Drive with 3 wheels anyone?

Well this is almost the last straw for me. I was driving down the highway Monday and out of nowhere my passenger front wheel decides it doesn't want to be a part of my truck anymore and wants to go it alone. After all was said and done it destroyed the knuckle, ball joint, rotor, hub, pretty much everything except the caliper and the wheel. Turdle's nice powder job was scraped up a bit too.

Also now that the truck is in the shop they tell me that one of my other rims was bent, and the shop that balanced the wheels before put 14oz of wheel weights on it to balance it out. It never rains but it pours I guess. So now I will need to straighten out the passenger fender so the door will open. The tire did a number on it when it came out of the wheel well. I will also need to find another wheel to get coated somewhere down the line too.

On to the pictures!

 

[68amc]

My rear drivers side wheel fell off the other day while I was doing about 35. 3 of the wheel studs snapped out of nowhere. A few months prior I did a rear brake job on it, tightened the lugs to 100 ft-lbs and didnt have a problem. So it folded in my rear quarter (got most of it straight), reamed the wheel holes out, broke the new drum, and cracked the new brake shoes. Hopefully it will NEVER happen again.

 

[mrpeaches]

does your plate really say omg bbq? because that rules.

the rest sucks tho.

 

[dislexiclawyer]

does your plate really say omg bbq? because that rules.

the rest sucks tho.

Yep that is in fact my license plate.

 

[Josh S.]

Yes that license plate kicks ass...sorry bout the truck!

 

[whitetrashfab]

We have had a few explorer's and rangers come in like that on the wrecker at our shop. Just about every one I put on the hoist has shoot front wheel bearings or they are not adjusted right... turns out the caliper is not very good at holding your wheel on.

Sorry about your truck.

 

[Mbrooks420]

Hey if you mean your steel spare wheel and tire are stuck on the rear you can very slightly loosen the lugnuts and very (stress on VERY) briefly drive and swerve. Before I get flamed on by the gallery let me clarify. I'm talking about backing lugnuts off by 1/32nd of an inch and driving no more than the length of an average driveway. 15-20yds. One good swerve or shift of weight will usually pop the wheel loose. If not, back off another 32nd and repeat with a harder swerve.
I worked in a heavy equip shop with large trucks being common. Often the wheels would not come off the trucks and this would do the trick in the bay. No heat wrench or hammer necessary.

I'm always kind of expecting a wheel to fall off. Glad you handled it right

I second this, only I go a step further. I loosen them a fair amount, and drive around in circles. I've had to do this several times with my aluminum wheels, they always stick. Usually 2 or 3. I've tried wire brushing the wheel hub opening, and using anti-seize, and they still stick. Sometimes, you can pop them loose by accelerating, and braking easily.