Thank god that last bolt held, my wheel almost fell off... Options

[6gsillyca]

I was driving down the highway with my mom and girl doing about 110 (kph) when my car started to get REALLY shaky. It felt like loose lugs, only way worse. Both my mom and gf tell me to stop, pull over, and check the car out. When I get out, I went around the car and just hand checked all the nuts. They were all fine until I got up to the front pass wheel.

It turns out I only had ONE nut left in there. The other 4 bolts sheared off the hub. 3 of them were stilll in the rim socket and im guessing the 4th flew out while I was stopping. I fell so lucky that last bolt didnt give out, because I was in the far left lane of traffic, and if my front pass wheel came off I would have went across all 3 lanes during rush hour, doing 110, and probably wouldnt be here typing this.

What could have caused this? Is it because the lugs were SUPER over torqued?









EDIT:

Yes, those are 3 of my lugs and the bolts from the hub they attach to. There were 4 that sheared off.

This post has been edited by 6gsillyca: Nov 21, 2006 - 12:57 AM

[OntarioCeli]

Ive always heard that if the lugs are loose it will vibrate/ wobble like an unbalanced wheel first and gradually get worse as the lugs chew away at the rim and eventualy come rigt off or break but if the lugs are over torqued it can stress the bolts causing them to shear off due to the excessive pressure.