Lost rear wheel

[Pfox]

My buddy and I both own Tri Glides. His is a stock 2012 with about 16,000 miles on it. It has been meticulously cared for and routinely serviced by the dealer.

This past week while travelling on a 4 lane divided highway, his rear wheel came off propelling him into the dividing ditch and toward oncoming traffic. Fortunately there was a cable barrier that prevented him from getting hit by an approaching semi.

The wheels have not recently been removed and were torqued and re-torqued when removed last.

Upon inspection we found one stud had broken, rim holes showed signs of loosening and the side with the wheel still on, the nuts were not tight.

Could have been a disaster but fortunately outside of significant damage to the trike, no injuries.

Has anyone ever had or heard of this happening?

Have some pics but not sure how to upload.

Thanks,

Perry

 

[rhino 2]

My buddy and I both own Tri Glides. His is a stock 2012 with about 16,000 miles on it. It has been meticulously cared for and routinely serviced by the dealer.

This past week while travelling on a 4 lane divided highway, his rear wheel came off propelling him into the dividing ditch and toward oncoming traffic. Fortunately there was a cable barrier that prevented him from getting hit by an approaching semi.

The wheels have not recently been removed and were torqued and re-torqued when removed last.

Upon inspection we found one stud had broken, rim holes showed signs of loosening and the side with the wheel still on, the nuts were not tight.

Could have been a disaster but fortunately outside of significant damage to the trike, no injuries.

Has anyone ever had or heard of this happening?

Have some pics but not sure how to upload.

Thanks,

Perry

Search ;;Wheel came off on TG....Posted by Casper ....[2013]

 

[MDO]

Glad he made it. Every 3 months I throw a wrench on the lugs and check tightness...it takes 1 minute. I also look at the front wheel and check for the cotter pin. I have read a couple times on rear lug nuts coming loose.

It normally has a tragic outcome.

 

[Jack Klarich]

Read here https://www.triketalk.com/forum/threads/41579-wheel-falls-off#top

My neighbors cousin in Alabama also lost a wheel on hos trike and lost his life

 

[DK Custom Products]

Wow! Good to read he is ok.

Yes, we've heard of a few cases.

Fortunately this is a very rare occurrence, and can be mostly (totally) avoided with regular checking of critical fasteners and preventative maintenance.

Big motivation to check lug nuts regularly.

Kevin

 

[Sidecarbill]

This is strange beyond belief. I have never retorqued a car wheel. I've never lost one and I've put a lot of wheels on. To me it's just amazing. I worked in a tire place for years?

 

[Trampas]

Glad no one was hurt, always good to check the rims and other fasterners every so often.

All for now Trampas

 

[Ed H]

There are two thoughts that come to mind. Apparently the wheel was not torqued to spec's. Where the lug holes were elongated this had to make some noise when the wheel was flopping on the hub. Very happy this had a good outcome.

 

[FuzzyWuzHe]

Glad he made it. Every 3 months I throw a wrench on the lugs and check tightness...it takes 1 minute. I also look at the front wheel and check for the cotter pin. I have read a couple times on rear lug nuts coming loose.

It normally has a tragic outcome.

I do the same as well as checking for tranny fluid migrating ... :AGGHH:

 

[ultrafxr]

Wow I'd never heard of this. Scary for sure. In fact I went out the checked again the torque on my TG wheels and even on my Buick SUV. Thankfully all were A-OK and I'll definitely be keeping an eye on them.

 

[KJB]

Okay, you convinced me. I sold my home years ago and now live in an apartment in Wisconsin and a condo in Florida at the appropriate times of year. When I sold my home I also sold most of my tools including my 3 torque wrenches in a garage sale. This thread caused me to buy a torque wrench yesterday. I set it at 95 and heard the click so I guess I'm good.

 

[Fearless]

Maybe its just me I do a monthly PM on our Trike all critical fasteners. We have caps on the back wheels and I still check monthly. Even when I give it a bath I have been known to grab the torque wrench and give them a tug... Life is so precious my Bride rides with me. Travel safe Fred

 

[woody]

I check my regularly I started when I read the last thread on here about it. something else is to take a good look at the lugs when you walk up to the bike. If one looks slightly different then check them. Not long after purchasing mine I noticed one lug looked just a little further out than the rest but I could only see it if the light was shining on it just right of course I put the torque wrench on it and it did not move but once I saw it, then I seemed to see every time I walked up to it. One day while doing maintenance I decided to remove that lug and see what the difference was. the difference was the lug nut was cross threaded and not completely touching the rim, after going a few rounds with my dealer they finally gave in and replaced the stud and the nut.

 

[Burnerboy]

WOW! This is a great reminder for everyone (yes, even you) should check all nuts and bolts on your bike, at least once/twice a season.....The life you save may just be your own (or a love'd one)

Ronnie

Wonderful post here!

Hope operator is not hurt!

Three seasons ago I was towing a 16ft boat, on the highway, and I lost one of the wheels, thank God I didn't flip the boat, or kill anybody during this horrible episode ....

Ronnie

 

[woody]

WOW! This is a great reminder for everyone (yes, even you) should check all nuts and bolts on your bike, at least once/twice a season.....The life you save may just be your own (or a love'd one)

Ronnie

Wonderful post here!

Hope operator is not hurt!

Three seasons ago I was towing a 16ft boat, on the highway, and I lost one of the wheels, thank God I didn't flip the boat, or kill anybody during this horrible episode ....

Ronnie

getting off subject just a little, a few years ago the wife and I was traveling east on I20 and there was a tractor trailer tire going down the hwy in the grass on the right side of the road, I slowed down and a car beside me slowed down holding up traffic until we could see what was going to happen. the tire was traveling fast enough that it came into the highway and crossed the median into the two lanes going west bound thankfully the traffic in the west bound lanes was paying attention and the tire went off the highway and fell over. about a mile down the road was a big rig sitting on the side of the road with a wheel missing. no one was hurt but that could have been bad in so many ways.

So ride safe out there and check your lug nuts

 

[mighty mike]

Mighty MIKE

Glad he is OK. I am going to check mine today. Great reminder.

 

[ultrafxr]

getting off subject just a little, a few years ago the wife and I was traveling east on I20 and there was a tractor trailer tire going down the hwy in the grass on the right side of the road, I slowed down and a car beside me slowed down holding up traffic until we could see what was going to happen. the tire was traveling fast enough that it came into the highway and crossed the median into the two lanes going west bound thankfully the traffic in the west bound lanes was paying attention and the tire went off the highway and fell over. about a mile down the road was a big rig sitting on the side of the road with a wheel missing. no one was hurt but that could have been bad in so many ways.

So ride safe out there and check your lug nuts

Similar thing happened to me a few years back. Traveling in a truck (thankfully not my motorcycle) on I-40 in heavy traffic and I saw a tire (later realized it was the entire recap that had come off an eighteen wheeler's tire) come rolling across the median at a pretty good clip. Tried to maneuver but traffic was heavy all around and couldn't do much. Hit it a glancing blow on front bumper. Luckily no damage but had I been on my motorcycle it would have been a very different story. Just one of the many reasons I try to avoid interstates when possible when on my TG.

 

[Fearless]

Similar thing happened to me a few years back. Traveling in a truck (thankfully not my motorcycle) on I-40 in heavy traffic and I saw a tire (later realized it was the entire recap that had come off an eighteen wheeler's tire) come rolling across the median at a pretty good clip. Tried to maneuver but traffic was heavy all around and couldn't do much. Hit it a glancing blow on front bumper. Luckily no damage but had I been on my motorcycle it would have been a very different story. Just one of the many reasons I try to avoid interstates when possible when on my TG.

We ABSOLUTELY avoid Interstate travel there is not any place to go that important to travel there. Ride safe Fred