Last Wednesday when I got home from dropping Traci off at her family reunion, I noticed some small, thin pieces of tire rubber in the driveway. They were in the spots where I’d cranked the front wheels on the truck in order to get lined up with the camp trailer when I was hitching on. I had left the truck with Traci and drove the car home, so I made a mental note to check the truck’s tires when I went to pick her up on Sunday. I had actually forgotten all about it by yesterday when I went back to get her, but just before I was about to pull out of the campground with the trailer in tow, Traci noticed a chunk of rubber about 3/4″ in diameter missing from the tread of the right-front tire. Inside the small crater was a crack that extended deeper into the tire, and it scared the shit out of me that I’d towed the trailer doing 70 MPH with a tire in that condition last week. I decided that instead of using the spare tire, I’d just take it really slow on the 30-mile drive home–I’m sure I pissed off more than a few drivers who got stuck behind me on the highway.
I bought those tires right after I bought the truck, and paid about $100 each brand-new. I replaced the two rear tires a couple of years ago, but the front tires are the original ones I put on in 2005. They were cheapest tires I could find, and the sticker that came affixed to them said, “Not for off-road use.” Hah, yeah right. Those tires probably had more time off the pavement than on it. I think the reason they’re failing so badly now is because of the drive up Alrad Canyon a few weeks ago. The road was very rocky, and I didn’t take it easy at all.
I’m just going to replace all four tires, and I’m dreading it. I’d like to get some BFG All-Terrains, but those will probably be in the neighborhood of $800. I’ve got Touring T/As on my car and I’ve been very happy with them–in fact, those perform better off-road than what I’ve got on my truck now (just don’t tell my wife that). 😀