Bad tire day

[Bob Horrell]

Last week I had one of those days you hope doesn't happen too often. Somehow I picked up a bolt about 3/4 inch diameter and about 10 inches long and it ruined two rear tires on my super 10 dump truck. It looks like the front set of duals kicked it up and sent it into the rear set, penetrating one of them and then gouging the sidewall of the other one producing a big blister in the sidewall. The bad news is that there was only about 2,000 miles on the tires when it happened.
For many years I have been pretty lucky with truck and trailer tires. Not so good with tractor tires. I do a lot of final grading around new homes and pick up a lot of nails that the framers leave. I just plug them on site and air up from my truck. My last tractor had 32 plugs in it when I sold it. The tractor I am using now has been much better, only 2 plugs in 3.200 hours.

 

[Jeff D.]

My last tractor had 32 plugs in it when I sold it. The tractor I am using now has been much better, only 2 plugs in 3.200 hours.

I understand how you feel Bob. I once ran over a tine harrow that was tine side up:beatsme and covered with weeds, while mowing with a farm tractor. Lot's of holes. And what's even worse, I had chloride in the tires.

What a mess!!

 

[Ford LT-9000]

Oh I know that hurts and its easy to do especially backing into a site with crap buried under the dirt. I spent many hours changing tires and it wasn't from me damaging tires I'am really carefull about tires. I ended up changing most of the tires because I'am good at getting daytons square and running true I hate wobblers. I had troubles beating the old tires off the rim and putting the new tires on I never had much experience doing it I usually leave that to tire shops.

A bandag deep lug retread in the 11R22.5 size is pushing 400 dollars each and its a waiting list to get retreaded truck tires. I don't know what 11R24.5s are going for I do know 445/65R22.5 Floats are 1000 each.

I was teaching one of the other guys to change dayton wheels and he got all the nuts loose and was going to take them off :nono

Then I showed him what happens when a wedge pops off then he figured out why you leave the nuts on a few threads. What makes me mad the most is when guys don't put the wheels on properly the truck is out on a jobsite the spoke spins and wipes off the valve stem :cussing

Anyhow enough rambling

Tires are the biggest expense on a dump truck had a driver ruin a brandnew cap by running with a rock bettween the duals and took out the sidewall. The onwer of the company wasn't happy I never seen a persons face get so red

Guess who was back at the shop working late changing the tire that I put on that morning the driver knew I wasn't happy.

 

[Truckie]

Bob Horrell I know exactly how you feel. Last October I put 8 fresh caps on the tractor and the 2nd day they were on I crossed a rail road crossing and picked up a spike. :Banghead :soapbox I did not even have 300 miles on the tire. It was totaled.
I got one hell of a deal on the tires, I paid $180 a piece for them pulse the casing. My boss goes throw a lot of tires being in the scrap busses. The guy he uses I use also and he takes care of me. I was able to save 5 of the 8 that came off the tractor and sell to him for trailer tires. The tires I took off had been recapped 3 times so they were done.
I will never forget the one trailer tire I had, I had 6 patches in it. Nothing major just nail holes. For some strange reason this tire was like a magnet, it loved to pick up nails.

 

[Countryboy]

And what's even worse, I had chloride in the tires.

Whats the chloride for? Is that some kind of run flat stuff?

 

[Jeff D.]

Whats the chloride for? Is that some kind of run flat stuff?

Nope. It's put in the tires to add weight to the tractor. I don't know if it's still done often, but use to be done too alot of farm tractors.:beatsme

Chloride was often used because it was cheap and wouldn't freeze. Chloride is very corrosive though. If you spring a leak in the tube you need to clean the rim inside or whatever the chloride get's on real good to prevent it from rusting.

 

[Lashlander]

If I remember right it also burns your skin when you have to fix a flat.
I had a flat on a truck one time. A big hole that ruined the tire. When I broke it down to install the new tire there was a nice set of needle nose pliers inside. I still have the pliers, No way I was thowing a set of pliers I payed $400.00 for away. Don't care how much I hate them.

 

[Ford LT-9000]

Another term for it is calcium in the tires.

Tire men hate the stuff it makes one hell of a mess when taking the tire off the rim. I remember one of the tire shops that deal with loader tires etc say there are enviromental regulations dealing with the stuff.

 

[Countryboy]

Nope. It's put in the tires to add weight to the tractor. I don't know if it's still done often, but use to be done too alot of farm tractors.:beatsme

Chloride was often used because it was cheap and wouldn't freeze. Chloride is very corrosive though. If you spring a leak in the tube you need to clean the rim inside or whatever the chloride get's on real good to prevent it from rusting.

I think we use water with a little antifreeze. Ok, I think its antifreeze but I know its mostly water as the tire man hooks a garden hose to the tires on the loaders at the quarry before he fills them with air.

 

[CascadeScaper]

Calcium chloride, basically heavy water. Keeps the tires on the ground. All our farm tractors are filled with calcium for weight purposes. Working a 40 degree slope with a mower behind you, then turning and going perpendicular to the slope at the end of the row to head back down you need the weight to keep the tractor from rolling.

 

[Bob Horrell]

I called a local mobile tire guy I got from a buddy that runs 6 transfers. The mobile guy showed up 45 minutes later with 2 bandag recaps on goodyears. He took no more than 30 minutes to make the exchange and charged $380 total for the two and taking away the bad tires. You can get good bandag recaps a little cheaper than that here but not installed on the side of the road in less than 2 hrs total from when you make the call. I guess it could have been a lot worse. When you are self employed like me you have to count the hours you are not working while waiting for the repair. At least I didn't blow a whole day.

 

[Squizzy246B]

Hey Bob, you put a Hex on me....loaded up the excavator today and noticed the inside right drive was looking a bit sad...sure enough, Nailed it!...Can you send your tyre guy around?....mine didn't show!

 

[Bob Horrell]

I'll send him right over. I think it will take slightly longer than 45 minutes to get to you though. And once he crosses the pond he will have to up his prices, you know.

 

[Squizzy246B]

I'll send him right over. I think it will take slightly longer than 45 minutes to get to you though. And once he crosses the pond he will have to up his prices, you know.

Yes no doubt...thats the way it usually works down here.

No worry, my man turned up today and fixed it in a Jiffy.

 

[BIGDAN315]

Been there and done that too. Had a front tire go down and was ruined. Had a load of stone on and stuck on the side of the road. Not far from where I was working I called the farmer I was halling for and asked if Had any wheels and tires laying around that where up. He had to go and check and when he called back he said he found one that might work. He brought me the tire and a jack. I had the wrench to change the tire.Was on my way again and was able to finish the job. That doesn't happen allot let me tell ya. Thought of mounting a spare on the front bumper just in case...