Were longer studs added to accomodate the spacers? 1/2 inch is a lot of spacing without longer studs. That may explain the failure.
People that use spell check have every right to be critical although I wasn't being critical I was just pointing out a tool that would be of some help. I suppose it would be critical to point out to someone that vise grips are not necessary when there is a perfectly good lug wrench laying in the trunk. Gawd I do so love the touchy feely ***ed message board. I think we need a group hug.
Damn I need one.... ..Yah know the thing that pisses me off in that in the picture where the fire is starting to get bad, people obviously saw the fire and didn't stop! Let alone to try and stop the fire but to make sure everyone was ok... WTF!
Just hate to see any vintage iron get destroyed and from all the pictures it was a first cl*** resto. The good is the driver got out safe and will be able to get another ride.
Not to dwell on this too much... (hard not to...) But I recently bought a 41 studebaker coupe and the gas filler arrangement is done exactly the same way; with the filler tube running through the fenderwell a foot or so behind the tire. So if that tire does come off the first thing it's going to do is rip that filler tube off! And the tank in that car was a brand new poly tank and as soon as the poly let go it was a done deal I guess.... 16 gallons of gas. I guess the options are few.... Had a 32 with the filler in the trunk, but some say that's not a great idea either... Thoughts?
I am with you on that one. Someone with a cheapo fire extinguisher may have slowed it down a ton in the beginning. It is a damned shame to see that happen to anyone, doesn't matter why it happened it is still a damned shame.
I have seen them run up to the panel below the rear gl*** the fill tube would go through the trunk. I have never had a problem with the filler in the trunk, just run a non vented cap then braze a bung or a ****** to the metal filler neck and vent it outside with a tube and a fuel filter. On poly tank it is always best to run a skid plate or a metal shield under them. I don't know that it would have helped in this particular situation but it may have.
At least that gives a decent explanation of why the rear wheel came off in the first place. I'm wondering if his lug bolts were long enough to handle the spacers and the the wheel with adequate threads going through the nuts if he ran half inch spacers. I can't totally knock wheel adapters as I may need them to get the wheels that I plan on running on my roadster but it will be under 2000 lbs and open wheeled. True the off road guys run them on a regular basis but the ones I know are used to breaking things and very used to checking things over before taking off to the hills.
So back in the 40's and 50's, did every Plymouth that lost a rear wheel burst into flames? Same goes for 41-48 Fords, same design... no scrubline issues?
I did have a fire exstinguisheer in the car. But, when all hell brakes loose, and you are trying to drive a car to the side of the road, on 3 wheels while its on fire it, you tend to forget things like that! Also, the wheel and adapter were on the car properly. I drove it for an hour prior to the incident without any indication of a problem. I think the lugs on the axle let go. Paul
There are 2 sets of lugs (1 set on the axle for the adapter and another set on the adapter for the wheel) and they are both plenty long enough and were installed properly. Paul
Ok, an adaptor instead of spacer. I have ran those for probably 50,000 miles without a problem. I do check both sets of studs and lug annually. You should be able to inspect that for what failed. It would be good to know. Very sorry you have had to endure such a horrific experience. Thanks for continuing to post about it to allow others to learn from your experience.
Poor spelling, poor grammar, wrong terminology, some HAMBer's will jump your *** for almost anything....
**** like that happens so fast, you can play "what-if" all day long over it later. I wouldn't have run up to a fire like that, I'd be afraid of an explosion!
Nash the bottom line is that stuff happens. You may never ever figure out why it happened this time. It does take a lot of disipline to stay focused in an emergency. I was actually thinking that some driver by may have had the heart enough to lend a hand. I think at this point I would just chock it up to stuff happens. Try to build your next one better than the first.
Two tngihs i do is awyals tkae a frie eitniehxugsr wtih me and nveer use wehel adpraets. Htae to see an old car end up lkie taht! Who craes aoubt how you selpl a wrod, you can sitil raed tehm no mteatr how tehy are seplt!
I had the same thing happen to me years ago, I put a set of"Ford" bolt pattern wheels on a "GM " car worked out fine for a while, one day I went over a set of RR tracks and sheared the studs off, all 5 studs at once on the left rear. I pulled aside opened the door and the tired was still rolling toward me and crashed into the opened door ripping the arm rest off the door and scarring the the hell out of me. Never will run them again. Lesson learned.
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