Ever had a flat under tow?

Taurus2415 · 02-19-2014, 06:37 PM

I have only had one flat on my car years ago and it was quite obvious what happened and that I should pull over. My question is -- if you have a flat with a travel trailer how will you know? What will it sound like or feel like? We just got back from our first trip of the year and this was one of the many things going through my mind while towing 900 miles round trip.

Anyone ever had a flat and what was it like?

Dwilcox353 · 02-19-2014, 07:22 PM

I have had 3 blowouts and 2 flats. If you don't have the radio up you will hear the blowout (at least we did). When you hear the pop, you look in the mirrors and see smoke on one side, That's it. One of the flats might have been a blowout as we were going thru a very rough part of the road so very noisy, Had a guy passing me making hand signals back at the trailer (never good) and found it had beat itself to death by then, taking part of the trim with it. Fixed the trim that winter and next summer on the way back from Disneyland, in Oregon, about an hour after stopping for gas (check pressers every fill up and potty break, 2 hours max) I was checking mirrors and saw something moving back there (also not a good thing) and found same tire (new of course) had destroyed itself, taking the same trim piece with it. At that point DW said I can get tire pressure monitors for it.

For those that think that is too many tires, I must be doing something bad like overloading, our Jayco was one of the ones recalled for tires to close to wheel well and this happened just before the recall. The last tire was this last summer, Jayco covered the repair on the 1st trim as the lift kit had not been installed yet.
The point is, you might hear a blow out but if you have a good TV you may not feel a thing. If it runs flat, still might not know. You need to check the pressures often and if you pick up a nail you might not know till someone points it out or you see something funny and by then it could be to late. By the way I have tandems, you cant help but notice if you are single axle.

RVhiker · 02-19-2014, 07:52 PM

I've had one flat without a tire pressure monitoring system. I did not know I had a flat until a motorist pointed at me and slowed me down and I pulled over. By then, the tire was in shreds. If that motorist hadn't told me, I'd eventually have been on two brake rims on one side, instead of one shredded tire and one good tire.

I've had one leak with a tire pressure monitoring system. The system alerted me when the pressure dropped below 72 PSI. I had plenty of time to find a safe place to pull over and change the tire. The tire was not damaged and was repaired. And I didn't have to pull over in an unsafe place to change it, because I got enough notice from the TPMS.

TPMS = GOOD.

Scott · 02-20-2014, 09:46 AM

A few years ago I was towing a tandem axel utility trailer (about 4000 lbs) with my Dad's 2500 Ram Cummins and had a flat on the rear driver's side. I didn't see or feel anything but a motorist yelled at me as I was driving and pulled over to see a shredded tire.

Seann45 · 02-20-2014, 10:15 AM

I must have horseshoes up my butt... my one flat came leaving Phoenix a few years ago.. a "hells angle" type biker pulled up beside me and pointed to the trailer.. so I pulled over and checked it out... yep had a flat could not feel it towing.. but caught it before ANY damage... Wish I could have bought the guy a beer or any beverage he wanted..

Brownie · 02-20-2014, 10:53 AM

I've had two over the years. First one was on a boat trailer on I-80 at about 65 mph. The rim had rusted through and just split apart. Talk about some fish tailing! Second was on my last trailer. Picked up a nail when I pulled over to adjust the tow mirrors. Didn't even notice it until I stopped at a rest area. Fortunately, my TV had a bottle jack that (with the help of a couple leveling blocks) worked well to change over to the spare. Next trip out, I made sure I had the tire repaired and a new bottle jack inside the trailer.

DieselX · 02-20-2014, 11:09 AM

It's hard to tell sometimes, maybe a little extra "wiggle" but I've had some that just separated and didn't go flat. Someone flagged me down once and another time I happened to see it. I always look back when it seems to move more than usual.

RedHorse1 · 02-20-2014, 11:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Seann45

I must have horseshoes up my butt...

Painful?

I have bad dreams about that (flats & blowouts, not horseshoes) and bought a TPMS.

Bird Dawg · 02-20-2014, 11:43 AM

We had several blowouts on a cargo trailer that we used to pull behind the motorhome. If it weren't for the loud bang, I wouldn't have known it. However, we had a 33,000 lb diesel pusher MH pulling a 9,900 lb cargo trailer. That may have had something to do with the fact that we didn't feel it.

Fred

**norty1** · 02-20-2014, 07:52 PM

I have 4 blow outs and a few flats. Only one since getting the TPMS and was able to stop before it went flat.

We heard the noise on some and the trim flying, others no indication till someone blew the horn.

steve76 · 02-20-2014, 08:12 PM

I had a flat /blow out last year on my way up to ga. on I 75 I felt the trailer go down I do have a spare

muelldawg · 02-20-2014, 09:58 PM

One blow out and did not feel it. A passing car signaled me.

bed685 · 02-20-2014, 11:56 PM

I had three blow outs on my 30' TT in one trip. YOU WILL KNOW IT. The tires took no time to shred apart and the TT was very hard to keep straight.

Shorty Cox · 02-21-2014, 01:49 PM

I was towing a backhoe on a tatdum axle equipment trailer and had a blow-out and did not know it until I reached my destination. I'm always concerned when towing my 5er. I don't wish to hi-jack this thread, but how many of you have TPMS with you RV's and what kind?

Shorty

Taurus2415 · 02-21-2014, 03:37 PM

Not a hijack at all. I was hoping we could cover TPMS as well. My concern is not necessarily the blowout (hard to predict and more obvious when it happens) but the slow leak. I suspect a TPMS would help give you time to pull over and replace or repair the tire before something bad happens.

So. . . Great question. Do you use a TPMS and what brand?

Camper_bob · 02-21-2014, 04:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Taurus2415

Not a hijack at all. I was hoping we could cover TPMS as well. My concern is not necessarily the blowout (hard to predict and more obvious when it happens) but the slow leak. I suspect a TPMS would help give you time to pull over and replace or repair the tire before something bad happens.

So. . . Great question. Do you use a TPMS and what brand?

http://www.jaycoowners.com/showthrea...s-anyone-using

Recent thread on this subject.

TeamFoxy · 02-24-2014, 04:57 PM

I think a slow leak or puncture can quickly lead to a shredded tire and/or blowout. As the tire looses air, the walls flex more and eventually fail. After the last one we had, my mechanic thought the initial problem was a valve failure. He thought that the previous owner probably put new tires on, but tried to save a few bucks by not replacing the valve stems.

With every tire failure I've had over the years, on boats or the RV, it has been fairly evident. Either the trailer started to sway or went down. If the tire shreds, the tread part can go rolling past you or you can catch sight of it flying up in the rear view mirror.

TCNashville · 02-24-2014, 05:48 PM

We had one on our previous TT. Heading north on I-75 and I felt it in the steering wheel. Could only pull off a few feet. Somewhat unnerving changing a tire while semi's are whizzing past at 75mph making the whole camper shake. All was good though, made it all the way home with the spare. Checked on the camper [in storage] a few weeks later and 2 more tires had the sidewalls blown out just sitting there. We were the 2nd owners if the camper, needless to say, I put 4 new tires on.

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