Rickl, I actually saw a UPS truck with a blown drive yesterday on the way to bike night, but there was a ton of construction debris on the highway which I suspects caused it. I was surprised because you're right, you don't see that often. We run virgin Bridgestone, mainly because we get 250k miles from them, so they're more cost effective over the years.
One thing that should be mentioned is how to tell there is about to be a blow out. If you're coming up to a truck, and you see the hub bouncing up and down, or hear a "thump thump thump thump" it may be from the tread separating. It could also be a major balance issue, but I'd still suggest getting away quickly. I always move away from trucks as quickly as possible and never pass between two trucks.

 

Retreads today are not like 10 years ago. Now every casing is x-rayed for blemishes, broken cords inside the tire. The recap process is all computer controlled and it is checked again before going out the door. Tires new or retreads are going to fail mostly because of under inflation. The failure is rarely the fault of a defective tire.

 

Several years ago the wife & I were headed to Texas in a car. She wanted to drive for a while. Got to a 4 lane under construction & were routed to the east bound side being used as a 2 lane highway. Guy in a polished red pickup was dying to get ahead, so I told the wife to let him by. Next vehicle ahead was a semi. Climbing a hill at about 45 mph the little red pickup was nearly under the trailer when one of the tires blew. 4 to 6 ft. of tread nailed the hood & windshield. So much for "polished", or red! Lessons learned....

1. Never drive/ride so close to a large vehicle that you can't see around it or are subject to being hit by debris from it!

2. Never over ride your line of sight!

3. Setting yourself up for any kind of accident will probably delay your arrival more than a little caution applied along the way.

 

As my wife and I were coming back from a trip out west last year, we were traveling between Las Cruces and Alberquerque when a large SUV fully loaded passed us. Right after he passed us and moved into the right lane we started up a long hill. Having the cruise control on we soon were moving faster then the SUV so I began to pass them. Just as we got to position where the left rear tire was, it blew out. I took a piece of rubber into my stomach (thankfully that extra padding absorbed it). Loud as hell and scared the you know what out of the wife. The stinging in the stomach wasn't the most pleasant but I knew I had to suck it up because if I had said anything she would have had me pull over and stop. What scared me worse was the driver trying to get their vehicle under control. It took them probably about a 1/4 of mile to do so.

 

I check my motorcycle pressures every time I ride. Which means everyday the weather is decent. Already skidded down the road once at 65 mph from a blown tire. ROAD RASH SUCKS!! I don't mess around with tires, wheels, alignment, bearings, etc, etc. The rest of the ride could fall to pieces, but when it does it won't be because of poor tire/wheel maintenance. My cars, pick-ups and tractor all have tire monitor caps on them and they work great and I use them.

I do have a bit of insight on this subject as I worked for Bandag for a number of years before going to driving trucks for money. Tire technology has changed a lot since then, but I have had a very active roll in my company's tire maintenance program.
We run all retreads except for steer tires. Package delivery, OK. I drive a 12 wheeled concrete mixer truck in the rugged Ozarks. No way am I running retreads on the steer axle. Even if the numbers are good, having good virgin steer tires gives me peace of mind.
Just for the record, I can scale 72,000 on 10 wheels and 85,000 with the Bridge Master down. So tires are a big deal to me. That's a lot of weight for 12 tires.
None of this actually the point of this thread. I like the policy; if you're passing a truck, get after it. AND STAY OUTTA MY BLIND SPOTS!!!

 

I've been on the interstate and had a semi throw one off....It came strait at my head...had to get as low as I could on my old V-Star and it went about 6" over my back from what my wife said who was on her bike about 50 yards back....I could hear it whizz by over top of the wind....and I was about 50 yard back off the trucks *** in the fast lane....

Those things come off with some crazy momentum!

 

+1 I do this in the car as well. My GF and I have had 'lively' discussions when she sits (for no reason) RIGHT NEXT to a semi for miles in the car while my head is a couple feet away from the semi tire. And she works for a law firm that specializes in trucking related injury law suits! Are you FRIGGIN' KIDDING ME?! She usually does this while explaining the dangers of semi's and recalling some horrific accident.

 

I see more of these on the road and shoulders here in LA than I ever did in Chicago. Must be the heat or maybe the clean-up isn't as quick.

 

Then we can outlaw new tires and SOLVE the problem!

In the cage on an Atlanta trip yesterday with my son driving - got to teach him about watching truck axles as you approach.

Coming up behind a semi, and it looked like the right rear tire set was kicking up dust or was smoking a bit. Told my son to back off a bit and make sure there was plenty of room to get around the truck when he went to pass.

Just about the time my son pulled into the left lane to get around him, huge clouds of white smoke started coming out of the right trailer axle. I don't know enough about trucks to know if it was a tire, or a locked brake, or what.

The truck didn't start fishtailing or anything - and no brake lights came on. I figured the driver didn't know what was happening.

Son floored the pedal and got by the truck - the driver started pulling to the shoulder about the time we got completely by him.

I don't suppose there's a way (without a CB) to let a trucker know there's something wrong with his vehicle, is there?

 

Just wanted to say, watch the motorhomes as well. Any tire can blow, but, heavy duty tires operating near their limits are much more prone to do so.

Our motorhome 42' on three axles maxes out at 46 thousand and thats on 8 tires. Tires are 315/22.5 steer tires and 295/22.5 on the drive axle and tag.

Motorhomes running the RV tire series worry me even more.

You can do the math if you like but tires can easily be overstressed, run under inadequate pressure for the weight they are carrying. I watch our tires closely, but, I dont have ESP.

As with the professional drivers on here, as if I didnt know better before, I dont linger next to any vehicle, in particular a heavy duty vehicle.

If a motorhome sheds a tire, you can count on some body work coming along with that tire debris in most cases too.

j.