This was Sunday 9/18, I knew better but thought the Westlake tires at 4 years old and only 6500 miles would make one more trip WRONG.First bomb was left rear at mm 49 on I40 heading to Gatlinburg Tn, replaced with spare on entrance ramp, and almost turned back but went on hoping to get there and buy new tires.I always drive at 65 and thought I could make it.The second bomb was right rear at mm 366 just 40 miles from destination at 7pm, and after AAA and GS could not find anyone I found a truck service that had a new Kenda spare on a wheel.He charged me 3 hrs minimum for a 60 mile round trip and $250 for the tire/wheel, but I had no choice other than spend the night with trucks flying buy at 75mph.The good news is Monday I found a tire shop (Goforth Tire) in Sevierville Tn that had Good Year Endurance and took two at a time from the rv park and finished all 4 by lunch. These GY Endurance are heavy and very sturdy tires, and glad I found them locally. If you have Westlake tires please get them off now, you don't want to go through what I did.

These were the 16" "E" rated Westlakes? Sounds like it. They don't have the best reputation.

I had our first blowout on our AF with GR Commercial TA, 16in. A PITA but it will only cost us $25 since we had road hazard from Discount Tire. Someone waved at us and shouted something even my wife couldn't understand as they zoomed by. I got out and checked everything including the tires which were cool to the touch and seemed OK. I did have the water fill door hanging open.Stopped 30 miles miles later and check again. Nothing seen. Not a peep from the TPMS.130 miles later someone else waved at us and shouted. We were almost at the turn in for the RV park. Stopped there, driver side rear shredded. Just a request, if you try to tell someone something: Slow Down and make sure your message is understood. Why bother otherwise?I think the first shout must have been the flapping door.

Hey Gary, sorry to hear of your tire trouble! As bad as that experience was, I'm hoping you did not have major damage to your FW, which can easily happen, as tires come apart.Glad you were able to find GYs, which is a great choice! In an emergency, choices can be limited, and of course more costly.Jerry

Two blow outs in one day. Boy that brought back some bad memories from long ago when I was on the road. But that was common for ST C/D/E class tires in road work with trailers running 24/7. Five trailers on the road with two spares on each trailer and 28 tires on the ground with ruined tire on just about every other trip one has to rethink the type of tires he's using. I moved all my trailers with 5.2k-6k axles to 16" LT E tires. No more issues and no more hauling around two spares. With the newer gen 16" ST load G commercial grade all steel ply carcass tires hitting the streets was a god send for trailers with 7k-8k axles. Trailers with 10k-12k axles a good heavy duty ST 17.5" all steel ply carcass tires made for a long term super grade tire for that type of work. I apply the same tire tech for my different RV trailers I've owned over the years.

I moved all my trailers with 5.2k-6k axles to 16" LT E tires. No more issues and no more hauling around two spares.I finally came to the same conclusion with the 16" LT GR Commercial TA. I was surprised at the blowout but we had just come from boondocking on rough roads.I had a uncountable number of blowouts with ST tires until I finally came to my senses.

Two blow outs in one day | Good Sam Community

28 Replies

garyp4951
Explorer III
Sep 25, 2022
Process of elimination, I drained the water tank to 1/3, 80psi always, the first tire that blew never sees the sun when stored, I drive 65, I never saw a road hazard.
I do tow a few inches nose high and that increases the weight on the rear tires.
Trailer axles weigh 8740 lbs have not weighed them separately.
Lwiddis
Explorer II
Sep 25, 2022
How did you absolutely rule out overloading, under inflation, over inflation, sun exposure, excessive speed and, the big one, road hazards getting to “it is all Westlake’s fault?”
garyp4951
Explorer III
Sep 25, 2022
Thanks, there was no major damage just the plastic fender skirt and lower metal. These were 225-75-15 tires, and I eventually want to go to 16" if I have enough clearance above the tires.
agesilaus
Explorer III
Sep 25, 2022
I moved all my trailers with 5.2k-6k axles to 16" LT E tires. No more issues and no more hauling around two spares.

I finally came to the same conclusion with the 16" LT GR Commercial TA. I was surprised at the blowout but we had just come from boondocking on rough roads.

I had a uncountable number of blowouts with ST tires until I finally came to my senses.
JIMNLIN
Explorer III
Sep 25, 2022
Two blow outs in one day. Boy that brought back some bad memories from long ago when I was on the road.
But that was common for ST C/D/E class tires in road work with trailers running 24/7.
Five trailers on the road with two spares on each trailer and 28 tires on the ground with ruined tire on just about every other trip one has to rethink the type of tires he's using.

I moved all my trailers with 5.2k-6k axles to 16" LT E tires. No more issues and no more hauling around two spares.

With the newer gen 16" ST load G commercial grade all steel ply carcass tires hitting the streets was a god send for trailers with 7k-8k axles.

Trailers with 10k-12k axles a good heavy duty ST 17.5" all steel ply carcass tires made for a long term super grade tire for that type of work.

I apply the same tire tech for my different RV trailers I've owned over the years.
MFL
Nomad II
Sep 25, 2022
Hey Gary, sorry to hear of your tire trouble!

As bad as that experience was, I'm hoping you did not have major damage to your FW, which can easily happen, as tires come apart.

Glad you were able to find GYs, which is a great choice! In an emergency, choices can be limited, and of course more costly.

Jerry
agesilaus
Explorer III
Sep 25, 2022
I had our first blowout on our AF with GR Commercial TA, 16in. A PITA but it will only cost us $25 since we had road hazard from Discount Tire. Someone waved at us and shouted something even my wife couldn't understand as they zoomed by. I got out and checked everything including the tires which were cool to the touch and seemed OK. I did have the water fill door hanging open.
Stopped 30 miles miles later and check again. Nothing seen. Not a peep from the TPMS.
130 miles later someone else waved at us and shouted. We were almost at the turn in for the RV park. Stopped there, driver side rear shredded.

Just a request, if you try to tell someone something: Slow Down and make sure your message is understood. Why bother otherwise?
I think the first shout must have been the flapping door.
fj12ryder
Explorer III
Sep 25, 2022
These were the 16" "E" rated Westlakes? Sounds like it. They don't have the best reputation.

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Two blow outs in one day

28 Replies

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