I'm not quite sure what happened?

Okay, I pride myself on being fairly knowledgable about my cars. Have bought the manuals for every vehicle I ever owned. But every now and again, I have a mini catastrophe that makes me wonder. So, this catastrophe occurred on Christmas Eve and will serve as my most unwanted and expensive present ever. Was traveling from Maryland to North Carolina on route 1. I was pretty sure I was having issues with something related to the suspension system, though didn't know what. Almost 60 miles into the trip the steering and vibration get noticeable worse. The front shocks had been replaced last year at Meineke, so it wasn't them. Traffic was start and stop with me detouring onto secondary streets to save time. I think the break(in whatever) occurred while doing one of a few 3-point turns. Anyway, I was traveling at about 45 miles per hour and the vibration became unbearable. My car is shaking me like a rag doll and I am literally clenching the steering wheel with all my might. I know, I should've just stopped, but I was on a desolate road with no parking available on the sides due to know buildup. Thus, I try to get to something. Didn't work. The shaking and grinding smoothed out and I immediately lost control as the front wheel came off. I can't say I've had anything like this happen. The entire center of the rim was broken out. There is a bar that should connect to something, though I don't know what. Here are some pics so maybe someone can tell me what happened. I thought it was the wheel bearing, but I don't know.

http://viewmorepics.myspace.com/ind...dID=63968303&albumID=3177051&imageID=58162326

[url]http://viewmorepics.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=viewImage&friendID=63968303&albumID=3177051&imageID=58162386[/url]

[url]http://viewmorepics.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=viewImage&friendID=63968303&albumID=3177051&imageID=58162303[/url]

 

[sport97]

Pics wont work unless we are your myspace friend. Try using a site like photobucket. It could have also been a bad stud or two, but its hard to say without the pics. Either way, glad you were not hurt. You should have stopped, but hey, we all make bad decisions.

 

[Texplorer]

Without seeing your pics I bet the bar is your sway bar or your tie rod.

 

[bacates]

Okay I'll go to photobucket to upload them.

 

[bacates]

I changed my setting for MySpace instead. The links should work now. I logged out and managed to open the pics.

 

[Blee1099]

I see a sway bar endlink failure/missing and one hell of a wheel failure. Holy crap. The rim I can only think of maybe it corroded internally. The wheel you have I think is just chrome skinned if I am identifying the right wheel from what I see..

 

[bacates]

What does the sway bar connect to?

 

[sport97]

Yea that couldn't have been fun... i don't think the sway bar end link caused it, many on here drive without the sway bar all together. It must have been a wheel failure.

 

[my pos mounty]

what you see dangling there is the end of the swaybar, missing its link to the lower control arm. That had little (if anything) to do with your wheel failure.

 

[storlied]

Guys, look at his rotor... looks like a lot of corrosion...Looks like how my old rotors looked after a couple nights of staying outside in the rain after I replaced them. I wouldn't be susprised if he has some serious rust issues. All the studs are in place, end link is missing... wheel completely destroyed itself.... anything could have caused it... what's the condition of the hub assembly? I Highly doubt a end link would cause any of that... you'd see damaged to the sway bar itself probably.

 

[Turdle]

Oh My
I am glad you are able to tell the story. That is bad stuff---

Please. can I see pics of back of wheel? I would like also to see the cracks close up

 

[my pos mounty]

That rust on the rotor is pretty much from the moisture in the air, im going to go out on a limb here and say it rained after the truck stopped. Nothing of any consequence at all. The one and only part that failed was the rim. The swaybar link had nothing to do with it. No parts of it are even left on the swaybar. It hasnt been there for some time now. If that was me, at a minimum, I would replace the rotor (dragged across the ground), probably have to straighten out the dust sheild, new wheel hub/bearing, new rim (duh), inspect the lower control arm, new brakes if the pads are not new, maybe even replace the swaybar link.

 

[5.0LTR.EDDIE]

that look like that is a bone yard vehicle, and that knee has been sitting for at least a week if it happened christmas eve well your luckey

 

[storlied]

And an alignment.

 

[5.0LTR.EDDIE]

also there is no metal on the hub that would directly make you believe that it broke free from the wheel. you must be board

 

[my pos mounty]

Are you looking at the same pictures I am? I see the whole interior of the rim still attached to the hub. After studying this further, I would get a new rim on there, check out the dust sheild and the lower control arm. If there isnt any scarpe marks on them or no damage, go for a ride. It looks like the part of the rim that broke off took the brunt of the impact/scraping on the ground. If there isnt any other damage to the dustsheild like it was ground down, no harm done.

 

[Fusion213]

That's crazy, must've been pretty scary. Definately take it to a mechanic and see what they say could've caused that and get a new swaybar endlink(connects to the bar to the lower control arm).

 

[RangerX]

Looking at the third pic, the wheel lugs don't even reach thru the lugnuts! Is there a space behind the rim?
(not saying that caused anything, just sayin)

 

[bacates]

I'll upload more pics tomorrow once the sun comes up. And yes, it did rain after the incident (which occurred 12/24/09). Maryland still had a significant amount of snow left when it was towed back to my house. Then it rained almost all of Christmas and the day after. I'm just happy tomorrow is Monday so the shops will finally open, not that I'm looking forward to this bill. I'm actually relieved I didn't do more damage, otherwise I might not bother to have it fixed.

 

[storlied]

Make sure to get your alignment checked, most of the repairs you can do yourself as long as you have a socket set. You can save big bucks. I'm just glad you're not hurt or worse, damaged parts can be replaced, lives cannot.