Castle Rock blow out

[gectisme]

Well, it happened to me, tire blew with no warning, well there possibly was a slight bit of warning… The back drivers side blew at 65mph. Did some damage to the tire well skirt and a piece of aluminum bottom/side covering. I thought OK, I have read about all these “China Bombs” and I am going to take care of my tires, got a TST TPMS, always checked the pressures on the TPMS before heading out and always monitored them on the way. Thought I would be OK until I replaced them at around 8-10k miles – NOT! I am guesstimating around 5k miles on them now and they are less than 2 years old.

Getting back to the slight bit of warning. I was watching the TPMS and noticed the temperature on that tire was about 7 degrees higher than the front one and thought that’s odd. Then a few minutes later I saw the pressure had dropped 2 psi and was about to slow down and look for an exit. Then about a minute later the temp and pressure were normal and I thought it must have been the sensor. Kept going 65mph and about 2-3 minutes later BAMB! Yes, it was that loud and I figured a tire blew but was still figuring out which one. The dog-gone TPMS took a good 30 seconds to a minute before it started to alarm and then I knew which one it was. Pulled over but had to drive about ¼ mile to find a safe place to stop. The only thing I don’t know is how long that tire was 7 degrees higher, could have been 10-15 minutes as I usually check them around that interval.

I checked around and of course no one carries Maxxis near where this happened and I didn’t want to continue without a spare so I ended up getting what the tire store had, Trailer King tires. I did go up a rating to E since I believe the WJ should have come with 10 ply tires anyway. I hope these are better than then the Castle Rocks D tires.

[Iwannacamp]

One of my biggest fears.


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[Bobaloo]

WOW!!, That's scary

[dieselguy]

Commenting on tire sensors ... I have a TST system and regularly have 3 - 8 degree spread of temps anytime we go camping. Not all brakes can be adjusted up exactly the same, not all wheel bearings adjusted exactly the same, and not all weights on each tire can be the same due to configuration of your RV. All contribute to tire temp. If I travel with the sun continually on one side for several miles the sunny side is always several degrees hotter than the shady side. I dumped my "Marabombs" and went with Michelin LT tires and have never looked back.

[Bama Rambler]

I think we should encourage EVERY person we meet to report any RV tire problems they have to the NHSTA, no matter what the cause. I think if everybody that has had a tire failure would report it they would eventually take a look at them.

Right now they probably only see 10% of the failures reported.

We had the tread completely separate on our last RV, but the tire stayed inflated. I didn't report it, but I should have.

[5picker]

Originally Posted by Bama Rambler

I think we should encourage EVERY person we meet to report any RV tire problems they have to the NHSTA, no matter what the cause. I think if everybody that has had a tire failure would report it they would eventually take a look at them.

Right now they probably only see 10% of the failures reported.

We had the tread completely separate on our last RV, but the tire stayed inflated. I didn't report it, but I should have.

I would venture to guess it isn't that high.
I also agree these failures should be reported.
Nothing will ever get done unless we start complaining in masses.

[gectisme]

Originally Posted by dieselguy

Commenting on tire sensors ... I have a TST system and regularly have 3 - 8 degree spread of temps anytime we go camping. Not all brakes can be adjusted up exactly the same, not all wheel bearings adjusted exactly the same, and not all weights on each tire can be the same due to configuration of your RV. All contribute to tire temp. If I travel with the sun continually on one side for several miles the sunny side is always several degrees hotter than the shady side. I dumped my "Marabombs" and went with Michelin LT tires and have never looked back.

Interesting, I watch mine all the time, and they are always within 1 degree of each other on the side they are on. The sun side is always higher but the 2 tires on their respective sides have always had the same temperature within a degree or 2. Usually 8-10 degrees higher than the current temperature outside.

[gectisme]

Originally Posted by Bama Rambler

I think we should encourage EVERY person we meet to report any RV tire problems they have to the NHSTA, no matter what the cause. I think if everybody that has had a tire failure would report it they would eventually take a look at them.

Right now they probably only see 10% of the failures reported.

We had the tread completely separate on our last RV, but the tire stayed inflated. I didn't report it, but I should have.

I filed a NHSTA report. Unfortunately, they don't have the correct information in the drop downs. No Castle Rock Tires, no Rockwood, No WindJammer...

This is the link to my complaint:
Keeping You Safe | Safercar | National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)

[Iwannacamp]

I am looking at this...I have NO knowledge, but it looks like(to me) what the experts might call impact damage. Where are they when you need them? I say this because of the way it split.

I too have new(1000 miles and a few weeks old) Castle Rock tires.

[JustB_Rad]

I can't remember what the exact number is, and I don't have the instructions with me, but the TST Monitors only update every 5 minutes unless they sense the spike in temperature or instant decrease of pressure. They are a safety measure for sure, but they definitely aren't going to prevent all blowouts.

I guess as a lessons learned for the rest of us....You saw something unusual, and didn't stop because you thought it fixed itself. Get to learn the habits of your equipment. My TPMS tells me my temps go up about 5-7 degrees and PSI goes up 3-4 PSI. All but one of my tires does this...and for whatever reason, it will rarely if ever go above 51PSI according to the sensor...There is a margin of error that the instructions warn about as well. Learn what your equipment is telling you and if it varies off of that, STOP and CHECK.

[5picker]

Did the OP not have an instant decrease in pressure when the tire blew?

They said it didn't alarm for 30 seconds to a minute AFTER the blowout???

My TST alarms instantly when I unscrew one of the sensors, simulating an instant decrease in pressure.

[JustB_Rad]

Originally Posted by 5picker

Did the OP not have an instant decrease in pressure when the tire blew?

My TST alarms instantly when I unscrew one of the sensors, simulating an instant decrease in pressure.

As do mine, however, there is a stated margin of error in the instructions. These are not intended to make trailering your RV idiot proof....

Unfortunately, I believe that there are a bunch of people who buy these things, and then think they'll never have a blowout.

[OldCoot]

Originally Posted by JustB_Rad

I can't remember what the exact number is, and I don't have the instructions with me, but the TST Monitors only update every 5 minutes unless they sense the spike in temperature or instant decrease of pressure. They are a safety measure for sure, but they definitely aren't going to prevent all blowouts.

I guess as a lessons learned for the rest of us....You saw something unusual, and didn't stop because you thought it fixed itself. Get to learn the habits of your equipment. My TPMS tells me my temps go up about 5-7 degrees and PSI goes up 3-4 PSI. All but one of my tires does this...and for whatever reason, it will rarely if ever go above 51PSI according to the sensor...There is a margin of error that the instructions warn about as well. Learn what your equipment is telling you and if it varies off of that, STOP and CHECK.

My TST system cycles from one tire to the next for the 4 on the ground and the spare and it is constantly cycling and does not take 5 minutes to do a complete cycle.

[JustB_Rad]

Originally Posted by OldCoot

My TST system cycles from one tire to the next for the 4 on the ground and the spare and it is constantly cycling and does not take 5 minutes to do a complete cycle.

Fine, I'll go look it up!

I know mine takes more than a cycle to update, because I'm on the freeway before it gives me an updated PSI and Temp from when I leave my driveway.

[JustB_Rad]

According to the manual on Page 8:

"Sensors detect tire pressure and temperature readings every 6 seconds and send the latest reading every 5 minutes. If reading is over or under the preset levels, an audible alarm will sound and red alert light will flash within the monitor, however the red light will continue to flash until the temperature or pressure is restored to acceptable ranges"

http://tsttruck.com/wp-content/uploa...ser-manual.pdf

Why it didn't send the OP the alarm sooner I can't answer, because it says it is supposed to be "Immediate", but if it's only taking a reading every 6 seconds, there could be a 6 second delay in that "Immediate" reading.

[OldCoot]

Originally Posted by JustB_Rad

Fine, I'll go look it up!

I know mine takes more than a cycle to update, because I'm on the freeway before it gives me an updated PSI and Temp from when I leave my driveway.

My instruction book says it displays ea tire for 5 seconds, so for my 5 tires, it completes a cycle in 25 seconds. I verify this when adding air.

BTW, I have the 507 flow thru sensors and monitor and the manual does not mention the 5 minutes. You might have a newer manual also.

[JustB_Rad]

Originally Posted by OldCoot

My instruction book says it displays ea tire for 5 seconds, so for my 5 tires, it completes a cycle in 25 seconds.

Correct, it displays the last transmitted data and switches tires every 5 seconds. It only displays the last updated data...which it receives every 5 minutes. At some points, the data you're receiving on your monitor could be up to 4 minutes and 59 seconds old.

[OldCoot]

Originally Posted by JustB_Rad

Correct, it displays the last transmitted data and switches tires every 5 seconds. It only displays the last updated data...which it receives every 5 minutes. At some points, the data you're receiving on your monitor could be up to 4 minutes and 59 seconds old.

Funny when I add or subtract air from the tires, I get a reading on the monitor as soon as it cycles to that tire and it doesn't take anywhere near 5 minutes.

[commishh]

I am a firm believer in nitrogen in tires...the molecule is larger and it doesn't leak out nearly as easily and also changes less with temperature changes.

[JustB_Rad]

Originally Posted by OldCoot

Funny when I add or subtract air from the tires, I get a reading on the monitor as soon as it cycles to that tire and it doesn't take anywhere near 5 minutes.

Maybe instantaneous is an added benefit of the flow thru.