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Topic: Any One Using Michelin X One Tires to replace duals? (Read 1753 times) previous topic - next topic

Re: Any One Using Michelin X One Tires to replace duals?

Reply #25 –
My 67 Camaro had super singles, they were made by M&H :))
The selected media item is not currently available.Bill&Doris 97 U270 36'
University of Parris Island Class of 66
Semper Fi  Build# 5174 MC#17094

Re: Any One Using Michelin X One Tires to replace duals?

Reply #26 –
PatC, I know this is going way past normal, but I am wondering what the driver trainers are doing these days that were apparently not doing in your day as driver trainer, as to training on the use and care of the super single tires. As we all know, there are many petroleum carriers and others today that are using this new technology successfully.  I do not think just claiming they are all stupid and not educated as to the dangers will hold water, they have way too much experience for that lame claim.
I am interested in your view on this subject.
One of my thoughts is around the narrow track, making for a less stable platform, for me, I like the tires out at full width of the load.
Knowing you have more experience than most anyone else, your opinion is valued.
 Thanks

Re: Any One Using Michelin X One Tires to replace duals?

Reply #27 –
Quote from: Dave M –
PatC, I know this is going way past normal, but I am wondering what the driver trainers are doing these days that were apparently not doing in your day as driver trainer, as to training on the use and care of the super single tires. As we all know, there are many petroleum carriers and others today that are using this new technology successfully.  I do not think just claiming they are all stupid and not educated as to the dangers will hold water, they have way too much experience for that lame claim.
I am interested in your view on this subject.
One of my thoughts is around the narrow track, making for a less stable platform, for me, I like the tires out at full width of the load.
Knowing you have more experience than most anyone else, your opinion is valued.
 Thanks
They got no actual training on the super singles!  We spent at least 8 weeks on loading and unloading of petroleum products.  Did not matter if they had experience with petroleum or not.  Did not matter how long they had driven truck.  They all went through it.  About 5 weeks on gasoline, diesel, kerosene, and JetA and JP8  and diesel and about 3 more  on black oils including Hot Asphalt .  We evaluated their driving ability, loading and unloading ability, customer relations abilities daily and turned in a report.  We also prepared and quizzed them for the required Hazmat testing.  All drivers hauling Hazmat (petroleum products) are required to have special training which you can find in DOT 49 CFR 172 and DOT 49 CFR 177 and pass a test to become certified to haul Hazmat.  This is in addition to the regular drivers DOT test.  Did train a couple to drive from scratch.  They are taught nothing more than they are taught about any other tire.  How to inspect the tire for a pretrip. That includes "checking air pressure" by hitting it with a tire billy or hammer.  Never knew anyone who carried or used a air gauge.  And we were not supplied a air gauge, only a safety approved flashlight, a metal clip board, uniforms and  a rain suit.

As to the super singles, what I have stated here is my personal experiences with them.  And what others have commented to me concerning them.  You have to remember that petroleum tank operation drivers are home every night.  Any operation that operates that way is a ideal operation for super singles because they are never that far from the tire supply at the main terminal.  As I stated, in a hazmat operation, if you get a flat tire, you sit where you discovered it.  It is a violation of DOT law to move it.  We were located in the north and delivered lots of bulk plants in the middle of the night when no one was there.  In the winter, they were not plowed out, just dug you way Through the snow.  If you got stuck and had to be towed out, it was a chargeable accident on your record.  This was one place you did not want the super singles.  Cause once you were empty, you better darn well be pointed own hill, or you were not going to get out of there.  None of our guys liked them in the winter time.  But companies do not care if the drivers like them or not.  It is all about how many tons or gallons you can you can legally haul , or get away with hauling.  Nothing else matters.  And although they have safety departments,  that is all about not gettting caught.

But to tell you the God's honest truth, to trucking companies, the driver is the nut that holds the steering wheel.  That includes test drivers from Cummins.  I failed one of them.  He was scared to death of flammable products, and more worried about that than the traffic around him.  I tried to tell him to think of it as a load of produce, but he couldn't.  All he could think of was gasoline and explosion.  The company gave him to another trainer who passed him.  A month later he was involved in very serious chargeable accident, and they let him go.  He came with  a excellent recommendation  from Cummins.

Now I doubt I have told you what you want to hear.  I'm a old school  truck driver who never went to truck driving school.  I've done everything except propane, car hauling, and bull hauling.  Have hauled B Train flat bed doubles with 26' lead and 20' pup across Ontario into Michigan hauling steel for Ford and GM, and Chrysler.  Payloads ran about 90,000 lbs, plus the weight of the rig and two trailers.  Also hauled produce/citrus and other commodities in both reefer and box trailers.  And the last 20 + years was hauling gasoline, diesel, asphalt, black oil, JetA, and JP8 and other petroleum products.

1994 U225
build #4514

Re: Any One Using Michelin X One Tires to replace duals?

Reply #28 –
Hi PatC,.
You would laugh, as I am mostly in total agreement with your view/opinion.  My major trucking experience goes back to early 70's when the last truck I ran was a KW COE w Cat 425 1693TA alias D343. 
One point is that we both are old school type relics, with old technology ideas and experience.  today, they are selling the new wide based tire, not called super single, and in the attachment I am trying to add, they spell out the newer stuff/info.  Give it a read.

I am the lucky one, I was able to get off the road, away from running a refer all over USA, was fun until all the roads looked the same again and again, never home etc....Because I was a newbe driver, I ran south in the summer and Minn/ Wis, ND, SD etc in the winter...
Reason for the luck, I had a skill to go back to and go from there.  Always felt sorry for the poor guy who was stuck who wanted to get away from it but had nothing to fall back on.

Anyway, glad to run through this  with you, many thanks.

Dave M

Re: Any One Using Michelin X One Tires to replace duals?

Reply #29 –
There was a FT owner in TN somewhere that changed over. I forget the name but his rims were for sale at the old Kodak location.  He may be the only one I have heard of that has switch over.  I would think that FT would look at them as an option if they would add to the overall ride or ease of maintenance.  I started looking at them to switch out but then decided the costs would have been too high. 
2025 Wanderbox Outpost 32 on F600 Expedition Motorhome
2015 Born Free Royal Splendor on Ford 550 nonslide version  for sale
Former Coaches  covering. 360,000 miles
1999 34 U270
2000 36 U320
2001 42' double slide U320
2018 Jeep Rubicon

Re: Any One Using Michelin X One Tires to replace duals?

Reply #30 –
I'm not weighting in on this topic but I found some entertaining videos to watch on Michelin's FAQ page: see "question 2":

Michelin Americas Truck Tires X One® Frequently Asked Questions Page
John Fitzgerald
1991 U300 (SAI) Side Aisle Island Bed 40'
Detroit 6V92 with Allison Retarder
Meridian (Boise), Idaho

Re: Any One Using Michelin X One Tires to replace duals?

Reply #31 –
Quote from: Dave M –
I am the lucky one, I was able to get off the road,
I had another skill.  Ten years in the military and was going to make career of it.  But my last five years I was a long haired, bearded, hippy who did not wear a uniform or have to salute anyone, including the high ranking officers.  Even had "get out of jail free" credentials. That was between the early trucking.
1994 U225
build #4514

Re: Any One Using Michelin X One Tires to replace duals?

Reply #32 –
Quote from: JohnFitz –
I'm not weighting in on this topic but I found some entertaining videos to watch on Michelin's FAQ page: see "question 2":

Michelin Americas Truck Tires X One® Frequently Asked Questions Page

During my lifetime, I have had several rear tire blowouts with regular tires.  Never had any control problem.  But I have experienced one steer tire blowout, and that was something I never want to go through again :o!!  The rig did not have power steering and almost bit the median strip from the right hand lane.  Good thing no one was passing or running beside me!  And it really happened so fast that one does not have a lot of time to think while it is happening. Think power steering would have really helped with the handling.
1994 U225
build #4514

Re: Any One Using Michelin X One Tires to replace duals?

Reply #33 –
Ok, now my 3 cents worth !!!  Dont see this working with our setup with the tag axle thing . But then it might just be the very thing.  What if it was changed to A tandem setup  on new coaches .?? Maybe that would change the whole thing.  I just might have to check it out . It appeals  to me after seeing the tire company films . Didn't expect the great results of the testing.    My first reaction was no no no .Now I can see the other side of this issue .Something so new just seems too much to grab A hold of at first. It still is A bit of A brain stretch for me .
Brad Metzger
2010 Phenix 45'

Re: Any One Using Michelin X One Tires to replace duals?

Reply #34 –
Quote from: Dave M –
... today, they are selling the new wide based tire, not called super single, and in the attachment I am trying to add, they spell out the newer stuff/info.  Give it a read.
Dave M

Thanks Dave,

This is a great article from the ATA certainly puts a new perspective on the discussion.  As expected it also addresses issues we do not experience like how many times we can retread our tires.  (For most (all?) of us our tires age out before they wear out.)

Speaking of age, my tires are five years old so I have a couple of years to collect more data.  It would be great if we could get a definitive study of their use on motorhomes.
Audrey & Harvey Nelson
2000 U-320, 40' towing 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee
nelsonah@ieee.org

Re: Any One Using Michelin X One Tires to replace duals?

Reply #36 –
Harvey; drop back to John Fitz post, hit # after the word page.  A goodly amount of info .
Brad Metzger
2010 Phenix 45'

Re: Any One Using Michelin X One Tires to replace duals?

Reply #37 –
Quote from: Brad Metzger –
              Harvey;drop back to John Fitz post ,hit # after the word page . A goodly amount of info .
Thanks Brad (and John).  I meant to follow that link, got side tracked, and forgot.  Very interesting responses to the issues raised in this discussion.
Audrey & Harvey Nelson
2000 U-320, 40' towing 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee
nelsonah@ieee.org