For those that have had a blowout when towing

[1L243]

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.

[cummins2014]

Lynnmor wrote:
Twenty some bombs mentioned so far in this brief thread, and to think there are those that constantly defend this junk!

Especially the G614's ,been a problem tire since day one, and yes there sure do defend it .

[pasusan]

We had one and didn't even know it till we stopped. It did tear up some of the wheel well. That was 10 years ago. We got a TPMS after that. Oh - and also got Kumho bus tires to replace the Chinese tires. Still going.

[valhalla360]

Eric&Lisa wrote:

Why does age impact trailer tires more than it impacts vehicle tires? Is it possible to use vehicle tires in place of trailer tires for better longevity?

-Eric

It doesn't.

With car/truck tires, they average around 12-15k miles per year. By the time they get to 4-5yrs old, the tread is worn off and you replace them.

An RV will often go less than 2k miles per year and spend the vast majority of those miles rolling in a straight line (little hard turns, braking, jack rabbit starts, etc...)...the result is by the time they get to 6-8yrs old, they still have most of their tread left but the rubber has aged to the point that it's questionable.

Yes, you can use light truck tires if you can match the size.

[JIMNLIN]

down home wrote:
Had two blow outs on our 02 Alumascape when the fifth wheel was two years old or so. Didn't know about date codes then.
Goodyear Wrangler LT truck tires in 16 in rim size. One took off part of the plastic skirt over the wheel arch and metal brace.
The other4 loosened up the brace and left strips of rubber every where but little damage. Goodyear store replaced both. I had to pay some amount. Just lucky it didn't wreck us.

In the late '90s and early/mid '00 the Wrangler HT came OEM on some RV trailers and had issues like the Marathons and the G614. I'm no fan of a Goodyear tire because of the way they refused tire warranties on several of my road trailers. They sell me the tire with a warranty and refused to honor anymore because of the rate I was applying for warranty on the Marathons.
However to their credit they redid the Wrangler HT and since has made a good tire for trailer use.

Any LT tire can fail. But non have failed at the rate ST E/D/C tires have.

In my business flat tires on our trailers is no big control issues other than possible damage to the trailer. Many folks while on the road at nite don't even know they have a run flat or a blow out on the trailer.

[ajriding]

I had a small trailer I drug 11 miles. The axle broke, and I could not see the trailer. Someone pointed.

The other I drove many miles at night. It had two axles so stayed driveable with one flat. Never felt or heard anything, but smelled burning rubber so stopped to check.
The rubber and steel strands did quite a bit of damage as they slung around like a whip.
this was on the drive home from buying it from a neglectful owner, i knew the tires were not good, but was hoping just to make it home.

[Grit_dog]

down home wrote:
Had two blow outs on our 02 Alumascape when the fifth wheel was two years old or so. Didn't know about date codes then.
Goodyear Wrangler LT truck tires in 16 in rim size. One took off part of the plastic skirt over the wheel arch and metal brace.
The other4 loosened up the brace and left strips of rubber every where but little damage. Goodyear store replaced both. I had to pay some amount. Just lucky it didn't wreck us.

OMG, not possible......didn't you know that LT tires are the solution to the worlds problems and don't blow out and last 3x as long as trailer tires? These falshoods you speak of.....psssssh.

[covered_wagon]

In addition to checking pressures and sidewalls you should also check bearing hubs for excessive heat. I usually check with my hand, but best to have a temperature gun I guess its called. Also check tow rig.

With all these blow out stories I don't think I would want a single axle trailer.

[stevemorris]

we've had two blowouts in 12 years and 60000 miles of towing
absolutely no indication anthing was wrong except frantic waving from other drivers.
they were one day apart, same side, different axle. im pretty sure the failure of one led to overloading the other leading to its failure the next day.

[JIMNLIN]

With 5 trailers on the road and 28 tires on the ground I've had actual blowouts...split wheel beads leading to run flats.... lots of tire run flats and even complete tread loss but the carcass still held air.

From lightweight trailers to heavy trailers when the tire goes flat I can feel a tugging motion in the rig.

I've seen beautiful spark shows on nite runs when the tire shreds till the steel wheel meet the pavement.

When you put 60k-80k miles a year on trailers your gonna' have tire or wheel issues sooner or later.

[down_home]

Had two blow outs on our 02 Alumascape when the fifth wheel was two years old or so. Didn't know about date codes then.
Goodyear Wrangler LT truck tires in 16 in rim size. One took off part of the plastic skirt over the wheel arch and metal brace.
The other4 loosened up the brace and left strips of rubber every where but little damage. Goodyear store replaced both. I had to pay some amount. Just lucky it didn't wreck us.

[fj12ryder]

Eric&Lisa wrote:

Terryallan wrote:
...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.

...Is it possible to use vehicle tires in place of trailer tires for better longevity?

-Eric

Yes, and many people do. And some people persist in using ST tires even when they consistently perform less satisfactorily than LT tires.

[Eric_Lisa]

Terryallan wrote:
...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.

Why does age impact trailer tires more than it impacts vehicle tires? Is it possible to use vehicle tires in place of trailer tires for better longevity?

-Eric

[fj12ryder]

Boon Docker wrote:

azdryheat wrote:
One former 5th wheel and one current 5th wheel toy hauler over the past seven years and not a single tire issue. I don't run those cheap Chinese bombs the rest of you use. Michelin XPS RIB commercial truck tires are what is on my two trailers.

And I bet you own a Honda generator also to go along with your over priced tires. :B :B

Tires aren't necessarily overpriced if they don't fail. But an expensive tire isn't guaranteed against failure either, re: Goodyear G614.

[shum02]

I've had two blow outs and never heard a thing from either, passing motorists alerted me to them. I check pressure before heading out and check tires at every stop. More than likely age is what killed them. Trailer handled fine, no indication of running on one!

Now carry two spares.