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StephenW · 03-05-2018, 08:08 AM

Blew out driver side inside dual tire yesterday on I-75 south of Ocala, taking out the wet bay. Tire was 2014 Goodyear G670, checked pressure and felt around it before leaving and all was good. Cruise set at 60mph. 4 corner weights are well within limits. No warning, just blew. I could have run over something, but really have no idea. Sounded like a 12 gauge shotgun. I will replace all the tires, since they all have the same mfg. dates. No TPMS.

Fortunately, there is no body or bay door damage. It is all confined to the wet bay, taking out the wet bay floor and vertical bulkheads, wet bay shower, light and gray water valve. Not sure yet if gray or black water tanks and pipes are damaged since those tanks are empty. Water tank is holding water and no jack, hydraulic or fuel line damage.

Anyway, looking for advice on dealing with the insurance adjuster as well as recommendations on where to take it for repairs in North Florida. I have read that Alliance in Wildwood, FL does very good work, but right now, that's all I have to go on.

Given how long repairs take, it looks like our long planned May and June Utah trip is history, plus many other local camping reservations. While I am not a fan of Camping World, Good Sam Roadside Assistance arrived within 45 minutes to change the blown tire, and they knew what they were doing. I need to call the PO and thank him for mounting a spare tire underneath the RV.

Now I get why tires blowout posts get so much attention. Thanks to advice learned from this forum, I knew what to expectand not panic. I didn't worry about getting on the brakes since it was a rear tire and had steering control. I can't imagine what blowing a front tire on the front of a big rig like my neighbor's new 40' Newmar would be like.

This could have been a lot worse. Money and time will fix it and we'll be on our way again. My apologies if you were stuck behind us on the SLOW trip home, just trying to minimize the risk of another blowout and no spare. Thanks in advance for any help. Steve

DukeofDburg · 03-05-2018, 08:26 AM

Boy that STINKS

Good luck on the repair and be sure to update us on who you used and how it turned out.

BRex45 · 03-05-2018, 09:34 AM

Looks like the inside tire chunked out too.
Usually caused by heat or overload. You might double-check axle weights or get a failure analysis on the remaining damaged tire.

I'm glad the black tank wasn't full and the dump valve knocked off. That would have multiplied the problem I think.

pghbob · 03-05-2018, 09:46 AM

Sorry to hear about that StephenW! Not sure a TPMS would have alerted you but it might be time to think about getting one? I wouldn't want to travel without one on all coach tires, as well as the dolly and toad.

Good luck, hope you're back on the road soon!

cruzbill · 03-05-2018, 09:54 AM

Glad all is well, other than the mess in the MH, it'll get fixed. I don't know why there can't be a simple roll cage added to the wheel wells to prevent shredded tires from taking out stuff on a MH??? With all the damage done by blowouts??? Seems like a simple fix to me.
Hope your back to 100% soon!

Mr_D · 03-05-2018, 10:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cruzbill

Glad all is well, other than the mess in the MH, it'll get fixed. I don't know why there can't be a simple roll cage added to the wheel wells to prevent shredded tires from taking out stuff on a MH??? With all the damage done by blowouts??? Seems like a simple fix to me.
Hope your back to 100% soon!

My rig does have armor plates in the wheel wells, but for $750,000 and an empty weight of 47,600#'s it should have.
Can't have everything and meet the price and weight points that are required to sell the rig.

cruzbill · 03-05-2018, 10:03 AM

Mr D, Are your armour plates CC issue or aftermarket? If by CC, the rest of the pack should adopt, too.

MSHappyCampers · 03-05-2018, 10:03 AM

Bummer!

Glad you're OK!

Mr_D · 03-05-2018, 10:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cruzbill

Mr D, Are your armour plates CC issue or aftermarket? If by CC, the rest of the pack should adopt, too.

Standard equip as far as I know. This isn't a good picture of it though as I was looking at the air valve and the cut wiring. Tire is to the right. Looks to be pretty stout, but my drive tires are 315/80's and pack a lot of energy.

Dc2x4drvr · 03-09-2018, 06:08 AM

Creative Coach in Lakeland does good work, and are experts working with insurance, my rig looked new after paint work in Nov..
Call Lester Scruggs
863-984-3439
Creativecoach.com
BTW, they have hookups if you want to stay with your coach.

cwit · 03-09-2018, 12:07 PM

Alliance in Wildwood does great work. Probably 5 miles off interstate 75 Wildwood st. Road 44

BigBillSD · 03-09-2018, 06:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by StephenW

Blew out driver side inside dual tire yesterday on I-75 south of Ocala, taking out the wet bay. Thanks in advance for any help. Steve

What was that stuff wrapped around the hub that looked like spaghetti?

I've seen blown tires before, but don't remember anything that looked like that.

-Bill

StephenW · 03-10-2018, 07:14 AM

Bill, the "spaghetti" around the wheel is what is left of my sewer hose. I suspect the wire from the blown tire snagged it and wrapped it between the wheels.

After talking and showing pics to a half- dozen RV repair shops and a few fabricators, most could not get to it for months or were just not interested because they doubted they could make it look good enough. I think they are just very busy and are picking and choosing which jobs they prefer.

I decided to do the repairs myself and after cutting away the damaged steel wet bay vertical walls and part of the plastic pan, it looks doable. The best news is I replaced the valve on the gray tank, filled the gray, black and fresh water tanks and they are not leaking at all. All the electrical, hydraulic and fuel systems are working fine. One broken bay light, but the wiring to it is ok.

The square tubing used to hang the mud flap straightened out ok and that tubing probably prevented even more damage. I'm glad National did not go cheap on the support steel. My neighbor has a 30" press brake and another neighbor has 35 years body shop experience, so I have access to some great fabrication experience and I have some steel design experience, so I'm confident the result will be ok, not perfect, but fine for a 12 year old RV.

Better pics of initial damage attached. New tires to be installed next week, I don't trust the 2014 Goodyear tires since they all have the same date code. BTW, the inside dual in the pics is the 2011 spare tire, not one of the 2014 Goodyears. Thanks for the comments and idea, this site is amazing.