Skip to main content
Topic: Dodged a bullet today (Read 1573 times) previous topic - next topic

Dodged a bullet today

Traveling home today from Kerrville on I-10 Mother Nature called so we pulled rest area, I decided to get out and stretch my legs and do a walk around just to check on things after about 80 miles,,, something I do but not often enough. The first thing I noticed when I stepped outta the coach was a bubble on the sidewall on the curb side steer tire. My tires are 1 1/2 years old and have less than 6000 miles on them. Remembering a friend had told me of a tire store in Sealy Texas about 125 miles away that carried the uniroyal R20 Tire's I had, I called him to get the name and number... and called them to let them know I was on the way. Well as my luck would have it they were out of the uniroyals till tomorrow or Saturday so I had to get a different tire, 2 of them, toyos.. in and out pretty quick. Had the balancing beads put in... the bubble was noticeably larger when I got to the tire store 125 mile up the road, Got a little money back for the second tire that was still good to help soften the blow when it was time to settle up.. so gotta give a 2 thumbs up to Brown tire center ....... guy at the tire place said it wouldn't have gone much farther.. the pic of the 2 cuts on the inside is me pushing on it from the outside.....

Lesson learned here is to make it a point to stop more often and stretch my legs doing a walk around
The selected media item is not currently available.Keith & Jo
2003 U320T 4025 PBBS Designer series
Build 6203    Cummins 500hp
2000 U320 4010 WTFE / Build 5762 —Sold—
Motorcade #18070   
Pasadena, Texas
2015 Jeep Wrangler Sahara-Sunset Orange pearl coat
Don't argue with a fool, people watching might not be able to tell the difference.

Re: Dodged a bullet today

Reply #1
Love my Toyo's, have them all around...........Good job on the save
Chris
Chris and Tammy White  CDA Idaho
Previous owners 1997 U295 36' 3126 Cat 300 HP Build # 4998
Former Foretravel tech & RVIA certified tech
Former owner Custom Satellite home/RV satellites 
Former owner Vans LTD  van conversions
Unemployed, panhandler, drag racer NHRA #6348

Re: Dodged a bullet today

Reply #2
Did he happen to say what he thought caused the rupture?........I like my Toyos also.
The selected media item is not currently available.
Lynn & Marilyn Sickel
Tollville, AR
1997  U320  40'
2021 Chevrolet Silverado pickup
Motorcader  17257

Re: Dodged a bullet today

Reply #3
He had no idea since there were no marks like I had curbed it.. it looked like new
The selected media item is not currently available.Keith & Jo
2003 U320T 4025 PBBS Designer series
Build 6203    Cummins 500hp
2000 U320 4010 WTFE / Build 5762 —Sold—
Motorcade #18070   
Pasadena, Texas
2015 Jeep Wrangler Sahara-Sunset Orange pearl coat
Don't argue with a fool, people watching might not be able to tell the difference.

Re: Dodged a bullet today

Reply #4
Thanks for the heads up!  I'll keep a close eye on our RS20 tires, which are only a little "younger" than yours.  So far they have performed flawlessly, and we have been pleased with our choice.
1993 U280 SE 40' WTBI, Build: 4359
C8.3 300hp, 6-Speed, Exhaust Brake
960 watts on the roof (6 x 160)
Sorento (or BOLT) on a Kar Kaddy SS
"It goes without saying..."

Re: Dodged a bullet today

Reply #5
Mine had been great until today, glad they made the 125 miles to the tire store.. I was nervous an a cat on a hot tin roof...
The selected media item is not currently available.Keith & Jo
2003 U320T 4025 PBBS Designer series
Build 6203    Cummins 500hp
2000 U320 4010 WTFE / Build 5762 —Sold—
Motorcade #18070   
Pasadena, Texas
2015 Jeep Wrangler Sahara-Sunset Orange pearl coat
Don't argue with a fool, people watching might not be able to tell the difference.


Re: Dodged a bullet today

Reply #7
Any idea why it failed?
"Riding and rejoicing"
Bob & Susan
1997 U320 40' Mid entry, build 5132,  wtbi ce27, 4th owner
2007 Solara convertible
2 prodeco tech outlaw ss electric bikes

1095 watts solar
08 Ls 460 and a sc430
2000 Ford F-250 superduty 4x4

Re: Dodged a bullet today

Reply #8
Good reason to always buy a Drumstick and slowly wander around your stuff. Good catch.
Paul & Kathleen
1995 U320c SE 40'
Build 4681 --Cummins M11 /17511
"That Irish Girl"
Red MINI " 40"

Re: Dodged a bullet today

Reply #9
Not to stir up a nest of something,  but I have to ask.
What made you decide to continue driving on that?
Were it me,  I would have called for roadside assistance.
Well its allright, even if your old and grey.
Well its allright, you still got something to say

'93 U225
Build 4337
'14 CRV Toad

Re: Dodged a bullet today

Reply #10
Rare failure.  My understanding is that all these kind of tires are individually tested at double pressure under overload loads at way over the rated speed.
"Riding and rejoicing"
Bob & Susan
1997 U320 40' Mid entry, build 5132,  wtbi ce27, 4th owner
2007 Solara convertible
2 prodeco tech outlaw ss electric bikes

1095 watts solar
08 Ls 460 and a sc430
2000 Ford F-250 superduty 4x4

Re: Dodged a bullet today

Reply #11
Not to stir up a nest of something,  but I have to ask.
What made you decide to continue driving on that?
Were it me,  I would have called for roadside assistance.

My thoughts also, I've had blowout on SOB on rear and it took 2 weeks to put back together,  with front there is a good chance of
wrecking the coach!  I'm just not that brave!
my 2c worth
Chris
1999 U 320 DGFE
Build Number 5523
Chris & Elka Lang
In the field, Lonoke AR

Re: Dodged a bullet today

Reply #12
Just to make myself feel better, I'd sure send this pic to Uniroyal with the age & mileage. I'd say it was a factory defect. Yes, you're prolly out of warranty, but if that's a bad batch, other owners should be warned.
1993 U-240 "La Villa Grande"..CAT 3116 w/ Pacbrake PRXB...Allison 3060 6-speed..
Previous: 1983 Airstream 310 turbo diesel, 1979 Airstream 280 turbo diesel
                                      Build # 4297
                                      PNW natives
                      Home base:  'Cactus Hug' (Ajo, Arizona)
                        DW Judy & Chet the wonder dog
                        Full-Timers 'Sailing the asphalt sea'

Re: Dodged a bullet today

Reply #13
Stupidity and when I started out thought I would be able to buy one to replace the uniroyal I had which a lot of people don't carry and  the place I was going carried them. Unfortunately they were out until Friday or Saturday so I ended up having to buy 2 anyway. The knot wasn't that big when I first saw it And I didn't think it was as bad as it ended up being. Got lucky and probably wouldn't do it again, it definitely was not a comfortable 125 mile ride for sure.

I called Herman Power tire in Nac this am about it, I'm gonna take it back to them next week for the Michelin rep to look at and hopefully get an adjustment for it. It has less than 5000 miles on it
The selected media item is not currently available.Keith & Jo
2003 U320T 4025 PBBS Designer series
Build 6203    Cummins 500hp
2000 U320 4010 WTFE / Build 5762 —Sold—
Motorcade #18070   
Pasadena, Texas
2015 Jeep Wrangler Sahara-Sunset Orange pearl coat
Don't argue with a fool, people watching might not be able to tell the difference.

Re: Dodged a bullet today

Reply #14
Carrying a spare tire solves most all the problems. If you don't want to change it, road service will. I don't move the coach without the spare in the compartment. Also, a good reason for 295/75s. Everyone carries this size. Nothing wrong with mixing rear tires either. Three out of our four are different brands.

Pierce
Pierce and Gaylie Stewart
'93 U300/36 WTBI
Detroit 6V-92TA Jake
1140 watts on the roof
SBFD (ret)

Re: Dodged a bullet today

Reply #15
Carrying a spare tire solves most all the problems. If you don't want to change it, road service will. I don't move the coach without the spare in the compartment.
Where do you store your spare? When we got ours, there was a spare on the roof with a canvas cover.. I took it off when I resealed the roof and the spare was rotten and beyond use!
1993 U-240 "La Villa Grande"..CAT 3116 w/ Pacbrake PRXB...Allison 3060 6-speed..
Previous: 1983 Airstream 310 turbo diesel, 1979 Airstream 280 turbo diesel
                                      Build # 4297
                                      PNW natives
                      Home base:  'Cactus Hug' (Ajo, Arizona)
                        DW Judy & Chet the wonder dog
                        Full-Timers 'Sailing the asphalt sea'

Re: Dodged a bullet today

Reply #16
In our 36 foot U300, our mounted spare is just inside the driver's side compartment. It's the only storage compartment on our coach. Lots of storage down inside the tire so not all lost. As you slide the wheel out, it drops down on one side making it easy to rotate to the upright position to move into position. Our air jack is stored inside a kitty litter container. An air reel brings coach air to any one of the corners. Even if you don't change it yourself, it makes it easy for road service to change. 

To those who depend on their cell phone to bail them out, even with Verizon, most of the places we go don't have reception.

Pierce
Pierce and Gaylie Stewart
'93 U300/36 WTBI
Detroit 6V-92TA Jake
1140 watts on the roof
SBFD (ret)

Re: Dodged a bullet today

Reply #17
It only takes one pothole....

Keith
Keith, Joyce & Smokey the Australian Cattle Dog
1995 U320 SE Extreme 40' WTBI Build # 4780, with a Honda CR-V hopefully still following behind.
Motorcade # 17030
FMCA # F422159

Re: Dodged a bullet today

Reply #18
Just to make myself feel better, I'd sure send this pic to Uniroyal with the age & mileage. I'd say it was a factory defect. Yes, you're probably out of warranty, but if that's a bad batch, other owners should be warned.

Mike, I would even add further to say that Uniroyal may offer to pay in full for the replacement or most of it.  I know when we blew a Goodyear H rated on our fiver, they came through big time!  Can't say enough about their service at the time!  We were issued a check well over 3 quarters of what the new tire cost us and this tire had a date code of 0912 and this happened last November.
Joe & Dottie Allen
Sold!  December 2023.      2000 U320; build # 5645
Our coach " Maxine"
Motorcade #  15922;  Escapee 150950; FMCA F330833; Boondockers Welcome;  Harvest Hosts;  Thousand Trails
'98 U320 from 2000-'06
USAF '62-'66

"Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not; remember that what you now have was once among the things you only hoped for." ―Epicurus

Re: Dodged a bullet today

Reply #19
Our air jack is stored inside a kitty litter container. An air reel brings coach air to any one of the corners. Even if you don't change it yourself, it makes it easy for road service to change. 
Air jack sounds like a great idea; what brand do you have?
1993 U-240 "La Villa Grande"..CAT 3116 w/ Pacbrake PRXB...Allison 3060 6-speed..
Previous: 1983 Airstream 310 turbo diesel, 1979 Airstream 280 turbo diesel
                                      Build # 4297
                                      PNW natives
                      Home base:  'Cactus Hug' (Ajo, Arizona)
                        DW Judy & Chet the wonder dog
                        Full-Timers 'Sailing the asphalt sea'

Re: Dodged a bullet today

Reply #20
Mike,

The air jack comes from Harbor Freight and costs about $90 to $120 but is frequently on sale for much less. It works with air or you can use it manually. I purchased a couple. It really needs a plate from the jack to the frame of the coach in the two possible places you might want to place the jack. It puffs (for lack of a better word) a couple times a second and will raise it in twenty or thirty seconds. Nice hand control. The adapter I made is really necessary to not only safely lift the coach without the jack coming off but also to spread the load a little on the frame. I purchased a reel for air but the HF hose is terrible so I replaced it after this photo was taken. A vise grip holds the rear jack plate in place only to locate it before using the jack. If I have a tough lug nut, I use the air tank along with a very short large diameter air hose for max pressure at my big gun (can't see it in photo). I made the adjustable safety tools so I would not lose an arm or worse.

Here is the air jack link. I bought the 20 ton but the 12 ton should do the trick: Search results for: 'air jacks'

Pierce
Pierce and Gaylie Stewart
'93 U300/36 WTBI
Detroit 6V-92TA Jake
1140 watts on the roof
SBFD (ret)

Re: Dodged a bullet today

Reply #21
If you had a puncture you did not see air can then get in between the belt layers and separate them causing the bubble. Then blowout. Pretrip and posttrip inspection
91 GV U300 Unihome 40' Build 3811
6V92TA Detroit

Re: Dodged a bullet today

Reply #22
A sweet set set-up! Thanks, Pierce.  ^.^d
1993 U-240 "La Villa Grande"..CAT 3116 w/ Pacbrake PRXB...Allison 3060 6-speed..
Previous: 1983 Airstream 310 turbo diesel, 1979 Airstream 280 turbo diesel
                                      Build # 4297
                                      PNW natives
                      Home base:  'Cactus Hug' (Ajo, Arizona)
                        DW Judy & Chet the wonder dog
                        Full-Timers 'Sailing the asphalt sea'

Re: Dodged a bullet today

Reply #23
—FOLLOW UP—

Took the tire to Herman Power Tire in nac, By chance the Michelin rep was there, talked to him personally.. He as I expected had an excuse for this and an answer for that but finally admitted a defect was possible and would give me an adjustment. He didn't say how much, but he would credit the tire shop and they would send me a check.. waiting on that now! So my hats off to Herman Power tire and the Michelin rep....

Keith
The selected media item is not currently available.Keith & Jo
2003 U320T 4025 PBBS Designer series
Build 6203    Cummins 500hp
2000 U320 4010 WTFE / Build 5762 —Sold—
Motorcade #18070   
Pasadena, Texas
2015 Jeep Wrangler Sahara-Sunset Orange pearl coat
Don't argue with a fool, people watching might not be able to tell the difference.

Re: Dodged a bullet today

Reply #24
I suspect the tire was damaged from high speed impact. Road hazard claim.