I thought the real amazing part of the story was this...in the town "Where The "I" Divides" (the aforementioned I-90 & I-94), Mal*Fart has a MAJOR Distribution Warehouse for the Western side of Wisconsin, and the Eastern side of Minnesota and Iowa (and God knows where else!), and the local store doesn't have a full set of P195s laying around...
Anyways...as I mentioned...I "felt" a small vibration "building' but I couldn't figure it out...that was the tire, probably developing the separation to the point where tread surface finally "tore off" the rest of the tire, during which time it was slapping the inside the of wheel-well, scaring the Bee-Geezus out of me.
Fortunely for me (unfortunately for the guy "tail-gating" my butt, but that's his problem...), I didn't panic and jerk the wheel or anything stupid like that...I just lifted the foot off the gas and when traffic got around me, I headed for the right shoulder...safe and sound and wondering "What the hell just went to crap on me?"
I believe Tom is right in that the suspension is solid...I just had front end work done on her back this past fall...the rear was OK...
As for age of the tires...I might look into that this week and see exactly how old they are...but, I'm afraid to say, they should have been changed when I got the car. My problem is...I've driven EVERY set of tires, that I've owned, or inherited, to the steel belts, then I break down and buy the new stuff.
I know, that's the dumbest thing to do...you're right. And as far as the tread goes...all four were down to 5/32" (2/32" away from OMG!) so that little fact, alone, made the decision to do all four easier than just buying one. And after looking at the other three's sidewalls (
), the decision became THAT much easier.
Back in June of 1980 (the year Mt. St. Helens exploded and about a week after that event itself) I was returning from a trip to San Jose/San Fransico, when a Perelli tire's sidewall, on my Fiat 128 Wagon started, and finally finished, disintegrating at 85 mph...I saw pieces flying by the window, wondered "WTH?" and the car started "listing" to the "port-side, bow heavy" - pulled over and didn't see the sidewall on the LF tire. An interesting "blow out," but the second I detected something amiss, I didn't panic, I kept the wheel straight, took the foot off the gas, then steered towards the right side of the roadway.
And the key to both of these incidents? DON'T PANIC!
You're in a steel shell...that can protect you...
The noise? Live with it for a few more seconds...it didn't kill you...you're still hearing it, right? Then pull over and see what THAT'S about...
And now, you're on the roadside...you made it and no one died...now, onto the problem at hand...
And yesterday, since I had a fully inflated, but severely distorted tire, two thoughts ran through my "wittle bwain" - #1.) change the tire here or, #2.) see how far I can get before I really have to change the tire.
I put on the Emergency Flashers, put it in gear and headed off in the direction of #2....and fortunately for me, I got to a place that could start the tire replacement process...none the worst for wear, just a really empty wallet at the end of the day...
Hey guys, thanks for the concern and support...