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Old 10-24-2018, 06:27 AM   #1
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Blowout on Tow Vehicle

I got complacent and it bit me. Not as bad as it could have but enough to teach me some valuable lessons!

We were northbound on I-5 approaching Olympia, WA and I noticed my F-350 started to feel a little "squishy" in the rear. I had checked the tire pressure before launching 3.5 hours earlier and all was good, so I chalked it up to the brisk crosswind and big rig traffic blowby. And then it happened....

In a 5 second period, at 55mph, from the side view mirror, I saw rubber fly, then smoke, along with an immediate severe shimmy and grinding noise as the rear left Goodyear Wrangler gave up the ghost. I shuffled across 2 lanes of city traffic to the neutral area between the interstate and the exit ramp and managed to stop it with enough room to disconnect and change to the spare tire. It was quite a show as it all came apart! Thankfully the trailer and my truck didn't experience any damage.

I learned a few things from this incident:
1. When something doesn't feel right, it probably isn't. Stop and check it out.
2. Don't travel through busy urban areas at rush hour.
3. Bring along an emergency reflector or caution light kit for after-dark breakdowns.
4. My roadside assistance package is worth every penny!

Enjoy the photos!
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Old 10-24-2018, 10:25 AM   #2
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Originally Posted by The Cramblersons View Post
I got complacent and it bit me. Not as bad as it could have but enough to teach me some valuable lessons!

We were northbound on I-5 approaching Olympia, WA and I noticed my F-350 started to feel a little "squishy" in the rear. I had checked the tire pressure before launching 3.5 hours earlier and all was good, so I chalked it up to the brisk crosswind and big rig traffic blowby. And then it happened....

In a 5 second period, at 55mph, from the side view mirror, I saw rubber fly, then smoke, along with an immediate severe shimmy and grinding noise as the rear left Goodyear Wrangler gave up the ghost. I shuffled across 2 lanes of city traffic to the neutral area between the interstate and the exit ramp and managed to stop it with enough room to disconnect and change to the spare tire. It was quite a show as it all came apart! Thankfully the trailer and my truck didn't experience any damage.

I learned a few things from this incident:
1. When something doesn't feel right, it probably isn't. Stop and check it out.
2. Don't travel through busy urban areas at rush hour.
3. Bring along an emergency reflector or caution light kit for after-dark breakdowns.
4. My roadside assistance package is worth every penny!

Enjoy the photos!

WOW, not much left of that tire. Glad to hear it turned out OK!
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Old 10-24-2018, 05:39 PM   #3
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You guys are very lucky we also Pull with an F350 7.3 Great Truck.all our best from Florida
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Old 10-25-2018, 03:11 AM   #4
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Wow
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Old 10-25-2018, 03:49 AM   #5
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Wife was driving when she heard a rumbling sound. She pulled to the side of the interstate so I could investigate. Turns out the inner dually was flat. Had we a SRW no telling how this non-incident would have turned out. DRW saved us.
One benefit was I got a battery powered impact wrench which easily removes the lug nuts that are torqued to 140 ft pounds.
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Old 10-25-2018, 11:32 AM   #6
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Wife was driving when she heard a rumbling sound. She pulled to the side of the interstate so I could investigate. Turns out the inner dually was flat. Had we a SRW no telling how this non-incident would have turned out. DRW saved us.
One benefit was I got a battery powered impact wrench which easily removes the lug nuts that are torqued to 140 ft pounds.
That wrench is a good purchase
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Old 10-25-2018, 05:45 PM   #7
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I have Tire Monitors all around. I feel safer knowing that the alarm will sound when the air starts to get lower or the temperature gets to hi.


Just might give you time to react. Not foolproof, but cant hurt.



Glad to hear all is well.
Have Fun
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Old 10-25-2018, 09:23 PM   #8
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i would have them if they weren't so darned expensive.
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Old 10-25-2018, 10:14 PM   #9
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i would have them if they weren't so darned expensive.
Which one Frank, dual wheels or tire monitor?



Come to think of it, they are both damned expensive.
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Old 10-26-2018, 10:37 AM   #10
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Which one Frank, dual wheels or tire monitor?



Come to think of it, they are both damned expensive.
I was in walmart yesterday and they had a four sensor kit for $59.00 (marked down from $79.00 on clearance) Thought about buying it but the wheels are about 45' from the cigarette lighter and was not sure they would work. Would really need to get something to let me know that the pressures are OK back there when I'm towing. The good ones are really expensive and my cockpit is getting full with all the junk I have when I tow. Backup camera monitor, radar detector, GPS, dashcam, coffee cups, iphones (2), wife's soda cup... and the list goes on.
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Old 10-26-2018, 10:55 AM   #11
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I know exactly what you mean about the clutter. I wish I could get someone (with a reasonable price) to integrate all the crap into a Windows type format on the screen of my truck.
Rusty
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Old 10-26-2018, 06:24 PM   #12
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i would have them if they weren't so darned expensive.
I got mine at AMAZON. $69 . There were a lot to choose from. I specifically looked for some that would work with a trailer. Works fine on our 27.5 foot trailer.


https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1


The sensors stick way out on the valve stem, but the wheels balanced with no problem.



Good luck.
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Old 10-26-2018, 06:31 PM   #13
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I know exactly what you mean about the clutter. I wish I could get someone (with a reasonable price) to integrate all the crap into a Windows type format on the screen of my truck.
Rusty

Yeah! that would be nice. The War Department keeps complaining about the rats nest on the dash. She says" I thought all this was wireless".......haha.



So, I show her that picture of an RV laying on its side on the interstate. That makes her appreciate my wires..hehehe


Lets see, I have seen GPS and Radar Detector integrated with BlueTooth Cell phone hookup. There is a start.........
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Old 10-26-2018, 09:22 PM   #14
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Yeah! that would be nice. The War Department keeps complaining about the rats nest on the dash. She says" I thought all this was wireless".......haha.



So, I show her that picture of an RV laying on its side on the interstate. That makes her appreciate my wires..hehehe


Lets see, I have seen GPS and Radar Detector integrated with BlueTooth Cell phone hookup. There is a start.........
mine connects to my cell phone too. Screen too small.
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Old 10-31-2018, 11:08 PM   #15
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I had an inner rear tire on my dually go out running from hurricane Ivan in 2004. Never would have known had not a driver flagged me and told me pieces were flying. My wife did not want me to get a dually because it looked like a farm truck. The fortunate part it was a new tire from Sam's and the replacement was $6. My wife was a dually fan after that.
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Old 11-01-2018, 03:08 PM   #16
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I had a tire explode on my motorhome in 10 lanes of traffic in Friday rush hour traffic. It SUCKED.. My wife dang near had a medical emergency from the explosion.
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Old 11-01-2018, 03:19 PM   #17
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Check out Harbor Freight for battery powered impact tools.
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