Front tire blowout (sort of)

[flydude92]

We were on a 3 hour drive on the Ohio Turnpike heading home. Just after midnight, I noticed a
noise coming from the RV. As the sound got louder I recognized it as a tire quickly
going flat. By the time I got it off the road the right/front tire was flat.

The tire felt warm but the side wall was extremely soft. After a few minutes of talking to AAA a
state trooper stopped by. She told me that she could get help a lot quicker if she made the call
and they would accept AAA. I took her up on her offer and advised AAA on the phone so they
gave me a service request number.

About 15 minutes later a flatbed showed up but he didn?t have tools to remove the tire. He called
a co-worker who came 5 minutes later. They installed the spare and we were on our way. The
trooper stayed with us the entire time and left when we did. Total time was about 40 minutes.

I know what everyone is thinking, GET A TPMS system.  ;D

When I got home I inflated the tire to 20psi and found the leak at the base of the rubber valve stem.

The tire is 4 years old. The people I bought it from said it was clearly an overheating problem
due to low pressure and it is covered under the prorated road hazard warranty.

The rear 4 tires are 7 years old so I guess it?s time to replace them. I didn?t realize how hard it is
to find someone locally that can handle the RV.

I included a couple pictures I thought might be interesting to see.

 

[Larry N.]

I didn?t realize how hard it is to find someone locally that can handle the RV.

Which is why I have CoachNet, who'll make all the arrangements for me, as well as paying for the service call though, of course, the cost of tires, repairs, etc. are mine. But towing and service call cost me nothing extra. With CN I also have techs available 24/7 who can help talk me through problems if it's something I can fix.

 

[Utclmjmpr]

So the TPMS would not have helped you one bit,, you new what was happening and that is all they will tell you.  It's up to you to inspect your tires often for these reasons..>>>Dan

 

[flydude92]

Which is why I have CoachNet, who'll make all the arrangements for me, as well as paying for the service call though, of course, the cost of tires, repairs, etc. are mine. But towing and service call cost me nothing extra. With CN I also have techs available 24/7 who can help talk me through problems if it's something I can fix.

I thought about getting CoachNet from the reviews others on this site have provided and we might sometime but AAA has worked for us so far.

 

[flydude92]

It's up to you to inspect your tires often for these reasons..>>>Dan

Yes it is up to me. That's why I carry a gauge and checked the tires before I left. They were fine.
I even checked the temperature with a laser thermometer on arrival. I learned to do that from this site.
The TPMS may have helped if the tire initially was losing air slowly. Since I didn't have one I will never know.

 

[Rob&Deryl]

I am surprised you don?t have the tools to change a tire though you have a spare? I thought most motor vehicles came with jack & lug wrench?

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

A TPMS would probably have given somewhat more warning time. A tire doesn't get real noisy until it is substantially deflated, maybe down to 50% of its normal.  But the action is still the same: get off the road and get the tire changed.

 

[flydude92]

I am surprised you don?t have the tools to change a tire though you have a spare? I thought most motor vehicles came with jack & lug wrench?

It only has the tire iron. My fault though.

I do have the tools but kept forgetting to put them in the RV.

I even have a list of things to do to the RV and putting them in the RV is on the list.

I forget to look at the list.  Must be an age problem.  ;D

 

[Kevin Means]

I'm not an "I told you so" kind of guy, but I do believe that the valve stem leak would have eventually set off the TPMS. A TPMS will also detect excessive heat, so if the tire was getting hot due to a soft, or weekend sidewall, it might have gotten hot enough to set off the TPMS temp sensor too. IMO, they are a wise investment. - not so much because you might be able to save the tire, but because of the secondary damage a flat tire, or blowout can do.

Kev

 

[whiteva]

Get rid of the rubber valve stems, metal only.

My TPMS paid for itself by alerting a slow leak giving me time to exit the interstate near a Pep Boys who found a nail in the tire. less than an hour and back on the road.

 

[flydude92]

Kevin - Gary  I agree. I believe it would have warned me. I knew something was wrong about 30 seconds before the noise started so I believe I would have been warned earlier. It may have been a slow leak and once it got very low it started overheating and that may be when I started hearing it. It happened to work out for me since I was in the far right lane and I didn't have far to go to get out of the way.

Get rid of the rubber valve stems, metal only.

Both front tires had rubber seals. The four in the back have steel.

I WILL replace the front ones with steel.

Now I need to decide on which system to get.

 

[RVRAC]

Well, glad you did not have an accident or more difficulties than a tire.

 

[flydude92]

Well, glad you did not have an accident or more difficulties than a tire.

I don't mind being lucky at times but my luck may run out someday.

On a good note the replacement tire under road hazard protection cost me $24

 

[camperAL]

Hello,

I'd like to add this to the discussion, I'd suggest that everyone carry a valve stem tightening tool. I had a valve stem start to leak on me when I check my tires at the house. Put a cap on the valve stem and went into town to a NAPA auto parts store and bought one. Went back home and tighten the valve stem then added air to the proper poundage. I also check the  other tires I still needed to check. I was somewhat amazed at how little I had to tighten my valve to keep it from leaking. I didn't apply a lot of torque but two finger firmed it back to tight.

 

[Lou Schneider]

A valve stem tool won't help a case like the OP's where the leak is at the base of the valve stem itself.

Schrader valves aren't reliable long term sealing devices.  You should always have a secondary seal like a valve cap backing them up. 

 

[Rene T]

A valve stem tool won't help a case like the OP's where the leak is at the base of the valve stem itself.

Schrader valves aren't reliable long term sealing devices.  You should always have a secondary seal like a valve cap backing them up.

I never thought that a valve stem cap would hold any air pressure. I thought they just to keep dust and dirt out of the inside.

 

[John From Detroit]

I got my arse chewed for it but when I was a Police Dispatcher I contacted AAA (As I was also a member) and ask about response times.  Well they gave me the direct "hot line" to the supervisor's desk at the call center.. We got way better response times that way.