3300John:
your not aloud to change
a bulb but now they’re letting drivers loose with a torque wrench. what else will they come up with to
stop lorries operating in the UK.
Where does it say your not allowed to change a bulb? Some companies might say don’t do it but your last sentence implies it’s a legal thing. is it? If so,its news to me. And ive broken the law a few times with that one then!
The two most common reasons for wheel loss (ignoring bearing/hub failure) is wheel nuts NOT TIGHTENED or alternatively OVER TIGHTENED. I believe OVER TIGHTENED to be the most common.
Mechanics/tyre fitters seem to think an air gun is the tool of choice when they should be fitting nuts by hand and then torque wrench. Most 3/4 drive or larger air guns will over stretch the studs causing stud/thread failure or reduced clamping forces. I’ve seen ‘mechanics’ fit the wheel using an air gun, then put the torque wrench on just one nut and because it goes click they consider it’s OK and the rest must be as well. Chances are it is over tightened
Studs and nuts should be lubricated according to manufacturers specification. Some are dry fit though.
In a lot of cases the mechanic would take more care with a cylinder head bolt than they do a wheel stud/nut yet the wheel stud/nut can cause far more of a disaster and is far more important.
Drivers should take the time to have a good look at the wheels where they can. As has been said rust marks, fresh rust, shiny bits where surfaces have rubbed together, physical touch of the wheel nuts and washers if possible, maybe a quick visual check of the length of stud sticking out from the nut and then of course monitor the vehicle for vibrations/wobbles/knocks/bangs etc whilst driving. it doesn’t take a great deal of time, its a vital check and time should be given for it.
I don’t believe the £100 fine the OP has mentioned is quite as straight forward as it sounds. The nuts must have been very loose and obviously long term loose for the driver to receive a penalty.
I don’t think drivers should be given torque wrenches or expected to use them. A short wheel brace (no longer than 20 inches) is good to carry out a simple ‘tight’ check - just check it doesn’t move with a 20" bar. If it does - leave it and get an appropriate person to investigate further. The bar isn’t used to tighten the nuts - just check for tightness. As has already been said - simply re-torqueing a loose nut isn’t enough - it will likely be damaged and should be inspected. etc Most will continue to loosen because they are damaged/stretched and then finally shear off and wheel loss occurs.
Operators should have a wheel removal/refit policy and log all wheel removals to allow traceability. Most don’t do any of that.
shep532:
Operators should have a wheel removal/refit policy and log all wheel removals to allow traceability. Most don’t do any of that.
Amen to that post.
Those daft looking pointers are better than nothing, a wheel overtaking you looks a ■■■■ sight dafter.
PS, whenever i changed wheels, a clean up with a wire brush and a light oiling saw them never come loose.
what is it coming to when a driver carnt check wheel nuts so sad
glad I am old school brace and bar in wagon at all times
todays drivers are to soft
tippertom:
what is it coming to when a driver carnt check wheel nuts so sad
glad I am old school brace and bar in wagon at all times
todays drivers are to soft
I did class 2 tippers a few summers ago for a big well known company. You had to check every single nut every morning with supplied torque wrenches then sign the book to say it had been done. Was their biggest must do. If you didnt check them you were asked/told not to come back.
If the tools are supplied,is it unreasonable for a driver to check wheel nuts?
proper order when it comes to tippers its a must every day bet some drivers couldn’t
change a wheel lol
tippertom:
what is it coming to when a driver carnt check wheel nuts so sad
glad I am old school brace and bar in wagon at all times
todays drivers are to soft
Where does it say that Tom? Checking wheelnuts is part of every driver’s daily routine.
Tipper drivers do pre use checks?
I am old school was told over and over most important thing to do gives
peace of mind you want to be safe behind the wheel seen to rear wheels come off
8 wheel tipper years ago that was s…t me up moment
The-Snowman:
tippertom:
what is it coming to when a driver carnt check wheel nuts so sad
glad I am old school brace and bar in wagon at all times
todays drivers are to softI did class 2 tippers a few summers ago for a big well known company. You had to check every single nut every morning with supplied torque wrenches then sign the book to say it had been done. Was their biggest must do. If you didnt check them you were asked/told not to come back.
If the tools are supplied,is it unreasonable for a driver to check wheel nuts?
Its unreasonable to expect a driver of a tri-axle unit and trailer to torque check 120 wheel nuts every single day, yes. Would never get any work done!
ajt:
The-Snowman:
tippertom:
what is it coming to when a driver carnt check wheel nuts so sad
glad I am old school brace and bar in wagon at all times
todays drivers are to softI did class 2 tippers a few summers ago for a big well known company. You had to check every single nut every morning with supplied torque wrenches then sign the book to say it had been done. Was their biggest must do. If you didnt check them you were asked/told not to come back.
If the tools are supplied,is it unreasonable for a driver to check wheel nuts?Its unreasonable to expect a driver of a tri-axle unit and trailer to torque check 120 wheel nuts every single day, yes. Would never get any work done!
In my view it risks over-torquing too. The workshop is the place the issues need resolving not by having drivers faff about with torque wrenches.
Own Account Driver:
ajt:
The-Snowman:
tippertom:
what is it coming to when a driver carnt check wheel nuts so sad
glad I am old school brace and bar in wagon at all times
todays drivers are to softI did class 2 tippers a few summers ago for a big well known company. You had to check every single nut every morning with supplied torque wrenches then sign the book to say it had been done. Was their biggest must do. If you didnt check them you were asked/told not to come back.
If the tools are supplied,is it unreasonable for a driver to check wheel nuts?Its unreasonable to expect a driver of a tri-axle unit and trailer to torque check 120 wheel nuts every single day, yes. Would never get any work done!
In my view it risks over-torquing too. The workshop is the place the issues need resolving not by having drivers faff about with torque wrenches.
If the torque wrench is used correctly over-torqueing won’t happen - but of course that all depends on ‘training’ and skill etc. I’ve seen many mechanics use a torque wrench, it clicks or breaks it’s back at the correct torque then they continue to give it a good bit more just to make sure … WTF is that all about?
I know a lot of tipper drivers say they carry a bar and socket and have to tighten the wheel nuts every morning or sometimes during their shift and they blame the heavy duty work on this but I think they are a little misguided. The real reason they have to tighten the nuts so often is over-tightening in the first place. The studs are generally being stretched. I doubt Scania or whatever brand make a tipper chassis or rough duty cab that has wheel nuts that come loose by design. They know it’s going to be a heavy duty use vehicle and design them accordingly. Then some heavy handed driver comes along and screws the life out of the studs. I’m not saying all are heavy handed!!
A lot (including mechanics) don’t realise that the correct torque for a wheel nut is not ‘FT’ (■■■■■■■ tight) and they can quite easily be tightened further after they are at the correct torque. Tightening with a bar (often with a tube on the end of that) can stress the studs/thread etc and cause further problems
Plugster:
TROTSKY3:
Remedy… take my ex-wife to work with you … every time i look at her my nuts tighten up.was she a torque wench… coat on taxi rang
I don’t know if Trucknet does a post of the year award, but that gets my vote. Proper laugh at that 
I have a wheel brace in the unit, takes no more than ten mins to whip round and check them all, not compulsory but is encouraged every so often.
It’s no hardship, tacho is set to other work whilst it’s done, and gets me out of the seat I spend 15 hours a day sat in. I do it for my own peace of mind.
chris54:
Sidevalve:
Contraflow:
nab:
The only way a driver can check a wheel nut visually is to look for rust marks leading from the nut
Yes, but as I pointed out above, those rings can be moved by a lazy driver. The rust tell-tale was the easy way to spot a duff wheelnut back in the days before those markers were invented. It simply involves looking a little bit closer, that’s all.
Or do as i do as an owner driver,check an axle a day,it takes 10 mins,ive never lost a wheel or had a loose nut ( touch wood
)
Funny that, Until I moved from the world off Road Haulage into the world off Logistics, about 6 yrs ago, I’d never seen one off those pointers, well I’d seen them but not at any off the firms I worked at. 1 general Haulier I worked for had their own workshop, and just inside the door was a torgue wrench set ready for wheel nut tightening, best way to get out off those sort can you just do this job, was too be checking wheelnuts, The old man Gaffer loved you for it. At the last haulier I worked for, I had brace and bar, and going round all the wheels on those 3 hr+ box tips, was a good way to fill the time, but these logistic set ups don’t seem intrested.
We’re getting a lot off trailer change over jobs, the amount off trailer bulbs I seem to replace, makes me wonder if anyone else bothers, but it niggles on me if I try to leave them. Oh well 
shep532:
Own Account Driver:
ajt:
The-Snowman:
tippertom:
what is it coming to when a driver carnt check wheel nuts so sad
glad I am old school brace and bar in wagon at all times
todays drivers are to softI did class 2 tippers a few summers ago for a big well known company. You had to check every single nut every morning with supplied torque wrenches then sign the book to say it had been done. Was their biggest must do. If you didnt check them you were asked/told not to come back.
If the tools are supplied,is it unreasonable for a driver to check wheel nuts?Its unreasonable to expect a driver of a tri-axle unit and trailer to torque check 120 wheel nuts every single day, yes. Would never get any work done!
In my view it risks over-torquing too. The workshop is the place the issues need resolving not by having drivers faff about with torque wrenches.
If the torque wrench is used correctly over-torqueing won’t happen - but of course that all depends on ‘training’ and skill etc. I’ve seen many mechanics use a torque wrench, it clicks or breaks it’s back at the correct torque then they continue to give it a good bit more just to make sure … WTF is that all about?
I know a lot of tipper drivers say they carry a bar and socket and have to tighten the wheel nuts every morning or sometimes during their shift and they blame the heavy duty work on this but I think they are a little misguided. The real reason they have to tighten the nuts so often is over-tightening in the first place. The studs are generally being stretched. I doubt Scania or whatever brand make a tipper chassis or rough duty cab that has wheel nuts that come loose by design. They know it’s going to be a heavy duty use vehicle and design them accordingly. Then some heavy handed driver comes along and screws the life out of the studs. I’m not saying all are heavy handed!!
A lot (including mechanics) don’t realise that the correct torque for a wheel nut is not ‘FT’ ([zb] tight) and they can quite easily be tightened further after they are at the correct torque. Tightening with a bar (often with a tube on the end of that) can stress the studs/thread etc and cause further problems
Whats this crap about a “torque wrench”
Lets face it do any of you “experts” know what Lbs /ft or nt/ mtr mean ?
Just leave the thinking to the experts cos you folk are out your league
Lbs/ft would be pounds foot.
By nt/ mtr I take it you meant Nm which is Newton metres.
And I changed 8 truck wheels last week.Not a sign of a torque wrench and much to my suprise not a wheel lost.
Thats the difference between an “expert” such as yourself and some grease monkey like me.
I know what im doing unlike some waste of space such as yourself.
Another parasite eh
Bking:
And I changed 8 truck wheels last week.Not a sign of a torque wrench and much to my suprise not a wheel lost.
Thats the difference between an “expert” such as yourself and some grease monkey like me.
I know what im doing unlike some waste of space such as yourself.
Another parasite eh
You asked a question. I answered it. How the [zb] does that make me an “expert”, a “waste of space” or a “parasite”?
It’s hardly surprising that you are on pre-mod, when that is the way you react to a poster answering a question you asked.
For your information
I’ve been a grease monkey. I’ve also run the servicing bay for a large fleet and did the 6 weekly inspections for that same fleet.
I also worked in a tyre bay for quite some time, changing among other things tyres off trucks with split rim wheels. I took the wheel off the truck, changed the tyre and refitted the wheel. 8 truck tyres was a mornings job sheet. I didn’t have a torque wrench and never had a wheel come off either.
I don’t make any claims to be an expert in anything, but it seems I know a bit more than you in quite a few areas.
These days I take things easy and drive for a small local haulier, transporting local goods to Germany and Switzerland.
Nothing parasitic about me boy. I’ve earned my keep since I was 12 years old.
Simon:
Lbs/ft would be pounds foot.
By nt/ mtr I take it you meant Nm which is Newton metres.
Pounds / feet darling its all in the units X
