Hey guys. Took the hotrod out to get my propane fill for the grill. On the way home the front of car started shaking bad. Got out and looked,didn't see anything. Drove home slowly. took off from a stop sign and KABOOM!!! right front tire exploded.scared the &%#*out of me.I'll try to post a pic,unbelievable.I have stock KH's wheels and hubs. Any recomondations on new tires? Hey batman get in touch.Hope everyone has a better holiday weekend

 

Pirelli P4000 Super Touring
(Standard Touring All-Season)
Overview | Specs | Warranty | Reviews | Survey Results
Sidewall Style: Blackwall

Size: 215/70WR15
Serv. Desc: 97W
Price: $90
Estimated Availability: In Stock
Qty:
12345678



Road Hazard Program $43.20 total with four tire purchase


There is also a set of these in the C2 Parts section:

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/sho...459&forum_id=59

 

P4000, one of the best additions to my car I have made.


The wobble was most likely from the bulge in the sidewall. Once they start to wobble or shake, and add a bulge, and the tire is not long for this world.

Mark

 

In late May, in large part due to multiple recommendations I received in response to question posted on this Forum, I switched from bias ply BFG Silvertowns to Pirelli P4000's, 215/70/15. Ride, handling, and steering (no PS) vastly improved--totally transformed the car in an amazingly positive way. Aesthetically, they fill up the wheel cavities very nicely with no rubbing of frame or fiberglass. In retrospect, I might have gone for 215/65's, but I'm very pleased with the 70's.

 

Sorry to hear of your bad start for the weekend! Hope it gets better.

Please advise the brand and model of the tire. Also advise the age.

Thanks,
Plasticman

 

Man I'm just glad it didn't happen at speed that could have made for a very bad day!!!! Dave...

 

I assume this is a C2. What make, model, and size are the tires. Also, can you read and post the date code.

Duke

 

The tires are older b.F goodrich lifesaver xlm gold lines.p205/75 r15 A good friend gave them to me. Yes he's still my friend.He had them on his 66 that never moved. switched to reds.They looked brand new!The right front exploded. The right rear is ready to go. Apperently there directional?? Since they looked new I just mounted them. Should have marked them Right front R .R etc. Luckely no damage done.Happy holiday to all

 

That happened to a guy on the Bloomington road tour. he lost two tires the second one caused lots of fiberglass damage. He was getting the car judged the next day and had put the original Firestones back on it.
I gave him a ride to get his trailer and felt really bad for him.

I'm glad I wear my tires out before they get old.

 

For the last five years I have been harping on guys to buy high speed rated tires, but then they say "I don't drive 150 MPH and I like raised white letters that say 'Super Jumbo Wide Oval Radial'".

My retort is that nearly all tires rated "H" or above have a spiral wrapped nylon cap belt that will keep the tire from disintegrating if there is an internal structural failure. I've had three radial tires fail while hot lapping race tracks, but they stayed together and held air because of that nylon cap belt. I knew there was a problem due to significant vibration and when I got to the paddock each had a big bulge in the tread. I even drove home from Riverside on one - 75 miles - no problem other than the vibration.

As tires age they can deteriorate, but there is often no external evidence. I have no qualms using aged nylon cap belted tires, because I have confidence they will not disintegrate. As you go to higher speed ratings you get better materials and construction quality. You don't have to drive at 150 MPH to demand a "H" or above rated tire. Freeway speeds are enough, and I would not risk my car or myself with anything less on ANY car I own.

Most of the tires guys are putting on their vintage Corvettes barely meet the minimum DOT standards that are now over 35 years old and they were barely adequate when they went into effect way back when.

The Pirelli P 4000 Super Touring tires mentioned previously are W-rated (168 MPH) and you can be assured that they will provide lots of safety margin in normal street and highway driving, and I would be very surprised if one ever disintegrated, even when they are 20 years old.

Duke

 

...Goodrich tires are not certified for propane!

Just kidding! Looked too obvious to pass up. Glad no-one was hurt and minimal damage was done, could have been much worse!

 

Over the years I have had two tires(radial) come apart on me. One time low speed, the latest about 75 mph and it took out a chunk of my RR wheel well. The second was Firestone and I found out more about tires and stonewalling than I ever wanted to know. The common problem appears to be ozone/environmental related detioration and dry rotting from the inside.
In the old days, warranties were on mileage, not time. Nowdays, about 5-6 years from the date of manufacture is all they will offer. Check with Coker,or any of them, they would not offer any waranty after that time period. The Firestones, they only had about 6k on them after 8-9 years. Looked perfectly good from the outside. One tire store manager even told me that you can void your Michelin warranty if you put protectorant on the tires.
Bottom line is that any tires older than 6 years old are liable to come apart. By the way, I don't buy any Firestone tires anymore.

 

I bet they were no better than S-rated tires. You get what you pay for!

Duke

 

Just to let everyone know. The propane tank was filled. The steaks were cooked just right. And the no damage to the hotrod.all in all still a great holiday weekend.

 

There is industry research being done right now that agrees with the 6 year limit.

I used to be under the delusion that if you kept the max rated air in your tires they would remain in one piece until the tread was gone. That's not necessarily so. In the early '70's, went through three sets of Firestone 500's that all blew out. Recall came after I threw away the receipts. Bought a new station wagon in 1978 that was factory equipped with B F Goodrich Police Pusuit Radials. This would have been considered a high speed tire. Every tire in all three sets came apart. Goodrich did make good on them though. Lost both right and left inside duals on a motorhome that were ten years old. Tread in excellent shape, no sidewall cracks. I guess brake heat got them

On the other hand, I used to run rayon and nylon bias tires (many re-capped) way past a sensible speed limit daily and never had a problem. Not counting the exceptions noted above, all the radial tires I have bought in the last 35 years have given me many hundreds of thousands of miles service including a set of OEM Firestones on my Explorer that had 95,000 on them when I got rid of it. They would have run another 15,000 at the rate they were going. Even the Police Pursuit tires I mentioned that failed on the wagon worked very well on my new '71 Chevy pickup. Two sets of them with no problems. Maybe 60,000 miles a set.

I think if I tried to make my automotive purchases based on the worst case scenario of everything, I would soon be poorer than a church mouse and wouldn't be able to afford a car. Reminds me of going into a bomb shelter every time a thunderstorm comes up.

 

...I judged his car Sunday . Man, driving a car on 32yr old Firestone 500s that were recalled when they were nearly new To me, that's like trying to put out a FIRE with GASOLINE!!!

 

The Pirellis are not pretty but they sure do perform.

 

I really wanted to say that to him but didn't want to rub salt in the wound. I felt really bad for him. Seemed like a nice guy.