help with my drive tire choice

Discussion in 'Ask An Owner Operator' started by heavyhaulerss, Apr 10, 2013.

  1. Freightlinerbob

    Freightlinerbob Road Train Member

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    West Coast B.C.
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    I can get at least 150,000 miles out of Michelin steers before the right side starts to cup. This is on my Columbia, considering my FLD couldn't keep a set of steers past 90,000 miles, I'm impressed. My biggest complaint is that they last so long that I have to pull them early because I always like to go into winter with full tread. I was getting more than casing credit in previous years but the last time all he would give me was casing credit even though one tire had 10/32 and was perfect. But it really comes down to the final price which I thought was still reasonable.

    The lowest CPM steer I've ever used was an "Expressway" which I think comes from Continental. Roughest POS I've ever used too.
     
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  3. heavyhaulerss

    heavyhaulerss Road Train Member

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    AL/TN BORDER
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    I made my choice & got tires put on today. after taking everything into consideration, I went with b.f. 230 all position. 16 ply. the T.C.I. dealer thought the b.f.dr444 would be better. in fact they were $25.00 per tire cheaper. I went with the all position for better fuel mileage & also a better ride than the kelly kda's I had on. with a 106 r.r. they should make a difference. I want to thank all who gave their opinions. I have tried lug & all position before & when it come to savings, overall cost. the all position were a better choice, for what type of driving & terrain I do. I asked about other tires like the bridgestone ecopia, a lug with a very low r.r. & the folks in my area could not get them. on back order. I also put new centramatics on too. $ 1958.00 total. installed with all the add on's, f.e.t. valve's, shop fee's ,whatever. I will get the other 4 put on in about 4 weeks. that will give me time to recoup the money & when I put the other 4 on the front drive, they will wear down even. don't know why, but on my truck, the back drive tires always wore down sooner.

    so thanks again for all your help. :biggrin_25514:
     
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  4. sdaniel

    sdaniel Road Train Member

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    Know you will enjoy many trouble free miles!
     
  5. rollin coal

    rollin coal Road Train Member

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    Back drives always wear faster. Everytime you make a turn they scuff and scrape much further than front drives which actually pivot better. Rotation a time or two one the life of your drives, in a criss cross X pattern, will have them wear even. I have actually considered all position tires the next set I get, or even steers. I don't really need lugs and in 13 years never got stuck with steers in snow and ice using my own good sense. Of course I rarely go North of 40 anyways anymore so moot point
     
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  6. MNdriver

    MNdriver Road Train Member

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    other than macks, most Class 8 trucks will wear the rears down sooner. The reason being that the power is sent to the rear axle in the power divider primarily until it's needed on the others.
     
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  7. heavyhaulerss

    heavyhaulerss Road Train Member

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    on my last set of steers on my drives, I went & got out my records I was getting 7.6 m.p.g. now that was from my area to G.R. MI. skidded coils 45,000 lbs. drove 62-65 AL-TN. 60-62 IN. 55 IN OH & MI. hauled back fire brick. real low deck loads, caught no wind resistance. I only drove like this cause I loaded on fri morn & had til mon morn to get load in G.R.MI. when those tires needed replacing. I went to lugs to get more mileage & not have to change out in 150,000 miles or whatever it was they lasted. THE TRUTH! I saved enough just in fuel to buy 8 & have money left over. my speed had a lot to do with it too. the last time I was in MI with my steer drives I caught a blizzard. a big one. had no problem cause of my tires. the problem is when I figure out my cost savings on these tires compared to my last, is to put that money in a separate account, whether it be a saving of $50 a week or 80 a week. then when tire time comes time for another set, I can look at tires instead of tire prices PER SE.
     
  8. heavyhaulerss

    heavyhaulerss Road Train Member

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    well after I got my tires put on I noticed a couple day's later the recommended cold tire pressure is 120 p.s.i. that is the first time I ever saw a 120 on a 11r22.5 I have always saw 105 p.s.i. all 4 tires have the same 120 p.s.i on them.
     
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  9. 379exhd

    379exhd Road Train Member

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    Went to a load range H instead of a G huh? I have 2 drives hankooks I believe on my rear axle that are h and 120 psi. Words of wisdom don't try to pump them up with an air hose hooked to the supply line. Usually takes an hour or so. I quit running 120 in those tires after my first escapade trying to pump them up to 120. They're all set at 105 now up from 90. Started hauling heavier on the drives. What's the load rating/axle on those like 24k or 26k/axle?
     
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  10. heavyhaulerss

    heavyhaulerss Road Train Member

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    is 120 not a good idea? or just a waste of time if your supplying air off truck? my air governor will allow me to air to 120 if needed. I did not pay attention to the load rating. I know that when my original drives were not far from needing to be changed I increased the air in them to about 110-115 to get a little better m.p.g. but the tires also started wearing more in the center. with 120 on the drives that should give me better m.p.g. as less sidewall flex should be the case with so much more air. just hope the 120 p.s.i. does not make the tire wear irregular. though it should not, cause that is what is recommended.
     
  11. 379exhd

    379exhd Road Train Member

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    rolling through hell
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    I wouldn't run 120 in them. 120 is the max inflation recommended is on the door jam. Actually MNdriver has a good way to check for proper inflation which I now use. White paint or a marker across the tread then move the truck and check what wore off the tire. If it wore the inside off its over inflated, wears off the outside its under inflated wears everything off its properly inflated. Do it when loaded obviously but it works. I run 90lbs in my steers and 105 in my drives due to nobody axles out and I have anywhere between 35-40k on my drives all the time. As for airing up to 120 off the truck its just a royal pain because when the air pressure in the air tanks drops below the pressure in the tires you won't fill the tire anymore and have to get the compressor to cut in and build air. To fill the 2 on my truck to 120 I hook up my hose let my truck idle low run back and start filling works pretty well most of the time. But when the compressor cuts out you get 5 seconds of air and then have to get the compressor to cut back in. The extra air might improve fuel milage but it will cause the tires to wear funny. That's why I run door jam pressure instead of side wall pressure in most instances.
     
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