Slo-mo Tire Explosions

YouTube - ‪Tire Explosion Video.mov‬‏

 

That must be an explanation to a widow maker.

 

Well that would wake you up in the morning.

 

All of the wheels in that video were not widowmakers but the later split ring type. Whichever, when they come apart at higher pressure, they will kill you if not caged.

 

I know everyone doesn't use split rims, but maybe you know someone that does - If you like them, share, If you don't like them --Well Uh - Never Mind

 

I'm a heavy duty truck and equipment mechanic and am glad that most of what I work on now runs tubeless tires. I have mounted many tube type tires in my 30 years of professional life and have only had 2 explode. I have never aired one without a cage because a good friend was killed by a truck tire while working a part time job his senior year of high school. What was so bad about that accident, he had the tire standing against the outside of the cage. If you ever have one blow, you'll never forget it

 

I was wondering the other day, why don't split rings have a clip or bolt to lock the two ends together, once it's seated? Seems like it would prevent these failures.

 

Crazy to see that in slow mo!

Ive changed hundreds of split rims, pretty much every type, and Ive never had one blow. I was taught by an old fella that grew up changing them, and there is actually very little to worry about if you know what your doing when you change them, and if you know what to look for, for problems.

That being said I would never air one up that wasnt in the cage!

 

Heck, shucks, I just wrap a big ol' log chain around the tire and fill 'er up, never had a problem.

That's what I've been told, and read, a thousand times. It may work 100% for some one until that one time, the possible the last time. It drives me nuts when I hear this kind of bravado, especially about WMs. Just like, "Seat belts, I have a better chance of surviving an accident without them."

Ross, maybe for two reasons. First, extra parts that take longer to assemble and to get lost leading to Frankenstien assembly of incorrect parts. Second, maybe, just more shrapnel to fly around if there is a failure. I don't know, just guessing.

 

If the ring and the wheel are clean and rust free, the ring will seat tightly in the wheel and the tire actually holds it there. Failures are usually caused by bent rims or damaged rings. I have seen many folks break them down and toss rings in one pile and wheels in another, picking up any pair and reusing them. If I break one down, the original ring always stays with the wheel. I worked on log trucks and pulpwood trucks running split ring wheels for several years and quickly learned what to look for in a useable wheel, any damage or a sprung ring sent them to the scrap pile.

 

It's not only split rims... Discount Tire for the past few years, every tire that is replaced is now aired up in one of the cages... the owner of Discount wants all his people to be safe and even though it doesn't happen often, but one piece rims have broke apart. And just a tire that explodes can kill. I have a friend that has been a tire man for years that doesn't use a cage (cars and light trucks) and he has had tires blow.

 

Those are great videos. Thanks, Dick. It impresses me too that none of the wheels in the video, or the longer version, are widow makers. With this much risk from standard one piece or lock ring wheels, it's amazing that some guys still see no harm in running widow makers.

I think I agree with Bob that a more involved assembly would just lead to more short cuts and less assurance that the right parts were being used in a given assembly. Except in the case of the military where combat rims have the bolt on or "bead lock" design.

Jeff is absolutely right about the need to keep ring and rim matched. Every reference I have warns to never mix-match ring/rim combos, and even goes to the extent of warning against using rings of the correct design but incorrect rim design width. For instance, a 20" x 5" "RHP" ring cannot be used on a 20" x 6" "RHP" rim. Stu

 

Stu,

The military is very regimented in their way of doing things and there are severe consequences for not following set procedures. This isn't true in most aspects of civilian life. It seems everything has to be done yesterday for the lowest amount of money. I can only imagine the short cuts that would be taken if certain vital parts went missing. You and other have often mention the danger of mixing and matching the few parts there are in the multi-part rims. I would think that if the standard wheel had bolts they would have to be bolts specified for this specific use. I would also think there would be more than a few people out there that would just use whatever hardware they had in their coffee can of bolts if a couple of bolts went missing. People are so caviler when it comes to working on tires that they wouldn't think twice about using inferior parts.

 

Agree on all points. Stu

 

I watched a couple vidoes there, I worked for UHAUL as a Mobile Repair Mechanic. i had a tire blow up in my face once. no starting fluid either. brand new tire on a brand new rim no cage on the shoulderof the road! in the middle of the night. the tire is aired up to 110 psi. the sidewall developed a huge bulge and blew all in the matter of a blink of my eyes. I had to get the toilet paper out from behind the seat! (kidding) but it was scary! I would be too chickensh** to use starting fluid to seat a bead....thats a freakin wildcard there !