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]

Originally Posted by AlabamaNomadRider

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]

Originally Posted by 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.

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

[Top Cat]

Originally Posted by Dave

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]

Originally Posted by 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.

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/201...l/?partner=RSS