and/or repack your bearings every season if you tow far. And as discussed, always check the lug nuts, which can be done everytime you tow while you are testing your lights etc. Sometimes we have to learn the hard way...

[gsxrjtt]

UPDATE: Thanks to the great team over at BAY AREA WATERSPORTS and Jim especially .. in Land O Lakes, Fl just picked up a new axle with nicer newer hubs than my 85.. Now a Question for any one with an 85 trailer or about ... in any way they could measure the length of there axle to see if my new one is close to my old one.. since im over 100 miles away from mine any info before i get there can be greatly appreciated..

[orbeamlb]

I had the same thing happen to me last Spring on my single axle. Put new wheels/tires on a few months earlier and properly torqued them. Think someone was trying to acquire my wheels at the boat launch parking and gave up when they couldn't defeat the wheel lock.

Replaced both hubs for good measure and used thread lock when torquing the lug nuts. I always give them a check before towing now.

[craig3972]

lost a tire after having the brakes serviced, the shop didnt tighten the lugs correctly , wheel became loose and eventually sheared off all the studs. I was lucky that the wheel went off the side of the road without the cliff and was recovered undamaged.

[JDC]

Originally Posted by gsxrjtt

Thanks everyone and yes im laughing But yes I DO KNOW HOW TO TORQUE A TIRE and in the correct pattern and specifically double checked hub as much as i could with what was at my disposal.. the two sided threaded studs just pulled right out of the hub. the trailer does have rust from sitting a WHILE about 6 years of what old owner stated.. Jim will be calling you tomorrow to see what we can do.. but the worry is same age of trailer and type of studs.

I learned something... I didn't realize those studs were threaded into the hubs.
Now I get what you were asking in your OP.

Glad to see you have a solution in the works.