'My priority is to provide a wheelnut re-torque policy for
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our fitters' 4 T he problem of wheel loss on commercial vehicles is a bigger issue today than it was 40 years ago when I entered the tyre industry While most aspects of road transport have become safer and more efficient during my career, there is still no agreement about the best procedures to avoid wheel loss and its attendant hazards.
I am always intrigued to read the news and legal pages of industry publications covering wheel-loss situations. In most cases wheelnuts have reportedly been checked the previous day, and often on the day of the incident. Many might question these claims, but the problem should still not be laid solely at the door of the driver.
What is urgently needed is an industry response, backed by Government action, to ensure that potentially fatal, and always costly, wheel losses are eradicated.
As technical manager for a national tyre distribution group my priority is to provide a standard wheelnut re-torque policy for our fitters. Preferably this would be a policy that is adopted throughout the service industry The National Tyre Distributors' Association and vehicle and trailer manufacturers issue recommendations for torque settings, but the real concern is for retorqueing guidelines. Who can I turn to for consistent advice and help? Having written to the majority of truck and trailer manufacturers—with a limited response— these are a selection of the conflicting and confusing replies received: 111 Re-check after a day; E Check daily until nuts are bedded down, then checks can be discontinued; Re-tighten after 50km, then regularly; El Re-tighten after 20-30km, then between 150 and 200km, then after each 5000km; and El Re-tighten after 20km.
Adding its weight to the debate, a Department of Transport leaflet recommends a check after 30 minutes, whether the vehicle has moved or not, while the NTDA advises a 30-minute checking period followed by a further inspection after 50 miles.
If I'm confused after a lifetime in the industry what chance has the tyre fitter or service engineer of following a consistent, safety-first policy?
I believe the single most effective measure to cure the problem—and let's face it, no one really knows the full extent of the situation— would be to include wheels and fixings in the truck and trailer MoT test.
Under present inspections wheels are not removed so the true picture of damage to studs, mountings and wheels is not apparent. The next step in preventing wheel loss would be to produce standard industry guidelines for re-torqueing which should be followed by all operators, fitters, service engineers and mechanics. Until this stage is reached my company is developing a retorqueing policy based on three separate rechecks. Should there still be movement of wheel nuts after the third check, wheels would be removed immediately for a detailed examination.
It is a small price to pay for reduced down time, lower repair costs and, most importantly, for greater road safety.
I believe that many of the wheel losses experienced across the UK each year could be prevented by these measures, together with more stringent and regular examination of wheel fixings and components.
I need guidance and advice from the transport industry, which should also include recommendations from wheel manufacturers to determine realistic life spans for wheel rims. In short we have a collective responsibility but is anybody out there listening and prepared to act? / El If you want to sound off about a road transport issue write to features editor Patric Cunnane