Front wheel blowout

[Exnavydiver]

A gentleman from the SKP's forum had a front wheel blowout on his bus the other day. While reading the post one of the other subscribers posted this link http://www.olblueusa.org/video/strea...e_blowout.html
it is a very good video about handling a front wheel blowout while towing. Give it a look, good info... Dave and Betsy

[Bob Pasternak]

That video says what I read about and gives the same message I've tried to tell student drivers since the '80s. The response: "Mash the gas??? You're crazy!!!" That method did keep my father-in-law going straight on one of Dallas' freeways after a front tire blow out on a class C.

[Glenn and Lorraine]

Bob, I can almost guarantee you that many of the folks that view this video will say the same thing and it's those folks that we will be seeing in a ditch somewhere down the road.

[Exnavydiver]

Kind seems like leaning into a left hook, but it works. Was coming through Lexington, Ky. in rush hour traffic in the left lane. I didn't realize what happened till I started getting rubber chunks on the windshield, then it started to shoot to the right so I stepped on it for a bit and got stable, I had a 24 ft Mako boat behind me and I was driving a suburban. I had to cross 5 lanes of traffic to get to the right shoulder. There was no shoulder on the left, just a huge wall. Once I got stopped the remains of the tire were burning and it took my thermus of coffee and two extinguishers to get it out. But flooring it worked.. Dave and Betsy

[richfaa]

Yes have got that information many times at drivers classes..Never had to use it as we have Never had a tire failure driving a truck,bus or camper.

[stiles watson]

I have experienced a front blowout, but not while towing and can vouch for the information's accuracy.

[rogue]

Dave, Thanks for posting the link for the video. Hope anyone that has not experianced a blow out, gets a chance to view it.

[HamRad]

It is obviously the thing to do but man does that seem WRONG!

I know I'd probably just hit the brake. I will say that in the 3 times I've had a blowout --- twice on the Monty and once on the inside left of the TV that I just eased off the gas and moved to the right. Never any problem handling those blowouts but I've never had one on the front and am afraid I'd do the same thing!

Guess I'd better try storing that info away in the back of the old gray matter. Hopefully I'll never have to dreg it up but if I have to; hopefully I'll remember to hit the gas and not the brake!

Thanks for posting this great info.

HamRad

[noneck]

Good stuff...I'd likely be easing off the gas gentle like and am not one to go for brake pedal unless there's an obstacle in my sights. I will keep this thought logged as the correct response . Too much training does not hurt a bit...not enough can be deadly. Thanks,

[MAMalody]

Great video. I will have to have my wife watch that. A couple of years ago we were crossing into ID, the wife was driving and I had just woke up, it was raining cats and dogs. I made the off hand comment, to watch out for hydroplaning and there we were, hydroplaning. As she stepped on the brake I yelled don't...just take off cruise control. We lived through it, but it was more excitement than I wanted.

[rogue]

Mike you bring up a good point. I have heard that under non-towing conditions, you should not use the cruise control when it's raining, for that specific reason. Where you towing at the time?

Does anyone know the proper/recommended position on using the cruise control when towing in the rain?

[wersqu]

Great video and topic. This is one of those things most of us will not have the opportunity to practice. It will just happen. Sharing this and talking about it is a good reminder to us all and hopefully will kick in if the unfortunate event ever happens. Safety never gets old. As a side note, this is also how to maintain control if you drop a wheel off the edge of a highway into the gravel especially if there is a drop-off. Thanks for the post!!

[adelmoll]

The person that had the blow out is a good friend of ours... Nick Russell that writes the Gypsy Journal... He and his wife Terry drive an old converted bus that is very heavy. Nick teaches at Life on Wheels and has attended many of the sessions on driving... I am so grateful that he remembered them at the time of the crisis because his bus was going all over the road before he stepped on the gas... You can read his story at his web site www.gypsyjournal.net Click on blog.
Helen

[daneboy]

Hey Diver,
Thanks for the great video. I'll keep that info in my some what marginal memory bank. I did have a right front blow out on the F250 while towing the Monty two years ago in Alaska. I just let off the gas and pulled over thinking it was a trailer tire. We were only going about 45 mph. Believe it or not I had no sensation or problem steering. Probable at hwy speeds it would be different.
Air Foce grease monkey

[jackel1959]

Thanks for the link to the video...very interesting. I had always heard and been taught that if you have a blowout just let off the gas and work your way to the shoulder. I will have to readjust my thinking.
Jack

[Waynem]

Cruise control should NOT be used when the road is slick or slippery, whether towing or not towing.

For one source:
http://www.truthorfiction.com/rumors...isecontrol.htm

Semper Fi!

[Bob Pasternak]

Another thing you really don't want to do is use your exhaust brake when towing on wet or slippery roads. Instant jackknife. All the retarding effort is applied to the drive wheels.

[Longwell]

Great video. It's the same information I was given in truck driving school about 25 years ago.
Glad to see it still applies. Fortunately, I never had to use it, but it should be information available for rapid recall when you need it!
Thanks for the review.
Larry