garyp4951
TN
Senior Member
Joined: 12/06/2010
View Profile
 Offline
|
This was Sunday 9/18, I knew better but thought the Westlake tires at 4 years old and only 6500 miles would make one more trip WRONG.
First bomb was left rear at mm 49 on I40 heading to Gatlinburg Tn, replaced with spare on entrance ramp, and almost turned back but went on hoping to get there and buy new tires.
I always drive at 65 and thought I could make it.
The second bomb was right rear at mm 366 just 40 miles from destination at 7pm, and after AAA and GS could not find anyone I found a truck service that had a new Kenda spare on a wheel.
He charged me 3 hrs minimum for a 60 mile round trip and $250 for the tire/wheel, but I had no choice other than spend the night with trucks flying buy at 75mph.
The good news is Monday I found a tire shop (Goforth Tire) in Sevierville Tn that had Good Year Endurance and took two at a time from the rv park and finished all 4 by lunch.
These GY Endurance are heavy and very sturdy tires, and glad I found them locally.
If you have Westlake tires please get them off now, you don't want to go through what I did.
|
fj12ryder
Platte City, MO
Senior Member
Joined: 08/19/2003
View Profile
|
These were the 16" "E" rated Westlakes? Sounds like it. They don't have the best reputation.
Howard and Peggy
"Don't Panic"
|
agesilaus
North Florida
Senior Member
Joined: 05/06/2008
View Profile
Good Sam RV Club Member
Offline
|
I had our first blowout on our AF with GR Commercial TA, 16in. A PITA but it will only cost us $25 since we had road hazard from Discount Tire. Someone waved at us and shouted something even my wife couldn't understand as they zoomed by. I got out and checked everything including the tires which were cool to the touch and seemed OK. I did have the water fill door hanging open.
Stopped 30 miles miles later and check again. Nothing seen. Not a peep from the TPMS.
130 miles later someone else waved at us and shouted. We were almost at the turn in for the RV park. Stopped there, driver side rear shredded.
Just a request, if you try to tell someone something: Slow Down and make sure your message is understood. Why bother otherwise?
I think the first shout must have been the flapping door.
Arctic Fox 25Y Travel Trailer
2018 RAM 2500 6.7L 4WD shortbed
Straightline dual cam hitch
400W Solar with Victron controller
Superbumper
|
MFL
Midwest
Senior Member
Joined: 11/28/2012
View Profile
Good Sam RV Club Member
Offline
|
Hey Gary, sorry to hear of your tire trouble!
As bad as that experience was, I'm hoping you did not have major damage to your FW, which can easily happen, as tires come apart.
Glad you were able to find GYs, which is a great choice! In an emergency, choices can be limited, and of course more costly.
Jerry
.jpg)
|
JIMNLIN
Oklahoma
Senior Member
Joined: 09/14/2003
View Profile
|
Two blow outs in one day. Boy that brought back some bad memories from long ago when I was on the road.
But that was common for ST C/D/E class tires in road work with trailers running 24/7.
Five trailers on the road with two spares on each trailer and 28 tires on the ground with ruined tire on just about every other trip one has to rethink the type of tires he's using.
I moved all my trailers with 5.2k-6k axles to 16" LT E tires. No more issues and no more hauling around two spares.
With the newer gen 16" ST load G commercial grade all steel ply carcass tires hitting the streets was a god send for trailers with 7k-8k axles.
Trailers with 10k-12k axles a good heavy duty ST 17.5" all steel ply carcass tires made for a long term super grade tire for that type of work.
I apply the same tire tech for my different RV trailers I've owned over the years.
"good judgment comes from experience, and a lot of that comes from bad judgment" ............ Will Rogers
'03 2500 QC Dodge/Cummins HO 3.73 6 speed manual Jacobs Westach
'97 Park Avanue 28' 5er 11200 two slides
|
|
|
agesilaus
North Florida
Senior Member
Joined: 05/06/2008
View Profile
Good Sam RV Club Member
Offline
|
Quote:I moved all my trailers with 5.2k-6k axles to 16" LT E tires. No more issues and no more hauling around two spares.
I finally came to the same conclusion with the 16" LT GR Commercial TA. I was surprised at the blowout but we had just come from boondocking on rough roads.
I had a uncountable number of blowouts with ST tires until I finally came to my senses.
|
garyp4951
TN
Senior Member
Joined: 12/06/2010
View Profile
Offline
|
Thanks, there was no major damage just the plastic fender skirt and lower metal. These were 225-75-15 tires, and I eventually want to go to 16" if I have enough clearance above the tires.
|
Lwiddis
Southern California :(
Senior Member
Joined: 08/12/2016
View Profile
Good Sam RV Club Member
Offline
|
How did you absolutely rule out overloading, under inflation, over inflation, sun exposure, excessive speed and, the big one, road hazards getting to “it is all Westlake’s fault?”
Winnebago 2101DS TT & 2022 Chevy Silverado 1500 LTZ Z71, WindyNation 300 watt solar-Lossigy 200 AH Lithium battery. Prefer boondocking, USFS, COE, BLM, NPS, TVA, state camps. Bicyclist. 14 yr. Army -11B40 then 11A - (MOS 1542 & 1560) IOBC & IOAC grad
|
garyp4951
TN
Senior Member
Joined: 12/06/2010
View Profile
Offline
|
Process of elimination, I drained the water tank to 1/3, 80psi always, the first tire that blew never sees the sun when stored, I drive 65, I never saw a road hazard.
I do tow a few inches nose high and that increases the weight on the rear tires.
Trailer axles weigh 8740 lbs have not weighed them separately.
|
C Schomer
Pueblo West, Co.
Senior Member
Joined: 12/26/2000
View Profile
Offline
|
I got 50 months, like clockwork, out of ST Towmasters. The first set Were never covered or raised off the ground when in storage and the second set was always covered and raised off the ground when in storage.
I bought a used tri-axle cargo trailer that went from New Hampshire to Lake Havasu city and then back to Phoenix and those tires were 26 months old when all six of them separated within 20 miles. And that is why I buy nothing but LT-E tires, now, to use on 6k axles. Craig
|
|
|
