justin_o_guy2
Serious Thumper
Offline
What happened?
Posts: 55279
East Texas, 1/2 dallas/la.
|
I lost a tire on a trailer. Left side, seventy MPH, four lane,divided highway. It didn't just roll, it started bouncing as it crossed the division between lanes. Oncoming was an RV, drivers window is really big. I was in a state of panic, watching the tire line up with it. He never saw it, it missed by about three feet, nothing behind him..
It went through a barbed wire fence, cut the tire up. The holes the nuts were Supposed to fill up were wallowed out. Most were still on.
I thought I was watching me be responsible for someone getting killed.
And, I lost a set of dual tires off an 18wheeler once. I'd changed the bearings, done the brakes, and, in my defense, I had a very demanding job. I did all the vehicle and equipment maintenance plus drove to and worked on the well sites, where we plugged and abandoned oil wells,, anyway, I somehow forgot to put oil in.
The test drive didn't last long or go well.
That was a bearing failure that caused those tires to leave as an assembly. There was a brake drum in that missile.
Dave, thanks for the links.
The first guy, thankfully, got a glancing blow. If he had not stepped out and been between the tire and door,, he might be dead.
Now, on passing,,
When someone is passing a big rig and I'm behind them, I hold back.
I set up in the lane, ready to pass, but I won't get next to the truck till the car ahead is far enough in front to let me pass and change lanes. Then I GET on past them. Especially in Summer. Nobody knows when one of those big tires is gonna blow out. I've been driving when a left front exploded, on a Mack, weighing 80thousand pounds and no power steering. We Took a left turn at about fifty MPH. Ended up just barely able to correct enough to Not hit a power pole. Blew the fender off, ripped the fuel line off the tank. I don't want near big rigs, ever, but especially in Summer. Situational awareness.. be there!
|
Pages: 1
