3-Wheel Motion

[Viper04]

i got a 88 chevy caprice, it has dents all around and rust everywhere.

I use the car when i work. A few months back i was taking a friend home and the cars front left tire fell off and damaged my car even more.
I got the problems fixed and it was back to normal, i even put 15" 100-spoke rims on it. Just a few hours i was taking the same friend home again and the same tire fell off, but the bad part about this time was, i didnt find the tire, the road we were on is dark with one light and so i lost and tire.

I have had a lot of bad luck when it came to cars and i was wondering if this situation of a tire falling off happens to alot of people?

[TommySS]

The only way the wheel is gonna fall off like that is if the lugs are missing or somebody "forgot" the cotter key and the spindle nut.

Dag.

[Viper04]

all of the lugs were on and they were on tight and the rim was held on tight as well. One of my friends, who was a mechanic said that the cars lugs when you have rims will get loose when you drive too fast, so i figured that thats what may have happened.

[HLandin]

How fast were you driving?

[TommySS]

When you lost the wheel, did the brake rotor go with it?

[TommySS]

Ohhh. I think I got it now.

If you installed aftermarket wheels and you used the stock lug nuts, yes, they will become loose.

The stock nuts are the correct taper to hold a steel (factory) wheel. Aftermarket wheels require the correct nut (taper, thread depth, etc).

Stop what you're doing, take one of the remaining wheels off and the lugs you're using and get to a parts store with a knowlegeable technician who can set you straight.

[Viper04]

thanks for the help. and i was only doing 15mph.