When The Wheels Come Off

[Chris]

I decidede to take my Buggy for a spin today seeing that this week was a bit hectic and I didn't have a chance to drive it.So just to charge the battery and let the oil get some circulation,I drove to the garage and back home.

As I came down the road and was about to turn into my street,the Buggy all of a sudden felt like it collapsed in the rear and then I saw the wheel go past me.Luckily there was an opening in the pavement and managed to get it on the grass on the side of the road.

The wheel came to a standstill another block down the road.All the wheel nuts were gone,and I had to find other nuts to replace them.There was no damage other than the drum scraping on the tar.I then saw that all the nuts are loose on all the wheels as if someone tried to take the wheels off.

At least she's at home and we are both OK.

[BUGGOFF]

Eishh...Thats a bad one. Luckilly theres no damage.

[ZeroAxe]

Once almost happened to me too. Had the seat cover in the car on the way back from Pretoria to Boksburg. Heard some strange sounds coming from the front. Didnt know what it was. I stopped ujnder the last bridge on the R22(?) just before you get to the East Rand Mall. And as I stopped, I heard a "CLUNK"! Got out the car and the 4th nut just fell out and the wheel held with only one nut!!! the seatcover called the breakdown .............(her dad). I went walking up the direction of traffic. It was just after dusk, so I had to get to "ground zero" to scna for the rest of the nuts. Luckily I found the remaining three. By the time I got the wheel back on, the "breakdown" service arrived. Did this asshole have the nerve to on my head for not tacking care WTF? As if I would do that on purpose. Anyway, after giving him a piece of my mind, we left it there.....

So thank goodness I didn't have it worse. I mean, the wheel could've come off 300m further up the road while still doing 120km/h

[Pine]

Didn't you hear any warning sounds prior to the wheel actually coming off?

Nonetheless, glad you're OK

[SFDT]

Also had that. goes like this. 1st WTF??? and then Oh

[Chris]

Didn't you hear any warning sounds prior to the wheel actually coming off?

Nonetheless, glad you're OK

Nothing.It didn't make a sound nor did I feel anything until it came off.

[beetlefanatic]

That was a close call Chris! Glad it didn't turn out too serious.

[Dutch_Diver]

Had that on Mo. Glad there's no damage mate.

[Sambabus]

Super intense,glad youre alright chum.

[Ron&Gill]

I also had that with Blou Gemoerte... started hearing clunk-clunk, then CLUNK!! Stopped, one wheel barely hanging on to one wheel nut. Looked back there were 4 wheelnuts lying in the road, the furthest not 5 m away!! They must've sequentially fallen out in one revolution!! BUT: I checked the driver's side (it's always the passenger side one that comes off) was also loose, it was me myself, I that caused it. I hadn't tightned the wheel nuts properly.

[vader]

How does that song go.....


"You picked a fine time to leave me loose wheel...."

[Ron&Gill]

Wasn't as spectacular as in the rally car at speed... "Hey, there goes a wheel wot looks just like ours do!" Crunch! "That was our wheel!" "No wonder it looked just like on of ours, then..."

Suddenly, for the first time, and never again since, it became, fleetingly, the navigator's responsibility to check the wheel nuts. Rule #1: It's always the navigator's fault.

[calooker]

My first beetle, had a front wheel come off on it's maiden voyage.
At 14 I had the R350 selling price for a 69 1500, after spending a whole morning getting it running at the old man's house where it stood for about 5 years, I got it going, while driving down Main street in Rosetinville in JHB (1984, yes, I could drive then) I lost a front wheel, the whole steering was vibrating the moment I got driving, but just was hoping & needed to get it home, I thought, about 8km's. The left front wheel decided to let go and almost riped the front fender off. I took a nut of each of the other wheels to get it home.
My first taste of what was to come.
My buddy Roman, way back then, wrote off a lovely 65 when a front wheel with part of the drum attached, broke and he rolled the beetle, which earned him some hospital time

[Hloni]

I was just about to take the old hagg for a spin, she's been standing for about 2 weeks. YOU BOYS MAKE ME WANNA CONTINUE DRIVING THE AMERIKAN CAR

Oh Chris, for the lenses, just got back from galavanting around the country to find a well wrapped parcel.

[Piet Jacobs]

Way back in the early 1980's I was working for the Dept. Agriculture and an early 70's Beetle was our office transport. (serviced by the Government Garage). Returning from an inspection trip and driving past the Congelle power station in Durban the complete left rear wheel came off. After getting the car off the road I could see the wheel about 100 meters back along the road. The complete hub came off with the breakshoes exposed and the hubcap still on the wheel. Someone stopped to help and while giving him a note for my office intended to walk back and get the wheel while waiting for help to arrive. The good samarithan left and when I looked back someone has stolen the wheel! I was in more trouble with the Government garage for having the wheel stolen as they were for the poor service and maintainence on the car.