Why Wheel Nut Torque Is Critical To Safety

Did you know? According to ‘Brake’, the road safety charity, runaway wheels kill around 8-10 people and injure many more each year in the UK.

Combine this with a recent report for the Department of Transport which showed 150-400 wheel detachments, resulting in over 140 accidents annually, and the scale of the problem becomes clear … Wheel detachment is a serious issue.

With the IRTE and FTA both identifying incorrect wheel nut torque; both insufficiently tightened AND over-tightening, within its top causes for wheel detachment, it is clear that both drivers and fleet managers must do everything in their powers to ensure issues are identified and rectified before they lead to very dangerous accidents.

One excellent way to make wheel nut torque testing a regular occurrence is to use wheel nut indicators to promote frequent visual checking and easy identification of issues. Wheel nut movement indicators are an ideal early warning system to visually alert a driver, transport manager or mechanic that there is a potential problem with the wheel nuts.

Procap Loose wheel nut markers are small, pointed tags, fixed to lug nuts of large vehicle wheels. Designed to be used in a similar manner to the ground-breaking Propoint indicators, operators fit the marker over adjacent wheel nuts with the indicators pointing towards each other.

If the wheel nut loses torque the nut will turn and the indicators will no longer be aligned towards each other giving a clear visual indication that the wheel nut has lost torque and needs attention.

While this is no replacement for regular torque checks by a qualified technician, it is an excellent solution to make sure daily visual checks are easier to perform and more effective at identifying issues.

Procap Loose wheel nut markers are uniquely designed to completely cover the vehicle wheel nut providing cover from dust, dirt and corrosive traffic grime which can lead to corrosion and/or wasting of wheel studs, another serious issue identified by the IRTE and FTA that can lead to wheel detachment.

To ensure the markers are as visually striking as possible, Procaps are available either with the indicator at the end of the nut cap, known as long reach, or with the indicator at the bottom of the nut cap, known as short reach. Procap top hat indicators can also be fitted through the hole in the nut ring to give high-visibility assurance of wheel nut security.

Available in a wide range of colours and from sizes ranging from 17mm to 41mm, the Procap wheel nut markers are an essential product for every size of fleet and should be used in combination with other safety solutions, such as the Zafety Lug Lock wheel nut locking devices to ensure maximum safety.

In summary, wheel detachment due to loose wheel nuts is an issue we can all tackle. By ensuring you utilise the right products to maintain the correct torque it should be possible to minimise the risk of wheel detachment and subsequently save lives.