MY HUSBAND WAS TRAVELING I-40E AT THE FT. SMITH JUNCTION ABOUT 50MPH WHEN HE HEARD A VERY LOUD BANG IN THE RIGHT FRONT. THINKING IT WAS A BLOWOUT, HE BRACED AND THEN A VERY LOUD REPETITIVE THUMPING STARTED, HE SAID HE WAS KIND OF FLOATING AROUND THE ROAD UNCONTROLLABLY WHILE THIS WAS HAPPENING, THEN HE HEARD ANOTHER LOUD BANG AND THE VEHICLE STOPPED AS THOUGH HE HIT SOMETHING THAT ALLOWED HIM TO CONTINUE MOVING AT A SLOW RATE OF SPEED THE WAS PULLED INTO THE BARRICADE WALL OF THE BRIDGE. UPON INSPECTION, THE TIRE HAD COM;LETELY FALLEN OFF AND LAID DOWN ON ITS SIDE AND THE VEHICLE, JUST BETWEEN THE PASSENGER FRONT FOR AND WHEEL WELL, HAD LANDED ON THE WHEEL. THE HIGHWAY PATROL WAS CONTACTED AND I WAS CALLED TO THE SCENE. I OBSERVED A LONG METAL BAR SNAPPED IN TWO, AS WELL AS THE STRUT. THE SPRING WAS ALSO LAYING THERE. THE COLLISION WAS ON THE RIGHT FRONT CORNER INFRONT OF THE WHEEL WELL. *TR