Tire & Wheel Hunting (specifically for 12R24.5's for a 4106)

[RJ]

Chris -

I suggested that particular Bridgestone tire for two reasons: First - it is the tallest 24.5 tire I could find to help bring your V-730 equipped coach back to OEM specs.  Second, you had mentioned talking to Sean about tires, and he commented on the fact he runs a more aggressive drive axle tire on his coach.

Even if you drive on wet grass, the more aggressive tread pattern will often get your coach rolling, whereas all-position or steer tires will simply spin.

TomC mentioned that this tire will be somewhat noisier than an all-position or steer, but me thinks that's a moot point - you're sitting 20 feet ahead of the axle.  Probably have more wind noise from the front door and around the mirrors than you'd have tire noise.  Might bother somebody trying to take a snooze in the bedroom while you're rolling down the super slab, in which case they should consider it "white noise" to help them sleep!

You'll rot the tires before you wear them out, so get the drive axle tires for the rear, and some close rev/mile steers for the front.

Bite the bullet and have EVERY wheel/tire combination spin balanced, if possible.  You'll be glad you did, and so will Cherie!  (Stay away from any of the powder balancer products that go inside the tire, especially if you're getting a tire pressure monitoring system!)

With that list of vendors & tires, did they give you the rev/mile specs for the proposed tire they were offering?

A whole lot different than buying tires for your car, eh?

FWIW & HTH. . .

[Carcrazyguy57]

Has anyone tried the Chinese tires? I read where they had an import duty put on them for dumping, so I don't know how they are priced now. I worked 3 years in China, and all the trucks were severely over loaded, so some of them have to be good. 

[Ed Hackenbruch]

I put 4 Goodyear 164 RTD tires on the back of my 68 5A after i got it.  They are a traction tread. When i first got them i would notice them for about the first 40 ft. when taking off, can't tell if they affected my fuel mileage at all but in the first year of having them they saved me from having to get towed out of peoples yards twice when it started raining and the grass got wet. With the auto tranny i was able to creep out without spinning the wheels and tearing up their yards.  BTW, the only blow out that i have ever had while driving was a 1 ton van that had Michilens on it. Two of those four tires that i replaced on the bus were Michilens  and both of them were cracked all to hell and ready to blow.

[viking1]

I just bought 2 polished Alcoas from Tim Wells Tire Service in Lancaster California. $250 a piece.

They look GREAT.

Tim Wells Tire Service
661-942-3773

[technomadia]

Bite the bullet and have EVERY wheel/tire combination spin balanced, if possible.  You'll be glad you did, and so will Cherie!  (Stay away from any of the powder balancer products that go inside the tire, especially if you're getting a tire pressure monitoring system!)

Any thoughts on the permanently installed Centramatic balancing system?  Worthwhile?  Gimmick?
  http://mrtruck.net/centramatic.htm

- Chris

[technomadia]

Digging through the stack of receipts that came with the bus, I've determined that the tires currently installed have less than 20,000 miles logged on them.

That's the good news. 

The bad news...  They were installed over 20 years ago!  Yikes!!!

  - Chris

[belfert]

They had to be installed a long time ago to still have split rims.  Do tire shops even work on split rims these days?

I had a seasonal job in the 90s were they had some old equipment used once a year that still had split rims.  The mechanics had a special safety cage for dealing with split rims in case they exploded while being worked on.

[technomadia]

here is JR's number call him and see what he can do for you 1-760-733-4401 and I'll check other tire stores in my area,it is about the same mileage to here as Phoenix and I know you will get a better selection in Phoenix JMO 

JR didn't have any 11R24.5 wheels, and told me to call Century Wheel & Rim in Phoenix for the best price around for new wheels.

I just got off the phone with them - they had the highest quote so far for polished Alcoa 11R24.5's.
Fronts: $532.88 // Rear: $641.24

*ouch*

  - Chris

[babell2]

Just my $.02 but check for good steel wheels and paint them. No studs to change, no cracking worries, no compression failures and the cost will be less.

Brice

[thomasinnv]

do like brice said and get steel. then stop off at gamblers in Quartzsite and pick up chrome wheel simulators for $50 a pair. lots cheaper that way.

[technomadia]

Trying to track down tires and wheels here in Yuma has been a real frustrating adventure.

Most of the shops have come back with stories of tires being backordered, or wheels needing to be ordered from out of state, or various other issues that would keep us here and waiting until at best early next week.

Ed Whitehead tire is the winner at the moment - they claim they will be able to do the job this Thursday, letting us avoid needing to hang around in Yuma for another week.  

This is what we have ordered with them:

Toyo M610 11R24.5-G drive tires. They say they are comparable to the Bridgestone 726EL that RJ recommends, and they have a 471 revolutions per mile rating.  $422/ea, or $508/ea including taxes, mounting, and "everything".

For the steer tires, we are getting Toyo m127 1R24.5-G tires for $446.36/ea.

And we are going to get brand new steel wheels - $139/ea.

Redburn Tire has RJ's pick Bridgestone M726EL in stock in Phoenix for $519/ea. + $29.39 tax.  But they don't have any suitable steering tires in stock anywhere they can get any sooner that next week.  They tried to recommend a Firestone 819, until I discovered that the 819 tire is rated for a max speed of 65mph and is intended for school bus use. No good.

Purcell Tire had Goodyear G372A (471 rpm) drive tires in stock.  $485 + $29.39 FET.  And Goodyear G395A (481 rev/mile) steer tires in stock.  $435/ea. But they wouldn't be able to get any wheels until next week.

So the Toyo's and Ed Whitehead it will be, unless some nut here points out any reasons that waiting until next week might be worth it.  Are those other options in any way better than the Toyos?

Thanks!

  - Chris

[luvrbus]

Chris, I found you 10-24.5 x 8.25 stud pilot aluminum wheels my neighbor a trucking contractor has them no cracks,the sockets are good, no bead wear with round holes 100 bucks each you pickup little work they will look new 

good luck

[gus]

Get steel wheels. I have Al wheels and hate them. The holes are too small to get your hand through for tire pressure checking and getting to the outside duals air valve is a pain with the special valve stems.

I would gladly trade them for good steel wheels!!

[technomadia]

Chris, I found you 10-24.5 x 8.25 stud pilot aluminum wheels my neighbor a trucking contractor has them no cracks,the sockets are good, no bead wear with round holes 100 bucks each you pickup little work they will look new

What a great find Clifford, thank you!  Once we get out of Yuma and up your way, we might consider upgrading. Unless we decide to listen to the chorus of steel wheel advocates chiming in now...

Hopefully everything will be ready and will go smoothly Thursday, and we'll be able to get out of Yuma soon.

Meanwhile, we've been tackling plumbing and electrical projects getting all the systems brought back into service.  For a bus that has barely moved in the past 10-15 years, she is in remarkably good shape.

   - Chris

[RJ]

Chris -

Much as I like the look of the aluminum wheels, I'm more of a steel wheel guy, myself. 

They make two kinds, one with only two handholds, one with five.  The former is a PITA to get to the inner duals to check inflation if not lined up correctly.

Easy to keep looking like new with a rattle can, painter's blue masking tape and some newspaper after a thorough cleaning.

Also easier to spot a loose lugnut if the wheel's white. 

KISS principal.

Back when your bus was new, Greyhound used white painted steel wheels with "Greyhound Blue" in the center hub area.  You can see it in this pic of their restored Scenicruiser (PD4501-001, btw):

FWIW & HTH. . .