TM 5-3805-260-24TOO MUCH HEAT CAN CAUSE A TIRETO HAVE AN EXPLOSION (SUDDEN BREAK)WARNINGExplosions of pneumatic tires have resulted from heat-causing gas combustion inside the tires. The heat,caused by welding or heating rim components, fire, ortoo much use of brakes, can cause gas combustion.A tire explosion is much more violent than a blowout.The explosion can throw the tire, rim and final drivecomponents as far as 460 m (1500 ft. ) or more from themachine. Both the force of the explosion and the debriscan cause personal injury or death, and propertydamage.Although an explosion is not probable, the hazard(danger) is very great, especially with large tires used onwheel tractor-scrapers.All personnel must know of this danger and the actionsto take to keep the risk at a minimum.Heat from any source can be sent to the tire.This causes deterioration (decrease in quality) of thebead. Normally, the burned bead causes loss of air,and the tire goes flat without danger to anyone in thearea.A bead that is burnt can result in the release ofan explosive mixture of gas inside the tire. It is possiblefor the mixture of gas inside the tire to burn. The fireinside the tire causes a rapid in- crease in pressure. Theresult is a violent tire explosion. The explosion causes ablowout at the tire bead which throws the tire, rimassembly and final drive components far away from themachine.When a wheel is in rotation, the movement ofair around the tire helps in cooling the tire. There ismore danger of a tire explosion after the machine stops,because of the loss of this cooling effect.If smoke, too much heat, the smell of burningrubber or hot brakes, or other indications of beadburning are noticed, take action to prevent personalinjury.Move the machine to a remote area, but only if itcan be done without danger to the operator orother personnel in the area.Remove all personnel in the area of the machine.WARNINGAPPROACH AREAS. Do not get within 460 m(1500 ft. ) from the side or within 15 m (50 ft. )from the front, rear, or above a tire.Do not go near any tire on the machine if there isa brake fire, burning rubber or other indications that thebrakes have caused too much heat. This heat can havean effect on all other tires on the machine, even thoughthe visual indication is only at one tire.If there is an indication of a brake fire or thesmell of burning rubber, do not go near the ma- chine.FIGHT (put out) THESE FIRES FROM A REMOTELOCATION. (Many times, the immediate action to a firecaused by tires or brakes, is for people to use a handfire extinguisher and run up close to the machine to helpput out the fire. ) Keep away from the machine until thetires cool (temperature decreases). Permit at least eighthours for the tires to cool before a person goes near themachine.Keep personnel out of the area, and at least 460m (1500 ft. ) away from the side of the tire and 15 m (50ft. ) away from the front or rear of the machine.A small fire caused by debris on the machine isnot a hazard. This type of fire can be put out with a handfire extinguisher. A burning (smoking) tire or fire in thebrake area is hazardous. These are sure indications of ahot tire. There is no completely safe way to get near amachine to put out this type of hazardous fire. Go nearonly at the front or rear of a machine and use a largebulldozer as a shield.2-155
Integrated Publishing, Inc. - A (SDVOSB) Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business