The same thing happened to me just under a year ago.I bought the car in Hull as a private sale.On the way home to Huddersfield i felt like the rear of the car was vibrating when it dropped on its axle and the wheel overtook me.I was on a busy section of the M62 just before the last Huddersfield exit.I managed to get it on to the hard shoulder and recover the lost wheel.It turned out to be the wheel bearings had caused this problem.I was very lucky that neither me or my Roadster came to any harm.
That's definitely someone trying to steal your wheels... I have had loose wheels nuts on a car once... The bolts make a hell of a noise as they rattle and then elongate the holes in the wheel. With these being so soft, you would see / heard this. Those bolts were removed! As you said, they are nice looking wheels, and replacements are expensive and hard to find, much like the hard top roof panels. It has been known that these get targeted for their parts... Get a locking nut set and don't leave it on the road over night if you can help it. Great videos... Honest and show both sides of owning a car, not just the fun time, which I know they are, having a Brabus myself. Good luck !!!!
Wise words. After buying a car (and periodically thereafter) you should always check the wheel-nuts. Not only check that they're tight but also check that they CAN be loosened. A loose wheel nut is obviously a bad thing but a stuck wheel nut is also a bad thing if you ever need to change a wheel.
@@palmergeddon Recently had almost exactly that problem with my Land Rover. Religiously carry the adapter for the locking wheelnuts. Got a puncture. Loosened all the wheelnuts. Went to remove the spare from the back door and... it's jammed solid. Put a bit of effort into it and... the locking wheelnut adapter split like an overcooked sausage. Balls! Fortunately, I also carry a ruffy-tuffy puncture repair kit and a compressor so I plugged the puncture and got home. Locking wheelnuts are now at the bottom of the river.
If you're bothered about the broken bottom of the wing, all you need is a replacement wing for the passenger side. get another arch liner from a breaker on ebay.
Bad luck but do persevere! You could invest in some winter wheels in the meantime? Spikelines, tracklines maybe? Good to see other owners on here anyway, enjoying the videos
Hi Alfie, thank you for the support. I've found a solution. I'll try and upload another video in the next few days - your suggestion isn't a million miles off 😉
Hey dude, I have a R-Brabus like this but it's the coupe version (04), I was wondering if you know or can recommend any good OBD readers with a reset function that work well (enough) with this car?
Hi Sod16, I used a friends Foxwell OBD with Mercedes software installed earlier in the year which was able to read many of the models. Not sure of the model number. Some people say that you need to be careful when using anything other than STAR as it can cause damage to the ECU. We used the Foxwell for a clutch re-teach and it worked well. But, I did somehow loose the codes for my steering wheel - might be related!
I use an iCarsoft MB II, noe called MB V2 for my Brabus Roadster. Have done everything I've needed it to so far. Downside is that's it Mercedes and Smart specific. They also have i980 in a MB/Smart version.
@@palmergeddon Thank you for this; it's hard to find solidified information regarding this. I've got a random Check Engine light (yellow) and no idea what's causing it. I've booked it in with S2Smart in Watford and they are charging £60 which is a bit mental (and like 1.5 weeks away), but I'm hoping it's something dumb because the car seems to run fine.
@@MarkusAJ It doesn't randomly murder the ECU does it? I was eyeing that model/ multi car version of that one up but I wasn't sure how good it would be for this particular car. Are the codes accurate or does it spin off random 5th cylinder not firing messages?
@@sod16 No murdering going on. Then again it doesn't have star level functionality. But it does what I need it to do. Codes have been accurate so far. I use it for both my Smart and my Mercedes. Only strange case I've had was an ABS light of the Roadster, and it gave me a unknown code (P144f) stating the code was not found in the database. Googling did not make me smarter though. Cleared it and the ABS light was gone, so I'm happy.
The same thing happened to me just under a year ago.I bought the car in Hull as a private sale.On the way home to Huddersfield i felt like the rear of the car was vibrating when it dropped on its axle and the wheel overtook me.I was on a busy section of the M62 just before the last Huddersfield exit.I managed to get it on to the hard shoulder and recover the lost wheel.It turned out to be the wheel bearings had caused this problem.I was very lucky that neither me or my Roadster came to any harm.
Lucky escape too by the sounds it. Still unsure why my wheel became loose...
I've got rim locks on my Roadster ! I would recommend you .
That's definitely someone trying to steal your wheels... I have had loose wheels nuts on a car once... The bolts make a hell of a noise as they rattle and then elongate the holes in the wheel. With these being so soft, you would see / heard this. Those bolts were removed! As you said, they are nice looking wheels, and replacements are expensive and hard to find, much like the hard top roof panels. It has been known that these get targeted for their parts... Get a locking nut set and don't leave it on the road over night if you can help it. Great videos... Honest and show both sides of owning a car, not just the fun time, which I know they are, having a Brabus myself. Good luck !!!!
Thanks Vince. You might be right!
You seem to have been unlucky. Glad you are still enjoying the car. Good video. Keep them coming.
Cheers mate, hopefully my luck will change!
Wise words.
After buying a car (and periodically thereafter) you should always check the wheel-nuts.
Not only check that they're tight but also check that they CAN be loosened.
A loose wheel nut is obviously a bad thing but a stuck wheel nut is also a bad thing if you ever need to change a wheel.
Absolutely mate, a seized lug or a missing locking socket is a nightmare if you get a flat. Check those lugs!
@@palmergeddon Recently had almost exactly that problem with my Land Rover.
Religiously carry the adapter for the locking wheelnuts.
Got a puncture.
Loosened all the wheelnuts.
Went to remove the spare from the back door and... it's jammed solid.
Put a bit of effort into it and... the locking wheelnut adapter split like an overcooked sausage.
Balls!
Fortunately, I also carry a ruffy-tuffy puncture repair kit and a compressor so I plugged the puncture and got home.
Locking wheelnuts are now at the bottom of the river.
Learning the hard way too!? Hopefully my video and your comments help others not to make the same mistakes. Thanks Si
If you're bothered about the broken bottom of the wing, all you need is a replacement wing for the passenger side. get another arch liner from a breaker on ebay.
ride or die love it
Definitely brings a whole new meaning to the phrase 😆
@@palmergeddon 😆🤞never agaain
Bad luck but do persevere! You could invest in some winter wheels in the meantime? Spikelines, tracklines maybe? Good to see other owners on here anyway, enjoying the videos
Hi Alfie, thank you for the support. I've found a solution. I'll try and upload another video in the next few days - your suggestion isn't a million miles off 😉
Wellspek in Nottinghamshire do wonders repairing bent rims.
Cheers Mark, good to have options 👍
Love the videos mate.
Cheers mate 👍
Try Lepsons in Gillingham for wheel refurb, they just restored one of my Spikelines and have done an awesome job.
That's good to know, thanks for the recommendation 👍
Hey dude, I have a R-Brabus like this but it's the coupe version (04), I was wondering if you know or can recommend any good OBD readers with a reset function that work well (enough) with this car?
Hi Sod16, I used a friends Foxwell OBD with Mercedes software installed earlier in the year which was able to read many of the models. Not sure of the model number. Some people say that you need to be careful when using anything other than STAR as it can cause damage to the ECU. We used the Foxwell for a clutch re-teach and it worked well. But, I did somehow loose the codes for my steering wheel - might be related!
I use an iCarsoft MB II, noe called MB V2 for my Brabus Roadster. Have done everything I've needed it to so far. Downside is that's it Mercedes and Smart specific. They also have i980 in a MB/Smart version.
@@palmergeddon Thank you for this; it's hard to find solidified information regarding this. I've got a random Check Engine light (yellow) and no idea what's causing it. I've booked it in with S2Smart in Watford and they are charging £60 which is a bit mental (and like 1.5 weeks away), but I'm hoping it's something dumb because the car seems to run fine.
@@MarkusAJ It doesn't randomly murder the ECU does it? I was eyeing that model/ multi car version of that one up but I wasn't sure how good it would be for this particular car. Are the codes accurate or does it spin off random 5th cylinder not firing messages?
@@sod16 No murdering going on. Then again it doesn't have star level functionality. But it does what I need it to do.
Codes have been accurate so far. I use it for both my Smart and my Mercedes. Only strange case I've had was an ABS light of the Roadster, and it gave me a unknown code (P144f) stating the code was not found in the database. Googling did not make me smarter though. Cleared it and the ABS light was gone, so I'm happy.
You have had your fair share of issues haven't you! Make sure you reinstall the side skirt as well as that looks like it's off it's rear hanger.
Tell me about it...😆 The side skirt was undamaged luckily, just needs to be clipped back up.
I have a theory on the wheel: How about you tried to get off on the insurance. Psychos always think they can out smart everyone else.