Author Topic: Scary...  (Read 1671 times)

zoony

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Scary...
« on: Apr 06, 2019, 06:38:52 PM »
  A few days ago something was wrong with my car. I couldn't be specific but something wasn't right. The guy who'd just replaced the clutch came and drove it a bit but couldn't feel anything wrong. Out the next day, the problem became worse but still nothing specific and I ended up making it home at 10 mph on emergency flashers and a prayer and called him again. He didn't get 10 metres before he stopped and reversed back just as the security wheel nut fell off. Both front wheels had had the wheel nuts loosened and at some point one would've come off. He'd had the wheels off to do the clutch but he'd put them back on with a gun so they were perfectly secure but between him bringing the car back, which lives on my driveway, and last Wednesday they were loosened. Can't think of another explanation or any reason for such a dangerous 'prank'.. Any thoughts?
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minniemouse

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Re: Scary...
« Reply #1 on: Apr 06, 2019, 08:51:38 PM »
faulty gun?
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zoony

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Re: Scary...
« Reply #2 on: Apr 06, 2019, 08:57:50 PM »
No Min. Apart from it being obvious if the gun hadn't worked, the passenger side rear wheel had been loosened too and the mechanic only touched the front ones.
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Diasi

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Re: Scary...
« Reply #3 on: Apr 06, 2019, 09:01:30 PM »
  A few days ago something was wrong with my car. I couldn't be specific but something wasn't right. The guy who'd just replaced the clutch came and drove it a bit but couldn't feel anything wrong. Out the next day, the problem became worse but still nothing specific and I ended up making it home at 10 mph on emergency flashers and a prayer and called him again. He didn't get 10 metres before he stopped and reversed back just as the security wheel nut fell off. Both front wheels had had the wheel nuts loosened and at some point one would've come off. He'd had the wheels off to do the clutch but he'd put them back on with a gun so they were perfectly secure but between him bringing the car back, which lives on my driveway, and last Wednesday they were loosened. Can't think of another explanation or any reason for such a dangerous 'prank'.. Any thoughts?

Oooooh nooooo!! That could be why they came loose. Zip guns don't always tighten all the bolts to the same torque.

Wheel nuts should never be tightened with a zip gun, that's an instant City & Guilds failure for an apprentice mechanic.

Wheel nuts should be tightened with a manual torque wrench.

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Dayjo

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Re: Scary...
« Reply #4 on: Apr 06, 2019, 09:10:23 PM »
Fit a security nut, on each wheel.
 If it is vandalism, they shouldn't be able to loosen all 4 nuts.
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crabbyob

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Re: Scary...
« Reply #5 on: Apr 06, 2019, 09:56:50 PM »
sounds like [censored]'s
wanna borrer my crossbow.. ;D ;D ;D
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zoony

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Re: Scary...
« Reply #6 on: Apr 06, 2019, 09:58:52 PM »
I think that with all other nuts loosened the security one would gradually work loose? It wasn't the zip gun otherwise the passenger-side rear would've been normal as he didn't touch it. Vandalism? perhaps but it seems a strange and time consuming thing to do. I spoke to the police and was given a log number. Given how it might've ended I'm thinking attempted murder!  ;D
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Michael Rolls

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Re: Scary...
« Reply #7 on: Apr 06, 2019, 10:05:07 PM »
Worrying if it is vandals - is your car 'getatable' when you aren't using it?
Had a worrying experience on similar lines once about 50 years ago. I drove an Anglia, had a bad  puncture, and had the tyre replaced at a garage somewhere out in the wilds of Hampshire. Drove away and after a few miles could hear a rattling sort of noise. Investigated and found that the offside front wheel was the culprit - the one with the new tyre. The Anglia's wheels had hub caps - removed the cap and three of the four wheel nuts fell into the road. The wheel was being held on by just one nut. Replaced them - it was too late to go back to the garage to moan, and it was miles out of my normal areas, so I chalked it down to experience.
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GrannyMac

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Re: Scary...
« Reply #8 on: Apr 06, 2019, 10:36:11 PM »
Scary indeed zoony.
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zoony

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Re: Scary...
« Reply #9 on: Apr 06, 2019, 10:36:23 PM »
Only ever had one similar incident and that was in LA in the early 70s. Came off the freeway, turned right onto the street and my left front wheel came off. Clean off. Two minutes earlier I'd been doing 70 on a five-lane highway. Turns out thieves had tried to steal my alloy wheels, which were rarer then, and had removed all the wheel nuts but had been foiled by the special lock nut which had eventually failed. No symptoms that I remember before it finally came off though.
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Diasi

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Re: Scary...
« Reply #10 on: Apr 07, 2019, 08:20:40 AM »
I think that with all other nuts loosened the security one would gradually work loose? It wasn't the zip gun otherwise the passenger-side rear would've been normal as he didn't touch it. Vandalism? perhaps but it seems a strange and time consuming thing to do. I spoke to the police and was given a log number. Given how it might've ended I'm thinking attempted murder!  ;D

The security wheel nut is no different from the other wheel nuts except that it needs a security socket to remove it.

The chance of a vandal walking about with a & 3ft long bar & a security socket that matched your car are millions to one so it's not vandalism.
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Dayjo

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Re: Scary...
« Reply #11 on: Apr 07, 2019, 08:23:56 AM »
Are security nuts already fitted, Mike?
David, Christine, + Mia...... NE Derbyshire.

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zoony

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Re: Scary...
« Reply #12 on: Apr 07, 2019, 02:37:25 PM »
Yes Dave. It's certainly a puzzle as I don't believe that the mechanic, who I've known for years would ever make such a mistake.

"Listen to the wind, it cleans the mind."

"Never use money to measure wealth, son"

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Dayjo

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Re: Scary...
« Reply #13 on: Apr 07, 2019, 02:44:07 PM »
In that case Mike.
 If it's available to the night vermin. Then someone's unscrewed what they could. Leaving the security nuts untouched....
David, Christine, + Mia...... NE Derbyshire.

Life happens, when you connect with people.
Not, constantly working to be better, or to have more......

Diasi

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Re: Scary...
« Reply #14 on: Apr 07, 2019, 03:02:47 PM »
Right take this example as an explanation.

A zip gun will not tighten all the wheel nuts to the same torque setting, at which point you have one wheel nut looser than the others.

The ensuing very minor deflection of the wheel can cause all the wheel nuts to loosen over time.

It can also cause the brake pad to distort.
Make every day count, each day is precious.
"Death leaves a heartache no one can heal, love leaves a memory no one can steal".  (Cassandra)