roee

Blowouts are NASTY - I once heard tire faults account for 25 percent of the accidents caused by loss of control...

If it happens in straight line, you should be able to stop the car, but if it's mid corner - then it's almost impossible to recover (it can be done, but requires alot of skill and measured reactions.. It's almost like pulling an handbrake mid turn if the external rear tire goes).
Generally, rear tires blowouts are the worst.

Best thing to do is to take preventive measures. Most blowouts occur because of tire underinflation which causes it to move excessively and heat up, until the point of blowing. So always inflate and inspect often (but that's a good thing to do regardless of blowing tires). Be easy with the tires on gravel or other non-even surfaces and always inspect them for damage. I too have that same thought on my mind when I "go for it", scary stuff.
Potholes and other hard edged things can (and will) cause internal damage to the tire.

Even if you do change your tires prematurely, you get a fresh set of tires that are less likely to blow out, so it's not like you wasted money.

I guess, just guess, that low profile tires are more likely to blow, am I right?

[Edited by roee - 12/1/2002 10:53:00 AM]

Steve Whitehorn

iTrader: (13)

Hi
What do you think?
A couple of years back I had a rear tyre blow on me at 95-100mph in a rear wheel drive car. It was a bit hairy at first.
But because I knew what I was doing and fortunately had some room to play with, I controlled it and manged to pull in.

What would people do if a front and/or rear tyre blew on their scoob? Interested in peoples experiences and what techniques were used to bring the car safely under control.

Best wishes
Steve

pslewis

What would I do?? Is that AFTER I have **** myself??

Pete

Steve Whitehorn

iTrader: (13)

LOL Pete

sc00by57

hopefully i never have a blow out in my scooby! 18" rims and f*** all tyre means severe damage to £500 per corner!
on this note tho i have had a blow out i my van! scary as was midnight on the a1! front tyre decided to blow luckily bein that time of night it was quiet so managed to swerve a little and stop! still a bit hairy with lorries flyin past at 56mph tryin to change the drivers side front wheel in the dark tho!
steve

T Gardemeister

Pray that the resulting spin didn't get compounded by fuel surge!

igratton

I had a blowout in my Renault 19 16v years ago at about 90mph.

I just kept things smooth - no sudden inputs and got the car to a halt. And yes - I very nearly $#aT my grundies

Ian.

[Edited by igratton - 11/30/2002 7:56:43 PM]

LG John

That was one comment to many, I just became your worst nightmare!

T Gardemeister

Little Miss WRX

You can do impressions of difficult rally stages?

Katana

Look for the nearest gatso/drug dealer/enemy and ram into them blaming the tyre blowout..

hades

I had one front tyre blowout, mid corner, about 2 weeks after pasing my test in a Peugeot 205. Can't remember exact speed, perhaps 50mph.

The technique I used to bring it under control was to swing the wheel too far to compensate, bounce off a curb, and use all 8 (yes I mean 8) corners of the car to bring it to a halt. As this was such a simple manouvre, I decided to embelish it with a 2 3/4 twisting half back flip, clearing a 6 foot fence at the time.

Like to think that now I'm 12 years older and wiser (well older, certainly)

Little Miss WRX

How many marks did you get awarded for that? Surely that kind of combination would be no less than 8.5 marks out of 10

hades

I got a 9.3 from the guy following. He deducted half a point as I didn't finish on the wheels.

Little Miss WRX

LOL

That's a pity he dropped you the half point - observers are so picky nowadays

I have to say you outdid my bouncing off a tree forwards, then backwards and a twisting double pike with a sliding roof finish.

pslewis.

If he actually drove the car like it was designed he would know that the 4wd system along with the front-rear diff would actually defend you in this situation

PeteII

Crush

Do you get extra points if it's a space saver?

john banks

And Subaru's wonderful AWD system would also clean my kitchen sink as well whilst it did other miracles How TF is AWD supposed to help in this situation except to make things worse by producing inexperienced overconfident drivers who don't have a clue?

beanchimp

A couple of years ago (when I had a MY99 Sport) driving through some country lanes, I pulled out of a junction, started accelerating and hit a largeish pothole (yes I should have seen it but didn't )

I then overtook a tractor & car, and when pulling back in, i felt the car become very unresponsive, at this point I knew I had blown a tyre on the front passenger side

However when the car was driving in a straight line I didnt notice anything much different, but after the blow-out, I put this down to the AWD system

I was quite pleased really, that I didnt end up having to fight with the car to bring it under control, just a steady slow down to a stop

Unlike several years before that, I had two blow outs, (around 80-90mph) in a Sierra, one on country roads, the other on the motorway several days later, needles to say I took the car straight in for checking, but it did turn out ok in the end

All in all I would rather be in an impreza than any other car (that I have driven at least) much safer IMHO

Thats why I am getting another one, only this time a real(turbo) one

Steve

mancamefirst

Blew a front passengerside tyre on the M3 in a MY99 at about 80MPH (17"rims) car stayed stable, and I was able to pull onto hard shoulder with no dramas, AA van I had just overtaken pulled up behind sat with me for 15mins till what was left of the tyre cooled down, then changed the wheel for me, and I'm not even a member, (top bloke!!)

Brun

Has anyone had a blow out, mid-corner? When i'm pushing on, this thought is always in the back of my mind. I have visions of tearing straight across the road into on-coming traffic.

Stuart J

High speed blow outs "TEND" to be on Motorways, just lift off, DONT brake unless you have to & then only as Gently as possible.
Allow the car to slow down on its own & move onto the hard shoulder & stop. As long as you keep the car balanced & do nothing sudden it SHOULD be ok.
If you have a blow out on a high speed corner when the car is on the limit I guess the outcome is fairly obvious.

CooperS

I have run-flats on my MINI, it's nice to know a blow out won't put me into the ditch

Andy

Rab

Girlfriend had a blow out in a 206 gti, and drove for a mile or so without noticing. Thankfully a nice man in a landrover passed her and pointed out the plooms of smoke coming from the nearside rear. Do I trust her with the scoob?? (only on the way home from the pub)

Steve Whitehorn

iTrader: (13)

Stuart.You are right. Cause that is what worked for me. I was very smooth and gentle with the controls. I lifted off gently, dipped the clutch to get the car balanced. The back end was all over the place, I had to concentrate very hard and use gentle opposite lock each way to get the car to settle down. I then coasted to a halt very very gently touching the brakes on and off, I don't know whether this made any difference. As I was very carefull with them. But I wanted stop sooner rather than later. This worked for me but was on RWD car. I assume the same would work with 4WD.

I then got out and thought fu*k that was close.
Steve

LG John

What utter tripe! We all know that bad tyres, tire faults and other faults can't possibly account for accidents and that the driver is always to blame

mavrick

LOL me to