So I headed down to the tire shop today in my tahoe with my stock rims, and a buddy's tires. Then I headed home and picked up the MINI and loaded the kids in. I had my new rims and tires on it, and was going to take it down to have the stock rims put on. I was going to have the new rims powdercoated white. So about a block from my house I hear a sound and think I have a flat. Nope. So I continue to drive and hear this sound. So I drive about 10-15mph with my yield lights on. 3 blocks later to my horror, my drivers front wheel FALLS OFF! The MINI dives and lifts the back passenger rear as I watch my wheel roll down the road. I get out so I don't swear around the kids and then my wheel hits a trailer going the other direction it bounces twice and then flys right at my head. 30 min later my car arrives at the tire place on a flat bed. They mount up the stock wheels, and two of the lug bolts are jacked up. So I get my other car and head to our dealership. They don't have any lug bolts.....are you kidding me? Finally find a place in town that has a couple and get the wheels mounted. Take it out to the body shop and it's $1500.00 of repairs. Fender, fender flare, black under the door, hood has to be re bent and part painted. They are starting on Monday so that it can be done the following Tuesday just in time for me to leave on Wed. for AMVIV. Yes the tire store is picking up the tab on all of this crap. But wow what a day from hell for me. Coulda been worse though.

 

Well that is scary! Glad you and the kids are alright and you can still make AMVIV. At least the tire store didn't hassle you over the bill.

 

Yeah I know the owner of the store. In fact he saw my car about 15 minutes after it happened. He came over and we just chatted until the tow truck showed up. He feels terrible.

 

Probably not as bad as his former tire jockey does right now.

 

Yeah always stop when you hear something like that. Ive done it twice to myself just forgetting once on my previous car, and not realizing the MINI torque spec. I stopped right away both times and had no problems. The mini one was scary because I didn't have any problems till after auto crossing it. Those bolts have an insane torque spec they really should go to a 5 lug, or just bigger bolts.

 

Makes sense to walk around and do a spot inspection after any mechanical wheel or tire work is done or even before you leave to go out at the start of the day.

Check or nails or punctures, loose things, missing bolts, puddles of fluid under the car, etc.

I had a LSD installed and drove home, next morning there was fluid on the garage floor under my MINI and the transmission was not working.

Many a time I caught a screw or nail in my tires the day after autocrossing, missed it on the day of the event even with checking.

Glad you are OK and no one or thing was hurt or damaged that cannot be fixed.

 

Yeah, I will remember next time to stop if I hear something like that. I stopped once and did a check, didn't notice anything out of the ordinary. Oh well what's that old saying......oh yeah sh*t happens. Mark it down as a learning experience. And it coulda been much much worse!

 

They did, now 14.125mm instead of 12.??mm

 

Hmm - I never thought of the MINI torque specs as being excessive. 88 lbf-ft for the older 12mm bolts and 103 for the newer 14mm bolts seems pretty standard to me.

 

wow that's crazy. an experience everyone should learn from. check all 4 lugs on each rim before gettin in the car to drive off.
but yeah..could have been much worse and at least the tire place is payin for it. they should..