ZX 1.9td - Farewell faithfull steed!

[beko1987]

Well, ZX 1.9td bought




28 miles into my 80 mile trip (with my mate and SWMBO and Eva in another car thank fook) this happened on the m25




At 65...

Mate and SWMBO tore 20 miles up and down the m25 to come to my aid. Plan was to cHuck the spare on and limp home. Was told I'm not allowed...

So we phone the aa, who send someone out. This takes 5 hours, in which time highways plod turn up and see if we are OK (2 year old in tow helped)





2 hours later after my mate and SWMBO go to Cobham services I get picked up, and have to phone the as, upgrade our account for £130 to get towed home and am now sat in my mates car waiting for someone to drag me home!

Fun this, innit...

Damage so far - new discs and front wing!

[Conrad D. Conelrad]

Crap  Still at least no-one was hurt. So the wheel just parted with the car? Any warning beforehand?

 

Oh, and that last photo is calendar cover material. 

[vulgalour]

Scary stuff, but by the sounds of things you're all safe and well, if more than a little grumpy about the whole affair.

[jakebullet]

Jumping Jesus on a pogo stick. I'm filling my pants just thinking about that happening.

[Mr_Bo11ox]

bloody hell, what rotten luck. How come you're not allowed to put the spare on then? That sounds eminently sensible to me.

[Station]

 

Damage so far - new discs and front wing!

 

Don't forget new wheel bolts!

[trigger]

Shit! That would scare the crap out if me! So I'm guessing the seller never tightened the nuts up?

[trigger]

Actually thinking about it wouldn't a air gun over tightening the bolts cause that?

[drum]

Shit the bed! Bad luck.

 

Might need to check the tracking after sticking a new wheel on...

 

Did you find out where the loose wheel ended up?

[catsinthewelder]

Glad you're ok,  I remember this happening to a mate who had just dropped me off in his E30 316.  The 17" rim escaped into a field after the threads stripped off the bolts.  We needed to put a new hub on that but not before driving 280 miles home. 

[dollywobbler]

Gadzooks! Did the bolts shear or just fall out?

[beko1987]

It was fucking scary! Felt a little shake and though something was wrong then bang no wheel. I think all the bolts had loosened.

 

Me and the recovery chap put the spare on with bolts from the rear wheel to get it on the truck. So tempted to drive but if it happens again it would be even worse.

 

Currently sat in it having a fag as my mate had to leave the services and come back so he didn't get a ticket. Idles nicely!

[mat_the_cat]

Shit. At least you have a good story though!

 

One little bit of hope though, my Dad did have a ZX wing, in black a few years ago. Not sure what side, or even whether he still has it but I will ask.

[Inspector Morose]

Sounds like loose wheel nuts to me but triggers right, rattle gunned nuts can shear the stud when the whole thing gets hot and expands. I've had it happen on a coach that the wheel had just been replaced using an inch drive gun.. I feel your pain beko.

[beko1987]

Maybe dudong delivery service would have been quicker! Still waiting!

 

The threads are fine as the other bolts nipped up a treat. Kicking myself for not checking them before, now I can see myself getting paranoid about it.

Just discovered the heater lights don't work too! Heaters lovely though

[beko1987]

 

 

 

 

 

Fuck it have the rest of the pics!

[beko1987]

Ah an update...

AA truck is half an hour away but matey needs to take a 45m break!

Going to send amy and Eva home and smoke more rollies!

[beko1987]

Aa truck even, as one would be too good!

[Magnificent Rustbucket]

Thank God you're all alright, it could have been so much worse!

 

II must admit I have a slight fear of loose wheel nuts and check them every time I have something done to the car. I thought I was being obsessive and silly until I noticed that all the wheel nuts had been left only finger tight by the guy who painted my car a while back.

[Magnificent Rustbucket]

I hadn't noticed this is all unfolding in real time! Get home safe!

[vulgalour]

All 90s Citroens shed wheels.  PHAKT.

[Lord Sterling]

Shit me man! That doesn't look nice. Sorry to hear that but at least you are Ok, that's the main thing. I've seen this happen to a couple of other cars though.

[Junkman]

It happened to me once with a 1970 Impala convertible on the way home from the tyre service, after getting two new rear tyres.

And yes, a rear wheel came off, taking out a good portion of the quarter panel and making me do a 180 all across a three lane Autobahn.

After the shock had settled a bit, I was not in the best of moods.

 

I think I know how you feel right now. I wish I could be of any help.

[beko1987]

Home! A Russian aa driver came and got me and got me home just before his tacho ran out! He couldn't get the truck down our road so we unloaded at the top a d I woke the street up by idling it down using the handbrake to slow.

 

Is still a bit graunchy from that wheel, hopefully its just a very warped disc after being skidded on at 50 for a few yards!

 

Theres now a steel wheel somewhere in the verge by j6 m25!

 

Was hoping to get the xm up for sale this week, looks like I've got it for another month whilst I sort this out!

[beko1987]

Tbh the shedding of the wheel wasnt too bad, and it doesn't seem to have done any real damage.

But it happened at 6, its now half 2, that was the painful bit!

I'll make a list of bits I need if anyone knows of any zxs being broken! Maybe I should find my old one and pinch panels from it!

[STUNO]

Message understood !

[Cavcraft]

What did the seller say about it? I know nobody is perfect and things do happen, but id have gone fucking mad had it been me.

 

The most important thing is though that nobody was hurt.

[dave21478]

This happened to me last year when I bought my pickup. I bought it from an auction and drove it home. You just assume that things like that are ok, I suppose. turned out not so. A couple of days later the front left wheel suddenly came off. No warning, just a thud and that corner dropped down. Unfortunately in my case the rather heavy 4x4 wheel went bouncing down the road and smacked into the front of some poor dudes van, re-designing his grill and bonnet. Thank the Gods that it never went though his windscreen.

Damage to my car was a bent wing and it buffed the castle-nut for the bottom ball joint right off, scraping along the road.

I ended up stuck on the verge and couldnt get the car jacked so called out a towtruck. We got it jacked up and used some studs from the other wheels to temporarily mount the wheel. It was then that he discovered every single other wheel nut was only finger tight.

[cms206]

Fucking norah! I can honestly state I'd have quite literally cacked my splodgers had that happened to me.

[eddyramrod]

I lost the NSR wheel off my Hillman Minx (Arrow) in 1982, at town speeds and early AM, fortunately.  First thing I knew was the wheel bouncing down the road behind me, and the corner of the car dropped.I picked up the wheel, left the car where it was and went to work.  When I finished I came back and re-attached the wheel taking a nut from each of the others,  got home and added some spare nuts... and it never happened again.  No other damage either, which was a stroke of luck.  You absolutely have my sympathy for that one!