Tire came off on highway

How did the tire come off? That's scary!

I had a wheel fall off while going 45mph when I was younger (it was a VW, not a Jeep), and that was pretty damned scary. I slid for a hundred feed on my brake rotor which was sparking like crazy.
 
The tire came off the wheel? Or could you mean the entire wheel came off where it was bolted in place?

If the wheel came off, I can only think that someone didn't properly tighten the lug nuts which can happen at inattentive tire shops.
 
When my wheel came off it was because the shop stripped out the lug nut threads in the hub. Needless to say I had a word with them.
 
Not a TJ, but something to be aware of. Friend of mine has a lifted and modified 'yota land cruiser that recently came very close to loosing a wheel. It still had the original wheel studs, and has been wheeled hard over it's lifetime. Five of the six wheel studs sheared off on one wheel during an emergencybraking situation. When we looked at the remains, it was clear that the studs had fatigued and started to fracture. He is replacing all 24. Big, heavy wheels and tires along with hard usage can do that.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Chris
My lady's brother had this happen to his XJ. It was due to improperly torqued lug nuts. The front driver's side wheel popped off at highway speeds but he was lucky to control it and pull over. He never found the tire since it rolled on down the highway somewhere.

There was one time at band camp.....I mean at my old apartment where I was pulling out onto the road and felt a wobble on the right side of the jeep. I instantly pulled over and saw the tire leaning. The lug nuts came loose. It was at a shop not that long ago. Grrr.

It's a scary thing to experience and shows how important it is to torque those nuts (force the shops to use a torque wrench) and check em at every oil change.
 
Ya know, Im glad youre o.k. But you just made me realize I never checked my lug nuts, I do on all my vehicles but have put such low mileage on my TJ in the 15mos I have her I had no need for maint. That involves taking off the wheels, (brakes are new) but I will be checking them tomorrow. Very important!
 
Sears didn't get my lug nuts tightened many years ago, one of my front wheels all but came off just before getting on the freeway after having just left Sears. It cost them a new unit bearing hub due to the damage the loose wheel caused.

When it's time to check the torque on my wheels, there are 116 nuts & bolts I have to check... 20 wheel lug nuts and 96 bead lock bolts. It's a PITA that leaves me with an achy back afterward.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Chris
Jerry Bransford said:
Sears didn't get my lug nuts tightened many years ago, one of my front wheels all but came off just before getting on the freeway after having just left Sears. It cost them a new unit bearing hub due to the damage the loose wheel caused.

When it's time to check the torque on my wheels, there are 116 nuts & bolts I have to check... 20 wheel lug nuts and 96 bead lock bolts. It's a PITA that leaves me with an achy back afterward.
Click to expand...

116........oh boy.
 
I had a 69 Vette with American mags. After leaving a night club( Was many years and a couple of wives ago) we were on our way home when the right from wheel came off and was traveling faster than I was towards a creek! A chain link fence stop the wheel/tire before plunging in. The other wheel also had a nut loose. Now only a couple of the studs were sheared off. My theory , and also the insurance company's was that a thief(s) got interrupted before completing their dastardly task. Cost me a tow, several new studs, a rotor and 5 new chrome nuts.
 
While on the subject, aside from mounting new tires, Ive usually rotated my own and upon purchasing a new vehicle, Ive always went against protocol and applied anti-sieze lube to the lug threads. Never had any issue in some 30 yrs of any coming loose on their own. The only worry I ever had was the over tightening that might occur at a tire shop due to the lube and the air wrench. I use manual lug wrenches at home. I also use copper based never-sieze on all my spark plug threads as it withstands the high temps and really helps in removing plugs when needed.
 
Top Bottom
Back