Scary night (long)

[George Selby]

At 03:08 PM 7/6/05, you wrote:
>I started to get a shaky steering
>wheel. I brushed it off to a little bit of hydroplaning. I slowed down and it
>went away. It then returned on a less wet/puddled section of road and went 
>away
>when I let off the gas. Now I'm a little concerned. It feels like it's coming
>from the right front.

Sounds vaguely like what happened to my Jeep (76 CJ-7, V8) a couple of 
weeks ago.  I was four-wheeling in the Croatan Natl Forest, and pulled onto 
the highway to make it from one trail to another.  All of a sudden the 
front and started shaking and hopping, and I had to pull over 
immediately.  I did a quick check, nothing looked bad or was obviously 
loose, so I continued on.  Once over about 35 mph it started again.  Again 
I pulled over and found nothing wrong.  Repeat, repeat, then finally I 
stopped and I happened to look at the right spot on the front tire, and 
there was a 4 inch bulge in the tread, making it VERY out of round.  I was 
50 miles from home, and since I was in the middle of nowhere, I didn't feel 
like waiting for a tow truck (no spare!)  I did notice that on dirt road it 
was much less severe, so I let most a lot of air out of the tire, and drove 
home on back roads (dirt where possible) at about 25 mph.  I made it home 2 
hours later, and parked the Jeep.  I went outside about 30 minutes later to 
move the Jeep and once of the back tires was flat, and had a bolt in 
it.  Glad I made it home. Whew!

So basically what I'm saying it, check your tires for strange bulges in the 
tread.


George Selby