I am about to retire!!! Congratulate me!

[Mex-Busnut]

  
Yes: I need four new tires for the rear of my bus. The ones that are on the front are brand new, but the ones on the back are fresh recaps. I have been warned by friend and foe alike that these are not be trusted on long highway trips. These are 11.00 X 22 tube-type non-radial. Yesterday I went to several different tire places. My choices here are (Not counting the Chinese knock-offs, which are 40% cheaper and also available!) Uniroyal (They claim they are now made by Michelin¿?¿?), Goodyear, and Tornel, which is a 100% Mexican company. I am inclined towards the Goodyear  or Uniroyal, since they have an international warranty (would be covered in U.S. and Canada). Of these last two, the Uniroyal shop does not do trucks or buses: Only sells tires for them. So I am probably going Goodyear, as I would have to take the Uniroyals to them for mounting and balancing anyway.

The ones on the front are Euzcadi, which is B. F. Goodrich here in Mexico, and are no longer stocked.

Here are my queeries:

1. All three tell me that in this size they no longer have "steers and "drives", only drives, and that they use them all around, becuase at this vehicle weight it does not matter. Is this true? Even our 28-passsenger skoolie has "drives" and "steers".

2. The new ones on the front are 14 ply. Goodyear offers 14 or 16 ply. 16-ply is slightly taller, and a little more expensive. Would it be a harder tire? Which should I get?

3. And all three tire places said this will probably be my last set of tires on lock-rims, so I need to think about that for the next re-tire! Really? Yikes! My Alcoa wheels!

Thanks in advance for your matchless collective wisdom!

[bevans6]

If you have lock rims i would personally buy a set of steel wheels in 22.5" and the right bolt pattern and put the new tires on them.  4 now, another two later, and you are switched to modern (kinda) wheels and decent tires.  If you really plan to run in the US, you really should switch to tire sizes that are available in the US.  22.5" is a good way to do, and used/recap tires are available for the rears.

Alcoa's are for guys who like to polish things   

What's with the retire?  you keep buying new tires you ain't never gonna "re-tire"...

Brian

[belfert]

I suspect in Mexico that you'll find shadetree mechanics who will still mount tires on lock-rims for many years to come.  The big tire shops may not do it, but the little guy will.  Mexicans do a lot of things we wouldn't even think of doing in the USA.

Brian's idea of moving to a more available size is a good one.

[thomasinnv]

Can't help but chuckle at your subject line. We in ministry have a saying...the only retirement in ministry is "put on new tires and keep on rolling"

[Mex-Busnut]

Can't help but chuckle at your subject line. We in ministry have a saying...the only retirement in ministry is "put on new tires and keep on rolling"

We use tires as well as wings. A couple of weeks ago, we did 12 days in Nicaragua with our team of 14 from Mexico. This included preaching in 11 churches, pastors' conferences in five cities, plus a city-wide crusade. My wife also did a 3-day retreat there with 143 pastors' wives while we were there. Awesome trip.

So far, the good Lord has allowed us to work in 17 nations, including Cambodia, India, Turkey, Cuba and many others. I am probably the only missionary you know that has had diahreah on five continents.