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2004 FORD RANGER — SUSPENSION:FRONT:WHEEL BEARING

crash1 injured · 578790 · 2006-04-11

Vehicle

Make
FORD
Model
RANGER
Year
2004
Manufacturer
Ford Motor Company
Component
SUSPENSION:FRONT:WHEEL BEARING
Miles at failure
35,400
Speed
70 mph

Severity

Deaths
0
Injured
1
Fire
No
Crash
Yes
Police report
Yes
Medical attention
No
Vehicle towed
No

Narrative

ON MARCH 06,06. EXACTLY 2 MONTHS AFTER TAKING DELIVERY OF A "QUALITY CHECKED PREOWNED " 2004 FORD RANGER PICKUP FROM A LOCAL DEALERSHIP WHILE DRIVING TO WORK AT 4:30 AM S/B ON THE I 15 SUDDENLY, WITHOUT WARNING THE VEHICLE VEERED HARD LEFT SLAMMED INTO THE CENTER GAURDRAIL THEN FLIPPED AND ROLLED CAUSING VEHICLE TO BE A CLASSIFIED AS A TOTAL LOSS BY INSURANCE CO. AFTER INSPECTION OF VEHICLE I WAS DRAWN TO THE FACT THAT THE FRONT LEFT WHEEL ASSEMBLY INCLUDING BRAKE ROTOR AND HUB WERE DETACHED FROM VEHICLE AND AFTER FURTHER INSPECTION IT APPEARS THAT THE WHEEL BEARING RETAINING ASSEMBLY IS AT FAULT. THE SPINDLE IS FLAT ON BOTH TOP AND BOTTOM OF THE THREADED TIP WHERE THE WHERE THE AXLE NUT THREADS SHOULD MESH AND HOLD, BUT THE THREADS OF THE NUT ARE DESIGNED IN SUCH A MANNER AS TO NOT BE CONTINUOUS,BUT INSTEAD THEY ARE SEPARATED TO WHERE 2/4 S OF THE INSIDE AREA IS THREADED AND THE OTHER 2/4 S HAS NO THREADS AND ARE STAGGERED IN SUCH A WAY AS TO ALLOW THE AXLE NUT IF ALLOWED TO SPIN AT ALL EVEN JUST 1/8 OF A TURN TO POP OFF WITH LITTLE RESISTANCE EXCEPT FOR THE SMALL LOOKING COTTER PIN WHICH CAME OUT IN PIECES MAYBE BECAUSE THE PRESSED METAL CASTLE NUT WANNA BE WHICH IS OF A LOOSE FITTING STYLE COULD EASILY HAVE WORN THE COTTER PIN WITH ITS RATHER SHARP EDGES SEEMINGLY FROM JUST NORMAL USE AND EVEN MORE SO IF THE WHEEL WAS NOT ADJUST PERFECTLY OR IF THE WHEEL SEAL WAS NOT SEATED PERFECTLY WHICH AFTER SOME TIME WOULD CAUSE A MORE PRONOUNCED LOOSENESS IN THE WHOLE ASSEMBLY THUS

Source

Authoritative
NHTSA ODI Flat-File Downloads
ODI Number
10155010
Machine
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