Tangled with alligator
Road Master
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 1,005
Likes: 4
From: Alabama
I try not to curse publicly and there may be children viewing the forum. No doubt if they read my post they will know my intended use of the word but its a little better than seeing the full version. LOL
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 157,463
Likes: 57,022
From: Michigan 15 Minutes East Of Hell
I am over shipping at a steel plant and when I started here all 55 trailers had re-treads. I was replacing tires all the time, almost daily, they were coming apart and even tearing the lights off and ripping floors out of the trailers.
Talked the owner into using virgin tires as replacements until we got them all replaced. Now I hardly ever replace a tire from a blowout and none have separated the tread. This changeover was a little expensive to start with, but has saved the company thousands of dollars over the long run.
Agree on keeping the air pressure checked, but a virgin tire is way, way, less likely to separate the tread from low air pressure.
Like I said, they need to outlaw the da** retreads.
Talked the owner into using virgin tires as replacements until we got them all replaced. Now I hardly ever replace a tire from a blowout and none have separated the tread. This changeover was a little expensive to start with, but has saved the company thousands of dollars over the long run.
Agree on keeping the air pressure checked, but a virgin tire is way, way, less likely to separate the tread from low air pressure.
Like I said, they need to outlaw the da** retreads.
correct a fully inflated recap is just as safe as a virgin tire
About 10 years ago I was riding down the interstate and all of a sudden I see this complete road gator flying through the air over the medium. Now the medium was about 6 feet high soI did not see it fly off. I ducked my head and body to the tank and it hit the back of my helmet and back... Scared the heck out of me and ever since then as soon as I see a 18 wheeler I try to pass it up as soon as possible...
I was behind a tandem trailer full of scrap steel that was being towed by a pickup this morning on the way to work. His front right trailer tire had blown and all that was left were metal strings with bits of metal and rubber flying off.
The idiot was still doing 55 in a 50 and saw me swing out of his way. He knew the tire was gone, he had his windows down....
The idiot was still doing 55 in a 50 and saw me swing out of his way. He knew the tire was gone, he had his windows down....
Road Master
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 1,075
Likes: 20
From: Florida / Colorado
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Intermediate
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 37
Likes: 0
From: Kingsland GA
Two weeks ago I got hit by a "gator" on I-10. I was heading home from a friends mothers funeral service and I saw the car ahead swerve, then I saw the tire carcass in the road. I had NO time to react and caught part of it in the shin and knuckles. I was wearing my summer gloves but it still hurt like H***.
I think we ought to start FINING the dickens out of lazy truck drivers. I have a friend who has been on the road driving for 2 years and he says that few drivers do the required safety checks, and even fewer of them check the tire pressure. I think a few $500 fines for the DRIVER would fix that problem real quick. There is no excuse to not air up the tires as needed at a truck stop because every one I see has free air for trucks.
I think we ought to start FINING the dickens out of lazy truck drivers. I have a friend who has been on the road driving for 2 years and he says that few drivers do the required safety checks, and even fewer of them check the tire pressure. I think a few $500 fines for the DRIVER would fix that problem real quick. There is no excuse to not air up the tires as needed at a truck stop because every one I see has free air for trucks.
Gonzy
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 1,141
Likes: 7
From: Foggy Coastside California
Kind of the same message
About 10 years ago I was riding down the interstate and all of a sudden I see this complete road gator flying through the air over the medium. Now the medium was about 6 feet high soI did not see it fly off. I ducked my head and body to the tank and it hit the back of my helmet and back... Scared the heck out of me and ever since then as soon as I see a 18 wheeler I try to pass it up as soon as possible...
Grapevine (I-5) towards LA one night. When I turned off at Castaic I noticed the left rear axle looked different. I pulled into the truck stop and checked it out, what had happened was that them outside dual had broken free at the outer edges of the lug nuts and went sailing to whoknowswhere. Any thing can happen around a big rig so like you, I get past them as quickly as possible whether I'm riding or in my cage.