Tire blowout (sudden loss of air) question

[daddysgirl]

I just found this short video that explains why you're supposed to hit the accelerator rather than the brake in a blowout. This is what I was always told to do as well.
But I have a question for those who have experienced this.
I have been told that if a front tire goes, the steering wheel can jump out of your hands, and you start to "bobble" up and down. I ALWAYS hold the wheel at 10 and 2...never so relaxed that I'm not listening, watching, smelling and feeling. I ALWAYS check the tires...every time I stop.

I am very interested in your thoughts on this.

http://www.michelinrvtires.com/tires/tires-101/tire-maintenance-and-safety/how-to-handle-a-blowout/

Thanks in advance.

[Zephod]

I'm a CDL B school bus driver. I check tires, lights and doors before every trip. I check all the gauges and warning lights before every trip. I've never had a blowout and have been told to hold the steering wheel in the thumbs up position as when a tire blows, the wheel will snatch and will break your thumbs if they're inside the wheel. Accelerate slightly, steering will be a bastard, regain control then begin braking.


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[TomC]

I'm an old cross country owner/operator truck driver. I still stop at least every 2 hours to check tires-feeling the heat on the tires. The number one reason for a blow out-low air pressure causing excessive heat buildup. Believe it or not, half of the big pieces of rubber you see in the roadway from a truck tire blowing up are brand new tires-not just recaps as everyone thinks.
The best defense for preventing a tire failure is to have a good tire pressure monitoring system-like Pressure Pro, or others. Then you can tell what you're tire pressure is going down the road and it will buzz you when a tire has gotton low, or too high pressure. Good Luck, TomC

[daddysgirl]

When I get to the tire point of this rebuild, I will have a pressure monitoring system. I'm also looking at Michelin X series tires. Anyone have experience with them? I did know that low pressure was a determining factor because dad (who stopped for no one) would pull into rest areas JUST to check the tires. He taught me the hammer method and gauge method. Explains why he never blew a tire in 40 years.

After he passed, I went against my instinct and let one of mom's friends drive the bus. He managed to get the front brakes so hot, (idiot didn't listen when I told him to check the rear seals...leaked all over rear brakes) they had 1/8" crack in the drums. I'm just grateful a tire didn't blow.

[ol713]

   HI;
     Just to share my experience,  approx 12-14 yrs ago I had a right front tire blow out.
     Previously, I had read the Greyhound drivers hand book which said that you could, in
     an emergency, apply the park brake and maintain control.    In my case, when the tire
     let loose, I remembered what I had read and did just that.  It took a long 1-2  seconds
     to realized what had happened and I set the park brake. The bus shook and vibrated
     a lot, but control was not a problem.  The bus slowed to a stop on the shoulder of the
     road.  Between then and now, I keep a close eye on the DOT codes so tires don't get
     too old.
     Also I recently changed to 315 75x22.5 tires.  I know it is more tire than I need, but
     It gives me warm fuzzy feeling about tires.  I noticed that most new coaches run this
     size, so must be a good reason for it.    (probably the potential for 47 law suits)
   
                                                            Hopes this helps,      Merle.

[Dave5Cs]

Besides checking the pressure I use a thermo gun and shoot the centers the rim and the side walls also both sides of the engine and transmission, rear axle front hubs and check hub oil. it will tell me if one is a lot higher than the other and point out problems like wheel bearings etc.
Dave5Cs

[daddysgirl]

Dave: Is that in addition to the tire monitors?
Merle, is that size interchangeable with the old 12R-22.5? Even though it will be a while before I buy new tires, I"m doing research now so I can add the appropriate amount to the "tire fund"...it's a sub-line to the "safety systems" line I might end up taking the first "new" new trip in a bus with only a subfloor, but it will sure as hell be safe...and clean. Even if I have to redesign the entire drivetrain. Well, not myself...I'll leave any desired upgrades to the engineers.

[buswarrior]

Watch the Michelin videos, again and again. A front tire blow out is only as exciting as YOU make it.

Note that the demonstrations show, in essence, just carry on for the moment.

Don't change anything that gives the advantage to the blown tire.

Deny that first instinct to lift throttle, deny that second instinct to mash on the brakes.

Ignore all the noise, shrieking passengers, and whatnot. Succumbing to fear is what makes things worse.

Yes, you will be scared, explosive noise and associated banging from tire debris whacking into the wheel well.
Thoughts like: "OH $hit, what'$ thi$ going to co$t?" do not help...

Yes, the coach will want to pull towards the blown tire, MORE SO, if you act wrong.

Get your thoughts collected, then gently change the coach's state from go to slow.

There is no hurry to get off the road, just ease the speed down, bang bang whack grind...

Choose a nice place to stop and roll it in gently.

Then you may change yer drawers?

Watch the videos a number of times, and think about the test driver... There's no difference between him and you, except he has had the FUN of doing a few times!!!

Say after me: "I will not panic while driving the coach, mentally prepared, no matter what noises or bangs or screaming, I keep the coach in a steady state, evaluate, then make gentle changes, I will only make things worse by panicking, I will only make things worse..."

happy coaching!
buswarrior

[ol713]

Dave: Is that in addition to the tire monitors?
Merle, is that size interchangeable with the old 12R-22.5? Even though it will be a while before I buy new tires, I"m doing research now so I can add the appropriate amount to the "tire fund"...it's a sub-line to the "safety systems" line I might end up taking the first "new" new trip in a bus with only a subfloor, but it will sure as hell be safe...and clean. Even if I have to redesign the entire drivetrain. Well, not myself...I'll leave any desired upgrades to the engineers.

      Yes  - - - -  it is interchangeable.  To cut costs, I put used on the rear and new on the front.
      On used tires, just check date codes.
                                              Merle.    (MC-7)
      Correction;  tire size=315 80x 22.5

[DoubleEagle]

This discussion reminds me of the best tire blowout I ever had. I was driving a girls college volleyball team to a meet in a bus charter, and while I was in a construction zone on an Interstate (71), one of the rear tires blew explosively banging the coach and throwing rubber shrapnel. Lot's of screaming from the girls. I slowed very gradually and made it to the next exit where I knew there was a tire shop. I pulled in expecting that it would take some time to get it fixed if they were busy. I explained that the meet I was going to was starting soon, and I would appreciate it if they could help me right away, and then, right on cue, the girls started streaming out of the bus wearing their spandex short shorts. It was fantastic, I have never seen such service. Everyone in the shop stopped what they were doing and started working on the bus. Two guys on the jack, one on the impact wrench, one getting the new tire out, two taking the old tire off and changing it. We were out of there mighty quick. If the bus had been empty I suspect I would have been cooling my heels for a while. I guess the moral is, when you have a flat, maintain your cool and don't do anything too drastic, and carry a load of young girls.

[Dave5Cs]

Dave: Is that in addition to the tire monitors?

Nope don't have TPMS. When my Jeep lost one of its front tires it shredded it but was still at 33 lbs like the other. Just had no exterior rubber on it. Have two cameras and saw nothing wrong until I got pulled over by the CHP. I thanked him for seeing it and letting me know.
Dave

[B_K]

I've had blow outs on steer tires in big trucks, buses and hot rods.
First one I ever had was when I was 17-18 yrs old in my '65 "Rustang" it had all the body work and primer done when I bought it and I never got around to painting it because I was always spending money on the engine, trans, rear end and TIRES!
I was heading home from Lafayette, IN where my sister attended Purdue University and I'd been up there all weekend partying with all the college guys I knew.
I was running down US 52 minding my own business when a couple goofballs in daddy's corvette came up and started stomping the gas pedal trying to get me to race.
Well as level headed as I was I dropped a gear and wound out that 302 Boss and shifted back in to high gear as I left them sitting in my dust.
Just about the time I was slowing back down to about 75 BOOM! Left front steer tire blew and scared the $#!% out of me.
But I'd always been told don't hit the brakes hit the gas and get it under control, then slowly bring it to a stop.
So after I pulled over and realized I didn't have a spare or a jack, I had to call my sister and have her and her boyfriend bring me a jack an a spare. (her boyfriend had a bad @$# looking '65 mustang, but all stock under the hood)
They were both PISSED at me. My sister when she found out I'd been in Lafayette all weekend partying, and hadn't come by her apartment. Jim her boyfriend was PO'd because I didn't carry a spare or jack!

Anyway 15 or so years later trucking across I-10 in the middle of nowhere in TX I heard that familiar BOOM and the front end started shimmying. I just used the johnny bar and let the trailer do all the braking and got it off the road safely.

And then another 10 0r so years go by and I'm on the middle bus on a 3 bus move across Texas on I-10 at 75 mph and BOOM it happened again. After the car I was passing cleaned their drawers and went a head and passed me back I eased it over to the shoulder and came to a stop. Once stopped I got out and looked. Before I could get back in the bus to get my phone I got hugged and praised in a language I could not under stand by about 25-30 Hindu Indian women and their husbands as they all got off the bus chanting prayers and doing some kind of dance.

And then another 4-5 yrs later I was tooling along on I-40 headed back to Memphis to drop off 39 women who'd been to Nashville Christmas shopping and again BOOM another steer tire.

That was the last one (well at least so far)
  BK 

[Oonrahnjay]

... BOOM it happened again. After the car I was passing cleaned their drawers and went a head and passed me back I eased it over to the shoulder and came to a stop. ...
  BK 

      I think I can pitchur that.  About 5 years ago, I was driving (4-wheeler) on I-85 near Salisbury NC.  A line of three 18-wheelers were running together and passed me (road is 4 lanes there going north).  When the last of the three got about 100 yards ahead of me and was just pulling back into the right lane, the right rear tire let go.
      No drawer cleaning, but it got my attention.  I thought a stick of dynamite had gone off.  Besides the BOOM, there was a big cloud of smoke (dust and dirt) and debris.  I slowed way down, thinkin that there might be a big "gator" to contend with but I never saw a piece of that tire bigger than the palm of your hand.  And except for the shreds on the beads, there was *nothing* left of that tire on the wheel.
      I always knew that a tire coming apart on a big rig was going to be a pretty big thing, but I really wasn't expecting THAT experience.

      Thanks for describing your experiences, BK -- it's helpful for those of us who have never had it happen.

[B_K]

Yeah well I bet the people in the car right next to the tire less than 10 feet away directly beside their ol' hoopdie with the windows down really thought a stick of dynamite had gone off!
My dad an another driver (we were running teams of 2 drivers per bus because of the length of the trip) were behind them about 600 yards and dad told Gary "Whoops we got problems" Gary asked why what do you mean? Dad told him "Bryce just blew a steer tire" and Gary said "is that what that was I thought it was a shot gun going off!"
So from 600 yards away on another bus it still was loud enough to hear and think it was a shot gun!

I don't speak Hindu but I was some kind of saint that day I can assure you, each and every lady gave me a bear hug and said some kind of prayer as they got off that bus. The husbands/men all shook my hand and said something but they were not near as emotional as the women!
  BK 

[Oonrahnjay]

Yeah well I bet the people in the car right next to the tire less than 10 feet away directly beside their ol' hoopdie with the windows down really thought a stick of dynamite had gone off! ... 
  BK 

     I can relate!  Actually, I can't.  Being 100 yards away was so loud and surprising that I find it hard to imagine how it must be to be right next to it!  Glad you got through it OK.
     I work part-time for the NC Forest Service.  On day a few years ago, one of the tractor-lowloaders that hauls a fire-fighting bulldozer came back in.  The left steer tire had gone at about 80 - 85 MPH, fully loaded, on the way to a fire.  The driver took two lanes and the paved shoulder in the center divider to get it stopped but he did get it stopped safely.  It was a "conventional" tractor, with a bumper, hood, and a separate fender.  He came back with the bumper (all bent up) and hood structure but the hood structure had a few wires (headlight, turn signal, corner marker lights) and some bits of bent and broken brackets hanging out of it but nothing else was there.  It looked like somebody had taken a chop saw and sawed off everything on that corner of the tractor.  I didn't see the tire and wheel that had come off of it.
     There is a LOT of noise and energy that comes off one of those tires when it comes apart.