Single Axle Tire Blowouts

Hello, everyone...and thanks for your time and consideration. 

I've tried to educate myself on this topic before asking, reading numerous articles and watching many YouTube clips pertaining to on-highway "blowouts" that people have experienced. 

We're planning to relatively soon embark on a series of regional (1,000+ mi) trips towing a single axle travel trailer.  I realize that the single-axle is probably not ideal in the way of highway safety, but that's what met our requirements in terms of sleeping capacity, floor plan, and weight of the TT. 

Despite all of the reading/watching that I've done, I'm somewhat "unsettled" as to blowout protocols.

Pervasive themes:  Don't be towing at 80 mi/hr in the first place.  Don't hit the brake.  Small adjustments...don't over-correct.  Use the accelerator to maintain forward momentum and to control the vehicle. 

On-road results seem to vary wildly in the videos, however.  There are people who lose a rear tire or a TT tire...sway just a bit...coast to a stop...and it's no big deal.  There are also people who lose a rear tire or a TT tire and seem to immediately pitch wildly to the side, struggling to control the situation. 

Any real-life experiences or recommendations regarding the towing of a single axle TT...and an on-highway blowout? 

Thanks! 

First, buy a TPMS system. It will be worth it for your peace of mind. We recently had a flat that the TPMS discovered before the tire blew out, a much better response than anything else. As to having a single axle trailer and a blow out, we had  a Casita with a single axle. We did have a blowout at highway speeds (which is why I have TPMS on my current trailer!). No wild pitching, but the trailer was way below the truck's capacity and we were driving at 65 on a dry pavement. If we had been using a TV that was close to its max on a windy day on wet pavement, the results might be different. When our tire blew, we were lucky the Casita was tough; we only had some cosmetic black strips on the fiberglass. When my tiny motorcycle pop up trailer blew a tire, I lost the entire fender - expensive! (The trailer was designed to be pulled by a motorcycle, not pulling a motorcycle.) like I said earlier, I now use a TPMS system. Blow outs can cause significant body damage to the trailer and even some of the systems of it is close to plumbing or wiring.

Most blowouts don't cause violent reactions, but the driver does need to retain his "cool". Avoid panicky reactions, i.e. slamming on the brakes or major swerves. Get of the gas pedal, of course, but slow  gradually and turn gently, making sure you have control at all stages.

Proactive tire care is the best way to avoid tire failures. Tire industry experts say that most "blowouts" are not sudden & total failures. Instead, they are what the engineers call a "run soft flex failure", in which the tire overheats due to underinflation and ultimately tears apart. It's already "flay" by the time that happens. The "run soft" condition can be due to improper initial inflation, gradual loss of air (neglect), or a leak caused by striking a road hazard. A TPMS is the best means of monitoring for this, and basic systems aren't expensive:
https://www.amazon.com/Accutire-MS-4378GB-Pressure-Monitor-Trailer/dp/B002PMM9N2

But you can avoid many underinflation problems simply by making sure you know the proper psi for the weight load (for trailers, this is almost always the max load inflation shown on the tire sidewall), and verifying that psi each day before departure. That basically leaves only road hazards to worry about.

Pam/Kevin and Gary,

Thanks so much for your insights...I will definitely get a TPMS...despite all the reading/research I've done, I somehow didn't know about those...what a great product! 

Perhaps a silly question...ideally, one of the 6-transmitter sets would be best for a TV + single axle TT.  Those are a bit pricey for us, but the 4-transmitter ones are only 1/3 the price with excellent ratings. 

If you were to employ a 4-sensor system, would you put 2 on the single axle TT and 2 on the "drive wheels"?  2 on the single axle TT and 2 on the rear wheels, which may be more susceptible to blow out? 

Thanks! 

Does your truck already have its own tire pressure monitor? All cars & light trucks produced since 2008 have them, and many from the years 2005-2007 as well. If so, you only need an auxiliary TPMS for the trailer tires.

just guessing and spouting off, but I suspect that many of the more violent results might very well be with trailers that are improperly loaded to begin with.  An improperly loaded trailer can be very prone to sway, and it wouldn't take much of an imbalance to set them off.....
so good load awareness
and maintaining a good sway control hitch
are probably two other things to keep in mind.....

Gary RV Roamer said:

Does your truck already have its own tire pressure monitor? All cars & light trucks produced since 2008 have them, and many from the years 2005-2007 as well. If so, you only need an auxiliary TPMS for the trailer tires.

Click to expand...

Thanks for another excellent insight...we have a 2016 TV that should definitely gauge the tire pressure. 

Question:  Besides a "low pressure" light, do you know if the on-board/factory tire pressure sensor operates with close to the same accuracy/immediacy as an add-on TPMS would? 

Not sure if my expectations for an add-on TPMS are reasonable...in the event of a rapid loss of pressure caused by roadway debris, would one expect a quick "beep" or "alarm" from their TPMS in the event that the TT tire pressure dropped from 50-to-40-to-30 over a few seconds after being punctured? 

(Pardon my ignorance...I regularly check my tire pressure, but have grown accustomed to not regarding the on-board "tire pressure light" as an emergency.  If I notice it during my 8-mile commute home on 45 mi/hr roads, it's kind of assumed to be a "once I get home" maintenance situation.  Would the TPMS provide more immediate/emergency notification that "you need to slow down and pull over now"?) 

Thank you! 

The add on TPMS is not even in the same league as the factory systems!  On a typical factory system with a "normal" pressure of 35 psi, you get a warning when a tire falls below 20 or 25 psi, but it does not tell you which tire.  That is ALL it does.

A decent TPMS will display the pressure in EACH tire, the temp of EACH tire and will alarm at both high and low pressure points set by YOU.  It also will alarm at high temp point you set.  If there is a problem, it will alarm, tell you the issue and which tire has the issue.

The big cost of the system is the main display.  Extra tire monitors are relatively inexpensive.  IMHO, I would get a setup to monitor every tire touching the ground.

I know you do lots of research and ask good questions.  Thank You for that!!

The add on TPMS is not even in the same league as the factory systems!  On a typical factory system with a "normal" pressure of 35 psi, you get a warning when a tire falls below 20 or 25 psi, but it does not tell you which tire.  That is ALL it does.

Click to expand...

Depends on the vehicle, of course. All the cars we've owned in the past 10 years all indicated which tire and give an actual psi value. But some do not.

More important, they generally do not warn very early. In fact, the problem is usually serious by the time the alarm is given.  Upwards of 20% low, in many cases. I guess the car makers don't want to cause any consternation among their customers by actually giving them fair warning...

People often ask if they can't add trailer tire sensors to their tow vehicle's system, but the answer is basically NO. A few high end motorhomes have that capability, but no passenger car system that I'm aware of. At least not any of the mass-produced models.

grashley said:

The add on TPMS is not even in the same league as the factory systems!  On a typical factory system with a "normal" pressure of 35 psi, you get a warning when a tire falls below 20 or 25 psi, but it does not tell you which tire.  That is ALL it does.

A decent TPMS will display the pressure in EACH tire, the temp of EACH tire and will alarm at both high and low pressure points set by YOU.  It also will alarm at high temp point you set.  If there is a problem, it will alarm, tell you the issue and which tire has the issue.

The big cost of the system is the main display.  Extra tire monitors are relatively inexpensive.  IMHO, I would get a setup to monitor every tire touching the ground.

I know you do lots of research and ask good questions.  Thank You for that!!

Click to expand...

Thanks a lot...I really appreciate it!   

That's exactly what I was hoping to know...sounds like the TPMS would provide much more immediate and specific feedback regarding inflation status...we won't leave home in the spring without that addition to our setup.  Thanks everyone! 

Gary RV Roamer said:

Depends on the vehicle, of course. All the cars we've owned in the past 10 years all indicated which tire and give an actual psi value. But some do not.

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You are fortunate!  My experience with '13 Ford, '09 Honda and Chevy rental has always been just a light.  No pressure, no tire id.

Believe it or not a blowout on a trailer is not a big deal.    I have had sever over the years.  2 on boat trailere and one on a large popup.    Every time all we notice was the trailer pulled harder on the tow vehicle. And it was at a odd angle......
Even the time I had a bearing fall apart and the hole wheel fell off it did not cause the tow vehicle to suddenly spin out of control.

robertusa123 said:

Believe it or not a blowout on a trailer is not a big deal.    I have had sever over the years.  2 on boat trailere and one on a large popup.    Every time all we notice was the trailer pulled harder on the tow vehicle. And it was at a odd angle......
Even the time I had a bearing fall apart and the hole wheel fell off it did not cause the tow vehicle to suddenly spin out of control.

Click to expand...

You are correct to a point.  Likewise, I have had a few blowouts on my pop up with no real issues.  The saving grace is I had a 2,000# camper behind a 5500# truck.  If you have a blowout on a 10,000# camper behind a 6500# truck, the physics change and the result may be very different!  The tail WILL wag the dog.

My suggestion would be to forget the TPMS for your trailer.
I will suggest that you balance you TT load left and right side the same approximate weight.  Have 10% of the total TT weight on the tounge hitch (ie; 6000# TT 600 of those pounds on the hitch).
I would also suggest new tires that are "E" rated.  Manufacturers tend to skimp on load factor at times.  Also for running cooler I would suggest something near the max air pressure.
If the tail starts to wag the dog just accelerate slightly and simultaneously apply full trailer brakes.  When wagging stops slow down gradually.
Follow my suggestions and you will have a safe and uneventful trip IMO.  After all, most of us survived prior to the bothersome TPMS faults with the often false readings.