This past Sunday, I had the opportunity (misfortune) to test the principles espoused in the film. I experienced a catastrophic failure if my right front tire at approximately 55 mph (just topped a hill with cruise control set at 60 mph) when the right front tire exploded. It did not go Pppssssssttt as it slowly deflated. It exploded. A retired Marine Sergeant Major who was behind my coach at the time, and kind enough to stop to help, said that if he didn't know better, he would have thought we had run over a land mine. I've never run over a land mine, but I can imagine that it may well sound like that noise we heard and felt.
For comparison purposes, here is a couple of pictures of tire that I posted earlier for comparison with "Fat Boy" singles on the rear of the coach.
RF 275/80R22.5 LRG XZE®
From rear angle
Here is the same tire (with a little over 18,000 miles on it) last Sunday after I got the coach stopped on the side of the road.
Close up
Different angle.
With the cruise set the coach was just starting to pick up a little speed after cresting the hill and starting downhill with a curve to the left when the tire blew. I had to tap the brake to disengage the cruise then got back on the accelerator to maintain control. I gently eased it down until I could pull off the highway without losing control.
Coach on roadside.
Coach position showing hill & curve.
I credit following the principles shown in the film, along with the Safety T Plus installed over two years ago, and the grace of God, making it possible for me to safely stop the coach and not wind up in the big ditch just out of sight in picture. There was no noticeable pull to the right. FHP Trooper Campbell, who stopped to assist and keep passing traffic from running into the coach, said most times with a major tire failure the coach is wrecked with serious damage and many times with injuries. My insurance company (Progressive) has estimated the damage to the at $3800 plus the cost of the tire. Progressive has already written a check to get the coach fixed.
Tire that blew was a Michelin 275/80R22.5 XZE LRG inflated to 105 psi cold. Both front tires were showing a running pressure (via Pressure Pro system) of 116 psi shortly before tire failure.
I replaced both front tires with Michelin 275/80R22.5 LRH XZA3®
I hope this helps anyone who may find themselves in similar circumstances.