Wednesday, May 3, 2017

I hate flat tires...

Had 2 flats in the past week.  First the rear passenger side then the front passenger side today.  I'm pretty sure it was a mesquite branch I ran over on that side last weekend.  The first tire went flat right away and I got it patched on Monday - apparently the puncture in the second tire took awhile to manifest itself.  Gonna wait til next week to get it patched.  Funny thing is - I have been riding around with the spare in the bed of my pickup for two years and just two weeks ago I decided to put it back underneath the bed. I am lucky to get about 3 years out of a set of tires since coming here.  Just ordered 4 new tires - and another wheel so I can have two spares on hand.  Also splurged on a new jack since the bottle jack I have barely has enough lift height.  I don't bother with super expensive tires because I normally don't run over stuff I am not supposed to and our sandpaper Hwy 118 wears down the tread on even super tires.  From the looks of the ones I have - I will be out of tread come my next inspection in October anyway.   Now lets see how many people comment on what kind of tires I should have bought... 86,90,58,0,B

25 comments:

Ronald Mahan said...

I run 8 ply Michelin truck tires and they are not harmed at all by most rocks - and laugh at mesquite thorns! Takes a really tough tire to handle these tire eating Terlingua Ranch trails. They certainly are not normal roads! My brand new Goodyear Wranger 4 ply tires - that came on the 2012 Ford F150 4x4 I drive - lasted exactly one trip.

Dale said...

I'm still waiting for you to make that trip in your flying go-cart.

Steve said...

Get 'em at Discount Tire. If they don't reach the predicted tread life stated on the warranty, you can get a fairly significant refund on the next set. Much cheaper than you can buy online. We haven't paid full price for tires in a long time since we wear them out early.

Larry G said...

Michelin truck tires are the cheapest ones... because they'll typically go 50K or better ... did that on one Tundra and one van... 100K on the 06 Van - just bought the 3rd set. Good idea getting the extra tire/rim...

Unknown said...

I've always heard that Michelin's are hard and tough and give the best mileage but that they are slick in the rain.

Ronald Mahan said...

I have run Michelins for the past 20 years - and they are the best 4x4 truck tires I have ever used. And I have had no problems with them in the rain. What is great about them on the ranch - is the fact that the rocks seldom cut them down.

Steve said...

+1 on the Michelins. That's all I use down here in Texas.

Todd said...

I run Michelins also and travel the lower 48 full time. IMO they are in another league from all other tires. Goodyear tires are too expensive for the name, the quality for most of their lines is average at best.

intermittent marathonian 00 said...

I have had good luck with B F Goodrich T/A and Michelin ATX. Drive a fair amount in Black Gap; but not as regularly on hardpan as you Terlinguans do, I am sure.

Brad Compton said...

Hello Ron, can you please tell me exactly what the name, and size tire of Michellins you get? I need new tires and I was thinking about Michellins and I was wanting 8 ply - but I didn't know you could still get 8 ply tires. Thank you Brad Compton Lewisville TX. b-compton2@ti.com

Him said...

I had good luck with Nitto Trail Grapplers on my Jeep, tough as nails, but I doubt you need a mud terrain. Just put some Cooper Discoverer AT3 on the truck after my last trip out there, I've heard good things about them, we'll see. 10 ply is a must out there.

Stuart said...

Bought a new 4x4 pick-up, aka computer on 4 wheels, last year. The vehicle was driven from the dealership to the tire shop. They gave me a very good deal trading to replace the factory MAY POPS, "P" tires. As per a recommendation, the new tires are B F Goodrich T/A load range E. I ran Goodyear Workhorse tires on the 98 4x4 previous pick-up. I kept the 98 because chains can be installed on the front wheels. I guess the Workhorse tire was too good, so, Goodyear quit making them. I think sidewall bulge is the biggest problem with P tires. Over the years, we have had 2 blow outs on a friends pick-up due to sidewall cuts. Not good when one is 40 miles from the nearest tire shop. I do try to avoid mesquite if possible, with all vehicles including the tractor. Previously, fresh tires were purchased for the pick-up and the old tires went to the flat bed or dump trailer. A ten year old set of tires is still running on the dump trailer. 17 vs 16 has put an end to that practice without different rims.

Off Grid Research said...

Back when I was lookin for land and had my Caddy with custom tires and rims I remember DB Smith tellin me "Be Careful... Them Rocks Got Teeth! I sold it right after buying my property.

Ronald Mahan said...

Hi Brad Compton. ------ The marking on my truck tires are as follows: LTX - MS. ---LT 275/65 R18 123/120 R--- LOAD RANGE E.
I believe the E load range - is what used to be called 8 ply. E range is what you must have for Terlingua trails - full of sharp rocks.

When I purchased my F150 crewcab 4x4 in 2012 - I wanted to replace the stock Goodyear tires on the truck - but the dealer would not do that because he wanted to much cash - for the Michelins that I normally ran on my 4x4. Best way to avoid this hassle is to simply order the truck from the factory with the equipment you want! Guess what - one of the Goodyears was rock cut so bad it was ruined - on the first trip to Terlinngua! So I replaced all of them with a set of Michelins. since then - I have put about 50,000 miles - with no flats and no rock cut tires. And they look like they will go another 30,000 mikes or so! At 81 years of age - I don't want to waste my time fixing flats. ---------------------------------------------------------- I think you will be well satisfied with Michelins. Personally I would not run anything else. In addition to being an extremely good trail tire - they are also great on the highway. I live 1350 miles from my ranch property and each trip puts on 2700 highway miles on those tires. Absolutely no slipping & sliding on wet highways - as one poster indicated might be a problem. My first wreck - in 1958 - involved sliding around on worn out tires (not Michelins) - so I know that problem well .

Road said...

Can't say I know anything about the Hankook Dynapro tires, but take your word for it as being the best tire for your usage and would probably look into them if I end up living down that way year 'round. I have to agree with your comments about 118 being a sandpaper road and remember how different, and abrasive, it is. It's just a gravel mix with an asphalt emulsion coating, isn't it, with nowhere near as much tar in the mix as a more typical macadam road may have?

Interesting that a type of asphalt emulsion coating is often used in adobe block making to help create a more moisture resistant brick.

Have to agree, too, with others here on their choice for a more mixed usage tire in the Michelin LTX M/S (or A/T). I've been running the same set of Michelin LTX M/S2 tires on my GMC Savana 3500 since Oct 2012--4.5 yrs and over 93,000 miles--on just about every road type available in North America. They've seen the Texas borderland roads from McAllen to El Paso, tons of miles in the Sonoran and Mojave deserts, US Interstates and country roads up and down both coasts and pretty much everywhere in between, and in winter from up around the northern reaches of the Gulf of St Lawrence in Quebec to Edmonton and Calgary in the western provinces. That's why my friends call me Road ;)

I've had three flats with this set of tires; once in northern Ohio and twice in Texas. One of those times in Terlingua, (where I kept scooting down to BBMI every couple hrs through the night to air it back up at a quarter machine so it wouldn't be dead flat by morning, when I had Archie's men at Terlingua Auto plug it) and another when down in Laredo and picked up a nail in a dirt lot. Now I keep a 12v compressor and an ARB Tire Repair Kit along.

I just went out and measured the tread with a penny, and still have up to the bottom of the date, or around 7/32". That's pretty good, almost 1/4", and about twice what most inspections require, I think. I will be switching them out for new ones this year though, and will keep this set as backups and spares, as I've neglected to rotate them and the fronts have suffered through a bad front end alignment and have started to wear more on the inside edge. They're starting to see some sun wear, too.

John Wells said...

I might give Michelins a shot - next time (although I really don't care for the French)...if it is in the budget.

Road said...

Yeah, when I bought my Michelin LTX M/S2 they cost probably twice as much as the Hankook Dynapros (at current Walmart prices anyway) but I feel for the overall mixed-use and durability they have more than paid off for the kind of use I've given them.

Great in snow and on ice, too, and absolutely no problems in sliding on wet roads, though fresh rain on typically dry roads tends to bring out a slickness from oils rising that one does not always encounter in more humid climates.

Tread wear is outstanding, if my usage is at all typical. In the end, it's all about what works best for you in the environment you most find yourself in.

Steve said...

Michelin also owns BF Goodrich. Michelin tires are made in Italy, Spain and the U.S. So I guess they do qualify as "Freedom Tires" for the conservative crowd.

Texas Guy said...

Michelin LTX 10 ply is what I use. 2001 Chevy 2500 with 225K miles. Pretty sure load range E is a 10 ply tire guys. I have tried other cheaper tires in between sets of Michelins & was very unhappy. More money for the Michelins but more satisfaction, IMO!

J said...

Since most of your driving takes place on rough roads or no roads at all I'd go with the cheapest. Np matter the brand they are all going to wear faster than normal.

Unknown said...

All this makes me want to go out and get some Michelins.

Brad Compton said...

Ronald thanks much for your reply! Brad

Mage said...

Michelin's on my 1995 Chevy 1500. Second set.

Unknown said...

Thanks for posting detailed specification on tire terminology. Trident also offer extensive range and developed a special purpose solid tires, press on solid tires, solid skid steer tires for material handling equipment.
Flat proof solid skid steer tires

John D Baxter said...

Michelin...got over 70000miles out of one set...