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Wheel loss is no mystery — get them tight!
Page 28
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IT WAS INTERESTING to note John Dickson-Simpson's letter (CM 17 May) regarding wheel loss and why it's no mystery. I can only speak from 30 years' experience in the industry but as a layman without any engineering qualification I can concur with what he has said.
Twenty years ago, while a partner in an abnormal load haulage business, we had a triaxle trailer extended by 10 feet with the addition of an extra axle; however, the three original axles were bespoke equipment and on the nearside we had left-hand threads, while the new fourth axle had right-hand threads on both sides.
And guess what, within the space of two years we lost the nearside rear wheels on the fourth axle three times, despite using a huge spider and 8ft scaffold pole to tighten the wheels (I prefer the old-school method of tightening wheels). When we tightened any wheels on our units and trailers, we used the crack test (jump on it until it cracks) with the exception of the 'new' axle on this trailer. We never lost a wheel and never had a stud or nut break.
It's no mystery; properly tightened wheelnuts and left-hand threads on the nearside work!
Kevin Buck bye-mail