Community Forums

PJStough · 11-21-2017, 04:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cat320

The Michelin video mentioned is pure conjecture, written by somebody who has never had a blowout. I have looked at it a number of times on various forums. It makes no more sense now than when I first saw it. It says your first action with a front tire blows out, is to step on the accelerator, I totally disagree. I've had two blow outs, the most recent was a RF tire in May 2015. The last thing I wanted was more speed or more forward thrust. I was running at 60 mph and wanted to get rid of that speed as soon as possible. There was a pretty rough vibration in the steering wheel as well as a pull to the right. I slowed (tapped off the cruise control and did not brake), maintained control and got off the road. With the heavy duty power steering system in my coach maintaining control was not a problem. The Michelin video sounds good and looks good, however, all the scenarios are scripted with safety the primary consideration. It's like a lot of "school solutions," every aspect of the demonstration is planned. However, when doing it for real, I seriously doubt it's merit.

Several years ago I had a right front time blowout while driving between 55-60 mph on a two lane road. Before buying the motorhome, I had watched the Michelin video a few times, so when the tire blew, I immediately hit the gas, and just as quickly as I did that the motorhome stabilized, and I was able to slow down and get off the road. As someone else said, when you hit the gas, you really dont speed up as it only takes a second or two on the gas to gain control. I may have just been lucky, but after following what the Michelin video shows, if I have another front blowout, I hope I react just as I did the first time I had a blowout.

MRUSA14 · 11-21-2017, 04:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hohenwald48

As far as accelerating, I wonder if the purpose of accelerating for a blowout is simply a good way to not jump on the brakes. I doubt that flooring a motorhome is going to do much to increase your speed in 1 or 2 seconds. At least it won't add much speed on mine and it probably takes a second or two to figure out which tire is blown.

CORRECT! I have been there, experienced a steer tire blowout at 65 MPH. I had seen the Michelin video and I did as they say in the video, I pressed the accelerator at first. I can tell you categorically that I felt zero effect from doing that. The steering did not respond to the accelerator in any observable way. But I believe the purpose it served was to keep me off the brake, which could have caused loss of control. I pulled off the road using very light braking and successfully stopped the coach without any damage other than the $10,000 worth of damage that the exploding tire initially did to the coach.

Motor7 · 11-21-2017, 05:10 PM

Every time this subject comes up it the same debate.

I have only had one front tire blow out and it was on my 24' Class C. I heard a buzzzzzzzz sound and had time tho think, "what the hell is that" and then "BooM". The coach immediately went right(yes RF blew) across two lanes and I got it stopped on the shoulder before hitting a concrete wall. If I had been in the curb lane I would have hit the wall. If there had been a vehicle next to me I would have hit them.
So, in the future I will at least try to accelerate and see if it helps steerage. First line of defense now is a Safe T Steer on all my coaches since then.

markarbogast · 11-21-2017, 06:25 PM

This is the reason I installed a Safe-T-Plus sterling stabilizer on our 2007 Cross Country DP. Every time I take the wheel I try and remember the technique of accelerating through a blowout until control is achieved. Hope I never have to try it. I always keep it just under 60 too.

VanDiemen23 · 11-21-2017, 07:22 PM

The purpose of stepping on the accelerator is to transfer weight off of the front end until you can be sure of regaining control. Taking weight off the front reduces the amount of influence the front has on steering, and makes it easier to steer in general. once the initial pull has been countered you can ease off the accelerator and then gradually onto the brake until you stop. There's no reason to be in a hurry as long as you are stable.

engine103 · 11-21-2017, 07:39 PM

To clarify a point because not everyone has the same amount of time in the saddle, rather than saying steer away from the blow out it should be hold the wheel against the blowout. An over aggressive turn away to the opposite side and if you hit the brake will put more weight on the offending tire and set yourself up for a roll over.
Jim E. OKC

bluepill · 11-21-2017, 07:47 PM

I agree with the concept that "Hit the gas rather than the brake" is in actual practice just a good way the keep you from hitting the brakes, which indeed can lead to substantial weight transfer to the front.

If you are driving a car with a 1 to 10 power-to-weight ratio (350 HP and 3500 Lbs), you can certainly bias some of the weight to the rear with full throttle. A MH with a 1 to 100 ratio (350 HP and 35,000 Lbs) cannot transfer any significant weight with power alone. It's just simple physics.

That's what Sheldon Cooper says, and I believe him!

Cloud Dancer · 11-21-2017, 07:52 PM

Some of the information/opinions that is presented in this thread does not square with what I know about dynamic weight transfer which takes place whenever a front tire becomes shorter by approximately 5 inches.
Also, IMO lifting the front end by adding power at cruise speed, in a large diesel pusher, does not make sense. If you do the math, you will see that there's insufficient available torque at the rear axle housing to lift the front.
However, there IS an explanation for why it's beneficial to at least maintain the same cruising engine power while you immediately and firmly steer away from the side of the failed tire. BUT, all these benefits instantly disappear if you apply the brakes. Even, the engine brake will work against you.
For me, it's simple. Immediately steer as necessary (to stay in your lane), and leave it in cruise control by NOT touching the brake pedal, UNTIL you are satisfied you have control of the motorhome. At that point, the proper/safe procedure of slowing down is intuitive.

Monacoach · 11-21-2017, 08:17 PM

Lift the front end? Thats an interesting idea.
You hit the throttle to stabilize the steering by countering the side force with forward force.

Cedarmancity · 11-21-2017, 08:26 PM

I have had a couple of front tire blowouts in full size pickups, they don't compare to a DP. The closest think that happened to me was a left front tire blowout in a 26ft Penske truck that was fully loaded. First piece of advice is ALWAYS check tire pressure, after the blowout I found out the other tires where under inflated.
It may seem counter intuitive to hit the gas and not sure it will help that much when driving a vehicle with so much weight. When a blowout happens, you WILL react, how you react can turn a simple blowout into a deadly accident. Hitting the gas may have little to no effect but hitting the brakes will cause a loss of control.
Seat belts should always be worn.

hohenwald48 · 11-21-2017, 08:29 PM

I surprised at all the references to cruise control. I don't think I've ever turned mine on. I've also noticed a lot of folks talking about the cruise control when discussing climbing and descending thru a mountain pass. Sounds like a lot of folks run around with it on most of the time. I suppose I just prefer to retain control of those things I can control.

slickest1 · 11-21-2017, 10:05 PM

I have had multiple front tire blowouts over the years in big trucks and I don't think any 2 were the same. Only once did it pull hard to the left and that was because I was going around a banked corner down hill. The last thing I needed was to jump on the throttle. What I am saying is there is no one solution for a front blowout. In some cases there is merit in adding speed and some cases not.
I suspect that some of these accidents happen as people drive down the road on cruise and the tire blows and by time they react and get the cruise shut off they are distracted and startled and it is too late to regain control.

Cedarmancity · 11-21-2017, 10:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by slickest1

I have had multiple front tire blowouts over the years in big trucks and I don't think any 2 were the same. Only once did it pull hard to the left and that was because I was going around a banked corner down hill. The last thing I needed was to jump on the throttle. What I am saying is there is no one solution for a front blowout. In some cases there is merit in adding speed and some cases not.
I suspect that some of these accidents happen as people drive down the road on cruise and the tire blows and by time they react and get the cruise shut off they are distracted and startled and it is too late to regain control.

You make a really good point about cruise control. If you cruise control all the time it becomes habit to disengage by tapping on the brakes. I have never had a blow out with cruise control and wonder if it will automatically turn off when a blowout happens.

bamaguy911 · 11-21-2017, 10:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JohnBoyToo

Reacting by accelerating is probably counter intuitive to most of us,
but apparently 'the experts' tell us it's the right thing to do, so hopefully I'll react that way

But those worried about accelerating at that moment increasing speed ? Have you accelerated hard in these monsters - it won't increase speed at all for as long as you need to get under control - too much mass, too much drag, etc..

The acceleration reaction is just to counteract the loss of the tire support and hopefully keep the direction straight whereas hitting the brakes will drive the weight forward on the non-existent tire.

Your analysis is 100% correct....do not hit the brakes until you have regained control of the steering function and it's going in the direction YOU want it to go!