CDL holder = Mechanic ??

[Steeveedee]

Used to be tires lasted a really long time. Our neighbor across the street had one of those hideous '60 Plymouths that his wife drove. The tires rusted to the wheels, in southern California. They were as hard as rocks when he took them off. Of course, his wife was one of those blue-haired matrons you see around town driving 15 MPH in a 45 zone. Now tires last about 5 years. Bought a set at CostCo awhile back, and noticed that they were coming apart (Michelins, yet). Fortunately, they were less than five years old, so they got pro-rated. I have a 2016 KIA Forte that will have maybe 20k miles on it when it is 5 years old. I should take the tires off and sell them to someone who drives a lot of miles so that they get the tread wear out of them. I guess they will turn into maypops before I get new tires. As long as I don't drive it fast, I should be OK. Then there's the truck. I hate the idea of paying nearly $1k for tires only to have to trash them at 5 years, which MIGHT be 5k miles. But I sure wouldn't want to be towing a trailer and have one blow out. That alone is worth paying the money.

[powerdriver]

Seems like rubber products in general have gone down hill . Wiper blades , If they make 6 months you have good ones .

[Steeveedee]

Made in China. Those guys have "planned obsolescence" totally figured out. >

[Red71gmc]

Around ten years ago when tires took a huge hike in price, I bought a set for one of my tractors at the old lower price. I decided to run my old ones for awhile and didn't put on the new ones. The tractor in question didn't get the hours I originally intended and it ended up being 3-4 years before I made the switch.
Crop stubble damage is horrible anymore with all new tires. It eats them up fast. When the tire shop came out to mount my new 3-4 year old Firesones they wanted them because they were new but fully cured and harder. They had a customer eating through his and swapped me for a new set of Michelins. Michelins in ag tires are the best hands down and run 20 percent or more higher. Everyone was happy.
I really don't know if it was the fact they were "fully curred" or a older recipe of rubber that made them so attractive. I'm getting along good with my Michelins but something is definitely up with new tires. They do not last as they should.
If anyone buys a new pickup with the factory "cheaper Wrangler" tires be prepared to have them bald in 20k miles. No joke, 20k and they are bald.

[1976gmc20]

Back in the old days you never heard about "shelf life" of tires. You ran them until they wore out whether it was two years or twenty years (or longer!).

Now all the tire shops are saying six years old you have to replace it even if it only has 1000 miles. This is crazy when you have vehicles that you only drive a few hundred miles a year. We put new tires on the Suburban probably about 10 years ago and they still look almost new. But when you live way out in the country you need a spare 4x4 because you can't just call a taxi when there are 2-3 foot snow drifts and you need to get to the barn to feed/water your horses if the Jeep breaks down ...

[Keith Seymore]

Originally Posted by powerdriver

Seems like rubber products in general have gone down hill . Wiper blades , If they make 6 months you have good ones .

Originally Posted by Steeveedee

Made in China. Those guys have "planned obsolescence" totally figured out. >

More like "your tax dollars at work".

Most of the effective, active ingredients have been outlawed here in the US, because it "might" cause cancer "in newborns or pregnant mothers in California", or because the natural agents (like sperm whale oil) are now protected, or because the most efficient component (like R12) might be linked to something bad (like "global warming").

That means the scientist and chemist and engineers have to find and work with Plan B (or Plan C or Plan D etc). The farther we advance the more constraints there are to work around and the more compromises are forced upon us.

K

[FleetsidePaul]

Originally Posted by Keith Seymore

More like "your tax dollars at work".

Most of the effective, active ingredients have been outlawed here in the US, because it "might" cause cancer "in newborns or pregnant mothers in California", or because the natural agents (like sperm whale oil) are now protected, or because the most efficient component (like R12) might be linked to something bad (like "global warming").

That means the scientist and chemist and engineers have to find and work with Plan B (or Plan C or Plan D etc). The farther we advance the more constraints there are to work around and the more compromises are forced upon us.

K

I live in California. They put those warning labels on everything, and I mean everything.

I bought my dog a Frisbee and it had a warning label.

I bought a new strap for my guitar. It had a warning label.

Well, I guess that those are a couple of really dangerous items. And I'm glad that the state is looking out for me. I might hurt myself or cause some reproductive harm.

I would never tell a professional person what to do. If I was so smart, I wouldn't be calling them in the first place.

I see those ad's for prescription medicine telling me to tell my doctor about some medication. Well the last time I checked, I didn't go to medical school. Why would I tell my doctor what to do?

[GOPAPA]

Give her a broom handle and tell her to put it up to her ear as it will help her by listening through the handle will give her a better idea of where the thumping noise or squeel is coming from ,,,beings she can see the tire wobble goin down the road while driving ,,,that is I guess she can perform this act too..

[cornerstone]

Originally Posted by Keith Seymore

More like "your tax dollars at work".

Most of the effective, active ingredients have been outlawed here in the US, because it "might" cause cancer "in newborns or pregnant mothers in California", or because the natural agents (like sperm whale oil) are now protected, or because the most efficient component (like R12) might be linked to something bad (like "global warming").

That means the scientist and chemist and engineers have to find and work with Plan B (or Plan C or Plan D etc). The farther we advance the more constraints there are to work around and the more compromises are forced upon us.

K

Spot on! I thought they said California would fall off into the Pacific by now? I’m still waiting....