4 replies to this topic

[detroitmini]

All need some help.

Finally got fresh (non dry rotted) tires on my 1978 Mini 1000. As rolling out the driveway I recognize what seems to be a weird noise coming from the front but assumed it was just my brakes dragging as it had been sitting for a little. About 200 feet at about 5 mph later, my front right wheel comes off (lug nuts still on wheel studs) When I had bought the car, the previous owner had 4 repainted wheels and 1 identical looking that wasn't repainted. The nonrepainted wheel was the one that feel off. I concluded that the lug nuts pulled through the wheel for some reason as the lug hole were now 6 sided instead of round.

I had taken maybe 4 laps around the block in this car with only the refinished wheels and no issue.

So my quesions:
I noticed at least one of the refinished wheels has inserts for the lug holes. The nonrefinished I couldn't tell if it did or not. Are inserts on there wheels normal?

Are old cast mini wheels known to get old and fail?

Could this have happened from me being dumb and not fulling torquing that side?

Thoughts on the safety of the other 4 wheels?

Thanks guys,
Spencer

[Spider]

The wheels are made from Pressed Steel and not cast.

 

Getting back to the issue, usually, if the wheel is not rusted (and perhaps been redressed), then a usual cause for this is driving with loose wheel nuts. This may not have happened under your ownership but prior to you getting the wheel. Another similar cause is from continued over-tightening the nuts, but the studs on a Mini tend to break before they get that tight. Use of rattle guns is often behind this latter cause.

 

Another cause is if the lug nut tapers have been redressed and the metal got thin.

[detroitmini]

Here is a picture of the lugs pulling through the wheel.

Attached Files

•  20180803_154637_resized.jpg   247.79K   2 downloads

[nicklouse]

yep that wheel is missing the steel insert

[nicklouse]

 

 

there should be four fitted to each rim.

 

i would say your rim is now scrap.