Make SURE You Check Your Car Tires

[308Mike]

A friend sent me this video from ABC News.

I need to check my RV tires (light-duty truck tires) to see how old they are.

[mekender]

thank you for that link. I usually give a lot of praise for sears because of how good their service always is. I am writing them an email right now to address my concerns.

[rightisright]

Good advice.

Although, ABC unsurprisingly engaged in a hyperbole when they stated, (my paraphrase) "the evidence of the problem can be seen every day on our highways".

They "evidence" they speak of is mostly retread detritus from heavy trucks. Not passenger tires that fall apart from old age.

Those heavy truck retreads are evil and can play havoc with motorcycle riders. I had a (luckily) small piece come up and smack me in the chest at 70 MPH a few years ago. The next day, it looked like I took a Mike Tyson ungloved jab to my ribs.

[mekender]

Here is the email I just sent them

I am writing to voice my extreme concern over the following video report that I was just made aware of.

http://abcnews.go.com/Video/playerIndex?id=4826897

Now, as a consumer, I have always chosen Sears as the place That I go to for all of my auto maintenance needs. In the past year, I have had the following work done at a Sears location.

New rotors
New brake pads and shoes
New bearings
Multiple tire balancing and rotations
Alignments
Oil Changes

I am sure that I am also forgetting a few other things as well.

Frankly, I have always considered Sears to be the pinnacle of customer service in the auto world. I have even gone so far as to explain the virtues of Sears products and service to friends.

Normally, I explain it in the following way:

"I use Sears for my car needs almost exclusively. The number one reason why? There are Sears locations all across the nation and I know if I ever have a problem with a Sears product, it does not matter what sears I take my car to, they will fix it. Sears always stands behind their products."

To watch the video above was frankly shocking and very disturbing. When members of the Sears management team are knowingly and admittedly selling products that are believed to be unsafe, the credibility of the entire Sears brand goes downhill.

As someone that owns many Sears products, some of them more than 50 years old, this is a very disturbing occurrence. Both of my vehicles ride on tires purchased at sears, including the van that carries my children to and from doctors appointments, school, the park and their grandparents houses. So as a concerned customer and father, this issue not only worries me, but makes me fear for the safety of my family.

I can only hope that Sears will stand by its long and prestigious reputation and do something that will ensure that things like this are not the normal course of business for Sears.

Thank you for your time and attention in this matter,

I didnt bother to tell them that my 50+ year old products are rifles.

[308Mike]

FYI, Caimlas has posted a link to another tire site regarding determining the age of tires, and they show pictures of the tires and what to look for.

[Lokidude]

Heh. It's easier when your best friend is your mechanic.

In all seriousness, though, the information about checking your tires is half the battle. Education is key to being able to find a mechanic you can trust. The other half of that is repaying that trust with repeat business. Find a mechanic that you can trust, and have a strong relationship with, and keep going there. If you're educated enough not to get walked over, you can find a mechanic who'll treat you right and take care of you.

[Greg]

Those heavy truck retreads are evil and can play havoc with motorcycle riders. I had a (luckily) small piece come up and smack me in the chest at 70 MPH a few years ago. The next day, it looked like I took a Mike Tyson ungloved jab to my ribs.

I've always heard those chunks of shredded truck tire tread called "alligators". Once I was driving on the Turnpike and the car in front of me drove over one, kicking it up into the air high enough to SPEAR MY RADIATOR.

Had to get my car towed to a shop, and a new radiator. No coolant and no way to fix the poor radiator. They're *nasty*.

[HTRN]

Another thing to look out for is trailer tires - because they're such hard compounds, they seldom, if ever "wear out", but will dryrot. I can't tell you the number of people who won't replace their trailer tires because it's "still got tread on it!".


HTRN

[Greg]

Another thing to look out for is trailer tires - because they're such hard compounds, they seldom, if ever "wear out", but will dryrot. I can't tell you the number of people who won't replace their trailer tires because it's "still got tread on it!".

Good advice. That applies to any relatively hard compound tire, BTW.

[Rich Jordan]

Ok, Ok, I'll replace the 28 year old BF Goodrich Belted T/As on the Challenger before I get on the freeway again. Sigh...