Your tire philosophy

I just had a heated battle with our dweeb mechanic over tires. The work we do is really tough on drive tires. We're always at 80k pounds, always twisting and making hard turns on blacktop, or we're in mud up to the axles, it's just the nature of what we do.

Ever since I've been here, we ran Bridgestone Dr444 drive tires, and I've had great luck with them. Traction was never an issue, and they would go about 150000 miles before the were replaced.

Enter our idiot mechanic, and the tire salesman. Those geniuses got the idea to try a different tire. So they put a set of General something or other on a truck. They looked similar to the DR444, with a tighter tread pattern. They were also cheaper. Well, after 90000 miles, they we're worn out, and the guy running the truck was always stuck in the mud and snow. So, while the tires were cheaper, we are buying more of them, as they last a little more than half as many miles as the Dr444. So where's the savings in that?

Then we tried these Uniroyal RD30 drive tires on my truck. They look like they belong on a backhoe with their aggressive tread. I have 120000 miles on them, and they need replacing. But, I've never been stuck, and they wear incredibly nice. They're not lumpy, or distorted in any way. So, I've grown to like them alot.

So when I wanted new drive tires recently, it created quite a battle. He threw every excuse out as to why we shouldn't stick with these Uniroyals. He wanted to put them #### Generals on, and I refused. I later found out the Uniroyals is actually cheaper than the General, but the tire geek had a bunch of Generals he couldn't sell. Round and round we went for two weeks over this, until I called the boss one day. I explained what was going on, and the next day, my Uniroyals showed up. But now the mechanic can't seem to find the ambition to put them on the truck. So, in another week or so, when they're no longer legal, I'm gonna park the truck.


For the steer tires, we run only Michelin. That's the bosses demand. Never had a steer tire issue in the 8 years I've been here. And we're getting 200000 miles out of them. I guess he tried some others years ago and had nothing but trouble.

 

We're almost in the same boat as you. In the oilfield always 78-80k and on crap roads. We've had good luck with Sailun drives. Rougly 180-200k out of the 1st set on the 93 still have 25-30% left around 140k on em now. If we do lose one its not $400+

On the other hand we don't run 500-600mi a day either more like 200mi.

 

Not in my experience. Tried them once as a less expensive replacement for the Michelin XDE M/S* that I had been running for years (but were just getting stupid on price) and proceeded to get stuck and struggle with brand new tires in places I had just walked through with less than 4/32 left on the Michelins. As soon as I could justify it, I pulled those junk DR444's off and went with Kumho KRD 03's. Less than half the price of the Michelins, last twice as long, and take me anywhere I need to go.

 

Tires tell you what is wrong with your truck you just have to learn how to read them. Most alignment shops say thing like, it's in spec or the laser alignment says it good. If tires are showing you something is wrong. Their is, they don't lie

MD alignment is place you want their dealer in Kansas City is really good his name is chad I believe. If you want learn you can listen to them on Satellite radio

MD Alignment Services - Makers of MD Alignment QCT Alignment Systems

 

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