Best Flat Tire Stories

[morethan5]

Can anybody beat this flat tire story? (see photos)

On the way to work this morning, I heard the usual thump, grarrrarr, etc. that's associated with a flat tire, but I didn't see what I hit. The tire went from fully inflated to un-inflated in just over 100 feet. I was concerned about the rim, and slowed to a crawl (without brakes) for a few hundred more feet, until I could find a cut in the city curb -- to get out of traffic lane. The tire pressure warning light and noise came on just before I pulled over. When I had the rim free, I noticed an object bouncing around inside the tire. This evening, I had the tire dismounted -- to see if I needed to order a pressure sending unit as well as a set of tires. The tire technician suggested that I check the brakes... Obviously the brake shoe was not mine before the incident.

The flat was in the back. The front tire had no damage. Apparently the front tire flipped the shoe to just the right angle to cut through the back tire.

24,500 miles on the factory Toyos... [RIP]

[07MZ5SA]

It's the backing plate of a brake pad. Looks like someone's driving with 3 brakes!

[SGT_OKINAWA]

That story just beats my TWO flat tires in ONE DAY story from 1990, and had to pay the Okinawan Tire guy with a case of beer to get a tire my young broke ass could not afford because I'd spent money just hours before on a new tire. (No he did not sabotage my other tire, he was nowhere near it) (cryhard)

OMG! That thing got in there good! Imagine the odds huh? (boom01)

Thanks for share and glad you and the vehicle was all ok, no major damage or accident. Think if it'd bounced off and hot someone else's car, etc?

Peace!(rei)

P.S. that tire does look low on tread, looks like it needs replaced anyhow.

[morethan5]

It's the backing plate of a brake pad. Looks like someone's driving with 3 brakes!

But my 5 has nine...

[skyhawk]

At least the tire thread wear is even...

[morethan5]

P.S. that tire does look low on tread, looks like it needs replaced anyhow.

So here's the story on the tread wear:

For the first 12 months or so of ownership, I was very easy on the tires. However, this summer, the tires started wearing a little faster. After some mental arithmetic in the spring, it became clear that the tires would need to be replaced for winter, for winter driving reasons, yet there would have be enough tread to go another 3-4 months in the spring. Instead of buying snows, and having a set of tires in the garage that were not worth mounting again, I decided to enjoy the tread off by tricking tail-gaters in to curves they could not handle. And, indeed, it has been a delightful summer.

Your story gets a parity vote from me.

[morethan5]

At least the tire thread wear is even...

... backs this post with photographic evidence


40 psi in the back
42 psi in the front
has worked well for me (2008, ~21,000 miles).

Based on the wear to date, if I were to take the tires to the 2/32nds limit, I'd get about 34,000 miles out of them.

At these pressures, center-wear equals edge-wear for me.

I was actually surprised how even the wear was after I started the trick-the-tail-gater game this summer.

The tires were rotated twice -- modified criss-cross both times. Despite concerns about reversing tire direction, it's does keep the wear as uniform as possible.

[coolmazda5]

Yikes, that is a story, just the thread title seemed misleading, I cannot associate "best stories" with "flat tire" (ugh)


Obviously the brake shoe was not mine before the incident.


Looks brand new, What are the plans now? Is it for sale? ;)

[DKaz]

That story just beats my TWO flat tires in ONE DAY story from 1990, and had to pay the Okinawan Tire guy with a case of beer to get a tire my young broke ass could not afford because I'd spent money just hours before on a new tire. (No he did not sabotage my other tire, he was nowhere near it) (cryhard)

Good to hear the Japanese accept beer in exchange for mechanic work as well! Unless it was a US Marine?

[Zoom5Zoom]

Ok my best flat tire story goes back to nylon tire days....

[Speedkid]

Wow dude that sucks.