Tire sources

[rlaggren]

Here's some tire sources I found online with 750x20 tires. I suspect they're all Chinese but they might do the job if that's what you need. The one price I got was $140 or so not incl. shipping which I was about $30ea.

http://ssl.delti.com/cgi-bin/rshop.pl
Lots of url's lead to this page and you need to enter your specs. Don't know what their deal is but apparently they sell tires. <g>

http://www.stausaonline.com/light-truck ... sport.html
Don't show price.

http://www.tbcprivatebrands.com/powerki ... .asp?id=94
If I got the price I don't remember it. The PowerKing brand seems to come up a lot in tire forums, fwiw.

Rufus

[Stealth Camper]

I have been reading some RV travel magazines and there seems to be a lot of talk about tires from China exploding and tearing up trailers and motorhomes.

[rlaggren]

Talk is talk. A good mud-slinging is a good time had by all. I have read stuff also and most stories are not first person. The one first person account I saw was bubbling and tread separation and he got new tires put on no problem. And he came back on every topic remotely connected w/tires and retold his story - on several different forums.

I happen to have a really low low opinion of anything from China but you have to balance that against your particular demands and the way people love a good horror story. If you can't find any good name brands, put on less than 500-1000 miles a year, buy what's available at a nation wide franchise (but note, I didn't check to see if those guys would get these tires) and drive at 55 or less, $1000 of Chinese junk might do you a better than $2500 of upgraded perfection. In the above scenario age would take out the rubber long before any road wear.

It's a problem. But in some cases a low-end relatively low-buck tire might be a reasonable choice. I dunno. I might b influenced by the way the local tire shops seem to look at me and see large low hanging fruit. <g>


Rufus

[Jones'n4chrome]

I just bought Remingtons for my bus. When Goodyear bought out Remington, they had them manufactured overseas (I think China) they had nothing but problems with them. Instead of throwing in the towel, they moved them back over here, now they are a decent tire again. The funny thing is, they look just like Goodyear's.

My neighbor has a small trucking company. A few years ago he switched to tires made in Japan or China. Because his drivers stay local and he has his own roadside tire/tool truck it has worked out very good for him. His drivers go just about 400 miles a day, and the tires last him about 2 years. He said if his drivers were going long haul, and he had to pay a roadside tire guy to go to the middle of nowhere, then he might spend more for a higher quality tire.

I'm sure my tires will dryrot before I ware them out.

When MrBreeze blew out the 2 right rear tires on his Crown, it cost him $1000.00 to have some guy come out and put 2 tires on. For about $200.00 more he could have had 4 new rear tires put on before he left.

http://www.mrsharkey.com/forum/vwtp.php?t=1247

[rlaggren]

> road service... $1000...

Yes, it's a different game from your common automobile flat-to-spare intermission. Funny how the worry areas differ. In autos and light trucks, you worry about the mechanicals mostly; in large trucks and busses you worry about the rubber and brakes. At least that's what I've gleaned here and around in the last few months.

I haven't ever mucked with the running gear of large vehicles; don't know if it's at all practical for a driver to change tires on the road. But don't see why not given a couple things: 1) Jacking capability (includes wheel blocking and safety stands); 2) Large enough leverage to deal with the nuts; 3) (Big one here) A method to lift a tire back onto the lugs. I guess the last might be addressed by adjusting the lift height until a tire was just barely clear the ground when it mated the studs.

From what I have read, split rims are actually a pretty good deal, except the the one type, GR-5 or something, with the locking flange right smack around the middle of the wheel where you can't see if it is locking right w/out playing russian roulette and not well even then - the widow maker. The others work pretty well and allow changing a tire w/out big equipment. Mounting the rubber needs air, lube and a chain to wrap the assembly; plus a few tools like hammer and tire irons. You don't even need big CFM air - just a persistent source that can fill the tube over time and get it close to 85#.

I don't know if big vehicles usually carry spares. I think I've seen a few under trailers and I _think_ tractors, but I'm not sure. And I'm pretty sure I"ve seen many big guys w/no spares visible and I don't think I've ever seen one anywhere on a bus.

I read somewhere that in the 50's when they were introducing tubeless, some truckers put a can of assorted sheet metal screws and a tube of rubber cement i the tool kit. That way they could put a temp fix in nail holes. Sounds like it might work...

Rufus