How Is YOUR Day Going? Here's Mine.

January 16, 2019, 01:17 PM

V-Tail

Cars. If it's not one thing . . .

I had a road noise. Sort of a rumble. Went to the shop that services our vehicles (the owner is a big fan of the P229 in .357 SIG). We took a short drive and had gone maybe a couple hundred yards when he said, "it's a bearing in one of the rear wheels."

That was Monday. I left the car with him, picked it up this morning. Road noise and vibration gone, with the new hub / bearing.

Drove it home, a couple of miles, was maybe twenty yards from my house, and POW!

The rear wheel bearing was fixed, so now a front tire, a Michelin with less than 7,000 miles on it, decided to 'splode.

I have changed many tires in my life, and certainly know how to do it, but at 82 and with limited mobility, I just don't feel like messing around with a jack.

I had dropped AAA a while ago when my insurance agent suggested adding Roadside Assistance to the auto policy. Great move, it's much less expensive than AAA, much faster response time, and better coverage. Instead of AAA's typical 1.5 to 2 hour wait, I was given an ETA of 35 minutes, and the service arrived before that.

A Ford Focus, plastered with the service's logos pulls up, out pops a pleasantly plump black woman, maybe in her 40s or 50s. She yanked a floor jack out of her trunk and set to work. Fast, efficient, and a very pleasant person!

Emailed the local Discount Tire store, where the tires had originally come from and the manager replied, telling me that the tire was on its way from their local warehouse and he had set a 3:30 appointment for me.

Other than the loss of the better part of the day, I guess things could have been a lot worse.

January 16, 2019, 02:34 PM

rsbolo

That is not a great day V Tail. I'm glad you got it handled with minimal fuss.

I hope your week improves!

January 16, 2019, 03:36 PM

fiasconva

I don't know why more people don't add roadside assistance to their insurance policies. It's everything you said, especially less expensive.

January 16, 2019, 04:26 PM

Rey HRH

I'm on AAA for over 30 years. I've used them once in a while. I just like the peace of mind.

"It did not really matter what we expected from life, but rather what life expected from us. We needed to stop asking about the meaning of life, and instead to think of ourselves as those who were being questioned by life – daily and hourly. Our answer must consist not in talk and meditation, but in right action and in right conduct. Life ultimately means taking the responsibility to find the right answer to its problems and to fulfill the tasks which it constantly sets for each individual." Viktor Frankl, Man's Search for Meaning, 1946.

January 16, 2019, 05:08 PM

V-Tail

quote:
Originally posted by Rey HRH:
I'm on AAA for over 30 years. I've used them once in a while. I just like the peace of mind.

The insurance add-on gives me everything that AAA did in terms of Roadside Assistance, at a LOT less money, and better coverage.

Example: Last time I used AAA for a tow, everything past the first fifteen miles was $0.40 / mile. The insurance coverage is for 100 miles. I forget how much the AAA cost was, but I know for sure that it was a heck of a lot MORE than the $25.00 / year for the add-on option on our family auto policy.

January 16, 2019, 05:27 PM

.38supersig

Swapped a serpentine belt on a family members F-150 today. Dealership wanted $120.

I sure would like to talk to the sadistic SOB that put that one together. It was easier to pull the belt off of the pulleys than an attempt to loosen the tensioner first.

So yeah, saved $80, but oaths and insults filled the air.

January 17, 2019, 10:55 AM

Jimbo54

A few things from your post come to mind. 1) I no longer buy Michelin tires because their quality has gone down hill. 2) I only deal with Discount tire because of their quality service and pricing. 3) I dumped AAA for Allstate road assistance and have been pleased with their service and price.

Jim

January 17, 2019, 01:20 PM

220-9er

FWIW, that scrape mark on the edge of the wheel probably had something to do with the tire problem.
A chunk like that doesn't just happen to a Michelin tire, especially through those cords.

January 17, 2019, 01:23 PM

HRK

quote:
Originally posted by .38supersig:
Swapped a serpentine belt on a family members F-150 today. Dealership wanted $120.

I sure would like to talk to the sadistic SOB that put that one together. It was easier to pull the belt off of the pulleys than an attempt to loosen the tensioner first.

So yeah, saved $80, but oaths and insults filled the air.

Pshaw.... try it on a supercharged f150 5.4

You have to lock the flywheel, remove the supercharger lower pulley and bracket before you can consider taking off the accessory drive belt....

I wrote the check, ain't got no time fo that shidt...

January 17, 2019, 04:00 PM

.38supersig

quote:
Originally posted by HRK:

Pshaw.... try it on a supercharged f150 5.4

Yup. It was the 5.4 without the super.

The worst ever would have my nomination of :

January 17, 2019, 04:14 PM

pbramlett

At least it wasn't a blowout on landing roll out in the Bonanza.

January 17, 2019, 04:30 PM

45 Cal

quote:
Originally posted by 220-9er:
FWIW, that scrape mark on the edge of the wheel probably had something to do with the tire problem.
A chunk like that doesn't just happen to a Michelin tire, especially through those cords.

I did not want to point that out of my old friend auto,cause he probably loaned to an employee to go for lunch and failed to mention it to V tail.
Then steel belts are on the thread 4 ply.
them sides is only two and NO steel there.

January 19, 2019, 01:20 AM

egregore

The size and shape of the blowout and the scratched-up area on the wheel next to it tells me that tire hit something, perhaps a curb. It didn't just pop by itself.

January 19, 2019, 11:12 AM

V-Tail

quote:
Originally posted by egregore:
The size and shape of the blowout and the scratched-up area on the wheel next to it tells me that tire hit something, perhaps a curb. It didn't just pop by itself.

Yeah, two possibilities:

The week before, I was on a back road, had a sudden encounter with a large pothole (I think there was an abandoned VW at the bottom). Couldn't avoid it, ditch on my right, oncoming car in the lane on my left. Don't know if this was the cause, the car was driven at least 50 miles after that.
The 48 hours prior to the blowout, the car was out of my possession. In the shop, getting a bearing / hub replaced, not the same wheel. Bad bearing was rear passenger side, blowout was front, same side. I had the car back for ten minutes -- the time it takes to return from the repair shop to my house -- when the blowout occurred, in the middle of the street, just a few yards before turning into my driveway. I am close to 100% positive that the shop owner, who road tested the car after replacing the bearing, did not hit a curb or anything else. He is competent, reliable, and I am sure that he would have informed me if there had been a mishap.

So, two possibilities, but I really don't know.

In any event, Discount Tire took good care of me. Ordered the replacement and made an appointment for me for the swap.

Only downside, dealing with this ate a good portion of my day.

One other thing: Years ago, I had a new VW Passat, maybe 700 miles on the vehicle, had a front tire blow out with a similar hole. Interesting thing, the blowout was on the inboard sidewall, where there was no possibility of it having hit a curb or anything similar.

The blowout occurred on the Interstate (I-20?), vicinity of Conyers GA, while enroute from Raleigh NC to Birmingham AL.

January 19, 2019, 12:52 PM

ShneaSIG

I guess if there's a silver lining, you had competent, good people helping set things to right. Hopefully you're all patched up and on your way now.

January 20, 2019, 11:15 AM

Elk Hunter

quote:
Originally posted by HRK:
quote:
Originally posted by .38supersig:
Swapped a serpentine belt on a family members F-150 today. Dealership wanted $120.

I sure would like to talk to the sadistic SOB that put that one together. It was easier to pull the belt off of the pulleys than an attempt to loosen the tensioner first.

So yeah, saved $80, but oaths and insults filled the air.

Pshaw.... try it on a supercharged f150 5.4

You have to lock the flywheel, remove the supercharger lower pulley and bracket before you can consider taking off the accessory drive belt....

I wrote the check, ain't got no time fo that shidt...

Had my Hyundai Elantra (1.8 engine) in the shop for the free oil change. They suggested replacing the serpentine belt, based on age/mileage. They wanted $235. I told them I would think about it. (NOT). Checked it when I got home, spent 6 bucks to buy a new can of belt dressing sprayed it down. In the process, I kind of checked how hard it would be to swap that belt. When the time comes to swap it, I will pay them the $235! Have to take a good bit of the right front engine compartment and only God knows what else!!!

Elk

There has never been an occasion where a people gave up their weapons in the interest of peace that didn't end in their massacre. (Louis L'Amour)

"To compel a man to furnish contributions of money for the propagation of opinions which he disbelieves and abhors, is sinful and tyrannical. "
-Thomas Jefferson

"America is great because she is good. If America ceases to be good, America will cease to be great." Alexis de Tocqueville

FBHO!!!

The Idaho Elk Hunter

January 20, 2019, 04:58 PM

highroundcount

quote:
Originally posted by V-Tail:
Cars. If it's not one thing . . .

I had a road noise. Sort of a rumble. Went to the shop that services our vehicles (the owner is a big fan of the P229 in .357 SIG). We took a short drive and had gone maybe a couple hundred yards when he said, "it's a bearing in one of the rear wheels."

That was Monday. I left the car with him, picked it up this morning. Road noise and vibration gone, with the new hub / bearing.

Drove it home, a couple of miles, was maybe twenty yards from my house, and POW!

The rear wheel bearing was fixed, so now a front tire, a Michelin with less than 7,000 miles on it, decided to 'splode.

I have changed many tires in my life, and certainly know how to do it, but at 82 and with limited mobility, I just don't feel like messing around with a jack.

I had dropped AAA a while ago when my insurance agent suggested adding Roadside Assistance to the auto policy. Great move, it's much less expensive than AAA, much faster response time, and better coverage. Instead of AAA's typical 1.5 to 2 hour wait, I was given an ETA of 35 minutes, and the service arrived before that.

A Ford Focus, plastered with the service's logos pulls up, out pops a pleasantly plump black woman, maybe in her 40s or 50s. She yanked a floor jack out of her trunk and set to work. Fast, efficient, and a very pleasant person!

Emailed the local Discount Tire store, where the tires had originally come from and the manager replied, telling me that the tire was on its way from their local warehouse and he had set a 3:30 appointment for me.

Other than the loss of the better part of the day, I guess things could have been a lot worse.

Sidewall damage is a real pain. One of the reasons I really like BFG All-Terrain and and Mud TA tires. They add an extra ply or two on the sidewall which helps keep damage at bay and helps prevent debeading when airing down for sand .