Steer Tire Blow Out While Driving At Speed

I've seen a couple of frightening videos of this happening... and now it's something I think about a lot when I'm driving. Anyone ever had this happen? Or know anyone personally that it has happened to? I'm just wondering how common of an occurrence this is. Is it something that is likely to happen to a driver at some point over the course of a long (say, 10+ years) driving career?

Any advice on how you'd handle such a blow out would be much appreciated as well...

Try this. Turn the steering wheel all the way in one direction while the truck is running (make sure you're parked and not moving). Hold the wheel all the way to the locked position and then turn the truck off. That kick back in the steering wheel is almost identical to the initial kick off a steer tire blowing. It'll be loud and it'll scare you, always keep a good grip on the wheel. When it goes, hold the wheel straight and if you're smart and not hammered against the governor, you need to hit the throttle and speed up just a bit. Then, ease on the trolley bar to engage just the trailer brakes. This will take a bit of weight off the steer axle and let you slow yourself down. Do Not apply the brakes, not until you're almost at a complete stop, until then, you need to gear down and let the truck do all the work.

A lot of those videos where everything went wrong and the truck takes off in one direction or the other are because the driver immediately applied the service brakes. Our natural reaction is to do just that but you need to make a conscious effort to avoid doing so.

The following is an excerpt pulled from our High Road Training Program:

In the event of tire failure, you should do the following:

Hold the steering wheel firmly - If a front tire fails, it can twist the steering wheel out of your hand. The only way to prevent this is to keep a firm grip on the steering wheel with both hands at all times.

Stay off the brake - It is natural to want to brake in an emergency. However, braking when a tire has failed could cause loss of control. Unless you are about to run into something, stay off the brake until the vehicle has slowed down. Then brake very gently, pull off the road and stop.

Check the tires - After you have come to a stop, get out and check all the tires. Do this even if the vehicle seems to be handling all right. If one of your dual tires goes, the only way you may know it is by getting out and looking at the tires.

That's why probably 98% trucks out there, have those big steer shocks attached to the tie rod & front axle. To aid in keeping control of the steering , when a steer tire blows. When I worked on refuse trucks, we had a fleet of almost 200 trucks and had to install / update every truck with those brackets & shocks

Try this. Turn the steering wheel all the way in one direction while the truck is running (make sure you're parked and not moving). Hold the wheel all the way to the locked position and then turn the truck off. That kick back in the steering wheel is almost identical to the initial kick off a steer tire blowing.

Great advice from all... and I will definitely try this.

I never got to use a simulator during any of my training. Anybody know if you can you experience a blown steer on a simulator?

Try this. Turn the steering wheel all the way in one direction while the truck is running (make sure you're parked and not moving). Hold the wheel all the way to the locked position and then turn the truck off. That kick back in the steering wheel is almost identical to the initial kick off a steer tire blowing.

Great advice from all... and I will definitely try this.

I never got to use a simulator during any of my training. Anybody know if you can you experience a blown steer on a simulator?

They do but the problem is its not high realistic and to add the pleasure of knowing there is a blowout coming before you hit the simulator is not something your going to know out here.

Proper pre trip goes a long way and watch out for road debris. I had a blowout on a trailer and that was scary enough. My company runs super singles and let me say those are loud when they blow up!