Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×
RV Trip Planning Discussions

Go Back   iRV2 Forums > iRV2.com COMMUNITY FORUMS > iRV2.com General Discussion
Click Here to Login
Join iRV2 Today

Mission Statement: Supporting thoughtful exchange of knowledge, values and experience among RV enthusiasts.
Reply
  This discussion is proudly sponsored by:
Please support our sponsors and let them know you heard about their products on iRV2
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
 
Old 04-07-2017, 07:17 AM   #1
Senior Member
 
steve11669's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2015
Posts: 512
Tire blowout

2004 35 foot diesel pusher with 3 year old Firestones with thick tread. Eastbound I 10 at Cabazon/Morongo Casino, pointed to the windmill farm at Palm Springs.

Yesterday, my left front tire hit something at 60 mph. I never saw the object but it probaby was 3 to 4 inches tall. I thought I hit a deep pot hole. 30 seconds later hell broke loose. Rumbling, steering, rubber shapnal, smell of burnt rubber, smoke and noise. I worked the steering and applied the brakes which began losing stopping ability because the tire came apart and spun on the wheel.

Luckily, I was at the exit for a closed scale house so it gave me a wide place to stop and remain for repairs. This is on a very busy traffic artery. As I went to see the damage, I expected to see major trouble but I was lucky there was no collateral damage and having a wide place to stop and stay.

The side walls and plys of steel wire stayed loosly on the wheel bot the tred lay on the ground nearby. No body or wheel well damage and I expected to see a big expensive mess. The Alcoa wheel was cushiond by the tire carcus so no damage.

I googled "tire service near me" and found 2 within 2 miles Because of the high volume of truck traffic entering the LA area from the east).

I called and arranged the purchase of a new tire (275 70 22.5) for $275 and $100 for roadside tire change. A truck arrived in 45 minutes and got me rolling. I chose a Chineese built tire (good looking tire). Michellen was $525.

All because my tire hit an object on the road surface. I was on the freeway for 2.5 hours and no police or other service check came by. Not that I needed or wanted them.
Attached Thumbnails
Click image for larger version

Name:	20170406_135334.jpg
Views:	151
Size:	550.3 KB
ID:	157512   Click image for larger version

Name:	20170406_123728.jpg
Views:	179
Size:	270.1 KB
ID:	157513  

steve11669 is offline   Reply With Quote
Join the #1 RV Forum Today - It's Totally Free!

iRV2.com RV Community - Are you about to start a new improvement on your RV or need some help with some maintenance? Do you need advice on what products to buy? Or maybe you can give others some advice? No matter where you fit in you'll find that iRV2 is a great community to join. Best of all it's totally FREE!

You are currently viewing our boards as a guest so you have limited access to our community. Please take the time to register and you will gain a lot of great new features including; the ability to participate in discussions, network with other RV owners, see fewer ads, upload photographs, create an RV blog, send private messages and so much, much more!

Old 04-07-2017, 07:20 AM   #2
Senior Member
 
les.warden's Avatar
 
Tiffin Owners Club
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Foley, AL
Posts: 1,093
Glad everybody/everything turned out ok! Safe travels!
__________________
Les & Pam Warden
(Tiffin) 2017 Phaeton 40QBH; 2023 Wayfarer 25RW (coming soon)
2016 Jeep JKUS with Ready Brute Elite towbar
les.warden is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-07-2017, 08:00 AM   #3
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Ca
Posts: 1,076
Good job. Proves once again the value of skilled driving. There is no need to crash due to a front tire failure.
timetogo is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-07-2017, 08:22 AM   #4
Senior Member
 
4x4van's Avatar
 
Winnebago Owners Club
Workhorse Chassis Owner
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: SoCal
Posts: 1,510
Wow, that's significant damage. Michelin? I've had 4 blowouts over the 28 years I've been driving an RV; never had one that looked like that. I can't see an "object" causing that. I wonder if the first "hit" you felt was actually a section of tread separating, followed by the complete failure?
__________________
You don't stop playing because you grow old...You grow old because you stop playing!
2004 Itasca M30W
'20 Can Am X3 X RS Turbo RR, '85 ATC250R, '12 Husky TE310
4x4van is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-07-2017, 08:37 AM   #5
Senior Member/RVM #90
 
MSHappyCampers's Avatar


 
Monaco Owners Club
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: Columbus, MS
Posts: 54,578
Steve, you were one lucky guy!

I'm sure you know that applying the brakes is a big no-no, but I know we just instinctively do that!

Do you have any kind of steering stabilizers on the rig?
__________________
Joe & Annette
Sometimes I sits and thinks, sometimes I just sits.....
2002 Monaco Windsor 40PBT, 2013 Honda CRV AWD
MSHappyCampers is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-07-2017, 08:58 AM   #6
Senior Member
 
Raining Star's Avatar
 
Winnebago Owners Club
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Arizona
Posts: 776
A great ending to a potentially disastrous story. Congratulations on handling it properly and delighted it was resolved with a minimum of cost and inconvenience.
__________________
Joseph and Sandy
Arizona Sunbirds

(Snowbirds in Reverse)
Winnebago Chieftain / Ford Hybrid Toad
Raining Star is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-07-2017, 09:01 AM   #7
Senior Member
 
steve11669's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2015
Posts: 512
Quote:
Originally Posted by 4x4van View Post
Wow, that's significant damage. Michelin? I've had 4 blowouts over the 28 years I've been driving an RV; never had one that looked like that. I can't see an "object" causing that. I wonder if the first "hit" you felt was actually a section of tread separating, followed by the complete failure?
It was an object for sure. It felt and abruply sounded like the tire hit a 2 inch curb head on at 60mph. The tread ring was still intact in circunference so it came loose off the carcuss. Luckily it went off and away from flapping the boday and air hose apart.
steve11669 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-07-2017, 09:13 AM   #8
Senior Member
 
steve11669's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2015
Posts: 512
Quote:
Originally Posted by MSHappyCampers View Post
Steve, you were one lucky guy!

I'm sure you know that applying the brakes is a big no-no, but I know we just instinctively do that!

Do you have any kind of steering stabilizers on the rig?
If i hadnt applied the brakes, I think the rim would have been detroyed. I needed to stop asap. Also there was a smell of burning rubber. In my case I got it stopped and got eyes on it quickly with my son right behind me holding a fure extinguisher.

It was the right procedure in this scenario. You can choose your own reactions but i dont see how someone can armchair a "always" do it my way. Many variables at work.

No added stabilizers but I do try to pay attention when Im steering.
steve11669 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-07-2017, 09:17 AM   #9
Senior Member
 
steve11669's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2015
Posts: 512
Heres the tread ring.
Attached Thumbnails
Click image for larger version

Name:	20170406_123447.jpg
Views:	125
Size:	724.8 KB
ID:	157519   Click image for larger version

Name:	20170406_123442.jpg
Views:	139
Size:	702.2 KB
ID:	157520  

steve11669 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-07-2017, 09:26 AM   #10
Senior Member
 
znt1186's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2014
Posts: 1,145
Application of the brakes is always necessary to get stopped. You just don't hit the brakes immediately. When you have the steering under control, then you can apply the brakes judiciously while maintaining control to bring the coach to a safe stop. It appears that is what Steve did, and did a great job of doing it. I have had a front blowout and handled it the same way. Way to go Steve. Glad everyone is safe and no coach damage.
__________________
Zeb and Teena (In my heart)
2005 Mandalay, 2013 Ford Edge
znt1186 is online now   Reply With Quote
Old 04-07-2017, 12:03 PM   #11
Community Moderator
 
TonyDi's Avatar


 
Newmar Owners Club
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Point Pleasant Beach, NJ
Posts: 31,248
Wow, looks like you really lucked out on that one. Sorry for your problem, but it got resolved cheaply.
__________________
Tony & Ruth........... FMCA#F416727
2016 London Aire 4519, Freightliner chassis, Cummins ISX, 2018 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited, Blue Ox Avail with AF1. TST 507 TPMS
No amount of money can buy you an extra second of time.
TonyDi is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-07-2017, 02:45 PM   #12
Senior Member
 
slickest1's Avatar
 
Monaco Owners Club
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: B.C.
Posts: 4,638
I'll say great job as well. You are very lucky that there was no body damage. It is amazing how a tire can come apart that fast even though you got stopped very quickly.
That says nothing bad about Firestone because I have seen many different brands do the same thing.
I know that stretch of road and it is very busy all the time. At least you got a good safe place to get off the road.
__________________
Dennis & Marcie & Captain Hook The Jack Russell,aka PUP, 2006 Itasca 29R 2017 Equinox toad. RVM59
We came, we went, nothing broken, nothing bent!
slickest1 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-07-2017, 03:58 PM   #13
Senior Member
 
4x4van's Avatar
 
Winnebago Owners Club
Workhorse Chassis Owner
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: SoCal
Posts: 1,510
Yup, I actually live right there, in Banning. One of the busiest stretches of freeway in the nation.
__________________
You don't stop playing because you grow old...You grow old because you stop playing!
2004 Itasca M30W
'20 Can Am X3 X RS Turbo RR, '85 ATC250R, '12 Husky TE310
4x4van is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-07-2017, 04:11 PM   #14
Senior Member
 
LarrytheBear's Avatar
 
Tiffin Owners Club
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 2,387
Thanks for posting your experience.
Cool head, good outcome... Like you said, many variables.
__________________
Larry and Prissy Sharp
2006 Allegro Bay 37DB
2012 Toyota Yaris
LarrytheBear is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply



Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
How to Handle a Tire Blowout in Your RV dgerstel Alpine Coach Owner's Forum 3 11-30-2008 09:15 AM
Tire Blowout video Phrog Driver Class A Motorhome Discussions 14 09-17-2008 03:09 AM
Front tire blowout bsavage Monaco Owner's Forum 17 04-28-2008 04:27 PM
Front Tire Blowout Nick Russell MH-General Discussions & Problems 7 12-06-2007 04:01 AM
RV Tire Blowout Video Phrog Driver Monaco Owner's Forum 7 08-02-2007 11:51 AM

» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 02:57 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.