Hello!

[Triple C]

Hello all, by way of introduction, I bought my first (and probably only) military surpluss vehicle, a M925A1, located at Ft. Riley, Ks. Drove it home today (just East of KC) and all went really well till we were in KC and at 55mph in the middle lane I blew a front left drive tire! Fortunately for me, no one was hit by debris and I had my brother in law with me. He is retired army (he ran the motor pool at Riley for a number of years!) So, we got out the winch, lug wrench and the jack. In about 45 minutes we had changed out the tire and were back on the road! Nothing like a little excitement to start things out. I look forward to learning from all of you. First question I guess is, where can I find a super single to replace my spare and how much should I expect to pay?

 

[Jimma]

Welcome!!!!!! Glad you made it through the blowout safely.

 

[o1951]

That's a real NICE 5 ton.
If I remember right, Cummins diesel with Allison AUTOMATIC? ?
No stick shift.
I prefer a stick until I hit heavy traffic, after a while of stop and go, my left leg shows it's age.
Tires - search the threads. Other members have had tire issues, and posted good places to buy and cost. I don't remember if they bought Super Singles.

Suggest you check the remaining 4 very carefully - look for bulges, old age cracks, tread starting to lift. My experience has been when one fails, the others are not far behind.
Just my 2 Cents.

 

[emr]

Proper inflation is a tires best friend, Know one knows how many times a truck in service had a tire with a slow leak run low for many miles . That in my opinion is what happens to most of these super singles, Also just sitting for a few months low maybe up yo a year or 2 or 5 can do it also, I have seen trucks sitting that long with a low tire or 2 , then when moved to sell, Aired up and drove or towed to the sale point, I have noticed the members here that have had tire failure on these, mostly do not post multiple blow outs, As for there longevity, I have buddies who put a few million miles in the first gulf war with allot of these trucks, Most said about the tires were, the duals lasted longer with tread life so the more experienced drivers always grabbed deullys for the trips, the super singles wore out fast over the road in convoy duty, and the drivers were responsible to change em, So at rest stops the super single truck drivers spent more time changing tires, But I will say there was never a noticeable problem of blow outs UNLESS when loaded AND were run on low air, then they are known for catastrophic side wall failure, but that is a radial tire flaw anyway,Nice truck good luck with Her...

 

[Triple C]

o1951- You are exactly correct, cummins with alison auto. First time I ever drove a big truck with auto. I drove for years and I thought I would miss the shifting but it was pretty cool. Thanks for the info on the tires, I will look them over carefully, I would assume sitting for so long is hard on them. The spare was new so now I guess I am looking for another new front tire so they are both in good shape. I will look on the threads as you suggest.

 

[KsM715]

Welcome to SS. Glen, (91W350) out in Salina, KS should have some tires for you.

http://www.steelsoldiers.com/salvage-yard-info/81601-bfr-metals-salina-kansas-goodie-hole.html

 

[Ord22]

Welcome Triple C!

 

[o1951]

Proper inflation is a tires best friend,,Nice truck good luck with Her...

I agree, Inflation, Inflation - critical.
However, now we may be talking about 20+ year old tires. Tires were new for Desert storm, so you saw maintainance issues. Age and especially sitting on one spot causes deterioration.

Tires have a lot of oil in them! It evaporates and settles over time. Running them helps keep the oils distributed. A few years back there was a complex report by Goodyear? - not sure. In short, it explained that when they sit, they deteriorate, but tires run do not usually have issues because heat and movement keeps oils distributed.

Per NHTSA -
When does NHTSA recommend that tires should be replaced?
While tire life will ultimately depend on the tires’ service conditions and the environment in which they operate, there are some general guidelines. Some vehicle manufacturers recommend that tires be replaced every six years regardless of use. In addition, a number of tire manufacturers cite 10 years as the maximum service life for tires.

Here is excerpt from SAFER.GOV.

What is meant by “tire aging”?
The structural integrity of a tire can degrade over an extended period of time. When that occurs, tires are more prone to catastrophic failure, which could, at best, cause an inconvenience, or, at worst, lead to a crash. The degradation of a tire occurs over time, mostly the result of a chemical reaction within the rubber components. That aging process can be accelerated by heat and sunlight.

back to TOP​

Does climate have an effect on the aging of tires?
NHTSA research suggests that tires age faster in warmer climates. Exposure to high ambient temperatures can accelerate the tire aging process, which could contribute to tire failures, including tread separations. Environmental conditions like exposure to sunlight and coastal climates, as well as poor storage and infrequent use can hasten the aging process.

back to TOP​

Are some vehicles more prone to tire aging problems?
Tire aging is generally not an issue with vehicles that are driven regularly. Tires will wear out and need to be replaced before aging becomes a safety concern. But those with occasional use - like recreational vehicles or collector cars, for example - could be susceptible. The spares on all vehicles also are prone to aging problems because they seldom get used or replaced. In those instances, the structural integrity of the tire may be weakened - and potentially hazardous - even though the tire still has a great deal of remaining tread.

Here is an example of what I am talking about with a light truck tire.
"I used to have a '69 Chevy C10 that only got driven a couple of thousand miles a year. The tires on it looked brand new even though they were almost ten years old. On a trip to bike week a few years ago I almost lost the truck and both Harleys in the back due to tread seperation on one of the tires. I stopped at a local tire place along I95 and replaced the bad tire, before I had gone another hundred miles another tire started coming apart. I had to stop in the nearest town and replace the whole set. It taught me a lesson! Replace those tires!!"