So I had a blow out at 80mph.....

[Diehonda]

As before, going down the xpressway at 80 in the fast lane. Front drivers side tire decides he doesn't want to do his job anymore and BAM, I am pulled directly over toward "the wall of death" I ride up it on two wheels like I was gonna bust out a BMX trick on a pipe, ride it to the top and turn my wheel very slightly, as learned from extensive hours playing video games, and came back down. In the next split second I ride back up it again, all slow motion at this point, and make eye contact with a guy in the oncoming traffic fast lane. He was surpirised to say the least. I realize that I am looking down the wall at the ground so I turn the wheel slightly again. BOOM, bottomed out and surpressed that brake slowly as people in Louisville drive like it is Indy 500. Stopped in the same lane. Got out and both driver side tires are flat and rims where extremely roughed up, not bent though. Someone else called a cop and when he showed up he said good job and he played nascar on playstation all of the time. Told me I should have flipped it. I didn't tell him how fast I was going of course. Tire marks on the wall stop a half inch from the top, and that is from the bottom of the tire/rim. Like fear factor or something. My girl was asleep and didn't wake up until I stopped and she was like why are we sitting here?

Anyways, tire damage, rims damage but not required to immediately replace, and took it in for a front alignment, the shop said that they can't do the rear as the right rear strut is bent and left rear hub assembly is shot. Told me 1400 to fix. Yeah right.

So can I replace just on strut rather than a pair and keep the same ride as before as long as I put a factory one on there? Also when I drive you would never know but the wind on the xpressway pushes the car over two lanes sometimes. Happened twice and garaged the car since. Flausing the jetta til fixed. Should I check more than just a partially bent strut and a bearing assembly? Rear sway bar etc??????? I work a lot so I don't have much time to take it for estimates or anything.

[userlain]

Originally Posted by Diehonda

As before, going down the xpressway at 80 in the fast lane. Front drivers side tire decides he doesn't want to do his job anymore and BAM, I am pulled directly over toward "the wall of death" I ride up it on two wheels like I was gonna bust out a BMX trick on a pipe, ride it to the top and turn my wheel very slightly, as learned from extensive hours playing video games, and came back down. In the next split second I ride back up it again, all slow motion at this point, and make eye contact with a guy in the oncoming traffic fast lane. He was surpirised to say the least. I realize that I am looking down the wall at the ground so I turn the wheel slightly again. BOOM, bottomed out and surpressed that brake slowly as people in Louisville drive like it is Indy 500. Stopped in the same lane. Got out and both driver side tires are flat and rims where extremely roughed up, not bent though. Someone else called a cop and when he showed up he said good job and he played nascar on playstation all of the time. Told me I should have flipped it. I didn't tell him how fast I was going of course. Tire marks on the wall stop a half inch from the top, and that is from the bottom of the tire/rim. Like fear factor or something. My girl was asleep and didn't wake up until I stopped and she was like why are we sitting here?

Anyways, tire damage, rims damage but not required to immediately replace, and took it in for a front alignment, the shop said that they can't do the rear as the right rear strut is bent and left rear hub assembly is shot. Told me 1400 to fix. Yeah right.

So can I replace just on strut rather than a pair and keep the same ride as before as long as I put a factory one on there? Also when I drive you would never know but the wind on the xpressway pushes the car over two lanes sometimes. Happened twice and garaged the car since. Flausing the jetta til fixed. Should I check more than just a partially bent strut and a bearing assembly? Rear sway bar etc??????? I work a lot so I don't have much time to take it for estimates or anything.

You can buy struts individually on nopionline.com

You need to replace both the left and right struts though.

[green94camry]

Why did the tire blow out? Was it worn down to the cord? Sounds like you have some suspension problems(prior to hitting the barrier) a gust of wind shoulnt blow you over 2 whole lanes! sounds like you have a suspensuion problem that wore down your tires cuasing the blowout, hitting the barrier no doubt made it worse, I wouldnt drive the car again until all bent or worn suspension parts are adequatley replaced to spec and re-inspected, the car sounds way to dangerous to have been driving it in the first place, you are "LUCKY" you and your girlfriend or other drivers on the road around you were not seriously injured or killed.

I don't think driving skill or playing video games had anything to do with you avoiding serious injury, you were just along for the ride once it started, and again it was pure "LUCK" it wasnt worse. It was your lucky day plain and simple.

[Toysrme]

Glad you're not hurt!

If you ever hear a tire blow out (and it's unmistakeable) immediately hit the gas to maintain control, then coast to a stop (no brakes)

[jaguar]

Originally Posted by Toysrme

Glad you're not hurt!

If you ever hear a tire blow out (and it's unmistakeable) immediately hit the gas to maintain control, then coast to a stop (no brakes)

you happen to know why that is ? (hitting gas before coasting)

[S2B_Blown_3.5]

I believe that is if a front tire blows, since it would shift most of the car's weight to the rear.

BMX in a car! Good thing you and/or your girl won't hurt.

[KamryStylez]

Going 80 and still control the car like that...impressive. If it was me it would of been a spinout, I guess playing games really do help LOL. And was your girl on sleeping pills? cause that must of been a rough ending, it would surely woke me up.

[trixx]

I had a blowout at 90 once. I didn't go way out of control like that, but it was scary enough for me. My pants cleaned up nice, though.

[es250nut]

Originally Posted by Toysrme

Glad you're not hurt!

If you ever hear a tire blow out (and it's unmistakeable) immediately hit the gas to maintain control, then coast to a stop (no brakes)

^Yeah what he said! Ever notice when watchin' the News or "COPS" that when the ol' boys are in hot pursuit and the baddie blows a tire the vehicle keeps goin'. That's cause they got the poor gas pedal mashed into the plush. They arn't gonna stop fer nutin'. Ergo "Don't hit the brakes if you have a blowout."

[Toysrme]

Read the motortrend article where they went to BF goodwrench - America. It's interesting.
You can knock magizine editors & writers all you want about some of them being really shitty drivers.

But when what is essentially a professional driver looses control TWICE in a row and BEARLY catches the thrid spin out- and the only bad conditions are a wet corce and a set of tires 10psi under-inflated.
None of us should drive with your tires underinflated!

Same thing about blowouts. My grandfather worked @ Good Year - Gadsden for 40 years. He's been telling people that for decades.

[Velox_camry]

thats bullsh*t
with my g sensor i pulled .10 more g's with my tires -10 psi then even. no squeeling.. nothin

the other thing too is havent u ever heard of dragracers underinflating theyre tires for better launches ? why ? because the tire grips better underinflated ( to a certain extent)

i guess it depends on the tires size too tho if your talking like a 60 series or something maybe... but it actually helps on 45 series.

not hating or anything...
thats just from my experience .

[anuthaCamry]

I heard that the chances of controlling an instantaneous blowout from a front tire at freeway speeds are decent with both hands firmly on the wheel and slim with one hand on the steering wheel.

Underinflated tires DO provide better grip in some circumstances, 5psi for fine sand or volcanic ash for example, but suicidal on the freeway. As far as tires are concerned they can explode if underinflated, more than 6 years old, or damaged. Armour-all will damage tires. Don't adjust inflation if your tires are hot, ie. after driving more than a mile. Underinflated tires will indicate a higher (false) psi if they get hot enough.

I don't know too much about drag racing w/underinflated tires, top fuel slicks are inflated real low and wrinkle when they run.

DO NOT UNDERINFLATE your (street) tires they will be weakened and could burst at any time afterwards. I've had a lot of flats but no blow outs but I've seen first hand what underinflation does.

[anuthaCamry]

As I was thumbing through my manual looking for wheel replacement specs I found this info (1993 camry USA)

(historical: This manual was written during a 20+ year period when freeway speed limits in the US were 55 mph, so some specs don't really apply to the modern highway)

5sfe sedan rated loads:Front 32psi, Rear 35psi; reduced loads: 26psi front and rear

but check out what it says if you like to set your cruise control over 100mph...

"When driving under the above vehicle load conditions at sustained high speeds above 160 km/h (100 mph), in countries where such speeds are permitted by-law, inflate the front and rear tires to 240 kPa (2.4 kg/cm^2 or bar, 35 psi) provided that it does not exceed the maximum cold tire pressure molded on the tire firewall."

That's even higher than what I expected.

[Knailgun]

Last blow out I had with my camry was on the interstate. I was driving at night, and 3 cars were pulled over, my dumbass gets in the left lane, and I hit what they did....a damn tractor trailer tie down. I was without a jack, so another motorist loaned me his. I changed my tire, and the cute girl's tire as well (I tried to get the hook up, but never got a call from her). All said and done...it cost me $200 rim and tire, online is always the way to go for parts. Strusts, do them in pairs and don't get cheapies. All parts are online, you just gotta look for them.

[Diehonda]

Some of these are funny, no my girl wasn't on pills, she is a log in the car. Easy to sneak her too not in the car of course. We were on our way back from Columbus OH and made it all the way into town in Louisville before it happened. I inspect the car before trips and before coming back home for any problems, fluid, tire pressure, lights, and to make sure I have plenty of cd's. I had checked everything while filling up the tank in Cinci and everything looked fine, even took it to the car wash, not automated of course.
problem is I was coming around a bend when it blew, I wondered if it was a faulty tire or was hot enough from the driving to cause any imperfection to split. tires were evenly worn, not like in all the diagrams of what it shouldn't look like. Back tire blew cause "the wall of death" had nails sticking out of the bottom of it, I hit all four, looked like a pitch fork was stuck in it.
Either way I could have easily freaked out and jerked the wheel and flipped that beast, would have been like burnout 3, or nailed the breaks and really caused some damage. I have lost control on ice before so I know what oversteer is.
I figure I will change both rear struts and figure out the bearing assebmly. But should a bent strut and bad bearing assembly give me.....hold on I am not phasing this right...should it make the rear end oversteer around corners, crossing the line when it shouldn't. And should it make the car oversteer? I know it needs a rear alignment but they won't do it until I replace the other stuff. Just wondering if it could be anything more than that.
At least it keeps my girl from wanting to drive my jetta all of the time.