(WORN METAL VALVE STEM) First trip starts bad ends great

[atckip]

Well we tokk our first trip since getting our BB last week. Maintenace PM, oil change new tires stocked fridge. I got about 30 miles from home heading west out of Atlanta when I noticed it was pulling a little harder to the right than I noticed before..add alignment to list..but I was thinking I didn't notice that pull before. The pavement changed somewhat and a bad vibration started. I was thinking is that the road when BAM..front right blowout. I was in the middle lane. coasted to the side and slowly applied the brakes. The front right was distroyed. It was brand new with about 60 miles on it. I called the tire place and started the stopwatch overhead. We were back on the road in an hour and a half from the time it started. They apoligized and told us to enjoy our vacation. OK not to bad. Pouring rain in Alabama got to our first campsite and got stuck getting into our site. Campsite showed up with a tow truck an hour later and pulled us out. The rest of the trip was great. So far just a little tip money unless I hear something different next week.

[gcyeaw]

What kind of tires? That is a heck of a defect that failed in 60 miles, they weren't retreads, were they?

[AC7880]

Also, what size and load range? 60 miles on a new tire - wow!

Originally Posted by gcyeaw

What kind of tires? That is a heck of a defect that failed in 60 miles, they weren't retreads, were they?

[iamflagman]

Originally Posted by gcyeaw

What kind of tires? That is a heck of a defect that failed in 60 miles, they weren't retreads, were they?

In a previous thread he had mentioned Hancooks and Michelin's but didn't indicate what was installed,

I noticed it was pulling a little harder to the right than I noticed before

it could have been a road hazard that started a slow leak that ended up in a blowout after the tire got hot after running it on too low of air pressure, remember it takes heat to both build and destroy a tire.

[atckip]

I ended up getting the hankooks. I came in asking about the michelins and the manager recommended the hankooks mainly because of the low miles I plan on driving for a while. I think it was an honest opinion. When the road side changed the tire he showed me a valve stem that was ground on one side. They told me they replaced all the valve stems. I just got home and haven't really checked it but what I think happened was the valve stem leaked and the tire went low causing the problem. The side walls were trashed but tread separated from the rest of the tire and I looked it over. It still looked new. I guess I'll never really know what caused it but they stood behind it and treated me well.

[gcyeaw]

Kip,
I have read on this forum about the valve stem wearing against the weight on the brake drum. There is a balance weight fastened to the brake drum that is maybe 3/16 inch thick. The wheel should be installed so that the valve stem is not directly over the weight or it could wear as you described.
I doubt it would fail in 60 miles, however.

You bet they treated you nice, they screwed up

[iamflagman]

Originally Posted by gcyeaw

Kip,
I have read on this forum about the valve stem wearing against the weight on the brake drum. There is a balance weight fastened to the brake drum that is maybe 3/16 inch thick. The wheel should be installed so that the valve stem is not directly over the weight or it could wear as you described.
I doubt it would fail in 60 miles, however.

You bet they treated you nice, they screwed up

Here is the Feature Of The Month article from the old forum, I'm not that positive that it could not wear through a new stem that quick, when they came out to where you were sitting with the blowout and changed out the tire, did they change out the stem too or just the tire?

Originally Posted by Turbokitty

The brake drum should have a clearance notch just for the valve stem so... orientation is important

Webb drum site with useful info

http://www.webbwheel.com/pdfs/litera...izeCatalog.pdf

giderich
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Rolla
Posts: 1,785


Valve stem damage after wheel balancing by Raben
Raben Tire Co service truck arrived at 5:15 PM and we were back on the road within an hour. Raben had a fresh identical 315/80 x 22.5 replacement onboard.

Snider Tire installed 2 new 315's on our coach on Wednesday, the first day of WOG 2013.

The Raben Emergency Road technician found the new valve stem not tightened adequately plus the valve stem was crushed by nearly flat by the balancing weight on the brake drum.

Note: On our way home from WOG 2013, we asked Raden Tire in Blytheville, AR to balance the front tires.
The tire/wheel assemblies were removed and spin balanced on a high tech digital machine. The valve stem on the RF wheel was damaged apparently when the tire/wheels were reinstalled by Raben on the coach.

Spending the night at Frederickstown, MO. All is well watching World Series game 5.

Pics: Tire; Damaged Valve Stem (2); Terry, Emergency Road Tech from Raben Tire Scott City MO.
Attached Thumbnails

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Dick & Patsy Gideon
1988 PT40 WB
1989 FC ZF ATAAC 300HP (SOLD)
Rolla, MO 65401

Here's a perfect example where a TPMS would have been nice to have.....

[atckip]

Yes they did replace the valve stem and thats exactly what the valve stem looked like

[Bill Pape]

This warn stem topic was an issue at the RATS Fair Harbor Rally a few years ago.

David Thompson 89FC, headed to the east coast went out of his way, & stopped for a day to warn us about this issue. He felt strongly about this being a severe safety hazard.

On the front steer tires peep through the rim holes, on the brake drum there is a balance weight,
It should not be under the tire stem.

How soon we forget, how often can this happen? How do the new members find this out? This forum is great.