It could have been bad but it wasn't. It could have been a complete, even fatal disaster but it wasn't. It could even have been very expensive but it won't even be that.

I was rounding a right curve with my usual panache after having rounded a left curve with similar enthusiasm. The car behind me was swiftly receding into the distance, unable to keep up in the Esses.

I wouldn't want to say it was a Road Race because that might give the wrong idea, especially since it's a public highway. Let's just say LnrB had someone to play with in this episode of the Time & Distance Rally.

As I mentioned above, I had just rounded the last curve doing, oh, maybe about 70mph or so when there was a strange sound from the left rear and I began to smell burning rubber. However, there was little indication in handling of what really happened.

I was Well ahead of any other traffic and a couple hundred yards ahead of the car behind, and out of the curve by that time so I gently pulled off on on the shoulder. When I went over the rumble strip the front made its usual noise, but the back did not.

Before I even opened the door the Other Car blasted past, of course, so we lost that one. Upon uncoiling myself from the seat, it was evident what had happened: I had *Shredded* the left rear tire. I mean, Completely Shredded it! Although most if the tire was still on the wheel, there were little shards and crumbs of rubber for 100 feet behind me, even on the boot lid!!

As I was going to be late getting back I called husband to inform him of the situation and that I was fully equipped to deal with it. He said, "Stay right where you are, (like I could go anywhere) I'll be right there." OK, if he wanted to change the tire I could wait for him, but I had aired up the spare and put in a jack and lug wrench the last time I had a flat and discovered I had no jack and the spare was flat, so there was no need for him to worry. I suppose it's one of those Guy things.

Fortunately it wasn't so brutally hot today so I waited without too much discomfort. He soon arrived in Toad with 2 floor jacks (which we didn't use) and a bunch of tools; among which was a battery powered rattle wrench from Harbor Freight! How handy was that!! Just break the lug nuts loose with a breaker bar and spin them off with the rattle wrench! It was all clear to me now why he wanted to come! It was so he had an excuse to use his new toy!

As I mentioned we didn't use either of the floor jacks he brought, the Ancient scissors jack he had before I was ever in the picture worked Just Fine! He broke the lug nuts loose and spun them off with the rattle wrench. There was still air in the spare, and I was back on the road, although somewhat more sedately than usual because the spare is out of balance; sort of seems appropriate for around here.

I've had rear tires go flat at highway speeds before, even had a real live blowout once. But I have Never driven a car that reacted so calmly as Nix did under these circumstances. She didn't panic, she didn't have a fit, she didn't go berserk and swerve all over the road into the path of oncoming traffic. She merely gave an unusual little anomaly in handling and growled to let me know Something Was WRONG!

I shudder to think if that happened while I was driving Wart, or even Toad.

I think the wheel isn't even damage severely. I can only see one small ding in the chrome, and that's not in the bead. What a good girl!
(';')

 

Wow on the tire. SO glad Nix behaved and stayed upright. Something tells me you know how to drive tho'

 

Holy shmoly!
Inside and outside sidewall blowout. Those esses musta heated up the skins something fierce. Our S2 XJs are nice and heavy so they react very sedately to that sort of thing. Well handled - nice work!

 

Ouch - kitty hurt a paw! Glad you and car are safe. Good responsive driving! I've got a pretty nasty looking pirelli on an alloy wheel with wires out in all the way around like a mohawk from a blowout. Also glad to hear the blown rubber fell off rather than flapping against the sides and destroying your paint job!

and finally - Harbor Freight tools is amazing! I'm eyeing those jack prices and that rattle wrench sure does sound nice...

 

So Glad you are OK!!
Less importantly, happy to hear Nix was unharmed.

Had a similar incident on the M25 many years ago in a Saab 9000 doing about 85mph.
Front tyre had a sudden rip, noticed the car wasn't handling quite right and pulling to one side, got safely across 3 lanes to the hard shoulder to find the tyre shredded. Very safe cars

 

Nasty,and well handled. And of course you know the other rear won't in much better condition,so time for a new pair.

 

one can only assume that the Jan & Dean song was written about a relative of yours. Perhaps your mother or grandmother that taught you how to drive? From the looks of the tire you need a higher speed rating and stiffer sidewalls. kudo's on letting hubby come to the rescue we like to feel needed even if it's not necessary.

 

Everything is right.


LnrB safe and did well.
NiX unscathed and did well.
Hubby did the right thing.


I think a lot of cars can handle a blow out. It is usually the drivers that make a mess of it. Recalling the Ford Explorer/Firestone tire debacle of a couple of decades ago.


Many decades ago, I was showing off my 49 Mercury's new power with a couple of kids in the car. Out on a New Mexico or Texas road. At a hundred or thereabouts. Pow, the right rear blew. I got it right. No strong steering input, and no big foot on the brake. It rolled to a stop and I got it off to the shoulder. Should have spent some of that money on tires and not the alloy heads and manifold!!!


Under inflation can lead to excess sidewall flex and lots of heat. Not good.
The jaguar manual has comments as to proper pressures for different types of driving.


And, the 'esses" certainly have strong load changes involved.


Just my ideas.


Carl

 

Thanks, Guys!

Yes, Greg, she behaved Very well. I'm quite impressed actually. Thank you for the complement. I do try to do a good job.

Napoleon, thank you. I have a whole new respect for the Xj6 series.

John, thank you for the complement. I Love to drive and out here I get a lot of practice. As I was watching husband work, I looked around and was amazed how many small shards of warm rubber were lying about. The holes on the Inside surprised me most though. We have Lots of Harbor Freight tools here. Great place, if you only need to use the tool once in a while.

anjum, thank you. Yes, I have a whole new appreciation for the Xj6's handling abilities.

Clarke, thank you. Yes, we were just now discussing new tires. I expect that will be about the first order of business before I drive any great distance, with any great enthusiasm.

Jeff, thank you. I thought it was something like that, a guy thing. But Jan & Dean??

Mother didn't teach me to drive, Dad did. Mother taught me to pass; you don't spend one Second longer than absolutely necessary in the other lane. You get around and get back into your own lane ASAP!

So you'll never find me as part of those rolling road blocks on passing lanes, passing a Big Rig that's doing 55mph, creeping around at a mere 64-1/2mph. I GET AROUND and let others behind me (usually FAR behind me) get around too. I feel this is a small kindness ai can do for other drivers.

Carl, thank you. I don't think under inflation was the problem. I'm on the road so much that I check my tires with the Truckers' Hammer Bounce Test every couple days. If one doesn't bounce like the rest, then I get the pressure checker out. Otherwise, every time pressure is checked directly, a little bit if air escapes and I risk messing up the seal in the valve. I have a special Harbor Freight Yellow hammer especially chosen for that job.
(';')

 

The tire failed along it's circumference...this suggest the tire was being driven for quite some time under inflated.

 

Yes, thank you, ics, that's what I always thought too. But besides checking with the above mentioned bounce test before setting off every trip, I do check with a tire gauge once a week (adding air if needed) which happened to be on Friday before failure on Sunday.

It's possible I ran over something earlier in the day and the tire was a bit low when I set out for home, but if so it wasn't by very much, as I'm a bit paranoid about that sort of thing, and visually check for any differences in profile as I approach the car.

At any rate, new rear tires are on the hit list, and I will be checking pressures even more closely in the future. This is not an experience I wish to repeat.
(';')

 

Ya know....if you like to drive with enthusiasm it may be a good idea for anyone who does to install a retrofit TPMS. After reviewing this thread....I'm doing it.

I'm not endorsing this product, just putting it out there as an example.

 

This is the first I've heard of such a thing. Thank you very much it looks like a Great idea!

I'll be looking into this Very closely and if it looks at all like it will work in my rims it will be installed.

Reading customer reviews now...
(';')

 

I first posted this in the wrong place.
For the full story of my lack of good judgement see here:

https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...3/#post1070286

I apologize for the confusion.
(';')