Blowout on Tandem

(kstateskier) · (kstateskier) **Join Date: May 2002** 05-13-2008, 11:29 PM

I had a blowout last night between KC and St. Louis. I was about 30 minutes outside of KC when it happened. Instead of leaving the boat at a truck stop and heading back to KC for a tire, I crept it back 30 miles at about 40 mph on 3 tires. Think any damage could have come from this long term? I got a new tire and drove the 4 hours with no problem. I will tell you after having blow outs on a single axle, then on a tandem, I will never own a boat of any size without a tandem trailer. So much easier. What wasn't easy was trying to find a trailer tire at 5pm on a Monday evening. Finally found one at an NTB about 8 pm. My 4 hour trip turned into a 10 hour adventure.

(05mobiuslsv) · (05mobiuslsv) **Join Date: Apr 2006** 05-14-2008, 12:18 AM

Gotta roll with a spare man, even with the tandem.

(ralph) · (ralph) **Join Date: Apr 2002** 05-14-2008, 12:33 AM

I heard you can jack the offending wheel up then strap the axle to the trailer using a rear tie down to keep the weight off the flat tire. A good solution for a short distance.

(266crownlinebr)

Yes you can strap the bad axle up. Been there, done that.

(milehighrider) · (milehighrider) **Join Date: Feb 2004** 05-14-2008, 6:08 AM

all that i did was pull the wheel off and crused. it was only about 45min to go on the trip but had no problems going 65!

(bbeach) · (bbeach) **Join Date: Jul 2002** 05-14-2008, 6:54 AM

Last thursday I was towing a single axle trailer from Springfield to KC as a favor to a friend! As always I double checked tire pressure in both before leaving. Blew the drivers side tire 40 miles outside of springfield, stopped and put on the spare, then hit the first gas station to again check tire pressure in both! Blew the passenger tire a mile outside of Clinton! haha having already installed the spare I said a few choice words, left the two blown tires at the walmart tire center with a note to replace in the morning (FYI Clinton's tire center closes at 7pm! thanks a lot!) I locked up the trailer and left it and headed back to Springfield!

Tandem axle trailers are indeed worth the extra cost!

(kstateskier) · (kstateskier) **Join Date: May 2002** 05-14-2008, 6:58 AM

Mike, I did the same thing, though not at 65. I was a little worried about blowing one of the others.

(tj_in_kc) · (tj_in_kc) **Join Date: Jan 2008** 05-14-2008, 7:59 AM

whoa, what are the chances of blowing both tires?

i'm towing from KC to Springfield next weekend....

(bbeach) · (bbeach) **Join Date: Jul 2002** 05-14-2008, 8:12 AM

I'd say pretty good when both tires have sidewall rot...

(roomservice) · (roomservice) **Join Date: Dec 2006** 05-14-2008, 8:20 AM

I always carry one of these and a cheap floor jack:

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=92349

highly recommended

(tj_in_kc) · (tj_in_kc) **Join Date: Jan 2008** 05-14-2008, 8:56 AM

really g?

a normal lug wrench won't do it?

(roomservice) · (roomservice) **Join Date: Dec 2006** 05-14-2008, 10:22 AM

What can I say tj? I like to take the easy way sometimes, that and the fact that on my cars too often the gorillas at the tire stores put the lugs on at 12,216 psi.....!

(tj_in_kc) · (tj_in_kc) **Join Date: Jan 2008** 05-14-2008, 10:38 AM

haha, true....tires and oil filters!

(sidekicknicholas)

Yeah damage could happen
On the drive home from Florida with our boat we had a blowout, out on the spare, 10 miles later (next town was about 15 miles) had another one blow... so we figured 5 miles on 3 wheels would be fine... and this happened.
Upload

(lakeski) · (lakeski) **Join Date: Dec 2006** 05-14-2008, 4:01 PM

Check your tire stems for dry rot, too. If a stem fails, you'll have a blow out.

(cavlxenvy) · (cavlxenvy) **Join Date: Aug 2007** 05-14-2008, 4:05 PM

Trailer tires should be replaced every 5 years regardless of wear. Something I just learned the other day.

(macrogpx2) · (macrogpx2) **Join Date: Dec 2005** 05-14-2008, 9:42 PM

No I dont think you'll have a problem, had to do it myself a couple times. Had a problem that turned out to we a warped caliper and to prevent blowing out bearings from overheating, Limped it on 3 wheels a couple times.

(bill_airjunky)

Wow, I hope my luck never sucks so bad I lose two tires in one trip. But just in case, when we bought the Vride, I had the dealer put a spare on the tandem axle trailer. Maybe now I'll go visit Harbor Freight for a 12v impact wrench. Thats gotta come in handy for more than just trailer tire lugs.

(yubasanger) · (yubasanger) **Join Date: Jul 2007** 05-15-2008, 1:46 AM

That looks like an after thought from the manufacture or someone tried to make there own lift kit. Should be one piece from frame to equalizer bar.

(will5150) · (will5150) **Join Date: Oct 2002** 05-15-2008, 6:24 AM

5 years is the max for trailer tires! I blew BOTH rear tires within 45 minutes of each other a couple years ago and guess what- they were Exactly 5 years old. They were also Carlisle tires--which suck--but what a hassle. I also ruined both fenders when the tires virtually disintegrated. Proper inflation, balancing are KEY. And A spare never hurts.

(bbeach) · (bbeach) **Join Date: Jul 2002** 05-15-2008, 8:22 AM

One other thing... From now on I will not JUST carry my little OEM Chevy jack I will always be packing my Harbor Freight Floor rollaway jack! Soooo much easier to use! I had to hunt down a 4x6 block on the highway just so my little jack could get the trailer high enough to get the new spare on!

(roomservice) · (roomservice) **Join Date: Dec 2006** 05-15-2008, 8:33 AM

You dont carry a 4x6 block anyway? Next thing you'll tell us is you dont carry a Coleman stove and lantern fuel.Or even a hammock.

Oh, and I can tell you from experience, road flairs that say they expired in 1986 dont make with the flair action for very long.

(05mobiuslsv) · (05mobiuslsv) **Join Date: Apr 2006** 05-15-2008, 9:40 AM

How long did you have to comb the highway to find a 4X6