Bald spot on GY Endurance tire

[Bill M.]

No monitoring system that I know of would have prevented that tire flat spot. In all likelihood it started, happened, and stopped in a very small increment of time. Drum brakes do lock sometimes. A little grease on the pads will do it. Maybe a wheel lost its load, locked, and then came down locked.

I pulled for a long time without a monitor. Now I have one. Last summer we picked up a screw in the TV tire twice out west and the monitor prevented us from being stranded on the interstate.

[ROBERT CROSS]

Originally Posted by GettinAway

Thanks all. In for the night in Mitchell SD. Tire and hub are running smooth and cool.
Question. How would a temperature/pressure tire monitoring system have helped this situation? Or is the suggestion for future reference? Could it have told me the brakes for this one wheel were hotter than the rest? What if they were all the same temp, but this one locked up anyway? I just like to keep things as simple as I can, and I’ve been pulling campers for 40+ years without a tire pressure monitoring system. I’m not opposed to them, but just haven’t seen the need. I did see this problem before the tire blew.
Not trying to start a tire pressure monitoring debate. I’d just like to understand better.
Thx again

Glad you are moving again.
Tire monitors are a good idea, I use them on 'Cloudsplitter', but I doubt they would have provided any advance notice on your lock-up.

Most likely you would have noticed an increase on all four tires as the brake temps rose while descending.

It really depends on if it was noticed, and if it was considered a problem, if you stopped, if you inspected, if they cooled down enough to avoid it altogether.

A lot of if's.

Have you had the drum off for inspection?

I'll go with Channings assessment...a one time mechanical and/or electrical failure that requires diagnosis & repair.
All four got hot, strongly advise checking all four.

Bob
🇺🇸

[GettinAway]

Thanks for the reply GC. I can see where the system could be helpful.
CWF, that’s my plan. And I agree with your assessment.

Thanks all.
Jeff

[Hermes]

Originally Posted by GettinAway

And yesterday I pulled over 11,000’ Beartooth Pass in WY to MT.
Jeff

This is somewhat off topic, but are there spots on the Beartooth Hway or Pass to pull off and camp overnight?

[n2916s]

Not lawfully.

[n2916s]

At the southern end, if you head towards Yellowstone, there are a handful of NFS Campgrounds that are pretty nice and you can find a spot more often than not. The NE gate doesn’t get near the traffic of the other four.

[GettinAway]

Originally Posted by Hermes

This is somewhat off topic, but are there spots on the Beartooth Hway or Pass to pull off and camp overnight?

I didn’t notice any. It was about 6:00 pm. I was actually thinking of calling it a day. We got down to Red Lodge and the Main Street was closed for a big motorcycle rally. Too many loud pipes for me. We ended up going all the way to Billings for a stay at a HH location.

[GettinAway]

Originally Posted by n2916s

At the southern end, if you head towards Yellowstone, there are a handful of NFS Campgrounds that are pretty nice and you can find a spot more often than not. The NE gate doesn’t get near the traffic of the other four.

Agreed. There are several on the Yellowstone side. Not far from Cook City. We used one years ago when coming in that way (We came from Cody that time, not over BT). We got a great spot in Norris CG in Yellowstone the next morning.

[smead42]

I had this happen going to the Alumalina last year. There was no indication on my TMPS monitors but I felt a bump that got worst. My drive was only about 150mi. From SC to Marion, NC. At Marion my tire spun feeling.. no the was no sound in the drum. I had to buy a new Mitchelin that did not match the other three... they discontinued the 16” tire that was three years old... the new one looked like a mud grip. At any rate, I cut the wires and went home after the rally. Pulled the hub and there was nothing loose or out of place. I ordered a new Dexter total brake assembly at $56 and put it on. The brakes are not auto adjust and they were correctly adjusted. I have been adjusting brakes for 52 yrs. so this was not my first rodeo but this was a first brake lock or what ever. I do not think the lock up was not for a long time but my tire was worse than the one pictured. My AS is a ‘72 Overlander that I bought in ‘77.

[tjdonahoe]

The brake is too tight...ruined the tire...

[tjdonahoe]

Originally Posted by GettinAway

Discount Tire was very fast. I did not cut any lines.
With the tire and wheel off I spun the hub several times. No loose part noises. No unusually loud scraping noise.
My thinking is now that it must have been pretty hot coming off of the pass, and like Bob mentioned above been a “one time” occurrence.
I check hub and tire temps often. (Pulling a 25FB with small gas tank Tundra). I’ll keep an eye on it.
They used a torque wrench, I was happy to see. I’ll check lug nuts after 50 miles.
Thx

Did you come down to Red Lodge?...if so why would you...we live here and never do..we go up on dead Indian...the nez pierce trail..soo much nicer...

[tjdonahoe]

Originally Posted by Mollysdad

It's possible it's out of round or way out of balance.

Lol...it is now...that was locked up

[GettinAway]

Originally Posted by tjdonahoe

Did you come down to Red Lodge?...if so why would you...we live here and never do..we go up on dead Indian...the nez pierce trail..soo much nicer...

We went on to Billings and spent the night. Harvest Hosted at Yellowstone Winery. (Pretty good wine there). There were a thousand Harleys in Red Lodge, Main Street was closed off for them. I’ve been on Chief Joseph many times, great road. We wanted to get north trying to avoid heat on the way home. 80s in South Dakota, 90s in Nebraska.
The new tire on the old wheel were fine for another 1,200 miles. It does get a bit flatter east of Rapid City though.