Do You Know How to Handle A . . . .

usbusin · April 14, 2010, 07:33:03 PM

BLOWOUT?

This is a great video on how to handle a blowout in a large vehicle. Sorta goes against what you first want to do!

Look at it, hope you never have to use the technique! But, remember it!

How to Handle a Tire Blowout in Your RV

Mods, if you feel this is not appropriate here, feel free to move it.

kyle4501 · April 14, 2010, 08:23:34 PM

Yep, based on my experience with 2 front & 1 rear, if you follow that advise, it is almost a non issue (you still have to pull over & change a tire).

FloridaCliff · April 15, 2010, 04:51:44 AM

I have had two fronts blowout, 1 in the Bus and 1 in a Class C.

The Bus was on my initial ride home on old tires and the Class C was caused by road debris.

Both times I did what the video shows and no problems whatever.

I remember learning this in a drivers safety class somewhere.

This is another situation where knowing what your action will be in advance could save your life.

A good thing to practice/discuss with your Copilot if they don't drive often.

Good reminder usbusin

Cliff

Dreamscape · April 15, 2010, 05:35:53 AM

I've never had that pleasure of that type of pucker factor, but I've always thought about it. Great topic, one to be remembered.....................now where did I put my coffee cup?

Highway Yacht · April 15, 2010, 09:26:08 AM

Very good information on this video. A must watch for anyone that is new to driving large heavy buses or trucks.

eddiepotts · April 15, 2010, 09:48:42 AM

I learned something. I would have went for the brakes. Thanks

Don4107 · April 15, 2010, 02:45:00 PM

That might work when you are on a test track expecting a blowout. I suspect that if you are mindlessly wandering down the scenic byways with a blowout the very last thing on your mind, the first and natural reaction is to lift off the throttle. By the time you mentally process what is happening you will have either maintained control or not. Which ever has happened, is applying throttle after that likely to improve the situation?

When you have a front tire blow it creates drag as if braking on that side. The old school was to apply moderate brake if necessary to offset the drag and maintain control. Seems much more of a natural reaction to me, but then some say I am behind the times anyway.

Back in the bad old days when tires were less reliable and my wallet was thinner I blew a few tires and even lost a couple wheels. Thankfully I never lost control. The old 57 Chevy with the @$# end up in the air was more of a thrill when a rear tire let go than a front.

Don 4107

kyle4501 · April 15, 2010, 06:25:00 PM

Don, I wasn't on a test track. I was on I-95, about 15 miles away from a rest stop where I had checked all tires - especially the firestone spare, when the spare blew with a loud BANG - no other warning. I can assure you that a tire blowing was the last thing on my mind. I was running 60 - 65 with the flow of traffic & traffic was heavy. One finger on the wheel, well thumb actually, when it happened.

Maybe I'm weird (OK, weird is a given for me), but my first instinct for me was to not change anything until I knew what was happening. This included grabbing the steering wheel to hold it steady. Almost immediately, I realized the tire was gone. When I floored the gas, it responded to my steering input better than I'd expected. After a few seconds I eased off the gas & then eased on the brakes & it was easy for me to keep it under control & safely pull over.

It was over before I had a chance to experience the pucker factor.

I know plenty of people who are more exciteable & tend to jerk or jump when surprised. I wouldn't think those people would have as uneventful a time as those who don't.

BobBoyce · April 16, 2010, 08:46:32 AM

I had the driver side steering tire blow on my 1983 Chevy bus while westbound on I-10 in the center lane. It was dark and I ran over a piece of scrapmetal in the road that caused the tire to blow. The tire took out the air line, which applied the brakes hard for what seemed like an eternity before the safety valve isolated that line. The result was a hard left pull that had me headed for a meeting with a downward sloping sandy median. I was unable to wrestle the bus out of that leftward pull, despite applying throttle, until that safety valve actuated. I only had a few feet left to recover my trajectory once that safety valve did actuate. Had that not occured, I would not be here today. The slope in the median would have rolled the bus onto her left side or roof, and the tons of personal belongings loaded behind me would have mashed me through the windshield! This happened christmas eve of 1998, was moving the last load of our belongings from storage in FL - to our new home in TN. I had one heck of a time finding a service truck willing to come out, and and he had to locate an all-night truck parts store for a replacement air line. We had to sawsall the inner fender because the tire belts had grabbed everything in reach and made mincemeat out of it.

Bob