Last weekend while out on a campout we were going along I-40 in our toad just east of Albuquerque. When we pulled up behind a semi I started smelling burning rubber. A bit further down the road smoke started coming out behind the trailer. At first I thought about going around the truck and have the wife signal the driver but with my luck the tire would blow as I was passing so I backed off and watched. Sure enough BOOM!!! The tire blew and rubber flew. (We were doing 75mph) Less than a mile later the Gator came flying out, flying up in the air and down the interstate. Thankfully no one was around the rig as it could cause some major damage. The semi never even slowed down.

I was behind a big truck in Ca. when the same thing happened. I thought someone had fired off a shotgun!

I'm amazed this doesn't happen more in Austin, but at 15-20mph (which is the normal speed from exit 229 to 255 due to poor transportation planning on part of the city), the gators don't fly that far.

Trailer or motorhome?Trailer....75 mph..gators seem to prey on them more often..

We saw one blow and fly up and hit the windshield of the car following the semi truck. Smashed their windshield. The truck never knew what happened. The car was near an exit and took it. We never follow a semi truck that closely!!

downtheroad wrote:Trailer or motorhome?Trailer....75 mph..gators seem to prey on them more often..At least the way I read the O.P.'s opener, the gator came off the semi he was following...

Gator Attack- Never seen one before::::: | Good Sam Community

Bigdog
Explorer
Sep 01, 2013
aruba5er wrote:
I hope the OP had LT tires on his rig because ST tires are rated at 65 mph. He said he was going 75. With ST tires he may be the next to throw a tire

I do believe that he said that he was in his toad.
Jack_Kay
Explorer
Aug 31, 2013
Nice to have a point of view from the other side of the big rig. I hit a gator, (my fault really) on a two lane HiWay. It bent my RVs Ultra Guard, (mud-flap) on the drivers side and did some minor damage to our towed. We didn't realize the towed was damage until a few days later when we found the drivers side wheel well cover had been broken loose, (it's plastic). Luckily we had friends nearby who showed up with zip Ties and fixed up right up. That was a year ago in Minnesota.
Vulcaneer
Explorer
Aug 31, 2013
I've thrown two gators on two separate 5th wheels. The tires just threw the treads. Tread separation. But did not lose pressure immediately. Both times they were 80 PSI ST tires at under 65 MPH. There was no big bang. I figured out a problem when I saw wires and insulation hanging from the bottom of the trailers. Pulled over and then the tires went flat.

On the second incident, the gator wrapped around the axle, and stayed with the rig. I have no idea what happened to the gator in the first incident.

The point is, there is not always a bang. But I can only imagine what happens to a tire with 125 PSI or more.
RVUSA
Explorer
Aug 30, 2013
january's cabin fever has come early I see. :B

I was behind a semi when it blew a tire once. At the time I was driving a old 1975 giantburbian and it had no shocks or sway bars. It was an extreme event to be sure. The carcass finally caught a import and when it ran over the tire it popped the front half of the cars fender right off like it was made of foil.
wny_pat1
Explorer
Aug 30, 2013
ALBQ wrote:
aruba5er wrote:
I hope the OP had LT tires on his rig because ST tires are rated at 65 mph. He said he was going 75. With ST tires he may be the next to throw a tire

Again someone who doesn't read throws in a worthless opinion::::
Go back and reread---I was in my toad(which is a CRV):S

He probably just jumped in and posted without reading anything but the post that was before his. No idea why people that, cause they usually have no idea what is going on.
wny_pat1
Explorer
Aug 30, 2013
ALBQ wrote:
aruba5er wrote:
I hope the OP had LT tires on his rig because ST tires are rated at 65 mph. He said he was going 75. With ST tires he may be the next to throw a tire

Again someone who doesn't read throws in a worthless opinion::::
Go back and reread---I was in my toad(which is a CRV):S

He probably just jumped in and posted without reading anything but the post that was before his. No idea why people that, cause they usually have no idea what is going on.
wny_pat1
Explorer
Aug 30, 2013
down home wrote:
We have paid out several deductibles because of Gators. I've witnessed several wrecks from Exploding Gators and from big Gators just lying in the road. Hard to avoid a big black gator when the truck, in front of you just rolled over it, at night. I've seen three three wreck resulting in deaths from Gators.
This really needs attention by Legislators but the American Trucking Association etc won't let them hear it.
All those defective recap tires on very heavy trucks especially at high speed and in hot temperatures are bombs waiting to go off and they do.
It costs us money and higher insurance rates and injuries and lives.
I well remember when the company I worked for went from recaps to new tires. The blowout numbers dropped significantly. In fact it dropped so much that they found out that it was cheaper to run new tires and not recaps. But new tires can also blow out and do turn into gators. But no where near the numbers comparing to caps.
ALBQ
Explorer
Aug 30, 2013
aruba5er wrote:
I hope the OP had LT tires on his rig because ST tires are rated at 65 mph. He said he was going 75. With ST tires he may be the next to throw a tire

Again someone who doesn't read throws in a worthless opinion::::
Go back and reread---I was in my toad(which is a CRV):S
path1
Explorer
Aug 30, 2013
Thanks for the info. I had idea what happened. Just remembered getting loose on fwy and cops tracked them down. I also don't think U-Haul should of paid, every driver is responsible for his/her own load. IMO
doxiemom11
Explorer II
Aug 30, 2013
If semi drivers were responsible for damage when a tire blows, then so should anyone driving a motorhome, pulling a trailer, or driving a vehicle. What about when a cars wheel falls off and comes rolling at you on the x-way. That is why you carry insurance. Not every incident that happens can be known by inspection even before every trip. Many non-mechanical people drive, and even if it was something obvious, they wouldn't know it. If you have damage from something like this, it is covered under your insurance if you choose to carry appropriate coverages.

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Gator Attack- Never seen one before:::::

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