# Blew A Tire



## Mac (Mar 26, 2004)

Just got back from a 3 week trip. On the last day about 4 hours from home, I was doing 65mph through the mountains of PA and blew a tire. It didn't just go flat, it blew up into a million pieces.

Has this ever happened to any of you. I had checked the pressure and insured that it was as it should be. I was doing the speed limit. Don't think I hit anything.

I was very happy at how the Outback performed when it blew. I felt a little jerk when it blew, but there were no violent swaying or anything. It was fairly easy to pull off to a stop and change the tire.

Have any of you replaced the standard tires with better ones? I know the standard tires that come with the units are not radials. Did this have something to do with the blow out? Are radials more resistant to blow outs than non-radials?

Are camper tires different that car tires? Do I have to replace the tires with camper tires or can I just go to Sams and get car tires of the same size?

Thanks for your help.


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## hatcityhosehauler (Feb 13, 2004)

I can't answer your question directly, but I can tell you, that the guy I was camping next too in July told he had a similar experience. Except, a few hours after he changed the tire with the spare, the spare blew out also. He had a Trail-lite Hybrid if I remember correctly, and radials.

Don't know if one is better then the other. I will be watching this to see what comes from others.

Tim


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## RVCarolina (Jul 31, 2004)

Mac,
We had the left rear tire to blow on our TT last summer. We were traveling about
60+ mph, I thought I heard something, and asked Barbara "Did you hear that?"
She replied "I think so..... do you think we should stop?"







I moved
the steering back and forth a little, the TT follower very nicely, so I replied "nah,
everything seems OK"







We decided that maybe a bird had hit the camper or
something like that.
Well, a little while later, I look in the mirrors, and WOW! we were trailing a BIG CLOUD of blue Smoke!







You would not believe how much a tire can smoke
without actually bursting into flames!.
Anyway, I pulled over, I think Barbara jumped out while we were still rolling, got
the TT door unlocked, grabbed the fire extinguisher, and was on the "event" side
before I was! The remains of the tire cooled fast, no fire, no other damage.
Then we discovered that we did not have a lug wrench that would fit the TT or
the nut holding the spare to the bumper bracket. (2 different sizes). Boy, was I
ticked! I had bought a big "bottle" jack, chocks, etc. BUT NO LUG WRENCH!


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## Mac (Mar 26, 2004)

Fred

Thanks for the reply.

I'm glad that you brought up the issue about the lug wrench. EVERYONE SHOULD HEAR THIS!!

Luckily, I had read somewhere (maybe this site), that the TT did NOT come with a jack or lug wrench. I figured that I could use the jack from the tow vehicle, but the lug nuts were probobly not the same size. Just befor the trip I went to the auto parts store and bought one of those "T" shaped lug wrenched with 4 different size sockets (I made sure the size for the TT was one of them). I think it was about $12.

It was a life saver. Sure enough, the TT jack worked fine, but If I didn't have the lug wrench, I would still be on the side of the road in PA.

EVERYONE SHOULD PURCHASE A LUG WRENCH FOR THE TT, AND KEEP IT WITH THEM WHEN YOU ARE PULLING. Don'y say "It won't happen to me"


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## RVCarolina (Jul 31, 2004)

Sorry for the double-post - I hit the enter key by mistake.
To continue:
No lug wrench, so I called the highway patrol from my cell phone - I got a real
moron at dispatch. After three calls to this moron, I still could not make him
understand that while I did not need a wrecker, I did need him to call a local
service sta. and have them send a service truck. On the third call (over an hour
later) this moron informed me "that they were very busy, and they did not send
D.O.T. trucks out for things like this" What a freaking idiot!
About this time, a city cop car popped over the hill, I flagged him down. He was
very pleasant and helpful - had a service truck out to us in 10 min.
There was so little left of the tire sidewalls that we dont really know what happened
to it. I always check tire press. cold before we leave, and it had been OK. (max)
It is possible that I hit one of the flowerbed bricks along our concrete drive on the
way out that day, and could have damaged the tire. We'll never know.
Our dealer was great - gave me a new tire/wheel off of a new Outback, and said
that they would take care swapping tire, warranty, etc.
After this incident, I did a lot of research on internet to see if I wanted to replace
all of my bias ply tires with radials, and decided it was not worth it till they were
a few years old - Could find no pattern of Duro bias ply tire failures.
A lot of people stated that only TT tires, NOT car or light truck tires should be
used on a TT. There were also some that swore by light truck tires.


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## RVCarolina (Jul 31, 2004)

Mac,
While I'm being long-winded let me add one more thing.









Everyone please be aware that the TT lug nuts and the lug nut holding the spare
tire to the bumper bracket are DIFFERENT SIZES! you will need to check your
wrench to make sure it will fit both!








Regards, Fred


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## snsgraham (May 18, 2004)

Good info here.
I am checking all of the lug nuts for torque this Saturday before we head out for our week. I also have one of those + looking lug wrenches that I carry in the TV, but it never occured to me that the spare might be a different size.









Scott


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## luv2rv (Jun 21, 2004)

I transferred the Lug wrench (4 in one )that I had bought for our old trailer to the new one. However, I have not checked to see whether I have the right size. Good suggestions


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## California Jim (Dec 11, 2003)

RVCarolina said:


> Everyone please be aware that the TT lug nuts and the lug nut holding the spare
> tire to the bumper bracket are DIFFERENT SIZES! you will need to check your
> wrench to make sure it will fit both!
> 
> ...


Thanks Fred! I never knew that and will check mine right away. And to think I pulled the rig about 1000 miles to Yosemite without it


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## kbrazielTx (Apr 29, 2004)

We upgraded from a pop-up in April 04. In the summer of 03 we pulled our pop-up to Disneyland and back. We blew two tires, one on the way another on the way back. We were traveling with the temps around 100 and were probably going about 70mph each time. When we stopped at Discount Tires they recommended Bias Ply tires since they do better with heat. With Radials when they get hot the belts punish the outside of the tire. We traveled all the way from California to Texas and then another 9 months before we traded the Pop-Up with the Bias Ply tires.

The radials have only one advantage. A Smoother Ride. Unless you are riding down the road in your trailer, illeagal in most states, then you will probably never notice the differance.

I am pleased to hear the Outback did so well because when a Bia Ply explodes it usually does some damage to the Trailer. As far as I am concerned as long as the Outback is trailering well and the Bias Ply is not causng any early wear and tear then stay with them.

Have a great time Outbacking.


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## Castle Rock Outbackers (Jan 18, 2004)

There are several performance and safety differences between bias ply and radial tires. We will go the first year on the bias ply tires, then put radials on next year.

Bias-ply vs. Radial:

http://earthmover.webmichelin.com/na_eng/News/85.html

Randy


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## Reverie (Aug 9, 2004)

Reading about everyone's adventures with blown tires makes me wonder about these things. Can anyone tell me:

1. What size are the lug nuts that secure the wheels to the trailer?

2. What size are the lug nuts that secure the spare wheel to the bumper bracket?

3. What capacity should the jack be able to lift?

I plan on buying a four-way lug wrench and a stout bottle jack for our next trip.

Any help will be appreciated.

Nick


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## slivengo (Apr 13, 2004)

Mac, here goes. My other trailer was a 2000 rockwood roo 21. Great trailer and towed like a dream. It came with 13" radial tires. 2 yrs. no problem. My first blown tire, doing about 70 had been driving for about 150 miles and it was HOT. The tire came apart and tore off the sewer lines and put a big hole in the bottom of the trailer. I replaced the tire with the same type so everything matched. The next tire blew the following season no damage. I called the tire manuf. and they sent me a new tire but it was a new tire "model" the model that came on the tt had been discontinued. No more problems for about a yr. This past April (spring break) we planned a trip to disney in Fl. We are in up state SC. About a 10 hr drive. So I purchased a extra bias ply tire for spare. I now have 2 spare tires. I am still running 4 original tires. We leave for disney and drive at night for about 5 hrs. we come into Orlando the next day about 4 hr drive. No problem. Great trip the kids had a great time and so did we. Stayed at camp wilderness. 
Coming back. We leave on a Sat. morning and were planning on driving all the way. We blew the first old tire about 4 hrs into the trip. Luckily we had stopped to eat and I noticed the tire being out of round. I looked at it closely and found the steel belts exposed. I changed it. We go about 60 miles and we feel a vibration ,pull over and find a second tire (same as first) I change it. Now I had no spare, and we were still 4 to 5 hrs from home. We find a Walmart and buy two new car tires, and off we go. About 60 miles up the road we stopped to get gas. We stopped at a stop light and BOOM I hear a tire blow. We got gas and I changed the tire. So we have 3 blown tires tied onto the top of the tahoe and one spare tire. The only tire that did not blow was the new one they had replaced which was another "model". It was a longgggggggg trip.
God was really with us that day. I got home and called the tire mfg. they sent me all new tires and payed for the 2 car tires I bought from Walmart. 
I always kept the correct air pressure and had just replaced all wheel bearings before trip.

1. Always check your tires at every stop.
2. maintain correct pressure.
3. If you do have a problem contact the tire. mfg. they will be glad to work with you. They will even pay for repairs to tt if needed. 
4. make sure you have a t handle lug wrench.

I read alot of articles about tires (bias/radial) both have their own problems, but everything I've read saids a tt will only get about 5 to 7 yrs on a set a tires. I'm lucky if I put 5000 miles on a set a yr. My friend next door has been towing a tt for 20+ yrs. and has had only one blow out and has always used bias tires. He just changed his tires (7yrs old) and went to radial and he saids he really can tell the differance in the tow. The radials tow much smoother. you do want to run trailer tires, the rubber compound is designed to make those jackknife turns "scuffing of the tires" and the sidewalls are not as stiff as a auto tire.
sorry for the long post.

steve, rena and kids. 
04 26rs

1. Always check


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## luv2rv (Jun 21, 2004)

Wow!







You are the poster family for checking your tires. Glad it didn't result in a major problem.

Thanks!


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## Mac (Mar 26, 2004)

Steve

Thanks for the info. I did contact my dealer, and they refused to do anything even theough the TT is only 4 months old. I contacted the tire manufacturer, and they were great. The new tire is in the mail now on the way to my house.

I guess I'll just stick with with what I have for now since I've heard good arguments both ways.


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