I used to be the manager of a Wal-Mart auto shop. We
used to get Rangers and Explorers in all the time with
bubbles under the tread (separated). I even got a few
that had thrown the tread, but not flipped. I swore I
would never use Firestone tires. These trucks that came
in were less than a year old in many cases. Ironically
I was given a Chevy truck that had Firestone ATX tires
on it. These ATX's weren't the same that are currently
causing all the problems. They were Farm Bureau tires.
They made a lot of noise(knobby), but lasted a long time
and gave good response and feel. Unfortunately they
discontinued these particular tires and started a new
line named ATX that are the ones that separated
freequently. Another common problem with OEM parts was
the batteries. We replaced batteries from new(less than
a year old) Fords and Chevys all the time. Ford
batteries seemed to bulge out and fail, while the side
terminals of Chevy batteries came out and spilled acid
everywhere. Most of the time the Chevy batteries had
never been disconnected so owner overtightening could
not be suspected.
There have been several comments on air pressure. A
lower air pressure will give a softer ride while
increasing contact patch and adhesion. A higher air
pressure will give a harsher ride, lower temperatures,
and increase slip. The sidewall rolling under does not
effect the adhesion of the tire much. It does effect
the feel and responsiveness as the tire squirms in
relation to the rim. In extreem cases the rim may touch
the ground causing the car to flip. I have replaced
tires that the sidewalls rolled so far as to pull the
bead away from the rim enough to allow dirt and grass to
get inside the tire without it deflating. I have also
replaced tires with screwdrivers, old valve stems, and
loose change inside. I guess you should monitor the
guys that are installing your tires. Don't make them
mad however, I've seen technitions hammer 2.5 oz weights
on obnoxious peoples perfectly ballenced new tires.
Andy
> On the air pressure vs. tire:
>
> I'd run the higher air pressure. This will reduce the heat build up
> in the tires, and IMPROVE the handling. The RIDE does suffer
> as you will feel more bumps, and the like.
>
> Personally, I'd spend the $400 on new tires. Toss the Firestones,
> and install anything else. My heart goes out to the families who have
> lost someone due to an accident. [Local family was on vacation...
> sadly their 8 year daughter was killed in the roll over.]
>
> Also commonly overlooked is that at time (mud, sand, etc) conditions
> you are better reducing air pressure. Sad part was a couple of hikers
> who had gotten their rental car stuck in deep sand, and died when
> they decided to hike out. To "free" the stuck vehicle was to simply
> let the air out of the tires, down to 10 psi, and DRIVE the vehicle out
> of the sand.
>
> Tom Walter
> '68 2000 --> darn hard to spot in Austin Traffic
> '84 Land Cruiser FJ60 --> easiest to spot the RED beast in traffic
> '99 Maxima SE --> quick and fun, probably the safest vehicle I own
>
>
>
>
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