Tyres , a sobering experience.

[Jake Royd]

Not on a motorhome but it's worth noting.
I have a 2016 VW Passat estate , 40k miles.
Over the last 3 or 4 months I had noticed a low frequency throb above perhaps 50mph.
I put this down to a warped brake disc or something like since the discs were all quite corroded.
So I started by replacing the rear pads and discs (tussling with the electric parking brake and the M14 spline driver required for the caliper frame bolts)
This made no difference.
Travelling fast on the A34 I had a loss of pressure warning from the RH rear tyre.
We stopped at Sutton Scotney to check it.
Got the tyre off and to my horror the tyres had suffered a burst failure , about 50mm or so diameter on the tread near the shoulder.
I'm guessing that because the tyre was a self sealing Continental, this prevented a complete pressure loss.
We went the rest of the way crawling along with the spacesaver on.

I replaced the tyre that afternoon and of course magically the noise was gone and cruising refinement was restored.
The guys in the tyre bay said this type of failure was comparatively rare but not unknown.

Where the unease comes in , is just how long this defect had been emerging, possibly over 3 or 4 months and say 3000 miles of driving.
Also, the noise had come on slowly and was only half noticed until failure was imminent, the noise caused I think by the tyre becoming out or round and out of balance. On the front I guess it would be more noticeable but modern car suspension is so isolating now that the car can appear to ride properly with quite large tyre errors present.

 

[The Wino]

We had similar once on a front inner sidewall that developed a big bulge seemingly overnight.

 

[Wikky]

Sometimes tyres get slightly twisted or oval with wear and age. This can result in the throb you mention. It's happened to me on a number of cars. I've never had the failure that you've had though. You were very lucky.

 

[RandallC]

Not on a motorhome but it's worth noting.
I have a 2016 VW Passat estate , 40k miles.
Over the last 3 or 4 months I had noticed a low frequency throb above perhaps 50mph.
I put this down to a warped brake disc or something like since the discs were all quite corroded.
So I started by replacing the rear pads and discs (tussling with the electric parking brake and the M14 spline driver required for the caliper frame bolts)
This made no difference.
Travelling fast on the A34 I had a loss of pressure warning from the RH rear tyre.
We stopped at Sutton Scotney to check it.
Got the tyre off and to my horror the tyres had suffered a burst failure , about 50mm or so diameter on the tread near the shoulder.
I'm guessing that because the tyre was a self sealing Continental, this prevented a complete pressure loss.
We went the rest of the way crawling along with the spacesaver on.

I replaced the tyre that afternoon and of course magically the noise was gone and cruising refinement was restored.
The guys in the tyre bay said this type of failure was comparatively rare but not unknown.

Where the unease comes in , is just how long this defect had been emerging, possibly over 3 or 4 months and say 3000 miles of driving.
Also, the noise had come on slowly and was only half noticed until failure was imminent, the noise caused I think by the tyre becoming out or round and out of balance. On the front I guess it would be more noticeable but modern car suspension is so isolating now that the car can appear to ride properly with quite large tyre errors present.

Had similar back in 1970 but without the monitoring kit and fortunately had a proper spare wheel. bit of vibration and odd noise for quite some time then BANG.

 

[pappajohn]

Many years ago, in the days of remould tyres, I had a pair fitted to the back of my car
I few days later I noticed a strange vibration from the rear. A very rapid thud, thud, thud.
When I looked properly both tyres had grown duck eggs it the inner edge of the tread.
The blebs were literally the size of duck eggs.

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[Scotch mist]

Sometimes tyres get slightly twisted or oval with wear and age. This can result in the throb you mention. It's happened to me on a number of cars. I've never had the failure that you've had though. You were very lucky.

me too

 

[Grummyb]

Had similar back in 1970 but without the monitoring kit and fortunately had a proper spare wheel. bit of vibration and odd noise for quite some time then BANG.

I thought everyone was still on wooden wheels in 1970

 

[Larrynwin]

What is the date on the tyres , will be at least 5 years old and although not a motorhome leads to the recommendations of changing tyres by around 6/7 years. Could have been damaged by a stone or other hard object.

 

[Wack]

A new set of tyres can transform the handling of a car , I put a set of Yokohama AD08R on a MX5 and boy did they make a difference over the ching yip happy tyres that were on it

 

[Ivory55]

The amount of speed cameras and volume of traffic it’s rare to get up to speed to worry about handling now days

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[RandallC]

I thought everyone was still on wooden wheels in 1970

Only in the frozen north of Stoke on Trent

 

[Burgo]

Had an old Sierra that started a strange "sway" at some speeds coming back from Salcombe. When we stopped just outside Weston to pick up my son we had a good look but couldn't see anything obvious. There was a trolley jack in the yard so just jacked up each corner and twisted the wheel to feel for bearings and spun the wheel. Offside rear had a lump nearly the size of half a tennis ball bulging out of the inner side wall.

 

[jp11]

I thought everyone was still on wooden wheels in 1970

Just cross plies!

 

[Silver-Fox]

Just cross plies!

Yikes, the stuff of nightmares

 

[mitzimad]

Vws are known for it especially golfs i put mine infora wheelbearing and it was just uneven tyre wear causing the drone

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[cookie]

We had 2 brand new kumho commercial tyres develop blisters and fail while in france .1 failed at 55 on a motorway Had to bring both back to uk for inspection. Refunded after 6 months. But what if they'd caused a bad accident ?

 

[Jake Royd]

Vws are known for it especially golfs i put mine infora wheelbearing and it was just uneven tyre wear causing the drone

Yes , I've had that on the rear of my Passat. It's wheel alignment. Had mine set up again on a Hunter rig. Not far out but enough to get the drone and eventually see an unusual wear pattern.