Maintenance Issues, Tips and Tricks

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Blown Tires

Printed From: r-pod Nation
Category: Forest River r-pod
Forum Name: Maintenance Issues, Tips and Tricks
Forum Description: Have you ever wondered how something works? Found a good way to do something? Discovered the hard way what NOT to do? Share them here.
URL: http://www.rpodNation.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=4832
Printed Date: 24 Apr 2024 at 4:11am
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 11.0 - http://www.webwizforums.com

Topic: Blown Tires

Posted By: 0ttr
Subject: Blown Tires
Date Posted: 21 Jul 2019 at 2:10am

So I guess I made myself the poster child of what not to do.

I am on a long trip to the Rockies. I got about 300 miles and a tire blew. This took out the fender immediately. Then I discovered two things: my tow vehicle jack wouldn't work and while I had the right wrench for the lug nuts, the socket i have was too shallow for the nuts on the mount for the spare. So I called a tow truck since insurance would cover it. Got switched and on my way. I thought that at the end of the day I would go and replace the other tire.

Well, the 2nd one blew. So now the rpod is on the side of the highway as it was too late in the day to do anything about it and I'm getting it sorted out in the morning. And yes, it took out the other fender.

These were six year old tires. I knew they were getting a bit older, but I had inspected them and they looked perfect--no cracking or any other evidence of aging. I had literally checked their pressure earlier in the day and they were fine.

I'm just grateful that there was no wreck and that it appears that there's no other damage. I'm glad I put the riser kit on it a couple years back.

I look online and some places say 5 years and others 5-7 for tire life. In any case, just a friendly "learn from my mistake moment". If your tires are 5 years old or older and look perfect, well, that means nothing. Replace them.

Fortunately, replacements are affordable.

Replies:

Posted By: Kingskerswell
Date Posted: 21 Jul 2019 at 2:35am

Never a good experience, the the scary thing is the unpredictable results. I know as I have had a couple of blow outs on a previous TT, not both sides though. Good quality tires become a necessity on a single axle configuration. Just curious what tires you have on your Rpod.

Posted By: 0ttr
Date Posted: 22 Jul 2019 at 11:58am

They were the factory tires. I didn't get the brand.

Posted By: mcarter
Date Posted: 22 Jul 2019 at 5:42pm

Many of us updated tires ASAP, if you have a newer Pod or an HRE may not be necessary. Mine came with 14" C rates, I went with D rated Carlisle's. Other brands are available, but at a minimum a 14" should be D rated.

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Mike Carter
2015 178

Posted By: 0ttr
Date Posted: 23 Jul 2019 at 1:05am

My 2013 177 came with R14s. That's what they were replaced with. I know about C & D ratings, but the R was on both the tire and the sticker.

Posted By: mcarter
Date Posted: 23 Jul 2019 at 3:38am

R doesn't mean anything to me. The Load rating should be D preferably.

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Mike Carter
2015 178

Posted By: 0ttr
Date Posted: 24 Jul 2019 at 1:32am

I looked into this further. The tire on the sticker is ST175R14C. The C at the end is the load rating. What confused me is that some tires don't have the R. I found an ST175D14 at one point. So I guess the R is radial and the C is the load bearing rating.

As far as whether or not I should have gotten D tires, when I have a disabled trailer abandoned in the side of the road on a Sunday morning, at that point, I was simply grateful to find someone with the tire on the sticker.

I plan to just simply swap them out after five years regardless of their appearance.

I don't load the trailer that heavily when I use it. I do, however, take it on long trips all over the West.

Posted By: mcarter
Date Posted: 24 Jul 2019 at 7:39am

Yes the R is for Radial. I can only tell you the D rates were one of the best improvements to my pod.

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Mike Carter
2015 178