National wheelnut alert
Page 20
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A DEPARTMENT of Health and Social Security hazard notice has been issued in light of the Scottish Ambulance Service's wheelshedding problems with its 25 cwt Bedford CFs.
It issued the notice at the end of last month, advising English and Welsh ambulance operators of the Scottish problems which surrounded their nearside rear wheels.
It has advised them to follow the Scottish service's example of carrying out checks at least every week to ensure that wheelnuts do not back off or work themselves loose and to report any incidents to the DHSS.
This is to continue until Vauxhall Motors completes a thorough examination. One possible cause of the fault is that the 50ft/lb tightening torque of the nuts may be too tight, and the warning notice has stipulated that operators should not twist the nuts so tight.
A DHSS spokesman told CM this week that he was unaware of any wheel-shedding incidents having occurred in England or Wales.