18 wheeler trailer tire question

[dandantmm]

I know there are a few of you that do or have driven trucks for a living, so hopefully you can answer this question.

I was driving to work today in my car and I was next to an 18 wheeler in slow rush hour traffic. I glanced over and noticed that the inside left front tire on the trailer was blown to shreds and I thought to myself "I wonder if he knows that?" As we moved on I then noticed that the right front inside tire was also blown, but not to shreds like the other one. The cap was about to let go and you could see rubber flapping around with each revolution.

Then I started thinking. Hmmmm. Two flat tires on the trailer and both are on the inside front. Then it dawned on me that they must have put the flats there so he could still keep running. That's the safest place I could think of (if you call that safe) to put flats since the inside front tires probably carry the lightest load.

Is my hunch correct? Did they put the flats there so they didn't have to replace them right away? Is that even legal to run like that?

That's just an accindent waiting to happen for sure. That right tire wasn't going to keep the cap much longer and would probably leave a nice road gator on the highway somewhere. The truck was out of El Paso, TX...something like OTW Transportation. I couldn't find a number to call and complain.

[ridemslow]

He probably knew, but didnt give a sh1t. It's not legal to continue running with flat tires, and no tire man will just move them to the front axle for convienence. I've been trucking 30+ years.
Many "local" drivers wll do stuff like that because they can get by with it...for a while.

[Cajunrider]

LA DOT would tie him up until the tires were changed and levy him a pretty hefty summons. He doesn't sound like your ideal trucker who cares about the safety of others around him.

[josh]

It is legal for him to run it long enough to get to a place where he can get it repaired. If he had 2 tires blown out tho I would be extremely suspect. I will say that I drive a Front End Loader Garbage Truck and I have had a inside dually go flat and not known until I pre tripped the truck the next morning.

[dandantmm]

Another question. Since he running on I-40 which is full of trucks, wouldn't another trucker behind him say something on the CB if they saw it. Now maybe it was hidden from other truckers view, but that one on the left was pretty mangled and you could easily see something wasn't right on the left side. Maybe he didn't have a CB or have it on.

[ringadingh]

I can't see him knowingly driving with two flat tires, here you have to pull over and call a tire truck to fix it right away. We have big fines for stuff like that.

[AlabamaNomadRider]

When I drove which was before some of you were born back in 1977 and 1978 I had one flat on the trailer. I didn't know when it happened and didn't until I stopped at a truck stop. I always checked my tires when I stopped and that was when I noticed the flat which by this time was pretty much worn out.

As I stated in another thread about trucks and tires. When I drove it was legal and probably still is to drive with recaps on the trailer but not on the tractor. The recaps are why you see so much rubber on the road. I wish DOT required all new tires on trucks to include the trailer. It would be much safer for the driver of smaller vehicles. You would stop seeing so many blown trailer tires.

[Dave]

The recaps are why you see so much rubber on the road.

I disagree. Recaps are fine. It's the drivers Too many bad commercial drivers out there that are just to lazy to do a mandatory pre-trip AND post-trip

[Cajunrider]

I can't see him knowingly driving with two flat tires, here you have to pull over and call a tire truck to fix it right away. We have big fines for stuff like that.

Same here for the fix on the side of the road and big fines.

[Top Cat]

The recaps are why you see so much rubber on the road.

I disagree. Recaps are fine. It's the drivers Too many bad commercial drivers out there that are just to lazy to do a mandatory pre-trip AND post-trip

And I dissagree with you Dave. If they banned recaps altogether you would not see rubber treads all over the highway.

[AlabamaNomadRider]

TC I have to agree with you on the recaps. Those things are just too dangerous to be on the highway and are subject to let go at any time. I know it would be a lot more expensive for the trucking companies but in the long run it would equal out as the new tire would last much longer.

[AlabamaNomadRider]

Dave, you can do a pre-trip and a post-trip but that doesn't stop a recap from slinging off as you roll down the hot highway and the glue or whatever they use to glue the recap on with gets hot and turns loose. I do agree there are a lot of drivers that just don't care and some don't check anything. But a recap is an accident waiting to happen. If you ever saw one of those things sling off I thing you would be singing a different tune. I have seen it and it is not a pretty sight. Luckily I was far enough back that I got slowed up before it hit the truck I was driving.

[josh]

I know that on our trucks specifically since they are considered local usage only we not only do not carry spare tires but no equipment to change them with anyhow

[macmac]

I don't know, but crossing the USA both ways I made trailers a topic of study anytime I was near a big rig. There were plenty of nasty tires ready to let go, and I either pass like a mad man or fall very far back depending.

I always fell back when the brakes were on fire too! I didn't so many of them, but after dropping way back in NY out bound I later caught up and the whole rig was on fire.

When I first spotted that truck, it was a smoke nightmare but that driver just stayed over the speed limit like everyone else. I am sure he knew the brakes were on fire. There were several exits anyone he could have taken too.

I never drove trucks, other than in a repair shop sence of driving, to get work done, but never on a road.

[recumbentbob]

Dave, you can do a pre-trip and a post-trip but that doesn't stop a recap from slinging off as you roll down the hot highway and the glue or whatever they use to glue the recap on with gets hot and turns loose. I do agree there are a lot of drivers that just don't care and some don't check anything. But a recap is an accident waiting to happen. If you ever saw one of those things sling off I thing you would be singing a different tune. I have seen it and it is not a pretty sight. Luckily I was far enough back that I got slowed up before it hit the truck I was driving.

A little off topic but thought you may have heard of this Alabama company.


Feds shut down company involved in Kentucky crash that killed 11

http://www.courierpress.com/news/2010/sep/02/feds-shut-down-company-involved-kentucky-crash-kil/?partner=RSS

[nightmare]

It is legal to run recaps on both the truck drives and the trailer, just not on the steer axle. Recaps of today are very safe if maintained properly ( air pressure & dont reverse rotation ). You can feel a recap begin to separate long before it slings the cap, all it takes is a little attention to your job. I can feel a trailer tire or hear a difference in just the harmonics of the rig, long before it blows, and pull over to check and get it replaced. In over 3 million miles I have only had one tire blow, and that was a virgin steer tire, due to road debris. I personally do a pre and post trip inspection and several in route inspections per day, anytime I get out of the truck I do a walk around and tire check. There are way to many drivers.... I am sorry they are not drivers just steering wheel holders out there, that need to be run out of this industry, and hopefully the new points system will begin to weed them out, and the companies that promote their style of driving.

[jesse]

I agree with Victor, properly maintained tires are the key, not recaps. A recapped tire has been through more inspections than new tires. Most of the tread we see on the road is caused by heat build up, usually caused by low air pressure, New or Recap.
Tires are the second highest expense in the trucking industry following fuel. If all trucks had to run virgin tires we would have a hard time paying for freight. That includes shipping on everything we want and the food we eat.

[wheelie]

As I have mentioned before I work for a very large world wide trash company. The drivers pre and post trip is key to tire safety. I'm out from behind my desk right now filling in as a transfer semi driver. I've never lost a cap and didn't know it. Our trucks all run recaps on the drives and the trailers. In the USA we use Bangag they produce a very high quality recap and we generate our on casings by buying virgin tires and not recapping them to death. I spent three days at their Iowa facility a few months ago. I was impressed with the whole process. Bandag had a 1968 427 Corvette on display that was the only car to ever race and win a sports car race with caps on all four corners. And I have made a few passes in my dragster with recap drag slicks but I do prefer my M/T ET slicks.

[josh]

Unfortunately wheelie, I don't work for WM or any other big company, i work for a very small very ummm shall we say "thrifty" outfit... I have had things written up for years such as marker lights that I know are just never ever going to get fixed....

[Top Cat]

Question;
What is the general price difference between a new tire and a recap?
I realize it would probably depend on size but I'm talking average.

[josh]

New front tires for the garbage truck I drive are $650ish a piece (last i heard) rears, aka recaps are about 200

[wheelie]

Josh I'm not with WM or Republic we are #3 I feel your pain, we were an AW division when I hired in. Even the big dogs have their problems with things like that. I worked for a private hauler for a while he didn't even have VCR's for us to fill out let alone get things repaired. He told me once if you want a light fixed buy one and fix it. This is me at the landfill.
http://i232.photobucket.com/albums/ee275/nitro100/MeTruck2005.jpg

[josh]

Wheelie, I work for a private company, pretty much does the county i am in and thats it. I did just notice your sig tho, I am a Senior DeMolay and my dad is a past master of the lodge. Just figured I would point out that your sig is noticed

[wheelie]

Good the know, I've been WM of our small town lodge so many times I've lost count.