Purchased 4 steer tires today!

[B_K]

Took 2 buses to the tire shop today an had new steer tires put on both of them.
I had the take the tags off and move the steers to the tag axle after "re-balancing" them.
And then mounted & balance the new tires on the tag wheels and had them put on the steer axle.
Had this done on both buses.

After the 4 new tires, 4 dismounts, 4 re-mounts & 8 balances the total bill came to $3333.50
And both buses ride smooth as silk!
  BK 

[hargreaves]

What brand did you go with BK?  Cheers Gerry.

[B_K]

Firestone FS400 315/80R-22.5's
  BK 

[JRandall]

While I enjoy this site immensely...that is one reason I will never have a bus. I just cannot afford the upkeep and maintenance.  I will live vicariously among those of you who can.

[buswarrior]

you can carelessly pay half of BK's bus bill on a set of 4 for the car or SUV!

No getting around it, mobility, oil and labour all costs!

happy coaching!
buswarrior

[belfert]

While I enjoy this site immensely...that is one reason I will never have a bus. I just cannot afford the upkeep and maintenance.  I will live vicariously among those of you who can.

The 315/80R-22.5 tires are a very expensive tire size and not used on most of the buses us busnuts drive.  I paid right at about $900 out the door for two new steer tires in an 11R24.5 size about 9 months ago.  Tires for a store bought motorhome aren't really that much less expensive.

[bobofthenorth]

What Brian said.  I run Michelins on the steers and move them to the tags.  I can't remember what I paid for the last set but part of my anatomy starts to pucker up tight at anything north of $500 per tire mounted.  Less for the drives but I don't run Michelins there.

[belfert]

The other thing I was going to mention is that BK runs a charter bus service so he has money coming in the door to pay for his tires.  A lot of busnuts are starting to turn to used tires, but used tires don't typically make sense for most charter bus services that actually put a lot of miles on their buses in a year.

[B_K]

The other thing I was going to mention is that BK runs a charter bus service so he has money coming in the door to pay for his tires.  A lot of busnuts are starting to turn to used tires, but used tires don't typically make sense for most charter bus services that actually put a lot of miles on their buses in a year.

Brian most of the $ around here turns around and goes elsewhere before it gets in the door these days!

And if what one of my associates told me Friday, the "said" pattern or trend right now for Commercial bus insurance is that some "Carriers or Underwriters" are getting out of covering commercial buses anymore and those that are still "writing" them are going up about 50-75% is true then I won't be staying in the business when it comes time to renew!

Now I don't know all the facts and circumstances but he went from paying $27,000 a yr. on 5 units to $52,000 this yr on 4 units! (and all his buses are older than mine)

I have already received a letter from our current "carrier" and a phone call from our agent that they won't be re-writing us as they are getting out of the Bus insurance business. But our agent says not to worry he'll find us another carrier and he doesn't see it being hard to do since we have a good track record with no claims.

But if our insurance more than doubles like that, then I can assure you there will be a company and buses for sale!
  BK 

[bevans6]

I was talking to a friend of mine who runs a toter home and race car trailer about 40K miles a year.  His cheapest quote was $18K.  He shopped it around, and that was the price, till he found a company that would do his entire insurance package - house, shop, business, all his vehicles, then the price for the race rig went down to $3600.  My home insurance canceled me when I installed a brand new furnace in my garage - they would not insure a property with two oil tanks.  They are getting crazy and it's going to get weird - I see a lot of small business closing due to insurance.

Brian

[belfert]

My insurance is sky high and I've never had a traffic ticket.  ($3000+ per year with bus, car, and house.) I have everything with one company already.  I just went through my yearly insurance renewal and at least the price only went up $6 for the year.  I learned during the renewal that my homeowner's is $1600 a year alone when it was $800 or $900 five or six years ago.  Homeowner's claims are up due to all the weather events.  A lot of insurers are starting to not replace roofs and depreciate them instead.  A roof that is ten years old might not get any payout after deductible.

I could save money with another insurer, but so far nobody else will insure my bus.