Wheels being damaged by non-standard hubs, research shows 20 April 2012

Research initiated by Motor Wheel Service has found that commercial vehicle wheels running on spider and star shaped hubs are suffering untested load stresses that are causing cracks – and halving the wheel life expectancy.

John Ellis, managing director of Motor Wheel Service, explains that, at present, all quality wheels are tested to ETRTO (European Tyre and Rim Technical Organisation) standards on a circumferential hub with a continuous contact diameter – which is acknowledged as key by EUWA (the Association of European Wheel Manufacturers).

However, non-circumferential hubs, which give only partial contact between the axle and wheel, are causing localised stresses almost twice as high as the industry-approved full contact hub.

Ellis believes the repercussions are numerous. First, he warns that transport operators must contact hub and wheel manufacturers, as wheels originally replaced or refunded under warranty may no longer be considered, if the product is shown to have operated on a spider or star shaped hub.

Further, due to differing characteristics of the various hub shapes, interchangeability can be affected, as mounting wheels on hubs with yet another shape can further reduce the attachment area, leading to increased surface pressure and an undefined attachment of wheel to hub.

Vehicle maintenance, service schedules and MOT tests will also need to be more rigorous, he insists – suggesting that operators contact VOSA and the main commercial vehicle organisations for their interpretations.

"The research is undeniable. Wheels designed and manufactured to ETRTO standards are being placed on axles that are non-standard, or non-circumferential," states Ellis. "This is leading to the early fatigue of wheels, primarily displayed as cracks, approximately halfway through the lifetime expectancy."

And he adds: "We do not know how many vehicles are operating on UK roads with spider and star shaped hubs. It is now up to VOSA and the main commercial vehicle bodies – who I suspect are completely unaware of this problem – to ascertain the scale of the issue and exactly how it should be handled."

Ellis says that he and his firm have been campaigning over wheel safety for years, pointing to what he sees as "a sharp increase in the number of cracked wheels we are witnessing".

His belief: "I suspect we will see a correlation with the increasing use of these hubs."

The investigation was carried out by one of the world's leading commercial vehicle wheel experts, Dr Sundararajan of Wheels India, and forms an integral part of Motor Wheel Service's ongoing wheel safety campaign.

Author
Brian Tinham

Related Companies
M Wheels Ltd

This material is protected by MA Business copyright
See Terms and Conditions.
One-off usage is permitted but bulk copying is not.
For multiple copies contact the sales team.