Hot Roads, and blown Tires

[Pmedic4]

Just took a non-RV vacation to Florida this past week, and drove the 1100 miles in my car. Didn't notice any RV's with flats on the way there, but noticed quite a few blown truck tires and tire pieces on the road (road Alligators - if anyone else has heard that name), but on our return trip on I-65 saw 3 5thwheel RV's with blown tires pulled over. Uggh! Fortunately not me, but felt bad for the people trying to fix their flats.

The bad news was it seemed like for 2 of the 3, with the double rear axles, one tire was blown, and in shreds, while the other tire on that side was flat! Of course, we all know we only carry one spare so your going to have to go get a replacement somewhere. The other RV was a 3 axle toyhauler, and it just had the rear tire shredded so at least 2 tires seemed to carry the load. The other interesting point was on all 3, it was the rear tire that was blown? Anybody's experiences say it's usually the rear tire that goes first?

Couldn't stop to ask if they had tire monitoring systems?

Also, made the DW think about upgrading our 5ver's tires sooner rather than later.

[Ken / Claudia]

You need to get the right terms in there. Those are just plan old road gator's. (Just Kidding) But, we were taught to name them that and used the term on the radio. Regarding the flat tires. If we could stop as a tire starts to have problems before it blows, I think you would not see other tires damaged. Because we do not know they are about to fail, when they due fail and than the tires left on that side carry x2 the weight should are made for until that extra weight is removed and can fail there or later down the road. Without stopping or doing a inspection it is hard to say really why it all happened. It could be that the rubber valve stems split on the tires not blown and just went flat again due to overloaded.I put metal stems at about 6 bucks a rim just for a little cheap insurance on my truck and trailer tires/wheels to prevent that as I found out the hard way with heavy loads and rubber stems.

[C130]

I closely monitored my temperatures and pressures on my toy hauler from Texas to East Tennessee. Temperatures were in the mid nineties the entire way and tire pressures were set at 80 psi before I left Texas. Pressures rose about 10 psi while driving and temps were consistently around 10-15 degrees above outside air temperature. Tires are Michelin XPS Ribs, not sure what "normal" is but those were my readings.

[Desert185]

My Maxxis tire temps went to 143dF (infra red gun during a fuel stop) during a 60 MPH tow through Sacramento, CA last Friday. Outside temp varied from 95 to 106 across the valley. Didn't check the pressure, but it was somewhat comforting to have metal valve stems along with not having the stock Trailer Kings.

[Ken / Claudia]

On a trip from Portland to San Fran in July. TV rear tires at 80psi at start of trip that morning PDX was around 40 degrees. In Corning, Ca that day the temps were 110-115. Just after we stopped I checked all tires PSi and the rear were 96 and 94psi. I was carrying a truck camper, no trailer. Unknown what the tire temps were. Travel at 55-65 mph. By the way both rear tire blow outs I had was in July in 90- 100 degree traveling on highways with camper and boat, different trips.