The safety and cost implications of loose wheel nuts on heavy vehicles, both on- and off-road, are massive – as are the potential losses in terms of time, money and even human lives. The Nord-Lock wheel nut, launched in the spring of 2010, is set to revolutionize the concept of safe wheels on heavy vehicles.

Every year, in the UK alone, some 11,000 wheel-fixing defects, 400 wheel detachments and 134 accidents involving vehicle or property damage are recorded. Furthermore, 27 accidents resulting in human injury and up to seven fatalities occur every year; all as a result of wheel loss from heavy-duty trucks. These are the findings of a report commissioned by the UK Department for Transport entitled “Heavy Vehicle Wheel Detachment”. In other countries, wheel loss occurs at a comparable rate.

Wheel detachment takes place when wheel nuts work loose and lose their clamp load. Regular retightening can prevent the wheel nut from loosening, but this takes time and can not always be done correctly. Up to now, loosening wheel nuts have been a recurring problem for transport companies but, as no solution has been available to prevent it from happening, operators and drivers have accepted the phenomenon as an unavoidable part of their business.

“Unfortunately, transport operators have had no choice but to accept the significant cost of service and downtime, as well as the potential safety risks associated with loosening wheel nuts, as something inevitable,” explains Csaba Madru, Applications engineer. “However, thanks to the new Nord-Lock wheel nut, this no longer needs to be the case.”

The brand-new Nord-Lock wheel nut is available as of spring 2010. It has been developed for heavy vehicles, including buses, trucks and construction machines, in the on-road and off-road categories. Based on the same unique technology and design as the Nord-Lock washers it will provide the safest possible wheel joint on the market.

Extensive testing, in both laboratory conditions and controlled real-life field tests, has proven that the Nord- Lock wheel nut provides safe wheels and maintains the clamp load. In a recent test conducted by independent German testing institute IMA (in accordance with the DIN 65 151 standard) the Nord-Lock wheel nut safely secured all tested joints even after being reused multiple times. However, the other wheel nut types in the test rotated and lost a significant amount of clamp load.

“Independent lab tests and reallife tests have proven that this product is second to none – in terms of safety, cost savings and quality. Our customers cannot fail to recognize the massive advantages of a product that will prevent unexpected breakdowns, costs and injuries,” Csaba Madru concludes. To find out more, visit www.safe-wheels.com

::Design World::

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Filed Under: Fastening + joining, Automotive, Off highway • construction • agriculture, INDUSTRIAL SAFETY SYSTEMS, Screws • nuts • bolts • rivets, MECHANICAL POWER TRANSMISSION

 

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