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Author Topic: stolen lugbolts...people actually do this?  (Read 4264 times)

porkpiehat

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stolen lugbolts...people actually do this?
« on: Aug 02, 2017, 02:33 PM »
I stayed a week in Alton Bay at a rented camp and then overnight at another Inn. Upon leaving sunday I got half a mile south of Alton Bay when a tire nearly came off my trailer. It was held on by one lug bolt (they screw through the wheel into the hub) and the other four were completely missing.

I've only had the trailer a month so I called a wrecker in case something was wrong (plus I didn't have a good jack or replacement bolts). It took me a while to realized that the bolts didn't sheer from a seized bearing etc. The tow guy told me today there is no way that four of them spontaneously fell out.

Luckily the fix was cheap (not the tow) but I'm really bothered by the idea that someone would risk destroying my boat and potentially hurt someone seriously. My bad for not checking the bolts every time I move the trailer. Is this a common thing? I can't point any fingers because I didn't see anything but I may call the cops anyway.

boondox

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Re: stolen lugbolts...people actually do this?
« Reply #1 on: Aug 02, 2017, 04:15 PM »
Yes people play games with others.. or some one from factory just plain forgot to tighten them??  like shift change takes a while for them to work free..  might be why you assumed it was done at the lake??  Next time check tight b4 you leave  and bring spare set and a good jack.. just a thought..

dickbaker

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Re: stolen lugbolts...people actually do this?
« Reply #2 on: Aug 02, 2017, 04:27 PM »
 ???  Hate to think of it but one month would be just about the right amount of time to loosen lugs that hadn't been correctly tightened at time of purchase.   Better that than to think that another fisherman was mean enough to try and ruin your boat??  I try to check all of my lugs prior to any long drive and I carry a jack and four way wrench at all times.   
Parked my trailer 100 times at Ames Farm and never had anyone touch it!
Dick

lunkerhunter

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Re: stolen lugbolts...people actually do this?
« Reply #3 on: Aug 02, 2017, 04:32 PM »
Many years back, while fishing at Lake Massabesic, in Auburn,NH..a lake I fished often,,I had my boat trailer stolen. I returned to the ramp to find my truck sitting in the parking spot, and trailer Gone. The lock was cut and left on my tailgate. Thank goodness you didnt get hurt, or the incident cost any one else loss of life or  value.. You can count on one thing , it wasnt a sportsman that caused the act,.

zwiggles

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Re: stolen lugbolts...people actually do this?
« Reply #4 on: Aug 02, 2017, 05:10 PM »
That's scary. Glad everyone and everything made it through safely.

I think it would be odd if they were in fact stolen for the thieves to leave one of the lugs on. Unless the perp was trying to mess with you, and then it would kind of make sense. I think I may agree with dick on this one in that they may not have been tightened down correctly.

LunkerHunter - I cannot believe that someone would steal a trailer from a boat launch?! That is awful.

ran7ger

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Re: stolen lugbolts...people actually do this?
« Reply #5 on: Aug 02, 2017, 06:33 PM »
 my old man fixed up my boat trailer but forgot to snug up the lugs on one side.  it took about 45 minutes for 3 to fall out and the other two were holding on by a few threads.
got a fish on the line and my boat on the water
and it's gettin' near time to take the cows to the slaughter

lunkerhunter

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Re: stolen lugbolts...people actually do this?
« Reply #6 on: Aug 02, 2017, 07:34 PM »
Yup, they cut the lock.. left the lock and took the trailer.. Happened on a tuesday..middle of the week.. Real Classy individual

Dispy

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Re: stolen lugbolts...people actually do this?
« Reply #7 on: Aug 02, 2017, 09:10 PM »
Happy to hear all are safe. Back in my old tourney days...two flat tires were a normal, especially at Squam Lake...Suckapea Lake, well there would be many kite string webs stretched out throughout many smallie spawning coves and on Lake Winni, magic Loon nesting areas were illegally placed.....
"Meet the new with your ears, eyes and mind wide open, and your mouth tightly shut."

Dispy

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Re: stolen lugbolts...people actually do this?
« Reply #8 on: Aug 02, 2017, 09:13 PM »
???  Hate to think of it but one month would be just about the right amount of time to loosen lugs that hadn't been correctly tightened at time of purchase.   Better that than to think that another fisherman was mean enough to try and ruin your boat??  I try to check all of my lugs prior to any long drive and I carry a jack and four way wrench at all times.  
Parked my trailer 100 times at Ames Farm and never had anyone touch it!
Dick
Apparently you must have forgotten the artsie fartsie ritchey rich that live on the point that used their wealth to put an end to the many bass tourneys held at Ames Farm.....
"Meet the new with your ears, eyes and mind wide open, and your mouth tightly shut."

fishlessman

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Re: stolen lugbolts...people actually do this?
« Reply #9 on: Aug 03, 2017, 10:28 AM »
its common practice to retighten the lugs after 25 miles, not that anyone does it.  someone took the pin off my tow ball assembly once, theres some idiots out there. took the dirt road all the way around chesuncook lake and parked a few days on the north end. trailer fell off just as i was leaving

lowaccord66

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Re: stolen lugbolts...people actually do this?
« Reply #10 on: Aug 03, 2017, 12:18 PM »
To default to an assumption someone did that purposely, to me is worse than the situation itself. Then again is there much of a post in "my lugs fell off"? No not really. Even properly torqued, vibration can easily back off lugs.  Happens more frequently than people think.

porkpiehat

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Re: stolen lugbolts...people actually do this?
« Reply #11 on: Aug 03, 2017, 01:41 PM »
To default to an assumption someone did that purposely, to me is worse than the situation itself. Then again is there much of a post in "my lugs fell off"? No not really. Even properly torqued, vibration can easily back off lugs.  Happens more frequently than people think.

Actually I checked everything at the beginning of the week. I didn't check tightness (my bad) but they were there. It wasn't until the mechanic said that there was no way it was accidental that I got upset. They weren't nuts that come off bolts attached to the hub but rather long lug bolts that have to pass through the wheel and then several inches through the hub. I'm not a mechanic I just went off his opinion. Yeah I probably should have checked the wheels before each trip. I've only had the boat for a month or so and never removed the wheel.

Both ideas are scary. I do need to invest in jack/spare bolts etc.

boondox

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Re: stolen lugbolts...people actually do this?
« Reply #12 on: Aug 03, 2017, 04:40 PM »


 I do need to invest in jack/spare bolts etc.


And a spare tire if you don't got one don't know how many trips to Canada ,Ludington manistee etc were we almost got a flat or did gators are a tires worst nightmare not talking allygators but tire shreds from big trucks .. the steel belts poke holes in side walls really easily that why you sways carry a spare and watch milage on tires and dry rot etc.. aNY how just glad you are alright.. could have been worst..

hardwatergrampa

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Re: stolen lugbolts...people actually do this?
« Reply #13 on: Aug 04, 2017, 08:49 PM »
3 years in a row fishing the Winnie derby some 1 stole my buddy bearings off my wheels

lowaccord66

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Re: stolen lugbolts...people actually do this?
« Reply #14 on: Aug 05, 2017, 06:38 PM »
Actually I checked everything at the beginning of the week. I didn't check tightness (my bad) but they were there. It wasn't until the mechanic said that there was no way it was accidental that I got upset. They weren't nuts that come off bolts attached to the hub but rather long lug bolts that have to pass through the wheel and then several inches through the hub. I'm not a mechanic I just went off his opinion. Yeah I probably should have checked the wheels before each trip. I've only had the boat for a month or so and never removed the wheel.

Both ideas are scary. I do need to invest in jack/spare bolts etc.

Audi and VW have lug bolts.  There's thread sealer on them from the factory!  A single drop of blue loctite will ensure you dont run into that issue again. 

 



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