Have
you a loose nut around you?
Peter Beadle
relates a cautionary tale.
Posted: 24.9.10 |
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Have
you a loose nut?
I have owned and driven various MGB, C & V8s
in my time ever since the early days of working
at University Motors in Epsom in the 70s. At first
I would always read the car's handbook, but these
days it's second nature, I have "been there,
done that" . . . so many times. This August
I recommissioned my MGBGTV8 after 9 months of standing
Idle
in readiness for the September V8 Cambridgeshire
Tour. |
Before
the MOT I treated it to two new front tyres from
a local specialist. I then made a few short trips
around Gloucester before the Cambridge Weekend (approximately
100 miles) then loaded up the car and headed for
Newmarket. A great weekend was had by all and our
car covered 500 plus miles faultlessly.
This week I used the car to go to thanksgiving service
for Bill Wallis at Knowle. A nice hours drive, each
way up and down the M5 and M42 cruising at a steady
70/80mph and like all MGBs you often get a slight
vibration through the steering at about 78. But
on the way home the unthinkable happened, I had
been staying ahead of a BMW for about 10 to 15 miles
and we were making "good time" when suddenly
the light vibration on the steering wheel turned
into a much heavier body vibration. At first I put
it down to "road surface", but soon realised
it was something else. The front prop-shaft universal
joint was also discounted as I put the car into
neutral and the judder was still there. I turned
on the hazards and let the BMW overtake. Fearing
it might be the brake caliper or brake disc disintegrating,
I coasted for approximately a mile to a standstill
on the hard shoulder, the judder getting worse as
we slowed down.
Once out of the car "The Problem" was
obvious, the nearside front wheel now had only three
wheelnuts! One stud had sheared and the three remaining
nuts were extremely loose, hanging on by only a
few threads! All the remaining wheelnuts were re
tightened and we limped home at a steady 50mph.
So apart from Brown Trousers, a missing wheelnut
and a sheared wheelstud we are safe. I don't blame
the tyre specialist, I blame myself . . . .
in not re-torquing and checking my wheelnuts as
per the handbook. I know it didn't happen until
600 plus miles after the tyres were changed and
I put it down to the continuous 15 mile high speed
vibration causing the already loose nuts to slowly
loosen off until a critical condition was reached.
Let's hope that others will learn from this old
fools mistakes. Happy Safe Motoring. |
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