Filling Your tires With Air ???

[FredH]

Makes one think Twice every time I see a video like this when I am putting air in my pick up , trailer or Semi tires . Pick up is 65 psi , trailer is 80 psi and Semi is 105 psi .


HUGE TIRE EXPLOSION: Ken-Tool Introduces the World's Largest Single-Piece Tire Inflation Cage - YouTube


Fred H.

 

[1stDeuce]

I wouldn't worry too much... That vid showed a 2 pc wheel coming apart, not a tire exploding.
I doubt any of the vehicles you list above use 2pc wheels, except perhaps the semi if it's older.

Cages are a definite requirement for inflating tires on 2pc wheels, though I've done some with a remote hose when a cage wasn't available. If severely over-inflated (like the earth mover tire at 150psi, when it's probably rated for 45) 2pc wheels can let loose. And you CAN blow a standard tire out on a 1pc wheel too, but again, you'd have to SEVERELY over-inflate them. I've had tires with damage start slipping belts, and making horrendous noises, but we just pull the core or quickly clip on a air chuck and back away. Never had one totally explode.

In short, I think your fears are fairly un-founded. Don't over-inflate, be careful around 2pc wheels, and you'll be fine.

 

[FredH]

Funny You mention 2 piece wheels . That is what My grandfathers '61 dodge power wagon had on it , Split rims actually , with that " locking " ring . Once it was passed down to my Dad , He could not get rid of them fast enough . He Hated having tire repairs done on them before my Grandfather sold it to my Dad .

Although I have seen semi tires blow while going down the road , usually that is a lack of inflation , which causes to high of tire temp , thus failure , The concussion from that is enough to leave a wet spot in your underwear .

Fred H.

 

[Stimw]

I worked on/drove semi's for over 30 years and have dealt with single, 2 piece, 3 piece and split rims the whole time.
I have easily repaired, aired up many hundreds of tires.
Even had a friend/co worker killed from a 10.00 X 20 tire exploding in 1987. It was a new-ish Dayton 2 pc rim and the company sent it to a lab. They found nothing wrong with it. ???
They are all dangerous and if you don't know what you are doing with them even more so.

 

[crackerjack222]

A neighbor of mine told me about his hired hand. The hand had a pickup that he had re-configured the AC compressor to be an air compressor. He was airing up a tire that was lying flat on the ground. The tire exploded while he was leaning over it. The tire came off the ground and hit him in the face, caveing in his face. He staggered about ten feet away before he died.

 

[Diamondpilot]

I had a 3 year old spare tire on a trailer explode. It blew a hole on the side of my barn of which it was parked.

The tire was a 235/75/16 Goodyear Marathon LRD Aired upto 80 PSI. It had not ever touched the road. My neighbor was on his riding mower about 25' from my barn when it happened and he thought someone had shot a 12 Ga in his direction.

Scarry part was the boat was in my barn and the spare was mounted on the trailer about 3' away from where my 5 year old daughter parked her bike.

 

[TMGT]

When I was still working in the auto industry I had a coworker that had repaired a 19.5 off a f450 dump truck, he was airing it up with it flat on the ground when the sidewall ripped open. Luckily it was the side facing the ground and all it did was throw him across the bay and scare the crap out of everyone in the shop.
It was one of the rear tires and apparently they had been driving on it long enough to cause damage.

Never forget that one, we had a cage also but i never worked on anything that required it.

 

[jimmysisson]

Whenever we fixed one of the split rims (rural service station) we let the lift down on the assembly before airing. Thought it might help a little, though luckily never had it tested. Couldn't wait til the (usually farm) truck drove away. Bad design, esp on an old rusty rim, imo. Jim

 

[QRTRHRS]

I worked on/drove semi's for over 30 years and have dealt with single, 2 piece, 3 piece and split rims the whole time.
I have easily repaired, aired up many hundreds of tires.
Even had a friend/co worker killed from a 10.00 X 20 tire exploding in 1987. It was a new-ish Dayton 2 pc rim and the company sent it to a lab. They found nothing wrong with it. ???
They are all dangerous and if you don't know what you are doing with them even more so.

I too repaired many a 2 or 3 piece split rim tire. As shown to me by an "old timer", airing up the tire without a valve core while gently tapping the ring(s) with a ballpeen hammer will properly seat the ring(s).

Of course, each part should be thoroughly inspected and free of surface rust. And, never, ever stand over any tire while inflating.

The only incident I ever had was when one of our resident comedians dropped a firecracker behind me one day while I was inflating a tire. Payback was a cherry bomb placed under the job johnny he was in one day.

I firmly believe that many of the stories about split rims blowing up in a cage are due to the ring(s) either being out of place due to the verticle position and/or not being seated correctly. If you are that scared, stick the assembley under a loader bucket or a shop lift bolted to the floor.

 

[civilian]

Years ago, dad was filling a semi tire laying flat on the floor. Not sure of which style though. Fortunately the air hose was clipped to the valve stem and he wasn't leaning over it. The ring came off and hit the metal ceiling 14+ft in between the trusses. The patched ceiling was a constant reminder.

Will a load chain wrapped around the tire and rim secure it enough if it lets go? Just remember that from somewhere. Jon