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Tractor Trailer Front Wheel Separation Accident
Wheel Loss from Tractor Trailer
The left front tire separated
from a tractor trailer, crossed a grassy median and collided with an oncoming vehicle resulting in
a fatality accident. Witnesses reported that the “tire was on fire” and numerous spot fires were created along the tires path thru the grassy median. The
tractor trailer's front wheel bearings had been replaced within the past 25,000 miles.
Following the highway patrol accident investigation, the
tractor trailer's front axle and steering assembly
were retained, but were not properly preserved. Metallurgical failure analysis revealed that the
tractor trailer's left front wheel
bearing had overheated and disintegrated thereby allowing the
tractor trailer truck tire wheel to separate from the
tractor front axle.
The root causes of the bearing failure was determined to be either inadequate wheel bearing
lubrication, improper wheel bearing installation, wheel seal failure and/or defective wheel bearing manufacture.
Back to Truck Accidents
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 Dr.
R. Craig Jerner, Ph.D., PE specializes in accident
investigation and metallurgical failure analysis,
with over 30 years experience as a metallurgical
consultant and accident investigator. He has
testified as a metallurgical expert in over 250
depositions and more than 70 court appearances. If you or someone you know should need the services of Dr. Jerner and J.E.I. Metallurgical, please visit our web site at the buttons below, or e-mail Dr. Jerner --- r.c.jerner@metallurgist.com |
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