Re: 533 Rear axle broken thread ...age or materials?

Posted by Sherlock On 2018/7/29 13:09:41

I had the exact same thing happen to me in a 1940 "110" I owned when I was in my 20s. Was doing about 35 mph and people in cars passing by were pointing and waving more than usual. Then suddenly I felt a thud and could tell the RR wheel was locked up and dragging. Pulled over and found the whole wheel and tire were jammed up into the fender. Went to a pay phone and called my dad who arranged for towing. Luckily the car was a'40 so the wheel remained contained and upright and didn't fall off completely or the car would have been skidding along on the fender.

Later examination showed the nut was still on the threaded end of the axle shaft which was rolling around inside the hubcap. A look at the break showed crystallization of the metal. As I recall I'd previously used a heavy hammer on a wheel puller to get the stubbornly stuck brake drum off the axle and figured the blows had caused the metal to crystallize, but was never certain. I was however very grateful I wasn't doing 65 on the freeway at the time.