Blowout!

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Apr 3, 2015 | 04:49 PM

1saxman

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Fleet Mechanic

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Blowout!

On my way to lunch/8-Ball with some old buds from the office. Taking an exit off the expressway. One of those exits you really don't have to slow down for. Just about when I got into the decel lane I heard some kind of whining noise and I felt the truck getting loose. I knew I had a tire down so I headed for the shoulder. It was now making the flopping noise of a totally empty tire. I got stopped okay and it was the left rear. I got some professional help with it and still made lunch, but the point here is how it blew out. I've never seen one split the sidewall like this. Everybody who's seen it so far says the same thing - I hit something on the road that cut the sidewall. But if I did, I didn't see it, hear it or feel it. There also was no 'pop'. But whatever, it is what it is, so I guess I'll buy two new tires and put the spare back where it belongs. These are the original tires with about 17,600 miles. I don't believe they are too old/dry-rotted but I'll take the recommendation of the tire store on replacing all of them - that is, if I believe them.

Apr 4, 2015 | 08:19 AM

60DRB

Laughing Gas

Joined: Dec 2009

Posts: 799

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From: East L.A.

Ouch.
It's amazing the damage "unseen objects" can cause to a tire. I've had several sidewall and tread face holes/cuts happen over the years, when I never saw any objects to avoid driving over. And almost never does this occur to a tire that's due for replacement!

Apr 5, 2015 | 09:20 AM

1saxman

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Fleet Mechanic

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Well, I came up with a tire plan. I'll take the new tire off the spare wheel and put it on the wheel with the flat. Then I'll take the used tire off the other rear wheel and put it on the spare wheel. Then I'll buy a new tire of the same type for that wheel, which will give me two new tires on the rear and a very good spare. At some future time, maybe a year, I'll get two more new ones. Fortunately the Hankook Dynapro AS is still widely available.

Apr 5, 2015 | 04:42 PM

cb_13

Fleet Mechanic

Joined: Jul 2010

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From: St James, Missouri

What's the date of manufacture on your tires? Should be four numbers the first two are the week the second two are the year. Seven years is what I had always been told was the lifespan. Of course conditions vary and different sources will recommend different amounts of time. 6-10 years seems to be pretty standard though.

Apr 7, 2015 | 01:22 PM

1saxman

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CB; you're right, of course. The tires are 8 years old starting on the day I drove it off the lot. My plan above was okay, but buying four new tires is not a problem, so that's what I'm doing. If I kept the two old ones on the truck, every time I drove it I would be thinking 'Is this the day one of them blows?'. I just got home from arranging to have the new tires installed on Friday. I'm getting more Hankooks, the next one above the ones I had, the Dynapro HTRH12, same size, 235/70-17. They've been great tires for eight years; quiet, smooth and soft-riding.
Now I'm going to embark on probably about a week of detailing, cleaning, waxing, etc. on the truck, which has been largely ignored. I'll put pics up comparing it to when it was new - should come out pretty good on that comparison.

Apr 8, 2015 | 12:56 PM

cb_13

Fleet Mechanic

Joined: Jul 2010

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From: St James, Missouri

With 8 year old tires I would do the exact same thing. Especially after having one that may or may not have blown out due to failure.

Apr 8, 2015 | 07:43 PM

1saxman

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I think its almost certain that it was a failure. There are no signs that I hit anything. Look at the rim - not a scratch at that point. Plus, even if I did hit some kind of object that could cut a sidewall like that, the cut would look a lot different because of my 72 MPH speed at the time - it would be slanted, not straight across the tire. Once I get my new tires I'll file this episode way back in the 'least favorite memories' area.