Tire trouble

[Kevin]

Unbelievable! I just bought new tires for my truck in December. Today I ran over a stick and it ruined one tire. Went in right through the side wall.

This is the third tire I’ve had to replace due to road hazards in two years.

I’m at a Discount Tire shop down in Clute, TX. They offered their road hazard promise on the other three tires for $130. I thought it was a good deal the way I’m going through tires on this truck. Plus it’s good at any Discount Tire shop.

 

[hittman]

If you buy a good quality tire don’t they come with a road hazard warranty?

Been a few years since I had to buy new tires so maybe things have changed.

 

[WAYNO]

If you buy a good quality tire don’t they come with a road hazard warranty?

Mostly, yes. Discount Tire? No.

I've bought three sets of tires there recently, as they've been the cheapest, until my last deal with them. Their price per tire was still the cheapest, but the add-ons for mounting, balancing, and road hazard were very steep. Once I chose the tires I wanted, the final price with was $500 more than just the cost of the tires, making them the most expensive compared to other local tire stores. I said no thanks, but as soon as I headed for the door, they said, "wait...how 'bout if we took $400 off?" I then said "put 'em on."

How many people wouldn't know when they were getting jacked up, and just paid the first price? Very much like buying a car. I don't like doing that much, either.

 

[Rick Courtright]

Unbelievable! I just bought new tires for my truck in December. Today I ran over a stick and it ruined one tire. Went in right through the side wall.

Hi,

Don't feel all alone, Kevin! When I was in HS, my father changed jobs which took him from San Diego to San Bernardino, CA. Just a little over 100 miles. Not knowing how long he'd be there, he got an apt and commuted on weekends. For whatever reason, my Mom took us to SBdo one Friday. She had brand new Goodyear tires put on her car that morning, gathered us all up and off we went. We were just a few blocks from my father's apt when she blew a tire: picked up an ugly twisted piece of metal in the street. Darn the bad luck!

A fellow came out from the big store we were right in front of to offer assistance. Karma? It was the Goodyear tire store! They didn't have road hazard coverage then, but he did offer her a substantial discount in the name of good will.

Rick C

 

[Captain America]

That’s a big selling point, every tire I sell comes with a two year nationwide road hazard warranty at no charge.

 

[RSIno1]

I've been using Discount Tire Direct. A good price and I beat some of the CA fees the state adds on when bought here. My tire guy, whose family shop I've been using since I first started driving in 1966 charges me $20 each to mount. Shipping is free but it is somewhat a PIA when taking tires to mount on the wife's little Tbird.
They offer a road hazard when you buy them that is about 15% of the tire price.

https://www.discounttiredirect.com/

 

[Kevin]

I’ve bought a lot of tires and they don’t come with road hazard. It’s always extra. My wife just bought a new car and they offered us road hazard tire insurance. We declined. Those tires…whew! Pirelli P Zero tires, really pretty.

The tires I bought in December, from the dealer didn’t come with road hazard insurance. Goodyear Touring tires, 3 for $900.

This tire today was a Goodyear but not the Touring model. And like I said the road hazard was extra, but only $40 per tire. So I bought it

 

[Jeepnik]

In town we have 4 major brand tire stores. But we also have one family owned tire shop. Started just after WWII by the grand father. I went to school with his son who took it over. He just retired and his kid is now running the shop. It's the only place I'll buy tires.

It may take a day or two to get tires in as no one can stock very deep on brands and sizes anymore, just too many. But their warranty has always been simple. If it get a flat they fix it. If the tire is destroyed by road hazards they replace it.

As a kid they still did retreads. Sadly the environmental folks shut that down. But if you stripped the retread off they replaced it.

They must be doing things right as they have been around over 70 years.

At one time there were a lot of auto shops like that around. Slowly they disappeared when the kids didn't want to follow their dads into the business. Too bad, because those shops have always been the most reliable and honest.

 

[Mobuck]

"As a kid they still did retreads. Sadly the environmental folks shut that down."
ALL of our heavy duty farm pickup tires are retreads. Been doing that for almost 30 years.

 

[Rick Courtright]

"As a kid they still did retreads. Sadly the environmental folks shut that down."
ALL of our heavy duty farm pickup tires are retreads. Been doing that for almost 30 years.

Hi,

I think it's just passenger tires, especially radials, that are gone from the retread business. A driver friend's company says "New tires on the front" (steerers) but allows retreads on the drivers on the tractor, and trailers. Dunno if that's law or just best practice. I don't hear much about regroovable tires these days. Did they fall from grace what with people cutting them too deeply "to get a couple more miles" out of them?

Rick C

 

[Jeepnik]

Yea, I should have been clear about the retreads being for passenger cars disappearing. Drive down any of our freeways and you'll see the shredded retreads from semis. It attests to the poor quality of today's retreads.

 

[Mobuck]

I'll venture that many/most of the 'shredded retreads' result from under inflation and/or running flat and may not be retreads at all. Two things happen when one dual goes flat: all the load is carried by the still inflated tire causing an extreme overload condition OR the other dual was already low which caused the failure of the tire that disintegrated first. Either way, often both tires fail and scatter their carcasses along the highway.

 

[kmoore]

Rick, per DOT the steering axle cannot have retreads. We had to sit through DOT training every few years, I hated it. Working in a major city we never had time to care about DOT vehicles. We had a few guys to do all that stuff. With that said I remember once that subject ended up with some asking questions. I also hated the guys asking questions it made the classes last longer. This was around 2002 and 2 Oregon DOT guys stepped up. They had done a study over several years asking that all ODOT folks removing road gators (tires off the roads) to inspect them to see if they were retreads or not. I don't know how to tell and don't care, but they said most of the comm truck tire parts they removed were not retreads. The only thought was because these tires were coming apart on the main load carrying axles that like other tires when they get low PSI they build up high heat and if not checked it time they basically blow out. Just the same as passenger car tires when running them underinflated at highway speeds. If that panned out to be proven I have no idea. But, it sure does cause many passenger and trailer tire blowouts. TPMS ( tire pressure monitoring system) are helping nowadays.

 

[sceva]

I have been buying from Tire Rack and getting them delivered to the tire shop I use to install them. Road Hazard is included when purchasing from Tire Rack. Bought a set in Sept for my wife's car and she ran over something in the snow in late December and ruined one. Contacted them and started a claim, I just needed to tall them what happened, upload the original invoice, and work order for installation, buy a new one and upload that invoice, then after it was installed I uploaded that work order and was reimbursed the cost of the new tire within a week. Easy and trouble free. Probably even easier if the tires were bought from the installer but they did not carry the ones I wanted.

 

[Rick Courtright]

Yea, I should have been clear about the retreads being for passenger cars disappearing. Drive down any of our freeways and you'll see the shredded retreads from semis. It attests to the poor quality of today's retreads.

Hi,

I dunno about the quality of the truck retreads, but under inflation was mentioned and I'd start there. Between about Memorial Day and the end of September I can head out I-10 toward Indio and Blythe, where temps are regularly 110 deg or better, and see dozens of treads from passenger vehicles and trailers--the whole tread in one piece like a big band--that gave up from heat buildup. Many look like they just slid off the carcass all at once. I'd venture a guess the number of those tires that were underinflated before they failed runs 90% or better.

Rick C

 

[Biggfoot44]

Must be a regional thing .

In my region , it is typical for mounting and balance to be included in price of tire , and road hazard insurance to be optional .

BUT , the racket is the price for mounting and balance of tires not purchased from them , $20 to $30 per tire . Used to be able to do better from old school independent gas stations with two service bays , but in between property values and old timers retiring or dying , they're gone now .

For semi normal tires , the shipping and mounting eat up any savings over buying from tire chains with free mounting . I do occasionally buy unusual sizes or treads , and have to grit my teeth .

 

[Biggfoot44]

Back at road hazard coverage . In my area , tire plugging or patching is still very reasonable to just pay out of pocket vs the cost of the insurance .

I've had catastrophic failures on tires that came already on used vehicles , but can't think of any on road non fixable problems with tires that I purchased new . ( Read the fine print , doesn't cover damage fourwheeling ).

 

[kmoore]

It's what I have been told, I am not a tire guy. Sidewall damage on radial tires is normally a replacement not fix.

 

[toysoldier]

Years back I got a honey locust thorn through the sidewall of a tire on my Tacoma (doing a favor for a friend, of course). First tire shop wouldn't touch it, said it was unrepairable. Second shop said I could put in a tube, but didn't have one. Third shop installed a tube. I got a lot more use out of it.

 

[jimbo1096]

You shouldn't repair a sidewall tear or puncture. You can always put a tube in for a lot less than a new tire, unless the sidewall damage is a large gash.
I have bought my last three seta of tires from Tire Rack for three different vehicles, two sets of Cooper and one of Firestone, and had the two year road warranty included. My granddaughter drove one of the cars and was hard on tires. I replaced the fronts due to her running into a storm drain and literally blowing the tire out. Then they were the original tires and getting low on tread. The new tires lasted about two months when she hit something again, Tire Rack had me send pictures of the damage and serial number of the tires, they found the sale in their computer and sent replacements immediately. Told me to hold on to the damaged tires until their transaction cleared and then throw them away unless they arranged to have them sent back. They never did. I prefer the Coopers as they are USA made and look and ride great.

 

[Montelores]

Years back I got a honey locust thorn through the sidewall of a tire on my Tacoma (doing a favor for a friend, of course). First tire shop wouldn't touch it, said it was unrepairable. Second shop said I could put in a tube, but didn't have one. Third shop installed a tube. I got a lot more use out of it.

An inner tube holds air.

The sidewall supports the automobile and the forces of driving.

Monty

 

[Rick Courtright]

An inner tube holds air.

The sidewall supports the automobile and the forces of driving. Monty

Hi,

Try to sell that at your local tire shoppe! I've had two occasions when I had to talk 'em into putting a tube in a radial tire. Both were early in the game of radials in the US (mid-'70s) and I had to talk like a Dutch uncle to get it done even back then. I seriously doubt if I could around here these days.

I wonder how much trouble guys go thru with wire wheels on British sports cars today? I wouldn't be surprised if they don't do it themselves with a set of old time tire levers

Rick C

 

[Montelores]

Hi, Rick -

Sorry if I wasn't clear -

My point was that one shouldn't count on a compromised sidewall (structural), even though a tube will hold the air within...

I wouldn't (for anything that moves faster than a walking pace...).

Monty

 

[hittman]

Yeah, there is NO repairing a side wall. Period.

 

[Jeepnik]

I still carry a couple of tubes and Baja Boots in my Jeep. And yes an old fashioned set of tire irons. Toss in a can of Flat Fix and I haven’t had to borrow a spare yet.

As to busting beads loose, that’s what rotors and drums are for.

 

[Dark Helmet]

+1 on Discount Tire Direct and DISCOUNT TIRE SHOPS, had 2 busted tires and they replaced them both under the Road hazard. 2 days delivery when I originally ordered the mounted tires and wheels. Wife has visited the fairly new retail store here and they repaired leaks twice in her OE tires on her Tuscon for free. Guess where her new set will come from, with road hazard? P.S. they offer six months same as cash financing...

 

[codebreaker]

My wife drives a 2018 Subaru Crosstrek which we bought new. Has less than 40,000 miles on it. Tire number 13 is on it now. Never wrecked. I hate that car.