NHTSA Complaint #10231157 — 2001 FORD F-250 SD

I WAS DRIVING ON A 2-LANE STATE HIGHWAY AT APPROXIMATELY 65MPH. MY PICKUP IS A 2001 FORD SUPERDUTY DIESEL SUPERCAB 4X4. THE WEATHER WAS OVERCAST, TEMPERATURE ABOUT 75 DEGREES. I WAS PULLING AN 18' FLATBED "CAR HAULER" TYPE TRAILER, TOTAL WEIGHT (TRAILER & LOAD) APPROXIMATELY 1,000LBS. I HAD DRIVEN 60 MILES WITH NO INDICATION OF VIBRATION OR PROBLEMS. I STOPPED FOR AN HOUR THEN RESUMED DRIVING. I NOTICED SOME VIBRATION, SO STOPPED AND CHECKED BOTH PICKUP AND TRAILER TIRES. INFLATION WAS GOOD AND THERE WERE NO INDICATIONS OF PROBLEMS WITH ANY TIRES. I CONTINUED MY TRIP. WITHIN THE NEXT 5 MILES THE TREAD SEPARATED FROM THE LEFT FRONT (DRIVERS SIDE) TIRE ON MY PICKUP. THE PICKUP IMMEDIATELY LURCHED TO THE LEFT ACROSS THE CENTERLINE. I REGAINED CONTROL AND WAS ABLE TO PULL OFF THE SHOULDER WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. THE TREAD SEPARATION DAMAGED THE FENDER, RUNNING BOARD, INNER FENDER, INSULATION LINER, AND FRONT BUMPER. THERE WERE NO PERSONS INJURED. I WAS ABLE TO "TIE-WRAP" THE INNER FENDER PANEL BACK IN PLACE AND INSTALL THE SPARE TIRE TO CONTINUE THE TRIP. *TR