Today was NOT a good day...

[Dark Knight]

Well, I was making a test run on my truck, trying to get the secondaries to quit running out of fuel on the q-jet. I got her up to 80-85 MPH and BOOM! My right front tire blew out. I started skidding sideways on the road and luckily kept her straight enough to coast to the side. I thought for sure I was going to roll. The only thing hurt on me is my pride. But the truck...well...it needs a trip to the body shop. I wanted new wheels and tires anyway, but I didn't want to have to get them THIS way. Keep in mind, on the pic below, ALL of those skid marks are mine. Moral of the story, please, please check your front tires. Thinking about getting some American Racing slots to put on next. I've always liked the look. Here's some pics of the damage:

[fattyarbuckle]

glad you made it out of that with no more damage than what I see! WOW!!!!!

[674x4ton]

Dam,you were lucky--Great driving if it had been me the truck would have roll.

[Vintage Windmills]

Yes, a truck that nice deserves better tires.

[stich626]

might not been the tire,,
remember to check the psi in them.. they get nice and toasty at 85mph when low on air

[Vintage Windmills]

I'm also curious if it was psi or weatherchecking that cuased the massive blowout

[71veronica]

I did the exact same thing when I was 16.I was doin 80 scared the crap out of me.

[MrBeast]

Man I am glad you are ok, and that your truck is mostly Ok.

I had the same thing happen to me on my 72, at the time I was using it as a welding rig, had a set of o2 and Acetalene bottles on it as well as my brand new welding machine, Scared me really bad when that happened. I almost lost it but was able to save it, busted my front suspension though.

[treveiger]

We blew a front tire in our cargo van on a gravel road doing 75mph and i was in the back sitting on a 5 gallon pale and my brother was driving. Long story short he went over this bridge way to fast blew the front right tire out but kept the thing straight and noticed something was wrong when it kept pulling hard to the left. Glad to hear your ok.

[powerdriver 1958]

I have to ask, whats the posted speed limit on that two lane

[Dark Knight]

Well, it was a junkyard tire. I was stupid for using it. Heck, it wasn't dry rotted, had good tread, and had 35 psi in it. Oh well. I usually learn the hard way. It was kinda fun there for a minute. I know now exactly how NASCAR drivers feel. Drifting is fun when you wanna do it, but scary as hell when it decides to happen on its own. On the bright side, I needed some touch-ups on the paint anyway and also was about to get some new wheels and tires before the car show. At least there was no oncoming traffic. There's usually big garbage trucks that go to the landfill further down the road. If anything serious would've happened, my cousin lives on the road to the right of where I was standing when I took the last picture. He actually came down the road not 5 minutes after the accident happened. I can't even imagine what he would've done if he found me upside down in the ditch. He loves my truck just as much if not more than I do. The funny thing was that I was jamming to The Unforgiven II by Metallica when it happened. Yeah, I'm definitely not forgiving that tire.

[Dark Knight]

powerdriver1958, I think the speed limit is 60. Nobody ever follows it anyway. It's where all of us country folk go to test our rides. There's been countless accidents at the intersection further up the road. Drunk drivers don't seem to realize that a T means that you can't go straight. They usually make pretty good friends with the cornfield on the other side of the ditch.

[powerdriver 1958]

Just please be careful , Don't wanna see you hurt

[71gmcburb]

Originally Posted by Vintage Windmills

I'm also curious if it was psi or weatherchecking that cuased the massive blowout

it looks like the tread seperated. probaly had a broken belt in the tread. I check my tires about once a month to prevent a blow-out along with lights, all soft parts, and fluids

[Beat68CST]

Glad you're okay man! Coulda been badddd.



But... You're not off the hook yet...


Why do you have a 3/4 ton badged truck with 5 lug suspension on it?!

[Dark Knight]

^^^Hehe. I was waiting on somebody to pick up on that. I wanted to convert it over to 5 lug and haven't gotten around to changing the emblems yet. At least I have a whole new look on things now. I took my Dad's truck in yesterday to have the tires rotated and balanced, and the dirtbike is definitely getting a new rear tire. I recently repaired the tube on the front one and that tire looked fine. I usually check everything on my truck before I go for a drive, but I just didn't think about the tires. I did notice the leaking fuel pump though. If only I would've stopped to fix that instead of going for a spin this wouldn't have happened. Although I guess what did happen is always better than a fire. I would also like to say thanks to all the people that are telling me to be safe. It's funny how we're all staring at our computer screens from miles apart, but one website brings us all together for a common cause. We're like a big family that hasn't met before.

[70cst]

Glad you came out ok. Trucks can be fixed or replaced but sometimes people cannot. Be careful and as said glad everything came out ok. Oh yes...looks like you have a nice truck.

[Liz]

Originally Posted by Dark Knight

powerdriver1958, I think the speed limit is 60. Nobody ever follows it anyway. It's where all of us country folk go to test our rides. There's been countless accidents at the intersection further up the road. Drunk drivers don't seem to realize that a T means that you can't go straight. They usually make pretty good friends with the cornfield on the other side of the ditch.

I am glad your ok and the truck is fixable. I hate sounding lecture like, as we ALL do this at some point.. but do have to add in some things that are bugging me.

We live on a road like this. Its 1/4 mile of straight road in the country. Folks always come and test what their cars can do on it. Issue is, the speed limit is 45 and its residential. Much like the road you posted, its rural, but there are driveways and houses which have families in them.

It did not bother me much, we have the kids play out back to stay safe.. until some dipwad lost it coming up to the house last year. When I am in my livingroom, well off the road, and see headlights shining in my house as someone loses it and rolls out front.. its not a feeling I would like to have again soon.

Just keep in mind when your testing the truck, and stomping on it etc.. those driveways lead somewhere... if someones beloved pet, child, or vehicle were to come out of it while your flying by, it could be a bunch worse.


Sorry to lecture, and as I said this is NOT to put anyone down.. we have all done it before. Just keep those things in mind.. I always think of stuff my Dad said (he was fire dept in NY for many years) like... curvy roads are fun with a car that handles, except when you come around the next curve and some guy is pushing his car that broke down off the road etc.. The what ifs are to to to great to be flying around on a JY tire...

[no moa]

Wow glad u and the truck are ok. But I can see why you went sideways, I'm guessing that you slammed hard on the brakes, the rears locked, you dragged the rear a long ways. I'd have to agree with some of the guys here, take it a bit easier, never know when a soccer mom will back out Of her driveway with a car load of kids.
Lucky, damn lucky.
Posted via Mobile Device

[Spoof]

I'm with Liz...just sick and tired of people racing around as if no kid every drove his bike out of the driveway without looking, or new driver backed clear out onto the road without looking.
Speeds like that, on roads like that, kill kids.
I wish I hadn't done the same damn thing when I was a new driver, someone should have kicked my ass.

[Liz]

Thats the thing I do not want the OP to feel like we are going off.. We have all done something stupid. I am glad he is ok.. its just something to keep in mind.

[Dark Knight]

Hey, no hard feelings here. I'm always on that stretch of road. I know most of the people on it. The yellow house is my co-workers, my boss lives further up the road, and the people living there to the right are just a couple of old hillbillies that never come out. They actually came to see if I was ok. Then they told me their "back in the day" stories about how one of them owned a '68 and the other one's dad owned a '71. It was neat to talk to them. I've lived here my whole life and know where the safe places are to do this type of thing. I'd never put anyones life in danger and always am aware of my surroundings before I do anything stupid. Plus, it's pretty open out there which gives me a good view of what's coming up ahead so I can have time to react. Sometimes the world would be a lot safer if we could all afford to have a chassis dyno in out garages. But, I would have rather have had this happen there than on the road further up with lots of oncoming traffic.

[clear]

Glad you were not hurt. I did the same thing in my truck running questionable tires. Won't make that mistake again.

[jhwkns]

I'm glad you're OK. In the future. Unless you are avoiding something, it's a very bad idea to slam on your brakes when you have a blowout.

[timjt]

Just about a month ago I had a 90s chevy blow a tire on the freeway going about 75 or 80. He slammed on the brakes and did a full 180 across three lanes. ended up facing traffic on the left shoulder.