Then I got passed by a rear wheel....

[MikeNash]

This must be what its like standing up and confessing at Alcoholics Anonymous - its supposed to be good for you.
Anyway, I had this clonk and rumble from the rear end, and knowing that the diff wasn't all that good I suspected it was on its way out. Nevertheless, I stopped and gave the rear wheels a shake but there was no movement, and anyway it was only a couple of hundred miles ago when I'd had the wheels off to adjust the brakes for the MOT. (Afterwards I realised that the camber of the road made the car lean onto the loose wheel so it couldn't be moved.) As the noise got worse I drove slower (thank goodness) until it happened. The rear end dropped on the near side, the front went up and the car swerved to the left - and the wheel bowled off around me in front of the car doing a yoing, yoing yoing noise as it circle down onto the road.
Luckily no one else was around to witness it. A quick jack up and on with the wheel and away I went, but the rear wing was torn from the Traveller woodwork doing it no good at all. Probably a few hundred quids worth of damage I reckon.
How could I have been so daft? Regards, MikeN.

[JimK]

At least the hubcap meant you kept the wheelnuts...

Glad to hear the only damage was to the car and your pride.

[bmcecosse]

The wheel stud holes will be damaged - and the studs and nuts too probably best to renew the lot.

[Welung666]

I know how you feel Mike, happened on the Cav about a month ago, except it was a sheared stub axle and I was doin' around 100 with the trailer on the back!

[badfelafel]

yikes, just the thought of it gives me nightmares

[Ratbag]

This must be what its like standing up and confessing at Alcoholics Anonymous - its supposed to be good for you.
Anyway, I had this clonk and rumble from the rear end, and knowing that the diff wasn't all that good I suspected it was on its way out. Nevertheless, I stopped and gave the rear wheels a shake but there was no movement, and anyway it was only a couple of hundred miles ago when I'd had the wheels off to adjust the brakes for the MOT. (Afterwards I realised that the camber of the road made the car lean onto the loose wheel so it couldn't be moved.) As the noise got worse I drove slower (thank goodness) until it happened. The rear end dropped on the near side, the front went up and the car swerved to the left - and the wheel bowled off around me in front of the car doing a yoing, yoing yoing noise as it circle down onto the road.
Luckily no one else was around to witness it. A quick jack up and on with the wheel and away I went, but the rear wing was torn from the Traveller woodwork doing it no good at all. Probably a few hundred quids worth of damage I reckon.
How could I have been so daft? Regards, MikeN.

Treat yourself to a permanent marker - clean the hubcaps and write on the inside in BIG letters - CHECK WHEELNUTS!

[MikeNash]

Thanks for your comments.
On reflection, I remembered that over the last couple of years I've had to replace two wheel nuts that had started to strip their threads, you know, where the internal thread starts to peel out as a single strand and then sticks into your fingers. Clearly they were trying to tell me something, ie that they are over 40 years old and they should all be retired. Luckily the thread in the nut is softer than that of the stud. Perhaps we should treat wheel nuts as a lifed item.
Anyway, thanks for your advice - I'll act on it. MikeN.

[alex_holden]

That tends to happen if they're overtightened, typically by a mechanic/tyre fitter with an impact wrench.