Wheelbarrel wheel explosion, GRAPHIC WARNING

This is a warning about what happened to really good friend of mine last Thursday.

Carl Degrande of Carl's Tire fame in the booming metropolis of Paola, Kansas had a near fatal accident in his tire shop last Thursday. Of all the things that could have got him, tractor tires, 3 piece big rig rims, split rims, you name it. He got gotten by an 8" near new wheelbarrel wheel.
While putting air in the little bastard with it sitting on one of the tiremachine turntables it exploded and hit him square in the belly, and richochetted off and hooked his forearm and just pealled it all back.
Luckily, his son Luke just happened to be there to take him to the ER. The doctors were sure he had internal injuries including bleeding. But the CT's came back negative. Carl has got one hell of a rock hard BIG ASS gut. Damn thing saved his life. I'm not sure we can even make fun of his gut anymore as it saved him. He has a perfect 8" black and purple circle on it now though. This could have easily hit him in the neck, or face and likely killed him. This guy has been changing tires for 20 years and is a professional. He said people are going to think he's crazy when he goes and starts airing up these little tires in a tire cage. But thats exactly what he is going to do.

As a warning, be careful with those cheap fawking pressed together chinese rims.

 

Yup, I've posted many times about shop and general safety issues and I'm really sorry to see that your friend was injured. I can see where he never would have guessed that one, I wouldn't have. Overinflating the tire yes, but not having the rim let go. Somebody has some explaining to do on the factory side in my book. Looks like he will be okay, scar and all, thank God.

 

You are correct on the manufacture side. They are meeting with some attorneys this week about their options. Sucks that, that is what this world has come to. I can't help but reflect on the last HF Beverly shear thread about china's goods. Yes they can make items cheaper, but thats exactly what you get faulty items.

 

mmmmmmmmm, I need a sandwich.

thanks for the timely warning- I'm working with similar tires on my kids' go cart right now.

 

You never can be too careful. I never had a tire explode while inflating it and hope I never do!

 

Wow, that was pretty nasty.........I'm glad I dont have a weak stomach. I'm sure someone is retasting their Fruit Loops right about now.

 

...actually, it was Corn Pops.

 

jeeze... maybe you should edit the title with *graphic content*

you know, for wussys like me....

 

The tire was 100% ok, it was the rim that blew apart.
It was one of those cheesy 2 pressed pieces of steel pressed together.

 

I've never run the scroll wheel on my mouse so fast!

Thanks for the warning about the wheels....

 

Holy crap.

You describing that on Sunday didn't do it justice.

 

Wow....horrible. I've often thought about these cheap china items that can seriously injure someone (like floor jacks, jack stands, etc.) and asked my attorney a while back, he said "ha, good luck ever suing or collecting from china". Good luck to him though.

 

I'm sure you will feel better after some lasagna for lunch...

 

ouch... luckily he's okay

 

I just tossed up a couple of Rolaids,,,
Damn.

 

I remember getting a laugh out of that story Sunday, after looking at the photos, it's not funny at all. I'm glad your friend is relatively allright. I hope his lawyers are good, hit those bastards where it hurts, the pocketbook! I think my New Years resolution will be to NOT lose my gut! (black T-shirt and shorts on left)

 

Wouldn't thought that a rim like that would blow apart. I know about the two piece rims. I don't even want to think about it! .

 

jesus christ...

 

ouch that had to hurt, hope all goes well for your friend

 

Maybe a bit hot pastrami sandwich . . . yummy!

All kidding aside, I'll watch what the heck I'm doing with those cheap tires from now on!

 

Now lets turn a negative into a positive - Imagine the reaction from the Ladies when he describes the white Pointer Shark he fended off.

"Yeah, it is a bad scar, but you oughta see what I did to the Shark.........."

Glad he's okay

 

The only way to get them to pay up is to go to the seller. You've got to hit the Wal Marts and Northern Tools of the world to make it count. If his lawyers know how to sue, they'll do it in a court that takes liability fault percentages into consideration. They'll say the China mfgs are 95% but the store is 5%. When they can't collect on China, they'll hit the store and they are usually the ones with the pockets.

I saw these suits all the time when I was making baby products (car seats). They'd sue the other driver, the car seat mfg and the car company. If the driver was 95%, the car seat mfg 3% and the car company 2% they'd have 2 places to collect after the other driver ran out at his insurance maximum. Usually St. Louis was the court.

That looks like I'd have cried. I'm kind of a pussy but I held my own when I cut the tip of my finger off. Good thing lunch was 2 hours ago though...

 

Best wishes to him on a speedy recovery, and I would never EVER make fun of someone for using safety equipment...I'm building a safety cage for my spring arching/de-arching machine I built just in case...never know when you might find one that's cracked or stressed and she lets loose on ya...

 

Yikes. Hope your friend heals up okay.

You don't happen to have pictures of the wheel that exploded do you? I'd like to see what that wheel looks like so I can make sure I never buy anything with one of those crappy wheels on it.

I bought a large aluminum floor jack made in China a few years ago and they had some sort of spring-loaded heavy steel wire hook thing that held it together in the case with no explanation of how to get it off. When I pulled it off, it ripped back at me and stabbed my hand and cut me up real good. Really pissed me off. Took a couple of weeks for the wound to heal up.

 

Ooooh.............that,s nasty.

I run a tire shop and work with these little wheels all the time. Thanks for the heads up and best wishes for a speedy recovery to your friend.

I had a 295/80 x 22.5 steer tire explode on me at a little over 100psi and I can honestly say that my days of compressed air complacency have gone for ever. Along with my nerves.

 

Wow, that looks nasty but thank goodness he'll be ok. On the bright side remember chicks dig scars.

 

I will try to get a pic of the exact one. But they are on just about everything these days. wheelbarrows, carts, the offroad wagons, as well as the heavy duty offroad hand trucks.

 

man. that hurts. good thing someone was around to help him out...geeez. that sux. glad he's alright

 

makes me hungry for chili and jerky!!