Blowouts !

[Jon Wehrenberg]

One thing Joe has failed to mention is that all of these type devices, except those installed inside the tire using a band clamp around the rim, screw onto your valve stem.

In and of itself screwing something on the valve stem to read pressure is not a big deal except you have lost 50% of your valve stem leakage protection. On an ordinary valve stem the Schrader valve is the primary seal, and the cap is the secondary seal. With the pressure sensors installed the valve is held open, so if the pressure sensor leaks, so does the air in your tire. Usually the leaks occur because the pressure sensors need to be removed to check the actual pressure and to adjust the tire pressure. The more they are removed the more likely you will have a leak. At least the sensors will tell you the tire has leaked.

But Joe is pretty clever. Actually he is very clever. He installed a second set of valve stems 180 degrees opposed to the ones on the wheel. The pressure sensors, once installed and tested for leaks are then never removed. No removal virtually eliminates the risk of a leak at the sensor. The tire pressure can be checked and adjusted at the normal valve stem which has the Schrader valve and the sealing valve cap. Take a bow Joe.

[Denny]

The tire pressure unit that has bands around the wheel is the Smart Tire. I have had it on a plastic Country Coach and liked it so well I had the system put on my Foretravel when I bought it. It is a good feeling to simply drive 100 feet and get a reading on all tires that are being monitored. I tells air, tempature and deviations of air and temp. as I recall. I checked into the price for my Prevost and it is around 1700 to 1800 dollars from Camping World.

After seeing Joe's monitor panel on one of the photos he posted I called him and discussed his system (Dorian) vs Smart Tire. They seem to do similar things and the Dorian is much less money. I will be going with the Dorian in the near future.

I have driven coaches with a pressure system and without and I prefer having it. The great thing about it is that the tire pressure does not have to be checked manually. If there is a problem you are alerted with a light and warning signal.

There is a Michelin web site listed on this forum somewhere and it shows the results of a blowout on the front tire and what to do when it happens. And guess what? It says to accelerate to keep control of the vehicle. This safety video sets off an explosive devise mounted on a motorhome tire travelling at highway speed to show the results of a simulated blowout.

I don't have time to do a search to find it now, but perhaps the person who posted this can do so again. It was very impressive and everyone should watch it.

Denny

[Jerry Winchester]

For some reason, I'm okay with blowouts..........


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[Ray Davis]

So Joe, can you elaborate on Jon's comments about double facing valve stems. I was concerned about valve stem leakage, and it appears that Jon indicates you've got it covered?

[Toy Box]

I had a blow out about 3 years ago while returning from a race in Daytona. We were on I-95 south bound at about 70-73 mph. The mirror on the curb side started to vibrate while I was in the hammer lane passing a slower something. At first, I thought I was on a bad strech of asphalt. When I pulled back into the left lane, there was a bit more vibration followed almost immediately by the very loud bang. I did not experience any pull in either direction. We let off the throttle and coasted off to the shoulder with some help from the brakes. When I got out to see the damage, the only part of the tire[michelin] left was the two beads on the rim of the wheel and a few strands of steel and rubber where the side wall had been. There was slight damage to the foam insulation in the wheelwell, nothing further. I then pulled out the spare and we were on our way in less than an hour. I don't remember how old the set of tires were, but less than 3 years. Oh, there were two semi's within a mile or so who also had flats. Road debris?? I didn't see anything, but I will never know.

[garyde]

I have had two blow outs. Both wee LOUD and IMMEDIATE. The 1st blow out was coming home from a weekend lake trip. POW....Back passenger tire blows and takes out the wheel well and some harness wiring passing thru the area. Pulled off the Road , and had a gas station put spare tire on. (HOLIDAY RAMBLER ENDEAVOR)

The 2nd time was on the 210 in LA. Coming home from BANKS after getting a new exhaust sytem installed. Going too fast in the middle of sout bound with 4 -5 lanes and POW...front passenger Blow-out. Very scarry and difficult too get slowed down and to the side without causing a major traffic collision. Had to pull the spare tire out from under the back of the coach with cars wizzing by at 70mph. NOT RECOMENDED! Changed tire with one foot between me and the Guard Rail.
After that adventure, I went out and bought all new tires. No more guess work , no more leaving it to the RV Gods.

[Gary & Peggy Stevens]

Ben here is the video you talked about.

Mike Kerely, please watch this video and believe it.

http://www.michelinrvtires.com/miche...r/RvVideos.jsp

[JIM KELLER]

Gary, I watched both videos. They were informative. Even the part about tire dressing. Thanks.

99 Country Coach 45XL

[Joe Cannarozzi]

The blowouts I have experianced in tractor-trailer were all navigated by coasting to the shoulder. The thing that sticks in my mind the most is being startled by the bang. The pull on the wheel was small. The one I had in our class-c was preceeded by, as toy box stated a strange wobble, that if I knew how to read at the time, would have given me ample time to reduce speed sufficiantly enough before the event to avoid collaterial dammage that it caused.

Not to disagree, that video and instruction seems to go against instinct, ya know what I mean, lodgical, but I don,t think natural reaction is gas it.

In any event I've never had a blow-out pull me out of a lane.

Now I have pressure sensers, life is good.

I chose this product because like many things for us, cost. I'd really like one of our more blessed members to get the other system that straps to the rim inside the tire for an additional consumer report for the folks. Who is gonna step up to the plate.

[mike kerley]

Gary and Peggy,

I watched the video. Thanks for posting it. Not saying I'll ignore the advise, it will be in the back of my mind if it happens again.

My wife has a sensor attached to the accelerator and it signals her to "comment" every time i step down hard on the fuel, so that would be a problem for me.