Landfills and tire damage

Discussion in 'Waste Removal and Garbage Truck Driver Forum' started by F-Series Idiot, Dec 29, 2021.

  1. F-Series Idiot

    F-Series Idiot Bobtail Member

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    Drivers, how often do you leave local landfills with punctured and ruined tires? I searched the web for discussion of this subject but not much is there. Small junk haulers need more info on this troubling problem. Especially those who are starting out in junk removal should be aware what you are getting into at local landfills.

    I'll start with my own business. In 2018 I saw all the big name junk haulers with NPR dumps and thought wow, there must be a lot of cash in this. They charge about $600 to fill up a small NPR junk removal truck in Atlanta. I started out at $200 for an18-ft pipe-top trailer towed by my trusty F350. My early customers got a great deal, but it did not take very long before tires started dying and shop services became my main expense. Patches are only temporary and I soon found myself buying new tires way too often. One time I lost 2 brand-new truck tires on a single trip to the dump! I raised my prices a hundred bucks to $300 per load to recoup some of the costs. By this time it was obvious that tire damage was a serious issue doing this and I decided call it quits. To continue would necessitate passing along the tire costs and I doubt customers would pay me the same as the big boys. That was only a year or so after I got into it. It really hurts when you realize that you cannot compete with a larger operator because of something like tire damage. I still do not know if the big names cope with it through quantity buys or in-house tire service. I did try and do my own tire installs at one point, but it was not really feasible. Perhaps that $600 is used to cover tire carnage. I also wonder if roll offs suffer this much damage.
     
    Last edited: Dec 29, 2021
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  3. Lazer

    Lazer Road Train Member

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    A plug kit, and ‘Fix A Flat’ will be your friend.
     
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  4. Arctic_fox

    Arctic_fox Experienced mx13 execrator

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    As someone with a enddump that goes into places like that a lot i can say the trick is getting the right tires. High ply count, thick sidewall offroad and hybrid tires are typically a lot more resistant to damages. For example on my ram i use these Discount Tire | Tires and Wheels for Sale | Online & In-Person and ive taken my fully loaded (as in max gvwr) 1 ton over stuff that you would think should shred my tires. I also have a set of bridgestone 864s on my steers and rear trailer axle (dump truck). They are designed to go into scrap and waste so they hold up amazeingly well

    Its all about the tires and getting severe duty tires. Standard tires get shredded. Further a plug and patch kit can really help out.
     
  5. wore out

    wore out Numbered Classic

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    It’s the cost of doing business......factor that in when looking at something from the outside and thinking these guys are getting rich I’ll cut the rate and clean up.
     
  6. blairandgretchen

    blairandgretchen Road Train Member

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    Right there.

    When I’m dragging a 14 wide parachute down the road, I’m not complaining about 4 mpg or paying pilot cars, it was all factored into the rate.
     
  7. SmallPackage

    SmallPackage Road Train Member

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    The only time i’ve ever seen a scrap hauling truck of any kind with new first line high dollar premium tires is when it was new in the dealer parking lot. They Run cheap, used or retreads. Gonna destroy them anyways might as well spend less doing it. Most guys I know in the business have a few tire repairs a week as a given. Even a couple buddies who are hauling the rebar out of the finished side of the plant have it rough because they still have to go to construction sites full of debris. One close friend who just doesn’t want anything but new eats a set of first lines once every 3 months. Seems like 10 tires every oil change is the inside joke on that one. Lol
     
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  8. AModelCat

    AModelCat Road Train Member

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    Buy cheap tires, patch 'em until they're junk and then toss them for another cheap tire.

    No sense buying quality tires when they'll be junk before they're worn out.
     
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  9. F-Series Idiot

    F-Series Idiot Bobtail Member

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    I suspect this opinion is dead on, the truth hurts. Tires are no match for landfills- even premium ply tires- and in junk removal tires are a major added cost. The only tire I can think of that might cut down damage are those "tweels" which are not currently being made.
     
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  10. F-Series Idiot

    F-Series Idiot Bobtail Member

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    Dec 29, 2021
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    Been there done that. Plugs and tire glue are not a serious way to fix anything but limp-home vehicles, and the down time "alone" getting patches installed is considerable. The tire has to be demounted to access the inside, that costs money, and most tire shops will not patch a damaged tire period or if they will they will not do subsequent patches for liability reasons. Plus, you do not patch plug or glue a sidewall.
     
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  11. Mike2633

    Mike2633 Road Train Member

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    I had one customer once who asked me about removing some garbage and I won't go to our landfills I won't do it, not in my pick up truck. In a full size commercial CDL rig it's one thing, but not in my own truck and a lot of our landfills around here are limited they really only want commercial garbage haulers you know the big time garbage trucks and city run operations, they don't want us little guys there. However, I did call up a local transfer station and they said I could dump a pick up truck load there, but it was going to be expensive and exactly what you were going through I thought, uhhh I don't want to go there and get a flat tire, that wouldn't be cool.
     
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