Blown steer tire!

[Busted Knuckle]

Dad was driving one of the '05 Setra's and was about 10 miles from his drop off point, when the heard a huge BOOM!
Pulled over and checked out the bus and all tires were OK, got back in it and headed on to the drop off point.
About 3-4 miles away the bus started shaking, pulling and going down on the right front, while there was a flap, flap, flap noise. He stopped again and got out again and sure enough the right front tire was down and the bead broken off the rim.
Mom called me while dad looked things over. I immediately told my sister to call the McCracken County Sheriff's Office and notify them we had a charter bus loaded with people, on the side of road on  WB I-24 @ the 9 mm and a blown steer tire.
I also went to work calling the tire services I know in that area. The first one told me "sure we'll take care of it, but it'll be about an hr or so". I told him that wasn't good enough, I had a load of PEOPLE on the side of the road and the bus had a spare on a rim and just needed it changed out. His response was "well we don't fool with trying to get those spares out from under the buses, but if your driver has it out in an hr or so we'll be glad to change it!" I told him "sorry wrong answer, I can get my guy from here in Union City up there quicker than that!"
I hung up and call another one I knew of, this time the guy told me "ya I can do it, but it's gonna be about 45 mins. I just loaded 2 tires for a guy @ the truck stop @ exit 3." Again I told him "look I'm sorry I'll have to call someone else, I need to get those people off the side of the road, maybe the sheriff's department will have an idea who I can call" He asked "all you need is the spare swapped out?" I told him, yes that is all.
Well he said I'll go straight out there and take care of it first. \
I got  a call from mom just a couple minutes later and said "wow, the tire guy just got here!
Less than an hr later it  was done!

Just a word of advise, even though a tire looks ok doesn't mean it is!
 BK                                                    

[Nick Badame Refrig/ACC]

Hi BK,

Now that put FIRE under his A**.... LOL

Glad all is OK .
Nick-

[cody]

Remember me asking about the block patterns on traction tires and the advantages and disadvantages when we were cruising with you? before that I was walking around your buses looking at the tires, they all looked to be in great shape especially the steering tires, I wouldn't have expected one of them to blow, they looked perfect.  That goes to show what can happen, now I know I've got to find a decent spare for mine to carry, I do have the road coverage so changing it wouldn't be an issue, I just feel that even tho I've spent so much time on the road without a problem maybe I'm on borrowed time.

[Busted Knuckle]

Remember me asking about the block patterns on traction tires and the advantages and disadvantages when we were cruising with you? before that I was walking around your buses looking at the tires, they all looked to be in great shape especially the steering tires, I wouldn't have expected one of them to blow, they looked perfect.  That goes to show what can happen, now I know I've got to find a decent spare for mine to carry, I do have the road coverage so changing it wouldn't be an issue, I just feel that even tho I've spent so much time on the road without a problem maybe I'm on borrowed time.

Cody,
As you and others who've seen our buses know I am quite determined if not ignorant when it comes to tires on our coaches! (especially steer tires!)
If I even suspect a tire might have a problem it comes of the bus and gets a ride down to "Tires R Us" for a professional inspection and opinion. (keep in mind I don't buy my tires from Terry & Ken, but they do mount them and all my service work!)
If Ken or Terry either one even think the tire is damaged it comes off the wheel for a better look and then back to my dealer in Murray, KY. Where I argue with them until they replace it! (usually the argument ends when I tell them "I want documentation that on this day I brought in this tire with serial #, description, & etc. in for replacement. And they refused claiming there was no need as the tire was safe to use transporting people, AND THAT THEY TOOK FULL LEGAL AND FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY IN THE EVENT OF A BLOW OUT OR ACCIDENT RESULTING FROM ONE!")

Only once have they not replaced a tire when I put it that way!
And when I put it under the bus as a spare and took it to a MAJOR Tire dealer while on a trip and told them what I wanted they replaced it right then & there no questions asked! (they even took the name of the local tire dealer I use and told me they'd be reporting this as it made them all look bad!) My local dealer did get a call or letter as they called me and asked what the problem was? "As we thought that issue was resolved when you left here with it!"
I told them "No it wasn't resolved to my satisfaction and as long as I'm responsible for the lives of people riding our buses I'll never be satisfied with questionable tires! PERIOD!"

I will run tires down to where they need re-grooved and run them on the steers and tags, but if I have any doubts about any tire it comes off and gets placed in the row of tires along the back wall of the shop! Ask Frank or anyone else who has seen the tires I "put out" some still look great, but if there was any question about it, and I didn't buy it new, it's on the back wall and goes off as a used tire, spare, or trade off!

Fuel, Insurance, (new bus) payments, & tires are our biggest expenses! I'm sure I could cut corners and run the tires longer or "take chances on questionable tires by running them until they actually do what I was afraid of in the first place", but what price is safety?
JMHOFWIW    BK  

[cody]

I've seen that row of tires and often think of why they are there, the cost of a new tire is minor when you look at all the smiling faces on the bus as it pulls out on a run, it's nice to bring those smiling faces home in almost the same shape as when they left.

[bevans6]

Bryce, I don't understand your point about trying to make a tire dealer take responsiblity for a tire that you think is questionable.  I don't understand why your dealer has a say in when you replace a tire.  Do you lease the tires?    Are they responsible for replacing them  at no cost to you if you damage them on the road?

I guess I feel that the operator is responsible for what happens more than a few miles down the road from an inspection.  I think what you're saying is that as the operator, you've taken that responsibility and called a tire into question, then the dealer tries to talk you out of not running that tire.  That I just don't understand unless it's their tire and they are taking the financial hit.  My tire dealer would roll out a new one and hand me the bill, he sure wouldn't try to talk me out of it!

EDIT:  just wanted to understand!  I confess I had a bit of a brain fart and totally didn't think that BK's tires would of course be under warranty!  I apologise if my note above sounded wrong to anyone.  

Brian

[cody]

I'm not convinced the operator should take the hit on a tire failuer, especially on a new tire, if the tire is an older tire with a lot of miles then certainly that is a differnt situation but when a new tire blows the dealer should stand behind it.

[belfert]

I doubt BK is trying to get worn out tires replaced for free.  I think he is trying to get tires replaced under warranty that have defects show up.  He wouldn't have a row of old tires if he tried to get every worn out tire replaced for free.

Firestone's commercial tire warranty is pretty simple.  Any defect attributed to manufacture is warranted for six years or until the thread is worn to 2/32s.  (Whichever comes first.)  First year is free replacement.  After that is prorated based on wear.

[bevans6]

I edited my note above.  I didn't think of a warranty situation.  I bet the discussions about is it/is it not a warranty issue can get pretty direct!  

Brian

[Lonnie time to go]

I am glad your post was not about a wreck. If it was me in that situation I might have messed my shorts. The steer tire blowout is one of my major worries. I just hope I have the skills to handle the bus if that happens

[kyle4501]

Is it possible the tire was fine & it was the rim that failed?

If the bead cracked, that could have made the 'boom' that your dad heard. It would have been very difficult to see the crack in the rim - especially if it was from the inside & hadn't worked all the way thru (which it hadn't since the tire was still holding air when your dad looked at it).


Rims fail too - sometimes as a material flaw, sometimes from damage inflicted during mounting/ dismounting, sometimes just hitting a pot hole just wrong, sometimes it is from cosmic ray arrival.

Glad no one was hurt & it was a short delay.
Sometimes, it pays to be a good boy scout & Be Prepared!

[robertglines1]

BK I'm glad everything turned out safe....Maybe I should have tried your approach with goodyear. I'm still po about that and will never own another. 2 out of the same set of 06 tires failed. with 90%tread...let me know what the tire people say...

[kyle4501]

Robert,
Sad to hear of your trouble with goodyear. Dad had the opposite. When a good year tire failed on his Airstream trailer, Goodyear provided a complete new set of tires AND paid to have the trailer fixed.

I've heard similar for every major manufacturer too - be it tires, cars, stereos, appliances, etc.


Sometimes you're the windshield, sometimes you're the bug.

Best of luck

[Len Silva]

I am glad your post was not about a wreck. If it was me in that situation I might have messed my shorts. The steer tire blowout is one of my major worries. I just hope I have the skills to handle the bus if that happens

I may be wrong, but having experienced a few tire failures over the years, I'm convinced that the majority of tire related accidents are operator error.

I think that what happens is that as soon as the driver hears the "POW", he stabs the brake without thinking about it.  At that point, if you are traveling at speed, it's probably too late to recover.

[Just Dallas]

Removed