Ensuring wheel safety is a critical aspect of maintaining commercial or passenger vehicles. The consequences of wheel loss can be catastrophic, leading to severe injuries or fatal accidents. Despite ongoing discussions among fleet engineers, incidents of detached wheels continue to pose a significant risk.
To prevent wheel loss, it is essential to implement robust maintenance procedures, uphold workshop discipline, prioritize driver vigilance, and consistently utilize high-quality and defect-free components such as wheels, hubs, axles, brakes, studs, and nuts. While diligently managing these factors can significantly reduce the likelihood of wheel-related incidents, absolute prevention is not guaranteed.
Even with meticulous maintenance practices in place, unforeseen circumstances can still lead to wheel insecurity or detachment. Although such occurrences are infrequent, they highlight the importance of remaining vigilant. Organizations like The Society of Operations Engineers (SOE) have produced valuable resources like the booklet 'Wheel Security - A Best Practice Guide' to offer expert advice on mitigating wheel safety risks.
First, decide what solution you're looking for...
Indicators
Indicators are a great way to assist a driver with their visual checks. When a nut moves the wheel nut indicator shows the movement. If a driver sees an indicator in the wrong position, they know to check it out.
Pros: - Excellent indicators for assisting drivers in performing wheel checks. - Helps drivers identify issues with the wheels, providing an added layer of safety during checks. All it takes is a look, and you can see if there's been movement. - Lots of colours available to match your fleet's branding
Cons: - Someone has to be actively looking to spot change - Unable to prevent nuts from coming undone or wheel detachment. - Even after a visual check, wheel nuts can lose clamping force during a journey, potentially leading to a lost wheel.
Wheel Nut Locks
A number of devices are now available which secure two adjacent wheel nuts, so if one becomes loose, the tension through the device linking it to its neighbour will prevent loosening. These devices include products such as Ric-clip, Zafety Lug Lock and Prolock.
Pros:
- Enhanced safety: Secures two adjacent wheel nuts preventing loosening and potential hazards on the road. - Prevents complete detachment: Helps avoid costly repairs, inconvenience, and possible investigation that come with a wheel detaching. - Continuous wheel stability: Allows for travel even if clamping force is lost, reducing risks of accidents.
Cons: - Masking loose nuts: The devices' effective function might make it harder to detect a loose nut, potentially delaying necessary maintenance.
Using a Combination
Using a combination of indicators and nut locking devices covers all eventualities. This not only provides a visual indication but also prevents wheel loss as well. We think this approach comes nearest to a ‘solution’ and we would be happy to discuss how this can be implemented.
Pros:
- Has the visual inspection benefit of the indicators, allowing the driver to see where a wheel nut has become loose.
- The nut locks will help keep the wheel on the road, until the driver notices through the use of the indicator that the wheel needs investigating.
- The closest you can get to complete wheel safety
Cons: - Have to buy two products
We have a few options within each type of product, so you can find the perfect choice for your vehicles. No time? Scroll to the bottom to read our overall recommendations.
Indicators
Propoint
Original Style
Dustite - Short Reach
Dustite - Long Reach
Flat Indicator
Covers wheel nut
Sizes available
27-33mm
13-50mm
24-41mm
17-41mm
Can be used with nut rings & wheel trims
Durable & heat resistant
Colour options
4
12
10
12
Wheel Nut Locks
Prolock
Zafety Lug Lock
Ric Clips
Checklink
Fits across 2 adjacent wheel nuts
Material
Metal
Hard Rubber
Metal
Plastic
Sizes available
19-33mm
19-33mm
19-33mm
19-41mm
Colour options
1
5
1 (different colours for different sizes)
5
Parma recommends
When choosing a device for your operation, consider factors such as the frequency of checks, temperature range, and test results. For top-notch security, we recommend the Prolock wheel nut clamp, which boasts over 25 years of proven performance without any incidents of wheel detachment. For a versatile and cost-effective option, the durable Zafety Lug Lock is a popular choice among operators. It is easy to use, reusable, and offers a wide temperature range.
Some experienced operators opt for a combination of indicators and nut locking devices to ensure comprehensive protection, which is what we would recommend for ultimate peace of mind. We are available to discuss implementing this approach for your operations.
Still not sure?
Give our sales team a call on 01728 745700, or email sales@parmagroup.co.uk for our advice.
