Tractor wheel fell off! :(

[Anonymous Poster]

Hello Everyone, Today while grading my right front wheel fell off my New Holland TC 24D.
I was moving down a steep slope and almost to the bottom and bam the wheel folded under! I quickly dropped the loader bucket and caught the tractor before it tipped over on its side. Upon examination I found no lug nuts on the axle or the rim. I found three of them later all very chewed up, even the lug nut holes in the rim had been reamed wider. I was able to take two lug nuts from the other front wheel and they went in ok and limped to an open flat area. I then visited Home Depot hoping to find some of these lug nuts, no dice.
I settled for some 7/16? bolts that looked like they should work but when I tried to get them in the holes the damage proved to be too severe. So I need to finish my project before the city/county finds out what I have been up to. I will go back to Home Depot and get some longer bolts and some nuts and then drill out the holes. I think this should work for a couple days unit I can get it to the dealer.
My question to all is: has this happened to you and if so will New Holland cover it under warranty. I checked the rest of the wheels all were good except for the left front wheel it needed to be tightened. I have had problems with the front axle bolts coming loose on the differential but I took care of that.
I could have been hurt bad if that tractor had rolled over. I urge everyone to check the lug nuts on their tractors ASAP! It was very scary and now I am worried on who is going to pay of the repair. /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

George

 

[knucklehead]

You'll probably hear this from more than one person, but I'd not stick Home Depot bolts in there unless you know something about their hardness. Sounds like you need a new wheel, at least. Also sounds like you are setting yourself up for a hassle with the dealer because they will want to see the original damage and know you stopped at once, and when they find out you drilled 'em out, stuck hardware store bolts in, and kept going, they are rightly going to have a few little red flags go up in their minds. Kinda like the ones that are going off in my head right now. If you drill the hub it's all over as far as the warranty goes.

I guess you have a little dilemma resulting from some personal choices. I can't help you with that, but I can say those bolts may be a worse safety problem than the original problem, and you may need to choose between risking a spanking from the town and getting warranty service from your dealer - probably not both.

 

[MikePA]

<font color="blue"> So I need to finish my project before the city/county finds out what I have been up to. </font>
Huh? Whose tractor is it or are you doing some work that should have had permit? Oops. /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

<font color="blue"> I will go back to Home Depot and get some longer bolts and some nuts and then drill out the holes. </font>
There's no way I'd do this. Take the wheel and tire, as is, to the dealer and get them to mount the tire on a new rim. Since the lug nut holes were also reamed wider, this means the wheel had been loose for some time. Odds are, the lugs were never tightened properly by the dealer as a part of pre-delivery dealer prep. That should be obvious as the wheel is now.This is definitely a warranty issue.

If you drill it out I think you might be in for a hassle. It will take you as long to go to HD as it will for the dealer to mount your tire on a new rim. Heck, they might just give you a new wheel/tire combo off a tractor just to get you on your way faster.

After you get this problem straightened out, find another dealer.

 

[markie61]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Odds are, the lugs were never tightened properly by the dealer as a part of pre-delivery dealer prep )</font>

Plus my NH owner's manual says checking wheel fastener torque is part of the 50 hour service (your profile says you have 76 hours) and every 200 hours thereafter. They should have checked it at the 50hour service.

Mark

 

[Rowski]

I think those bolts maybe metric.

 

[MikePA]

<font color="blue"> I think those bolts maybe metric. </font>
The bolts on the front wheels of my TC25D are 19 mm. I just checked 'em. They're snug. Didn't have a large enough socket (21mm?) to use on the rear wheels, so I used an adjustable wrench to see if they were snug. They were. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

George - You referred to 'lug nuts' in your initial post. Does the TC24 use studs and lug nuts or bolts?

 

[JohnMiller3]

Hi George,

I’m sorry to hear about your troubles… /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

I wouldn’t drill, hammer, or do nothing to that front wheel and assembly without the dealer taking a look see… and go from there…

<font color="blue">… NH owner's manual says checking wheel fastener torque…

…I checked the rest of the wheels…

…will New Holland cover it under warranty…</font>

I know you don’t want to hear this… but…

It’s the tractor owner/users sole responsibility to PM his tractor every time before he/she uses it… it’s no different than a pilot going through a check list on his aircraft before they taxi down the runway and take off into the sky…

You the owner/user… must go through a “tractor checklist” before every use…

… unfortunately there is nothing etched into stone, there is no “tractor-bible checklist standard”… but fasteners are at the top of the pecking order however intense or brief you may place as part of your inspection process…

I’d be very surprised if NH would cover this, as this should be the operator’s responsibility… /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

<font color="blue">… Remote Television Engineer…</font>

On to a brighter side note… What station do you work for? My Father for many years worked for a couple of our local television stations as Television Transmitter Engineer… (WTEN, WMHT, and a remote Berkshire station (can’t remember call sign?)) /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

 

[loner]

If I was in your shoes. If I went to see the dealer I would have my hat in my hand . Fully admiting all responcability and could ya help a fella out.I wouldn't have a problem with proper bolts and nuts and good wheel Before I spent large dollars on it .

 

[RoyJackson]

Just out of curiousity, who did your 50 hour service? Was it done? If the Dealer did it, they should have at least checked the torque on the wheel bolts.

That might give you some leverage...

But, that doesn't excuse any lapse in normal maintenance and a walk-around (preflight?).
I, personally, insist the dealer torques any fasteners, plug, what have you... This is to ensure I can remove those items in the field if the need arises. Bolts (or, in my case, the oil drain plug) airguned on can be extremely difficult to remove with hand tools. Of course, this means I've got to check those fasteners, plugs, etc. on a regular basis. By the way, I also insist on use of an anti-seize compound on any threads.

 

[JohnMiller3]

<font color="blue">...in my case, the oil drain plug) airguned on...</font>

Hi Roy,

You best find someone else to service that tractor if they use an airgun on your oil drain plug... /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif/forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif/forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif