• Alan Dixon of Rubery Owen-Rockwell attacked the IRTE wheelnut
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report at last week's European Transport Maintenance Council meeting in The Hague, arguing that it is senseless to make a single common torque standard for three different types of wheel fixing (150, DIN and the British standard). He said that to require a single torque is "irresponsible".
John Dickson-Simpson, representing the IRTE, said that the study was inspired by a feeling that wheels should be largely "fit and forget" items, despite an annual average of six to eight deaths due to wheel loss. In a long speech he told delegates that the IRTE's report recommended the redesign of studs to include a 24mm rolled metric fine thread that runs out at a gentle flare to a 22min shank diameter. Tightening torque should also be raised to 800Nm, to deal with problems of settlement, he said.
There are applications in which the 800Nm torque is too high, said Dixon, when the nut will go plastic and fatigue will set in. He believes maintenance engineers should work to ensure consistent torque around the wheel nuts. He hopes Rubery Owen-Rockwell and other companies can work closely in association with the International Standards Organisation and other interested parties to reach complete agreement.