Waited too long... - Diesel Forum

ceej · 07-29-2009, 04:22 PM

to replace a damaged tire.

I was using the pickup to clear some junk from behind a warehouse here in town for the owner. Old engine parts and such. Hopping the siding track in low range to get back there. (No Crossing)
One of the belts was damaged in the passenger side front tire. Pretty obvious, just figured it would be OK till I got into the city to grab new rubber.

I had to deliver an engine down to the machine shop yesterday. Running up the back roads at 45 or 50. 108° out there. The tire let go and took most of the stuff off the passenger side of the pickup. Still holding air, but lost the tread and outer Steel belts.

Ripped the aluminum step, diamond plate mudflap and all the XL door trim and badge off the truck. Caved in the door. Beat the crud out of the wheel well. Removed the lower door trim strip that runs from the fender back over the rear of the cab.

Darn. Should have dealt with it right away. My ugly old truck just got a bunch uglier.

Since the tire was holding air, and the chunk of tread had already torn off, I drove home at five miles per hour, four or so miles. Didn't want to get out in the heat to drop the spare. Figured it was gone already... Just lazy I guess.

Spendy tire. I have an older spare on there now. The tire that failed had 95% tread. The sidewall showed telltale signs that the belts had failed.

CJ

chuckster57 · 07-29-2009, 05:28 PM

Looks an awful lot like the trailer tire I had. It was the spare and we didn't know it had lost it's cap until 90 miles later at the dayton, Ohio KOA. It wasn't that old and had allways been under a tire cover.

94_turbo · 07-29-2009, 06:31 PM

had the same thing happen---------TWICE---on what i call my junking truck. first time it threw a belt, not much damage. this time,same side, it took the two tank necks and ripped them from the box,bent all the left side sheet metal, and bent up the INSIDE of the box!!!!!! glad it was the junking truck--kkrriippes!!!!!!

ceej · 07-29-2009, 10:04 PM

Just braved the heat and inspected the rest of the tires. One of them is still OK. The two remaining have busted belts.

Time for some new tires all around.

What the heck, it's just money.

CJ

ceej · 07-31-2009, 08:27 PM

It's starting to look better. Been working on it on and off as the Gatoraide holds out!

A couple more bits of molding, and an XL badge I picked up at a truck salvage yard north of Eugene on hwy 99. Pretty good place! I snagged a set of OEM hub caps for my steel wheels. I like it better than with the Alloys. It looks more industrial with the wheel covers.

CJ