I hate blowing a tire

[JTFormula]

I want to share Saturdays haul with you. Yesterday I had two cars to deliver in Southern MD. 1st car, a 2000 BMW Z3 to Port Republic MD and the second was a 2003 Land Rover Discovery to Ridge MD, which is almost the father point south.

I wanted to hit the road by 7 am since I knew this was going to be a long day, 550 miles round trip. I didn't pull out of my dealership until 8:30 am. Wife wanted to come with me, so you can figure where the delay came from. I'll try to make up some time when I can. Perfect weather, not too hot, got the windows down for fresh air. Had some breakfast on the go we took from home and a sandwich packed up for lunch. Everything was going smooth out of NJ, thru Del, and into MD but then I see signs 895 tunnel is closed. Without a road atlas I was racking my brain to remember if I could take 695 or go straight to 95 tunnel. I decided to do the 95 Baltimore tunnel. I noticed on the way back 95 was a mess so I'll keep that tidbit of info for the return trip. I make my way to I97, then RT 3 thru Crofton to RT 4 which goes into RT 2/4. As I am coming into Prince Fredrick MD, I feel this violent shaking (imagine hitting 5" tall rumble strips) so I slow down and check my mirrors. The passenger front tire on the trailer exploded sending tire chunks all over the place. I immediately pull over and you know the saying, where's a cop when you need one? Well there was a State Trooper right behind me as I was pulling over. His timing couldn't be better. He said he had seen the smoke and was racing up to see if it was a car fire or a tire going. He watched it go as he was coming up to me. The officer was very nice. Offered assistance and told me a half mile ahead was a car dealership with a side road I can pull off onto that will get me out of traffic. At 10 mph I rolled this mess around the corner safely out of the highway with him following. He check my credentials, and the cars, routine procedure, and of course all was cool.

I check my truck and guess what? No spare tire, no lug wrench and no jack. Shit! The trooper told me there was a tire shop about 3 miles away and if I needed a tow truck to come out he would call one. I told him thanks but I'll figure something out. I figured I was in front of a car dealership so worst comes to worse, I can pay a guy to take the tire off, get a new one and put it back on. I called both of my delivery's to let them know I will be delayed. Since I was 10 miles from the first stop, the customer elected to meet me where I was to pick up his car. Super nice guy and he told me there was another tire shop only 2 miles away and I can take back roads. Sandy (my wife) called the Goodyear shop to see if they had a tire in stock. They had the right size trailer tire and said they will be ready for me when I arrive. I off loaded the Rover (the BMW was now gone) and my wife followed me down the back roads as I went about 15 mph to the tire shop. As soon as I arrived, they came right out and got right on it. I think within 20 minutes, I was in and out of there. Great service! I backed out of their lot, into a shopping plaza and loaded the Discovery back up over there so I didn't block up the tire shop since they were about to close.

Sandy ran into the super market for some road snacks we so desperately needed at this point while I loaded the Rover again and strapped it down. From the point the tire blew, BMW transaction, tire replaced, and reloaded ready to go was about 2 hours. Not that bad but if I had a damn spare trailer tire, jack, and lug wrench I would have been back on the road in 15 minutes. But I now didn't have to make that first stop, I already delivered that car. So now I am and hour away from the second drop off. We arrive to a beautiful home on the bay, long driveway which was easy to back into. The buyer for this thing was a world traveler who had lived in about 50 different country's and been to over 100. He had told me he had one of these Discovery's while living in South Africa and once he came out to find an Elephant standing next to it. He took a picture and the click of the camera turned a calm moment into panic. The Elephant chased him around the truck several times before he was able to jump into it and take off before this large creature was able to attack. These are the issues we don't have here in America. Absolutely fascinating guy and his wife as well. I had to do some paperwork so they invited us in for ice tea and for the next 1.5 hours we got entertained. Part of me wanted to just get back on the road again and head home, but the other part of me said take a damn break. You'll get there. So we accepted their hospitality but it was getting late so we parted ways.

We got back on the road again and stop for fuel. I figured we got 11.23 mpg with a total combination weight of 18,500 lbs. Not bad for highway and not so highway driving in a F350 with 281k miles. Remembering I-95 was a mess at the tunnel I decided to take 301 thru Annapolis into Del. I have only been on 301 once before. What a difference. I will take that road again before taking I-95 if I needed to go to points lower than Baltimore. Nice road, no traffic, no BS. Got into NJ at 10:30pm and back to my shop by 11:50.

I really give a lot of credit to you OTR drivers that do this everyday. I woke up this morning and was feeling shot. You guys get out there and do this everyday non stop. I do these trips every couple weeks and even though I love it, I apprecate the fact I don't have to get up and do it every single day. Moral of the - DO A PROPER PRE-TRIP INSPECTION SO YOU KNOW YOU HAVE EVERYTHING YOU NEED!!!!

[rsb502]

Sounds like a pretty routine day for an owner operator to me. All but the helpful trooper, happy thankful receivers and the quick repair at the tire shop. Actually come to think of it that sounds more like 2 average days for an owner operator in a parallel dimension!

[NoClueJoe66]

Well buddy atleast you made it alright, no damage is a good thing. When I hauled campers we used f-350's and 50 foot take 3 wedge trailers, but I think I blew a tire out in every state. After awhile you will get used to it. A little trick I learned was keep a 3 foot long chunk of 4x6 with you to drive the good tire on, believe me it makes your life easier......have a good one buddy

[thomastractorsvc]

stuff like that always seems to happen when you don't have a spare, but had good luck with the tire repair and the trooper I am sure that made a bad day into good day!

It is always about attitude

[RowdyRebel]

Yup...blowing tires can be a royal pain in the rear...even if you've got a jack and the OEM tire changing tools it still isn't guaranteed that you'll be able to get the blown tire off. I onced borrowed a shop's pickup to get home after being towed it & blew a tire about half way home. Jack was there...so we're the OEM tools & even a spare tire. Dadgum lug nuts wouldn't budge, though. I would've given ANYTHING for a 4-way wrench...or an air supply & an impact gun. I actually put a 1/8 twist in the OEM tool by the time I had those stupid lug nuts broke loose.

Pretrips won't always catch tires that are going to blow out on you. The spare tire, 4-way lug wrench, and jack/wood block/etc. are good things to make sure you've got with you, though...makes life easier. I think I would've dropped the trailer & left the wife to look after it while I drove to get a jack & lug wrench and maybe even a spare. With my luck, I would've needed a new rim anyway if I tried dragging the trailer behind me to a shop. Heck, she could've locked herself in the Land Rover & listened to the radio. Or, since you unloaded the Land Rover & drove it anyway, use it to chase after what you needed & leave the truck hooked to the trailer...but that's just me. I hate paying other people to do stuff I'm perfectly capable of doing myself...even if it does tend to leave a backlog of projects I haven't had time or motivation to get around to doing. Heck, took me 9 years to fix the hot water to the sink in the 2nd bathroom...

[JTFormula]

This isn't the first time I lost a tire, I've done enough deliverys from Maine to Florida and out to Indiana so I've had my share of road side tire swaps. This was just the first time I was left without a spare jack and 4 way. I did a pre trip check on all the tires just because I noticed the trailer tires were a little soft with a load on it. Lots of tread left but some were a little worn on the outer edges, indicating low pressure for a while. The other guys from my shop went to an auction in Lock Haven Pa last week and took this trailer with our 3/4 ton Chevy and this F350 hooked to the enclosed. No one checked air pressure. The trailer tires were at 45 lbs I put them back to 80 and the Dually had 20 lbs on the outer rear on one side 15lbs on the inner rear on the passenger side And 60 in the other 4. I put them to 70lbs all around. I thought enough to check tire pressures and fluid levels but not spare trailer tires.

The new tire installed was $170. I found them on the Internet for $125-150 + mounting or $200-225 on a rim. I don't think it was that bad of a price considering they had it and got me in and out within 20 minutes.

Looking back, I think I made the right decisions to get back on the road quickly without further delay. I figured it would be easier to drag the trailer to get the tire repaired since i had no tools and have her follow so I don't have to back track. On a side note my wife loved driving the Disco and asked if I can find one at the dealer auction for her. That answer would be no unless I can go four wheeling with it first then resell it.

Nocluejoe- we actually have those trailer ramps in polished diamond plate but use them for displays at auctions so we can get the cars in the air and put mirrors under them. I should take one next trip just in case.

[other dog]

I always take 301 over 95 when I have to go to that part of the world. Glad you made out OK.

[refusegetter]

It happens, but the thing I hate most is when one goes, it scares the crap out of me. The BANG!!! The flying rubber you can barely see through the cloud of dust. I just can not keep calm when I lose one.

[JTFormula]

It happens, but the thing I hate most is when one goes, it scares the crap out of me. The BANG!!! The flying rubber you can barely see through the cloud of dust. I just can not keep calm when I lose one.

I never heard it go. Just a violent shaking that alerted me to the issue.

[bullhusk]

tractor supply has those tires on the rim,when I got my car trailer the first thing I did was went down to TS an bought one an also bought a star wrench and a bottle jack

BULLHUSK

[refusegetter]

I never heard it go. Just a violent shaking that alerted me to the issue.

An 11r24.5 makes some noise

[JTFormula]

An 11r24.5 makes some noise

I haven't blown one of those yet. This was a 235/80/16.

Yesterday I made sure a 4 way lug wrench found its way into the truck and the boss is picking up a 5 ton bottle jack so we don't have this issue again. We have two spares already, I just didn't take one.

[slpwlker]

I haven't blown one of those yet. This was a 235/80/16.

Yesterday I made sure a 4 way lug wrench found its way into the truck and the boss is picking up a 5 ton bottle jack so we don't have this issue again. We have two spares already, I just didn't take one.

think you ought to go with a 10 or 20 ton. 5 ton I think would be cutting it close on capacity and the added saftey factor

[j hancock]

Glad things worked out ok in the end.

Only thing better would have been a back haul load!

Jim

[JTFormula]

think you ought to go with a 10 or 20 ton. 5 ton I think would be cutting it close on capacity and the added saftey factor

The trailer with two vehicles might be around 12k. If you are only lifting half the trailer to change a tire, that's 6,000lbs. The jack has a 5 ton capacity / 10,000 lbs. More than plenty to do the job.

Glad things worked out ok in the end.

Only thing better would have been a back haul load!

Jim

I had one in DC going to Staten Island but they canceled on me the day before. I was going to book one outside of Annapolis going to Irvington NJ but I had to get it picked up by noon Saturday. I knew that wasn't going to happen. I didn't want to book then cancel if there were going to be any issues since I have done loads for this company in the past and I don't want to piss them off. One of the few that actually pay on the spot. As it turned out I was right not to book it.

If I had the two going back, that would have been a nice paying day. Looking into a 3/4 car trailer for the General for the future. My real choice is a drop deck with ramps so I can maximize my loads but right now out of my available cash flow.

[JumperAndSon]

I think that we are all missing the point here; Chinese trailer tires. I will about guarantee that the one that popped was a china popper. Why were there two different tires on the same side? I'll bet that a newish trailer like that didn't wear the tires out on one axle faster than the other, I'll bet it failed too. I've lost 2 Chinese tires this year on a 2013 trailer with less than 2000 miles on them. Everyone that I talk to with a trailer says they have had problems with the china joe tires.

Sorry, pissed about the Chinese products ruining America. What if someone gets killed by a trailer tire failure? Who are you going to sue, china?

Tim

[jaysm35a2]

I saw my first one blow today on I25 in Castle Rock CO. HVH truck was running 70mph, and I was 150 yrds behind him in my truck and BAM , it went and the mud flap too. It scared the car right behind it off the road. First time for me.

Oh and I stopped by Colorado Mack/Bruckners in Denver to look for a new hat. They had a nice Granite id would have killed to drive home. A order of 10 for a Power Company.

[RowdyRebel]

That's the Mack dealer that looked my truck over for me before I bought it...found it at an independent truck dealer about 45 minutes north of Denver. Seems like forever ago now, though...