I drive about 70 miles round trip to class on weekdays, and I made it to school fine, but with a strange (not severe) vibration coming from a front wheel. I assumed (wrongly) that I had thrown a wheel weight, and resolved to stop by the tire shop tomorrow.

During the 35 mi, 70+ mph commute home, the vibration steadily got worse. I cautiously slowed to 50 (posted limit of 60) and tried to do a rolling diagnosis. I even stopped several times and tried to find it, with no luck.

Well, I get within a mile of home, and just as I turn to get into the turn-only lane, my driver's side front wheel takes off ahead of me, crosses the intersection unscathed, and a shower of sparks erupt from the brake rotor on concrete action under me.

The brake rotor actually isn't very badly damaged (though probably warped as hell), and all four wheel bolts vanished. I managed to steal one bolt from each of the remaining three wheels, and limp her home, and tomorrow in good light, we'll see what has been damaged. Would a typical parts store carry brake rotors and wheel bolts for these cars?

The moral of the story:
Never, ever, ever have blind faith to the torque of a fastener.

 

haha yeah this same thing happened to me! I was only doing about 35 when it got bad (vibration). I lost the driver rear, didnt do damage other than a couple scratches.

 

Almost happened to me once. I checked and the wheel was almost loose.

Now whenever I feel a vibration, I check the wheels.

Scared the **** out of me

 

aka ron white story

 

parts store has the bolts, but probably have to order the rotors. clean and/or change your wheel bearings while the rotors are off.

 

That almost happened to me in my old Beretta. The rear passenger side wheel kept thumping and when I finally got around to checking on it I found I had lost all but one damn wheel post. The trip down the street to the mechanic was nerve wracking, to say the least, after discovering what the problem was. Every right turn I made I thought the wheel was going to careen off and the car was going to tip over and flip sixteen times only to land right side up and promptly explode. Yeah, I've got quite an imagination. Hope you can get yours fixed up as easily I did though.

 

I once had a similar issue. Old ford truck that suddenly developed a horrendous vibration. I slowed way down, and stopped at the first lit driveway, since it was dark. Took me a while to figure it out, but when I saw the left rear wheel, I was totally shocked. Not a single lugnut on it. I had old school alloys on it, that used the shank stlye lugs. The only reason I can think of for the wheel to have remained in place, was a combo of the zero offset, the the depth of the studs in the wheels, as the wheels were almost an inch thick.
Anytime you are installing a wheel, use a torque whench. Re-torque the lugs after 50 miles, and periodically there after. Alloy wheels especially.

 

Last night was rough. The cops showed up and everything. To be honest, I was more worried about having trashed the rim or brake rotor, and they were concerned about someone stealing it or breaking into it.

Kinda hard to steal a 3 wheeled car without a wrecker, officer.

But, my wheel bolts should be in at the parts store tomorrow, and I'll soon be going to Rotary Performance in Garland to get a set of slotted brake rotors, pads, a headlamp switch, and carb rebuild kit. They carry the premixed OE rotary oil, as well as Mazda Nippon OE filters, should I switch from Fram/Castrol when I do the oil change (while everything else is torn apart), and go for their stuff?

 

I would use WIX or NAPA filters.
The Castrol will be fine.

 

Happened to me that's why bolts suck. Get studs and nuts. www.pineappleracing.com

 

Sounds bad.

 

dammit you said it before I could.


I was gonna say never go to sears to get your wheel worked on :P

 

how would a stud do better then a bolt


All the bolt is, is it has a welded nut on there.

stud can strip out just as easy as a bolt.