Have you ever had a tire blowout?

[MarkBC]

I never had, until this past Sunday.


This happened on I-10 west, entering Houston, Texas, happened to my pickup-with-camper. The speed was about 50 mph -- in very heavy traffic (which was why the speed was only 50).
"BANG! GGGGRRRRR..."
(the "GGGGRRRRR" is the sound of bare wheel metal on pavement at 50 mph).
I had to force my way across 3 lanes of traffic to get the truck over to the shoulder. Fortunately, the tire that blew was on the rear, so I still had decent steering control.

The whole tread layer flew off...somewhere.


All in all, it was a wild ride.

(I don't want to mention -- but I will -- that there had been some warning signs that the tire was in distress... but I didn't interpret the signs as serious a problem as it turned out to be)

 

[Wandering Sagebrush]

Ouch! No fun.

Yes, I had a blowout on the White Horse Ranch Rd. Scared the feathers out of me. We were going about 35 in an old Suburban. Tire pressure monitors help avoid this.

 

[craig333]

Yes, on 395 near the CA/NV border. It was scary and large reason I sold the Chevy Pickup with the heavy camper and got my Dodge and FWC. It was on a straight stretch of road. Had it occurred on a sharp curve I might not be here.

 

[camelracer]

Twice for me. First on 395 in Owens Valley at 70mph with no warning. Took out the side of the truck bed and slapped the back of the camper. The second time was on I15 on the Baker grade. Had some warning that time but it took out the front inner fender. Both times on BFG all terrains from different lots with good tread.

The worst incident I've had was loosing a rear wheel on the Jeep at 65mph. Rolled down the freeway several times and thanks to a good roll cage survived.

 

[Vic Harder]

Holy carp... (that's a fish)... what were the warning signs?

 

[MarkBC]

Holy carp... (that's a fish)... what were the warning signs?

There was some rhythmic noise when the truck was moving at normal speed -- like, in time with the rotation of the tire, indicating that some spot on the tire tread was "different". Then it got worse -- a rhythmic vibration, bumping. I think there was a weakness in the tire structure that was becoming a bulge...and that part blew.
Yes, I KNOW -- I should have pulled over and put on the spare BEFORE the tire blew. Live and learn (and I lived).

Speaking of putting on the spare: It was a pretty exciting operation there on the shoulder of a very busy interstate in a huge megalopolous… belly-crawling under the truck to place the jack under the axle.. straining to lift the heavy spare onto the lugs -- my rear end sticking out near the lane of traffic, just a couple/few feet from the semis zooming by.

All a part of life's rich pageant!

 

[MarkBC]

Twice for me. First on 395 in Owens Valley at 70mph with no warning. Took out the side of the truck bed and slapped the back of the camper. The second time was on I15 on the Baker grade. Had some warning that time but it took out the front inner fender. Both times on BFG all terrains from different lots with good tread.

The worst incident I've had was loosing a rear wheel on the Jeep at 65mph. Rolled down the freeway several times and thanks to a good roll cage survived.

This reminded me -- there was some collateral damage to my truck and camper, presumably by the big chunk of rubber tread as it flew off:

1. The cable/cord that leads from the truck engine to charge the camper battery was torn off the plug -- leaving the live wire dangling, sparking when it touched metal.
2. A small metal brace or strut that connects to the inside of the fender was broken.

 

[Ronin]

I had a left front tire blowout on my 1ton Chev Dually years ago. I was pulling a 4 horse trailer loaded with 2 horses on Jackson Hwy. When the tire blew I immediately went left across the center divide. Fortunately there wasn't any on coming vehicles and I was able to slow down gradually and pull over to the shoulder. Talk about a wake up call!!

 

[craig333]

I had a Nevada Highway Patrol stop and check on me. I guess it looked like I had it under control because he didn't offer to get his hands dirty.

Rolling a Jeep, reminds me of a project I've been putting off. Getting the cage tied into the frame.

 

[Foy]

Right rear blowout on a 1990 Suburban K-1500 at 80 mph on I-85 in Archdale, NC. I also ignored a warning signal--I knew all 4 tires were at least 8 years old when I had them mounted onto the Suburban's wheels (but there was SO much tread on them!). The left rear started an odd wobbling at low speed passing through Greensboro and I stopped to have a look. At a dead stop I could see the tread looked like it was inching toward the sidewall, which it was due to tread separation. I put the spare on the ground and continued on towards Charlotte. About 10 miles out of Greensboro, the right rear blew with only a couple of seconds of vibration before the BOOM. I took a AAA tow back to Greensboro and bought 4 new tires, my confidence in the front two having by then gone to zero.

Glad you made it out of that Mark. I think I'd have driven mine on the rim until it ground down to a nub to reach a good place to change it out. Wheels are cheap.

Foy

 

[Smokecreek1]

Yep, several; the first one as just south of Sac on I-5 in my 70 VW with M/S tires. No problem getting her to the side of the road; however even though I had a 4 way lug wench I could not break the lug nut free no mater what I did (maybe that should be the the star of its' own thread?)! This was in those dark ages before cell phone's and luck was with me as one of those call boxes was close by and 3 AAA came to the rescue.

I had another coming down HW 50 in a 61 VW with M/S's as I heading home to Tahoe when I hit some black ice and went into a slide and ended up hitting the side of the road and blowing out a tire and bouncing back across the road and hitting that curb on the other side before stopping ( at the first hit, I was partially thrown out of the rig with my feet still in, hands on the steering wheel but my passenger pulled me back after sliding on my rear for a while before the last hit--some fun and later pain). I have had lots of slow leaks/blow outs in the back country in my career with BLM but that was part of job and is why we carried at least two spares.

Smoke

 

[Advmoto18]

There was some rhythmic noise when the truck was moving at normal speed -- like, in time with the rotation of the tire, indicating that some spot on the tire tread was "different". Then it got worse -- a rhythmic vibration, bumping. I think there was a weakness in the tire structure that was becoming a bulge...and that part blew.
Yes, I KNOW -- I should have pulled over and put on the spare BEFORE the tire blew. Live and learn (and I lived).

Speaking of putting on the spare: It was a pretty exciting operation there on the shoulder of a very busy interstate in a huge megalopolous… belly-crawling under the truck to place the jack under the axle.. straining to lift the heavy spare onto the lugs -- my rear end sticking out near the lane of traffic, just a couple/few feet from the semis zooming by.

All a part of life's rich pageant!

I think that "rhythmic vibration" are the belts separating inside the radial; at least that is what the tire rep told me. Good to read no serious issues other than the blow out and inconvenience.

I have experienced the same kind of blow out and heard a similar sound. But, from the time I first heard the sound, and not sure what it was, until the blow out was less than 100 miles. Michelin rep looked at the tire and refunded the cost of the new one I had already paid to have installed.

My wheels are not inexpensive by a long shot...I wish they were. My butt would have been hanging out in the danger zone as well...just to save a wheel. The (perhaps stupid) things we do to save a dime!

 

[Mighty Dodge Ram]

Hwy 14 just outside of Mojave heading out to Charlie’s Place for Thanksgiving weekend. Outer rear on the driver’s side of a 32’ Class A towing an enclosed trailer full of motorcycles. Boy oh boy, what a racket. Scared my young stepsons to death but got it to the side without drama. Took out the black tank and a bunch of house wiring located in that area. Notice I said heading out...the black tank was empty save for a few gallons of water and treatment. Enjoyed Thanksgiving back home.

And yes...7 new tires after that.

 

[LuckyDan]

Several:

1st was the outside duel on a 1938 International 5 Ton truck loaded with baled hay in 1978, maybe 79. Blew making a right hand turn. Thought the load would fall off, but it didn’t.

Strangest was a almost brand new tire on the North Steens Loop Road on my Ranger in 1986. Blew fast enough I bent the rim, I’ll assume on a rock falling down.

Scariest is a tossup. Maybe when the drivers front peeled the case and blew on my Tioga Motorhome on Hwy 20 by Sagehen Hill, inbound to Burns doing about 65mph. Maybe when I blew the sidewall on the passengers front coming down Troy Grade into Troy Ore., from the Long Meadows side.

 

[Wandering Sagebrush]

Several:

1st was the outside duel on a 1938 International 5 Ton truck loaded with baled hay in 1978, maybe 79. Blew making a right hand turn. Thought the load would fall off, but it didn’t.

Strangest was a almost brand new tire on the North Steens Loop Road on my Ranger in 1986. Blew fast enough I bent the rim, I’ll assume on a rock falling down.

Scariest is a tossup. Maybe when the drivers front peeled the case and blew on my Tioga Motorhome on Hwy 20 by Sagehen Hill, inbound to Burns doing about 65mph. Maybe when I blew the sidewall on the passengers front coming down Troy Grade into Troy Ore., from the Long Meadows side.

I think I know why they call you Lucky Dan. Wow, you’ve had some close ones, in some nasty places to have anything happen.

 

[ski3pin]

I think I know why they call you Lucky Dan. Wow, you’ve had some close ones, in some nasty places to have anything happen.

Lots of lucky people on Wander the West!

I cannot recall a single blowout.

 

[pvstoy]

Lots of lucky people on Wander the West!

I cannot recall a single blowout.

+1...

Flats yes, blow outs no.

 

[Foy]

Lots of lucky people on Wander the West!

I cannot recall a single blowout.

Once burned, twice shy for this old boy. In the nearly 20 years since the blowout I've been hyper vigilant about monitoring tire pressure with a quality manual gauge, sidewall and tread inspection for punctures, and being aware of how old all of my tires are. Just last week I replaced two trailer tires on my utility trailer before a trip to the Blue Ridge to haul firewood up and bring Christmas trees and old furniture back--they were at least 8 years old and had cracked/checked sidewalls. Better to change them out in the driveway than put the spare down on the side of I-40 and sweat how long the other one might last!

Foy

 

[MarkBC]

Until this blowout, my experience with tires on this truck over the past 19 years has been almost totally trouble-free.
In fact, the only other time I've had any significant loss of air from tires on this truck was in another semi-traumatic incident -- 6 years ago. That previous incident was at very low speed but just as fatal for the tire.

 

[CraggyMan]

Hey MBC - Just wondering if you had to replace the wheel and if you had to replace all of your tires while on your trip, as I know sometimes the wear on a spare is just enough different to upset the apple cart, so to speak. Assuming the other 3 tires have the same age/wear issues??