Old recall

[85_Ranger4x4]

Also, being an SUV the Explorers were equipped factory with load range B tires to save cost and help with ride quality (softer side walls ride nicer). The Rangers were generally equipped with load range D tires which were appropriate to a light truck doing light truck work, and IIRC not a single instance of blow out was ever seen on a Ranger.

I doubt many Ranger's came with load range D... most F-150's don't even have D's. I know my 5.4 4x4 F-150 had P235/70-16 tires from the factory and its base curb weight probably isn't too far off from a Rangers max GVW rating. Neither my brother's '97 or my dad's '05 had anything other than P tires either. Dad's cab chassis F-250 had D's from the factory though...

With the Ex's heavier suspension and drivetrain (D35 and every one had a 31 spline 8.8) I think they saw it seeing more weight on a regular basis than a Ranger too.

The parents '94 Explorer said 25psi inside the door, part of the recall package was a decal to put over it bumping it up to 35psi.

I think a lot of it was people panicking when they did have a blowout and jerking the wheel too.

 

[Surrey]

OK I'll be running them w/o fear then. They seem to be a decent tire so far. I was kinda looking for an excuse to buy LT 31" MT's but ...saving for gears and lockers first. Thanks fellas.

Listen to Straycat.

If they are old tires, get rid of 'em.

Now I havn't heard of any shops around here that wont touch 6 year old tires, as far as balancing, rotating, ect but tire shops have stopped SELLING anything over 6 years old. It is my understanding that tires last longer while being used... The problem is if a tire just sits on the shelf for 6 years, it dries out and loses its integrity. Now, that doesn't mean 14-year old tires that have seen some use this whole time are any good...

A tire shop in Ontario got sued a year or two ago for installing 11-year old tires on a car, which then blew out, flipped the car and killed both passengers.

Here is one from Alabama. Mom sueing a tire shop and Michilin for installing a used michilin that detreaded 10 days later, killing her son, and injuring herself and 3 others.

http://blog.al.com/spotnews/2013/03/mother_of_12-year-old_tuscaloo.html

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Here is one from Alabama. Mom sueing a tire shop and Michilin for installing a used michilin that detreaded 10 days later, killing her son, and injuring herself and 3 others.

http://blog.al.com/spotnews/2013/03/mother_of_12-year-old_tuscaloo.html

That is a little different though. I guess it still applies to a used vehicle but it could have been something that had been done to the tire (curbed hard...) and not necessary caused by the tires age.

I have bought the last two sets of tires for my Ranger used, the first off of here and the second off of craigslist... both ran sets great.

 

[Captain Ledd]

One of the best investments I've made in tools was a small manual tire changer. Roughly $50 at Tractor Supply when I bought it. I've done several whole sets of tires with it and put 9oz of 20g Airsoft BB's in them. All have driven great.

Paid for itself the first use.

As I mentioned earlier, keep your hands on the wheel.

I've had friends that have lost the whole rim, only thing that came of it was a nasty grind to the side of the road.

 

[shane96ranger]

One of the best investments I've made in tools was a small manual tire changer. Roughly $50 at Tractor Supply when I bought it. I've done several whole sets of tires with it and put 9oz of 20g Airsoft BB's in them. All have driven great.

Paid for itself the first use.

As I mentioned earlier, keep your hands on the wheel.

I've had friends that have lost the whole rim, only thing that came of it was a nasty grind to the side of the road.

I've always wondered.... can you hear the BB's when you go down the road? Are they just as effective in the cold? Seems like a really good way to balance a set of nice wheels that you don't want to put weights on.

 

[Surrey]

That is a little different though. I guess it still applies to a used vehicle but it could have been something that had been done to the tire (curbed hard...) and not necessary caused by the tires age.

I have bought the last two sets of tires for my Ranger used, the first off of here and the second off of craigslist... both ran sets great.

I didn't read the article long enough to determine if age of tire is a factor in that Alabama incident, but it was certainly a factor in the Ontario incident a few years ago.

For that one, brand new tires that were 11 years old were bought, and very soon after (within a few hundred km If I recall) the accident happened killing both people in the car.

With a bit of googling, I came across a site that references a 2008 consumer advisory from the Federal Government warning about the age of tires. So I tried to find what exactly the advisory said...(it more specifically talks about how some companies have recommended replacement ages between 6 and 10 years)

http://www.nhtsa.gov/About+NHTSA/Pr...ists+Urged+to+Check+Tires+Before+Summer+Trips

Hell, CNN Money has even done reports on this sorta thing.

http://money.cnn.com/2004/11/08/pf/autos/tire_dating/

Fact of the matter is, there is plenty of evidence to show that old tires are not as safe as newer ones. Sure, plenty of people have driven on 10+ yearold tires without any problems, but a few people have also killed themselves and others.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

I am not arguing about the safety of old tires, just the article you posted had a lot of variables out there that didn't really pertain to just the age.

 

[Captain Ledd]

I've always wondered.... can you hear the BB's when you go down the road? Are they just as effective in the cold? Seems like a really good way to balance a set of nice wheels that you don't want to put weights on.

Can't hear them at all, but some use the steel BB's and I'm betting you probably could hear those and I'd wonder about them tearing up the inside of the rim after a while.

The tires ran fine in the winter too. I used them on my '94 GMC 2500. Run fine all the way up to 70 MPH. I don't drive it often so there's a good chance ice does build up in the rims.

 

[Mark_88]

You mean if I put BB's in my tires my truck will do 70 MPH?

Carumba~Lucy...cheaper than a new motor...

Seriously though...I'd read about that before but didn't remember the trick...might try it with my two back tires...they shake like an old lady on...well, maybe not an OLD lady on Viagara...

 

[shane96ranger]

Can't hear them at all, but some use the steel BB's and I'm betting you probably could hear those and I'd wonder about them tearing up the inside of the rim after a while.

The tires ran fine in the winter too. I used them on my '94 GMC 2500. Run fine all the way up to 70 MPH. I don't drive it often so there's a good chance ice does build up in the rims.

Great info, exactly what I was looking for. Thanks Captain!

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Can't hear them at all, but some use the steel BB's and I'm betting you probably could hear those and I'd wonder about them tearing up the inside of the rim after a while.

My brother had a truck came in where the tire pressure sensor had come off inside the tire, chewed the holy heck out of the inside of the tire but it didn't hurt the rim at all.

I don't think a round little bb would hurt it anymore than a sensor bouncing around in there.

 

[Surrey]

My brother had a truck came in where the tire pressure sensor had come off inside the tire, chewed the holy heck out of the inside of the tire but it didn't hurt the rim at all.

I don't think a round little bb would hurt it anymore than a sensor bouncing around in there.

I think your right. steel BB has far too little mass to do anything to the rim, and all the force on the BBs would be pushing them out against the tire anyways.

because the BBs are smooth, I doubt anything would happen to the tires either.

 

[snake]

One thing no one has mentioned is WHY some of those vehicles flipped over but most didn't during the blowout? The difference is the brake pedal. U blow out a tire doing 70 and slam on the brakes, it starts to spin around, and once that happens it will usually flip. STAY OFF THE BRAKES if you blow a tire. Yeah, it'll shake the living hell out of the truck, but so what. Ride it down and gradually apply the brakes once you have a handle on it and you'll be fine. This works on everything including 18 wheelers as I've blown a few steer tires on them at 65 as well. The sad part is ford and firestone got their asses sued because a handful of idiots don't know how to drive. Slam on the brakes- roll. Don't slam on the brakes- don't roll. Any questions? I would run those tires if it were me.