Cause For Tire Failure

[1982]

There are over 70 posts on another active thread regarding whether or not to carry a spare. The number of RV's that experienced tire failure on those posts are notable, including several folks who had more than one. In the interest of informing those who do not carry a spare, do carry and do not want to put it on, or do not want to wait for road service, can we get some data on the potential cause for those failures?

For those those of you that have had a flat, could you report if:

- It was a puncture from an object (bad luck)
- The tire was more than 7 years past manufacture date
- You had TPMS and regularly reviewed the data
- You previously weighed your fully loaded rig at all axles/corners and knew
the tire was within the its load rating
- It was a "budget" tire (cheap)
- Other issue?

[Contrarian]

I technically don’t fit your qualifications as a respondent since I haven’t had a RV flat yet (knock on wood) , but in 62 years and probably 2 million miles the only tires I have ever had fail due to poor tire quality was some China Bomb trailer tires and the old Firestone 500 passenger car tires from the 70’s

All other failures have been due to road hazards (punctures and worse)

[grumpy0374]

There are probably thousands of posts (not 70) about the many failures of tires/rims, and what each of us do to either change it ourselves, have someone else change it for us, or sit on the side of the road till the cows come home.
There are dozens of other ways a tire can go flat that you have not listed.
Not trying to be funny, but you either have or don't have a flat, and your either prepared or not prepared for it.

Grumpy

[youracman]

For your database/study:

- It was a puncture from an object (bad luck) - - Not likely. No road hazard seen or felt and the TPMS did not alarm for pressure or temp problems until after the "12 ga shotgun" noise from the blowout.

- The tire was more than 7 years past manufacture date - - Tire was a couple of months short of 5 years from its "birthdate"

- You had TPMS and regularly reviewed the data - - Don't review the data while driving …. just watch the road/mirrors; etc, and listen for any TPMS alarms (temp or pressure.) Heard none prior to the "event"….. but sure heard that loud screech from the TPMS after the event. (Actually a non-event. Just a loud bang, ease to the side of the road and call my tire service…….took about an hour.)

- You previously weighed your fully loaded rig at all axles/corners and knew the tire was within the its load rating. No. I was enroute home to Denver from Long Beach with a new-to-me rig …… "lightest trip ever taken" so far. (Just me, approx 10 gal of water and 1 suitcase onboard.) I have since weighed it fully loaded for travel (much heavier of course) and I am well below the tire's load limit; but, only a few hundred lbs below the GVWR or the GAWRs. No 4-corner weights yet, only front and rear axle CAT scale weights.

- It was a "budget" tire (cheap) No. OEMs were Goodrich load range E; the second owner installed replacement Goodrich tires, also load range E. Both the original owner and the PO had one tire failure (each)…. all 3 failures to date have been an inside dual. Don't suspect there is anything wrong with Goodrich tires, but I eased into Las Vegas and had all new Bridgestones put on by the one tire store that agreed to stay around (Sat afternoon) until I was on the road again. 16K miles since and no tire problems of any kind, but those Bridgestones will never see a 5th birthday on my rig, let alone a 7th. Of course lotsa folks run up to 10 years, but not me. (I belong to the "Tires is cheaper'n bones" club.) lol

-Other issue? None

Just my opinion, FWIW: I consider my little 16" tires on that heavily loaded E450 my primary chassis safety concern. I "watch 'em like a hawk"...... ck/adjust pressures before breaking camp, put the IR gun on them at rest stops, etc. The marginal brakes (in the event of a panic stop …. two of those for me) are not far behind though in the "Ford" concern category.

Seems like just about all the 30+ ft Class C rigs have "weight watcher" owners; the 24 ft folks…… not so much. Many of us with the longer rigs put heavy stuff in the toad because there is usually lots of reserve in the GCWR if a "lightweight" toad is pulled.

Safe travels…………….. and a Happy New Year.

[1982]

Originally Posted by youracman

For your database/study:

- It was a puncture from an object (bad luck) - - Not likely. No road hazard seen or felt and the TPMS did not alarm for pressure or temp problems until after the "12 ga shotgun" noise from the blowout.

- The tire was more than 7 years past manufacture date - - Tire was a couple of months short of 5 years from its "birthdate"

- You had TPMS and regularly reviewed the data - - Don't review the data while driving …. just watch the road/mirrors; etc, and listen for any TPMS alarms (temp or pressure.) Heard none prior to the "event"….. but sure heard that loud screech from the TPMS after the event. (Actually a non-event. Just a loud bang, ease to the side of the road and call my tire service…….took about an hour.)

- You previously weighed your fully loaded rig at all axles/corners and knew the tire was within the its load rating. No. I was enroute home to Denver from Long Beach with a new-to-me rig …… "lightest trip ever taken" so far. (Just me, approx 10 gal of water and 1 suitcase onboard.) I have since weighed it fully loaded for travel (much heavier of course) and I am well below the tire's load limit; but, only a few hundred lbs below the GVWR or the GAWRs. No 4-corner weights yet, only front and rear axle CAT scale weights.

- It was a "budget" tire (cheap) No. OEMs were Goodrich load range E; the second owner installed replacement Goodrich tires, also load range E. Both the original owner and the PO had one tire failure (each)…. all 3 failures to date have been an inside dual. Don't suspect there is anything wrong with Goodrich tires, but I eased into Las Vegas and had all new Bridgestones put on by the one tire store that agreed to stay around (Sat afternoon) until I was on the road again. 16K miles since and no tire problems of any kind, but those Bridgestones will never see a 5th birthday on my rig, let alone a 7th. Of course lotsa folks run up to 10 years, but not me. (I belong to the "Tires is cheaper'n bones" club.) lol

-Other issue? None

Just my opinion, FWIW: I consider my little 16" tires on that heavily loaded E450 my primary chassis safety concern. I "watch 'em like a hawk"...... ck/adjust pressures before breaking camp, put the IR gun on them at rest stops, etc. The marginal brakes (in the event of a panic stop …. two of those for me) are not far behind though in the "Ford" concern category.

Seems like just about all the 30+ ft Class C rigs have "weight watcher" owners; the 24 ft folks…… not so much. Many of us with the longer rigs put heavy stuff in the toad because there is usually lots of reserve in the GCWR if a "lightweight" toad is pulled.

Safe travels…………….. and a Happy New Year.

If I read that right, the blowout was on a tire that you inherited from the previous owner. Since your new set of tires, you're doing everything "right" (except maybe, corner weights), and have 16K miles trouble free.

I guess that is what I'm chasing with my original question. How many folks have a tire failure (excepting punctures), when they do everything possible to treat them right.

[JONWisconsin]

Keep an eye on your tires no matter what. The only blowout was when I had a FW was due to a slightly bent axle. Tire worn out on the inside and caused it. I didn't notice until after the blowout.