The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop Reassembling engine - question on bolts

I snapped this photo several years ago on the way to work. It is at a point on a road that transitions from an expressway into a normal street, so as traffic was backed up at the light, I was able to get out my phone and safely take a pic.

I show it to my students when we cover fasteners and torque.

You will note that the object wedged under the guard rail is an HD truck brake drum.

In addition to wondering how it came to end up there, I can't help but wonder what happened to the ten lug nuts and wheel(s) that had to come off first.

Some say it must have fell off of a scrap truck, but the inner drum surfaces were shiny and clean the first day I saw it. They slowly started to rust over the next week or two as it sat there. After about three weeks, it was gone. I assume some scrapper jumped out at the light and pried it out of there.

Best Regards….

Edit: p.s. Could not agree more concerning the importance of torque wrench calibration. Having spent most of my career in engineering or test labs, the annual calibration interval for tools like these was the norm.

For stuff at home, there are local labs that can provide this service for a reasonable fee. Very inexpensive piece of mind.