Newbie towing question on blow outs

[OurNewEra]

Still new at RVing and been spending lots of time on here learning from you all. Thanks again for sharing your knowledge and experiences.
I was coming back home today from a weekend getaway rolling on freshly laid down asphalt when suddenly I was getting an odd bounce. I was worried I got a blowout and immediately pulled over. Turns out it was just a poor asphalt job.
So my question is, how will I know if I've got a blowout? Will I feel a violent vibration, jerking....

Sent from my SM-T580 using Tapatalk

My only blow out was last May on a trip to Michigan. We were 30 minutes into our return trip when we had a blow out on our single axle TT. So obviously it was easy to tell. My wife actually saw the tire coming apart in the mirror before catastrophic failure but didn't know what it was. So she is still trying to get over that traumatic experience. The first thing I ordered for our new 2970RL was a TPMS. From what I have seen on a tandem axle you obviously won't get the immediate feedback I got on the single axle.

My take away from my blow out are 1) I will never run without a TPMS, especially on a much larger rig, and 2) if something seems off, stop and check it out before something small turns into something big, like you did with your bad asphalt job. If I had pulled over when my wife first spotted something in the mirror I probably could have avoided the damage to the metal that occurred on catastrophic failure. Ironic thing is my wife was checking the door as it had a tendency to fly open. She thought it was the door moving a little and not the tire.

[Steven@147]

We have the TST 507 TPMS system. Its now a year and a half old. All the sensors were still reporting but i didn't want to take a chance on one of the sensors going out on a trip, so I thought it time to replace the batteries in the sensors. Through a year and a half I haven't always had the sensors attached to the valve stems. For a month or more in one place I remove the sensors from the valve stems. The sensors are supposed to shut off with no air pressure when they are removed from the tires valve stem. People that have the external TPMS sensors say the batts last about a year if they are connected to the tire valve stem all year. I had ordered a battery kit for the TST that comes with 6 batteries, tiny screw driver, spare screws, orings and seals and had it on hand just in case.

Its really easy to replace the batteries and there are U-tubes you can search for. I kept the old batteries for backup. No matter what TPMS brand you buy, its a good idea to have one. Yes they can be a little expensive but I think its better then not having one.

[RVoyager]

Get a TPMS. You may not even know otherwise until you see chunks of rubber and trailer flying or somebody pulls up next to you waving and pointing.

I agree, TPMS. Started using them after a complete wheel was lost. We just had the bearings packed and they forgot to put that cotter pin in...

[Wandering5thwheelers]

Wow, do you know how many new tires I can buy for the same price of one of the systems you guys recommend? Holy crap they’re expensive! I was driving when we had a blow out. Like the other post, I saw the rubber flying back through the side mirror. Pulled over right away, no damage to the trailer...thank goodness, called roadside assistance and they came and changed the tire out. Only damage was to the rim, the tire shop thought they could fix, but I’ve worked in the tire industry for years, and said nope, replace! And like others, didn’t feel a thing. I am interested to look more into these systems talked about, but honestly would have to see bang for buck if they’re that expensive

[jkwilson]

Wow, do you know how many new tires I can buy for the same price of one of the systems you guys recommend? Holy crap they’re expensive! I was driving when we had a blow out. Like the other post, I saw the rubber flying back through the side mirror. Pulled over right away, no damage to the trailer...thank goodness, called roadside assistance and they came and changed the tire out. Only damage was to the rim, the tire shop thought they could fix, but I’ve worked in the tire industry for years, and said nope, replace! And like others, didn’t feel a thing. I am interested to look more into these systems talked about, but honestly would have to see bang for buck if they’re that expensive

Maybe two tires. TST507 can be had for a little more than $300. Says nothing about the thousands of dollars in damage when one blows at speed or the difficulties of changing a tire along a road.

A TPMS is a bargain.

[lorend]

I have been driving for a living since 1981. I have had blowouts on several occasions. When the blow outs have happened, I have seen the entire tire disappear in a cloud of shredded rubber. I have had them blow and not have any effect on the immediate drivability of the rig. I even had a drive axle tire on a semi blow, 120 psi and it sounds like a shotgun going off in your ear and the tractor felt like it lifted off the pavement. Almost all of the blow outs that I have experienced have been due to foreign objects and road debris. Driving professionally, we do pre trips every time before the rig leaves the parking lot. Tire pressure is one of the items checked. I have never seen a semi outfitted with a TPMS and yet they do have tires that just shred and blow. And not just the retreads. I have looked at the TPMS but for now I am holding off and putting the money to other items needed.

[RWFSAF]

I have had two blowouts.
The first was on a single axle pop-up camper.
It sounded like a gun shot and I knew it immediately.
I was able to stop before the tire/camper suffered any real damage.
The second time was on a two axle camper.
I didn't know there was a problem till I saw the tire tread separate and destroy several feet of the aluminum skirt and supports in the mirror
I am now the proud owner of a TPMS and love it/use it absolutely every time I hook up.
Twice is enough for me.

[Malco1]

I agree, TPMS. Started using them after a complete wheel was lost. We just had the bearings packed and they forgot to put that cotter pin in...

I had put this in another post, but the short story is I had a class A gasser and the right front tire came off the rim on 95 in Jacksonville Fl nothing like being on the side of 95 in Jacksonville waiting for 2 hours for a service truck. when the service guy took a look at the tire he said it was a perfectly good tire and it must have been a bad valve extension that was leaking. I was $500 for a new tire and Michelin didn't make that model tire any more so it had to be replaced with a different model Michelin tire. When I got back to NY where I lived at that time I had to replace the left tire with the same model, another $500. A 3 or 400 dollar set of TPMS could have saved my tire and about 6 hrs time on the side of 95.

[Malco1]

I have been driving for a living since 1981. I have had blowouts on several occasions. When the blow outs have happened, I have seen the entire tire disappear in a cloud of shredded rubber. I have had them blow and not have any effect on the immediate drivability of the rig. I even had a drive axle tire on a semi blow, 120 psi and it sounds like a shotgun going off in your ear and the tractor felt like it lifted off the pavement. Almost all of the blow outs that I have experienced have been due to foreign objects and road debris. Driving professionally, we do pre trips every time before the rig leaves the parking lot. Tire pressure is one of the items checked. I have never seen a semi outfitted with a TPMS and yet they do have tires that just shred and blow. And not just the retreads. I have looked at the TPMS but for now I am holding off and putting the money to other items needed.

Don't semi's have a system that air up the tires while driving?

[Redfly]

I have only had 1 blow out and that was on an rv I was towing home for a friend.
As mentioned, I heard the pop, thought I saw something flying from the rv. That was confirmed by a passing driver.