Always check your tires!

[WTL]

So I was driving down I65 going to lake kissimmee yesterday when I blew out the rear tire on my truck in the left lane. It is an act of God that despite what had been heavy commerical traffic all morning, it happened at an instant where I was inbetween two groups of trucks and not right amongst them. I almost regained control, it first tried to pull right, then left, somehow missed the rail ( a witness said he didn't know how), then finally swerved hard right straight across the right lane and onto the side of the road, flipping the boat off the trailer so that it landed upside down on the outboard and causing the truck to tip to a degree where it was inches from rolling over on the driver side door. We wre left facing the opposite direction that we had been traveling. All this with my dad in the shotgun seat and my dog riding on the armrest. Not a scratch on anyone.


Before the trip I had bought used tires to replace the old ones that had almost no tread, and one of those was the culprit. The irony was that I was doing my best to do the responsible thing, didnt really have the money for new tires and the used tires looked great, there was no telling, but sometimes it just happens. But to make sure, cause driving with a trailer is so dangerous, always check the tires at every stop. There are times when you may not be able to tell, but there are times you can and at the very least do that to avoid this type of thing.

[bassfisher02]

Ah bummer, thats a very unfortunate thing to happen, really spoils the trip. Yet on the bright side, I'm glad no one was hurt, and you werent in heavy traffic. I'm sure insurance will cover the boat and all other damage, which makes things seem ok [even though its a sh*tty thing to happen] because no one was hurt.

We had the nut holding the ball to the hitch actually come all the way loose, then fall off! We made a few trips with it like that too, not realizing it. We are very lucky we didnt go over any major bumps and have the trailer come unhitched, that woulda been terrible.

But again, glad to know everyone was alright.

[zooker]

holy sh!t!!! brother love... lucky for you every one walked away..

zooker

[PowerBass]

Damn dude. Im glad your okay, and pops and the pooch.

[texasbasser]

Damn!! SOrry about your boat and your truck, but its great everyone is OK.

[brushhog]

Tough luck... Glad all are okay. thanks for the reminder, I'll check mine in the AM

[WTL]

So anyways, now the trip to florida is off for a while. Since the boat landed upside down, it damaged or ruined:

The top of the outboard, flywheel, and wires

broke the omc trolling motor mount

punched a hole in the side of the boat

bent the frame of the trailer toung 4 inches to the side

destroyed the front deck and part of the rear

flipped 2 batteries over, water and acid spilt out

tore console off and crushed part of it

effectivly bent trailer jack so that it misses gear when lowering

bent winchstand well out of the way

broke transom saver and seat posts

bent bumper on truck several degrees downward (fixed it already today however)

damaged wheel when tire came off, not sure if its still usable

dented rear truck panels

bent tailpipe out at angle

And yet we crept back the old pre interstate highway yesterday, over 100 miles to make it home. Felt like Lee creeping back into virginia after gettysburg.

[FlyRod]

DubyaTeeEll,

Thanks to The Almighty for the survival of you and yours.
So far as the boat goes, well, it gives new meaning to "Roll, Tide. Roll!"
I hope you have insurance suffucient to cover the damages and that you're back on the water soon.
Best of luck to you and the Tide.

FR
Boomer Sooner!

[1FASTLASER]

Boats can be replaced. So glad ya'll come out with bruises and nothing worse.

[BLWeng]

glad your and the family are ok wtl. Sounds like you went for a hell of a ride.

Show pictures of the new boat when you get it.

[lizardsrule]

Originally Posted by 1FASTLASER

Boats can be replaced. So glad ya'll come out with bruises and nothing worse.

I couldn't have said it any better. My condolences on the boat. I'm guessing your better off putting her to rest, and getting as new one. The trailer issues alone will cost a few bills. I had to just about replace everything on my trailer last year. Shoulda just bouhgt a new one. If you keep it, make darn sure the axle is straight. this led to many other issues I had not realizing it was also bent. And again glad you and family ar fine. If you still want to come down, I'll lend ya my old plow boat.

Lizards

[Snake2715]

Wow, you don't see this all too often. As its been said glad everyone was alright, passengers and bystanders.

This is probably a little too late now but I always use www.tirerack.com for tires... considerably cheaper than anything local, no taxes and shipping takes about 2 days for me. A lot of times the local chains might even match their pricing... (Belle Tire, Discount Tire, Etc).

The other nice thing is you can read reviews of the tires with millions of miles of reported use... I would think thats got to somewhat weed out the biased reviews of those tires.

Anyway good luck on that and this is good to think about on used / worn tires.

[CarpMan]

• Do my driving habits affect the life of my tires?
• How do I know how old my tires are?
• How do I take care of my new tires?
• How many miles will I get out of my tires?

Do my driving habits affect the life of my tires?

Yes! Here are several tips to help increase the life of your tires:

• Don’t speed. High speeds generate excessive heat, which increases the rate of tire wear and reduces the tire’s durability. Drive the safe, legal speed limit.
• Avoid fast turns on curves and around corners.
• Avoid fast starts and panic stops.
• Don’t ride on the edge of the pavement or drive over curbs, potholes, or other obstructions.

Top
How do I know how old my tires are?

Each tire has a required Department of Transportation (DOT) number imprinted on at least one of its sidewalls. That number begins with the letters "DOT" and may contain up to 12 additional numbers and letters.
The first and last digits are the most important:

• The first two letters or numbers identify the manufacturer of the tires.
• Prior to the year 2000, the last 3 digits of a DOT number represented the week (2 digits) and the year (1 digit) of production. So if the last three digits are 439, the tire was produced in the 43rd week of 1999.
• Tires produced after January 1, 2000, have a 4-digit date code at the end of the DOT number. The first 2 digits represent the week of production and the last 2 digits represent the last 2 digits of the year of production. So, 3500 indicates the tire was produced in the 35th week of the year 2000.

Top
How do I take care of my new tires?

Properly maintained tires will help give you a more comfortable ride and a longer tread life. So:

• Properly (e.g., cold) check your tire pressure monthly.
• Check your tires frequently for any cuts, snags, punctures, any other injury, or irregular tire wear.
• At the first sign of irregular treadwear, have your alignment checked.
• Make sure the tires are balanced when they are mounted on the wheels.
• Rotate your tires following the schedule in your vehicle owners manual or as required by the tire manufacturer’s warranty.
• Clean your tires with soap and water and a soft bristle brush or a shop cloth. For stronger cleaning and protection, Michelin recommends using its Wheel & Tire Care product line. Learn more here. The Michelin™ Wheel & Tire Care Program is available at leading retailers throughout North America. Find a retailer near you.

Top
How many miles will I get out of my tires?

Many factors affect the tread life of your tires, such as:

• Tread compounds
• Construction features
• Vehicle application
• Tire maintenance
• Geographic conditions
• Atmospheric conditions
• Driving habits
• And more

That’s why exact mileage is impossible to predict. Take special care when braking, accelerating, cornering, etc., to help increase the life of the tire.
If you have concerns about the rate of wear on your tires, consult your local authorized tire retailer.

[Snake2715]

I found this especially informative.

"The first two letters or numbers identify the manufacturer of the tires.
Prior to the year 2000, the last 3 digits of a DOT number represented the week (2 digits) and the year (1 digit) of production. So if the last three digits are 439, the tire was produced in the 43rd week of 1999.
Tires produced after January 1, 2000, have a 4-digit date code at the end of the DOT number. The first 2 digits represent the week of production and the last 2 digits represent the last 2 digits of the year of production. So, 3500 indicates the tire was produced in the 35th week of the year 2000. "

[flfireman]

Glad to hear all involved are OK. Yeah, same offer here. Im working to dang much to fish, boats a phone call away.