Just when you least expect it!

[Harold R]

There I was.......beautiful day out, chores all caught up, so I get to work on a tractor. As I open the shop door, I find my '74 down on the back left tire. It's had a very slow leak, so no total suprise. So, I kick on the air comp. and air it up......using the eyeball and tire thump method to determind the pressure. When I'm done, I roll it outside in the sunlight to enjoy the 60ish weather and to put my replacement hood, fuel bowl, and craft a metal fuel line using George Willer's technique. All is going well, soaking up the sun, birds chirping nothing but a slight breeze could be heard. Then, as I'm squatted down on the left side measuring for the fuel line..........KAAAAAABOOOOOOOOM! The 40 year old tire decided to let go. Dust, tools, and bits of rubber went flying. Stunned, I just rolled over into a ball, not knowing at first what had happened. I thought the gas tank may have exploded, but as I began to get my wits re-aligned, I saw nothing was on fire and the tank was intact. As I got back on my feet, I noticed the tire. It had blown the side wall out along a spot I thought was just a little weather checked. Man, my heart was in over-drive. Took me a few minutes to get my hands steady again. Then I couldn't do nothing but laugh. I don't think I'll be seeing those birds around for a while.

Moral of the story........don't trust yourself not to over inflate a tire, and, don't put a lot of faith in a 40 year old weather checked tire.

[RedNed]

Glad your all right HR! Sometimes those Terroist's plant roadside bombs in your backyards.You have to watch out for them! You never know the one that gets you.Its easy to laugh about it now.All kidding aside.We all been there at one time or another.Any mishap you can walk away from.Well just say you won't look at a weather checked tire the same way again.

[Dan England]

Harold: Things do get exciting at times. Dan

[beaconlight]

Better on a IH cub than a big 4 engined bird or a piper cub.

Bill

[Harold R]

Better on a IH cub than a big 4 engined bird or a piper cub.

Amen! At 27 ply and 200+ psi, that would be deadly.

[cowboy]

You should see a cat truck tire go up Those babys are six foot tall about two foot wide and 18" side wall and 60 psi like the size of a really big loader. I think it is about = to a stick mabe a stick and a half of dyanamite. The cat manuel says to air um up with a lock on fitting and hose long enough so you can stand way back from the sidewall I belive we had about four foot of hose on it.

[beaconlight]

40 50 years ago we used to do 3 piece semi rims like that with out a cage. Put a clamp connector on and then turn the air to it after you stood back. Guess we were lucky never had one go but every now and then there were stories about people getting maimed or killed with them. My 1953 Spartenett trailer has 2 piece rims and I think they are worse.

Bill

[John *.?-!.* cub owner]

Beacon, do you do your own trailer tires? Last I knew there was a federal regulation against changing tires on the split rims.