Wheelwell Blowout Armor

[m2kamp]

Has anyone fabbed up or considered some sort of protection for their trailer from tire blowouts (other than slowing down, a good TPMS, and checking tires at every stop)?

Looking under my TT, there is only what looks like a synthetic tarp material covering the underbelly above the tires. Not much protection there at all.

Some 3/16 steel plate would do nicely, though on one side on mine the slide would have to support that weight.

Any thoughts or opinions?

[Teamfour]

I was thinking of the same thing earlier today. I hope someone has done this and chimes in.

[OldCoot]

3/16" is a little too thick and heavy. Why not just go to Northern Tool and get a set of tandem axle fenders and mod them?

[Teamfour]

Originally Posted by OldCoot

3/16" is a little too thick and heavy. Why not just go to Northern Tool and get a set of tandem axle fenders and mod them?

Good idea but that would be only slightly better than what is already there. I had a blowout on my tandem open race car trailer and the tire shredded the metal fender.

[DDC]

Originally Posted by OldCoot

3/16" is a little too thick and heavy. Why not just go to Northern Tool and get a set of tandem axle fenders and mod them?

I have a friend who did just that, but, he has not had any problems to see if it worked.

[Ford Idaho]

1/4 inch plate with lightening holes.

Have it covered with one of the many spray in bed liner products.

[Davidg]

I think Ol Coot has a great idea. Not sure how much modifying the NT fenders would require, but that inner slick surface would probably work well. The thick steel plate along with mounting hardware would add to much weight to most campers. A heavy plastic material would be nice, although it would probably become sacrificial from a blowout,...just depending on how quickly the trailer was slowed down. It would be really nice to have "something" to protect the plumbing, electrical, and fiberglass sideing from damage though.
I've experienced several blowouts with my old Durango due to crap Greenball tires, but I experienced no damage outside of the tire itself. I'm not sure the 29RE would fare as well. Way more "stuff" under there.

[KenHwy61]

Blackhat6mike added custom steel plating to his wheel well after numerous blow outs. Here is a picture. Maybe he will be on later to elaborate.

[m2kamp]

Originally Posted by Ford Idaho

1/4 inch plate with lightening holes.

Have it covered with one of the many spray in bed liner products.

I like this idea. I would also tie it into the trailer frame with brackets due to the weight. Maybe make it a bolt-on affair to allow any maintenance access if required.

The pre-fabbed tandem fenders may look gaudy on mine as I have no fender skirts. I would prefer it to be a stealth install. Plus, as Teamfour knows, they don't offer much in way of protection.

Someone has to have done this already!

EDIT: Oops posted to slow! Maybe Blackhat6mike will see this and post

[OldCoot]

Originally Posted by Teamfour

Good idea but that would be only slightly better than what is already there. I had a blowout on my tandem open race car trailer and the tire shredded the metal fender.

Your racecar trailer just had them hanging there and were not backed up by anything. We had one just like it. Adding the fenders to a fender well is a completely different animal. After all, you are not going to drive very far if you use your mirrors and keep glancing back.

[Teamfour]

Originally Posted by OldCoot

Your racecar trailer just had them hanging there and were not backed up by anything. We had one just like it. Adding the fenders to a fender well is a completely different animal. After all, you are not going to drive very far if you use your mirrors and keep glancing back.

Good point.

[OldCoot]

Originally Posted by Ford Idaho

1/4 inch plate with lightening holes...

At 10.2 lb/sq ft, it would have to be like expanded metal to not add at least 150# min to each wheel well.

[m2kamp]

Originally Posted by OldCoot

At 10.2 lb/sq ft, it would have to be like expanded metal to not add at least 150# min to each wheel well.

Probably too heavy for most trailers, I only have 1500 lbs of CCC.

Hmm, back to 3/16 maybe with aluminum angle reinforcement. Getting pricey now haha

[Ford Idaho]

Originally Posted by OldCoot

At 10.2 lb/sq ft, it would have to be like expanded metal to not add at least 150# min to each wheel well.

If you think so that's fine, but I seriously doubt you need that much material for it to be effective.

But please do continue.

[Blackhat6mike]

Originally Posted by m2kamp

Has anyone fabbed up or considered some sort of protection for their trailer from tire blowouts (other than slowing down, a good TPMS, and checking tires at every stop)?

Looking under my TT, there is only what looks like a synthetic tarp material covering the underbelly above the tires. Not much protection there at all.

Some 3/16 steel plate would do nicely, though on one side on mine the slide would have to support that weight.

Any thoughts or opinions?

After two blowouts on the same wheel with a total of $3,150 0f damage, I had my local RV dealer build a "scatter shield" to protect the unit is it ever happened again. It's 1/8" steel and mounted with bolts, not screws.
Due to poor engineering and design, the wiring harness, propane line, hot and cold water lines were all ripped out from a flogging tread. All were in the same location just in front of the right front wheel.

[m2kamp]

Originally Posted by Blackhat6mike

After two blowouts on the same wheel with a total of $3,150 0f damage, I had my local RV dealer build a "scatter shield" to protect the unit is it ever happened again. It's 1/8" steel and mounted with bolts, not screws.
Due to poor engineering and design, the wiring harness, propane line, hot and cold water lines were all ripped out from a flogging tread. All were in the same location just in front of the right front wheel.

Thanks for posting. Do you have any pics of the shield in place?

[Blackhat6mike]

m2camp.
No pix as you can't tell it's there. It was coated with bed liner paint [thick] and it all looks stock. If you didn't know the mod had been done, you wouldn't see any difference than a stock wheel well.
I don't think most folks understand just how much damage that "flopping treat" can do. In our case, if it hadn't finally turned loose before we could pull over, it would have torn out the bottom of the frige.
All the damage was done in the very few seconds from blowout to pull off from 60 mph. If we hadn't had the TPMS and didn't know it had blown out, it would have torn the entire side off. This has happened twice.

[OldCoot]

Originally Posted by m2kamp

Probably too heavy for most trailers, I only have 1500 lbs of CCC.

Hmm, back to 3/16 maybe with aluminum angle reinforcement. Getting pricey now haha

That's only 25% lighter at 7.65#/sq ft. Better to go to NT and get a set of fenders and modify. They are already formed and should only take a minor amount of modification.

[Witch Doctor]

Originally Posted by OldCoot

That's only 25% lighter at 7.65#/sq ft. Better to go to NT and get a set of fenders and modify. They are already formed and should only take a minor amount of modification.

We all don't have your talent, what is easy to you would be major to me. They add those screw on flairs to your wheel well knowing quite well it will take it out. Just a question but why can't they make it like a car or truck wheel well OC ?. That is really not that heavy of material.....

[johnm1]

What about Rhino Liner or such products? They end up being up to 1/4" thick and take quite a beating. I've had a tranny let loose at the tailgate and slam against the front of the bed and it only dented the metal. Didn't hurt the Rhino one little bit.