I passed three travel trailers along the highway yesterday with blowouts on my way home from a weeks camping. I'm pretty diligent about checking my air pressure but I was wondering what was your first sign that you knew you had a blowout on your trailer? Was it the sound a vibration or just the horrified look on the people passing you?My rig is about a bumper pull Toy Hauler 36 feet long and weighs about 10,000 lbs. I can see the left front tire in my drivers side mirror but can't see the other tires at all.

Ours wasn't a "big bang" kind of blow-out. The tire disintegrated after taking a large bolt or short piece of rebar through the tread. The first clue was the TPMS alarm going off. I was able to get to the shoulder of the interstate in less than 15 seconds and there was no damage to the underside of the slide over the wheel nor to the trim, etc. The TPMS saved my a$$. (Fifth wheel, 14K on the scales.)Rob

Two of mine were bolw outs. One scattered rubber all over the road, and sounded like a shotgun went off. One was just a muffled bang, and one, I had to be told about well after it happened.ALL 3 were in their 4th year. All were maintained, and aired up correctly. From then on. None of my TT tires will run into the 4th year of their life. They will be replaced at the end of their 3rd year. Age is what kills TT tires.

I predict those three RVers will be purchasing a TPMS shortly. That's what we did!

My first clue was when I saw the shredded tire at our next gas stop lol. I had no idea, it still towed just fine. I was lucky it shredded but did not do any real damage to the trailer. This was on a smallish (24', 5k pound) travel trailer behind an E350 van.

On our 22' TT: My firts clue was the car alongside honking and pointing at my trailers rear axle. :SThe left rear had grenaded but with the other 3 intact I could not feel a thing driving down Interstate 10... We were only about 40 miles out from our campsite headed home when it happend and I still don't know how far back up the road the blowout occurred. I had checked all 4 tires the morning we left, no signs of any issues and all were set to 50 psi.Pulled over and changed the tire. Fortunately the only damage to the trailer was having the brake wires severed on that wheel {Our Fleetwood Pioneer Spirit had steel lined wheel wells}. Took it to Big Tex Trailers the next day and they reconnected the wiring for free {Thanks again Big Tex!}. I immediately replaced the China Bombs with a set of Maxxis' 8008 and never had another tire issue. IMHO: China bombs are a matter of when, not if they will fail... Arrrrg!:C

For those that have had a blowout when towing | Good Sam Community

43 Replies

Dick_B
Explorer
Sep 04, 2019
I predict those three RVers will be purchasing a TPMS shortly. That's what we did!
Terryallan
Explorer II
Sep 04, 2019
Two of mine were bolw outs. One scattered rubber all over the road, and sounded like a shotgun went off. One was just a muffled bang, and one, I had to be told about well after it happened.

ALL 3 were in their 4th year. All were maintained, and aired up correctly. From then on. None of my TT tires will run into the 4th year of their life. They will be replaced at the end of their 3rd year. Age is what kills TT tires.
Second_Chance
Explorer II
Sep 04, 2019
Ours wasn't a "big bang" kind of blow-out. The tire disintegrated after taking a large bolt or short piece of rebar through the tread. The first clue was the TPMS alarm going off. I was able to get to the shoulder of the interstate in less than 15 seconds and there was no damage to the underside of the slide over the wheel nor to the trim, etc. The TPMS saved my a$$. (Fifth wheel, 14K on the scales.)

Rob

Forum Discussion

For those that have had a blowout when towing

43 Replies

About RV Tips & Tricks

Related Content

Tow Ratings

Another Blowout!

first blowout

Ram 1500 Towing Capacity

Multiple Tire Blowouts