Concern about wheel studs
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AN APPEAL for funds to research wheel stud failure has been launched by the Institute of Road Transport Engineers.
It is concerned that replacement of failed wheel studs is running as high as four per cent a year for commercial vehicles, and wheel replacement is running about three per cent.
These figures have prompted the IRTE to try to raise funds to launch a £75,000 research programme into the stud and wheel loss problem conducted by the Motor Industry Research Association (Mira) and Exeter University.
One haulage firm contacted by the IRTE monitored its fleet of 344 vehicles for 15 months, during which time they lost 2,703 wheel studs.
The Department of Transport's vehicle inspection division at Bristol compiled a report in which it concluded that there is a problem with vehicles in the 30 tonnes and more range.
Transport Minister Lynda Chalker was shown some broken studs in a visit to Mira earlier this year, but a Department of Trahspqrt spokesman told CM that reported incidents of wheel loss are so low in comparison with the total hgv mileage that it would not merit a large sum of money to investigate the problem.