I was driveing down a smooth section of paved road tonight, when all the sudden there a was a bang and loud thuds coming from the drivers front. pulled over and started looking to see what was going on. Looked all over checked the u joint, tie rods, front driveshaft and anything else i could see or touch. was walking back to my door and noticed a lug nut and lug bolt was missing checked the others and they were all loose not bad but wrench could tighten them more. kept my four ways on and started to limp it the 1/2 mile home. It made the thuds every now and then but was less the closer i got to home. Pulled it inside and pulled off the front driver tire to notice whats in the pic. the missing piece fell out when i took off the tire. any ideas what could cause it? I now have to replace the rotor and then lug bolts.

 

im guessin ur lug nutz were just that bad,i never seen anythin like that...EVER,but i reckon just replace the parts and go from there

 

yah i have had plenty of rotors go bad but never fail like this. In the morning i will be getting the rotor and lugs and hopeing its nothing else. lucky my rim wasnt damaged

 

Looks like the wheel vibrated and twisted enough to "waller" out the studs causing the one to become brittle and break off. It probably shook the entire stud for a period of time before breaking and that caused the straight splined portion thats pressed into the axle flange to become loose and back itself out into the rear area behind the flange causing itself to lodge between the rotor and outside diameter of the flange thus cracking the weakest component- the rotor.
my 2cents worth...lol

 

Vibration could be a cause of your metal failing like that. Scary crazy bro.

 

8 secz thanks for that explanation. I figured it was something like that and glad it seems people agree was worried it may be more then that.

 

No prob.
I bet money the remnants of that stud are MIA... Or stuck in the tread of someone's tire!