Truck tires rated for only 75 mph?

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I have always had a weird tire fixation......When I walk through a parking lot, I tend to give all the tires in view the once over.

Since I tend to park out a ways, I generally see at least one tire that I would not drive on, per passage through the Home Depot or grocery store lot. Bald, cracked, or just plain way low tire pressure. How these people make it home is beyond me.......And why they are not stacked along the interstate, waiting for AAA is a question I ask myself often.

Tires have a whole lot more margin built in than they did back a couple of decades.....At least, that is my conclusion. Because people in general don't pay near enough attention to the only thing between their vehicle and the road.
 
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Originally Posted By: 4wheeldog
I have always had a weird tire fixation......When I walk through a parking lot, I tend to give all the tires in view the once over.

Since I tend to park out a ways, I generally see at least one tire that I would not drive on, per passage through the Home Depot or grocery store lot. Bald, cracked, or just plain way low tire pressure. How these people make it home is beyond me.......And why they are not stacked along the interstate, waiting for AAA is a question I ask myself often.

Tires have a whole lot more margin built in than they did back a couple of decades.....At least, that is my conclusion. Because people in general don't pay near enough attention to the only thing between their vehicle and the road.


Same.

I'm always amazed when I see a high end car with bald cheap tires and some beater looking car with good tires.
 
Originally Posted By: faramir9
Interesting read: http://is.gd/hMpUzy

Even temp donut spares are rated for 81 mph (139 kph) I think. If all is as described in this article, it's kinda scary.


Too late to edit, but I meant to write 130 kph above. That's what the temp spare in my Saturn is rated for. (M speed rating)

Do we have any OTR truck drivers here who can confirm what's in the article?
 
Interesting read as I was not aware of the heavy truck tire speed ratings. Most large fleets limit their trucks to something less than 75 so it probably isn't an issue most of the time but I do see plenty of owner-operators at or above 75 around here.
 
Originally Posted By: faramir9
Interesting read: http://is.gd/hMpUzy

Even temp donut spares are rated for 81 mph (139 kph) I think. If all is as described in this article, it's kinda scary.

Every temporary donut spare I've ever seen is rated for 50-55 mph max.
 
Originally Posted By: exranger06
Originally Posted By: faramir9
Interesting read: http://is.gd/hMpUzy

Even temp donut spares are rated for 81 mph (139 kph) I think. If all is as described in this article, it's kinda scary.

Every temporary donut spare I've ever seen is rated for 50-55 mph max.


That's what the vehicle manufacturer says is safe.

Ford says I can only drive my focus 55MPH with the donut spare and use the carlightly.

The donut spare itself (maxxis 125/80-15) is 95M - so 1,500 pounds (way more than the factory tires) and 81MPH.
 
Originally Posted By: Miller88
Originally Posted By: 4wheeldog
I have always had a weird tire fixation......When I walk through a parking lot, I tend to give all the tires in view the once over.

Since I tend to park out a ways, I generally see at least one tire that I would not drive on, per passage through the Home Depot or grocery store lot. Bald, cracked, or just plain way low tire pressure. How these people make it home is beyond me.......And why they are not stacked along the interstate, waiting for AAA is a question I ask myself often.

Tires have a whole lot more margin built in than they did back a couple of decades.....At least, that is my conclusion. Because people in general don't pay near enough attention to the only thing between their vehicle and the road.


Same.

I'm always amazed when I see a high end car with bald cheap tires and some beater looking car with good tires.
The beater driver "knew a guy who knew a guy".
 
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My LT tires are Q rated.

Heavier truck tires rated at only 81 MPH are scary, considering how some operators drive.
 
Kind of like how trailer tires are only rated for 65 mph? Should we lower speed limits for that issue to or should it be the operator is responsible for knowing what their equipment is rated for?
 
Originally Posted By: Miller88
Originally Posted By: exranger06
Originally Posted By: faramir9
Interesting read: http://is.gd/hMpUzy

Even temp donut spares are rated for 81 mph (139 kph) I think. If all is as described in this article, it's kinda scary.

Every temporary donut spare I've ever seen is rated for 50-55 mph max.


That's what the vehicle manufacturer says is safe.

Ford says I can only drive my focus 55MPH with the donut spare and use the carlightly.

The donut spare itself (maxxis 125/80-15) is 95M - so 1,500 pounds (way more than the factory tires) and 81MPH.

Every donut tire I've seen has "do not exceed 50 mph" or "maximum safe speed 50 mph" or something to that effect right on the sidewall of the tire.
 
Maybe the 55 mph limit is to not damage the differential or some other part of the car, unrelated directly to the tire.

Originally Posted By: exranger06
Originally Posted By: Miller88

Ford says I can only drive my focus 55MPH with the donut spare and use the carlightly.

The donut spare itself (maxxis 125/80-15) is 95M - so 1,500 pounds (way more than the factory tires) and 81MPH.

Every donut tire I've seen has "do not exceed 50 mph" or "maximum safe speed 50 mph" or something to that effect right on the sidewall of the tire.
 
Originally Posted By: eljefino
Maybe the 55 mph limit is to not damage the differential or some other part of the car, unrelated directly to the tire.

Originally Posted By: exranger06
Originally Posted By: Miller88

Ford says I can only drive my focus 55MPH with the donut spare and use the carlightly.

The donut spare itself (maxxis 125/80-15) is 95M - so 1,500 pounds (way more than the factory tires) and 81MPH.

Every donut tire I've seen has "do not exceed 50 mph" or "maximum safe speed 50 mph" or something to that effect right on the sidewall of the tire.

Also the chances of having a problem with the reduced traction of a spare, gets much lower with lower speeds. I suppose with stability control these days, losing control is less of an issue, but I'm sure someone driving in the snow with a donut on the rear, could easily overwhelm most stability control systems.
 
Originally Posted By: IndyIan
Originally Posted By: eljefino
Maybe the 55 mph limit is to not damage the differential or some other part of the car, unrelated directly to the tire.

Originally Posted By: exranger06
Originally Posted By: Miller88

Ford says I can only drive my focus 55MPH with the donut spare and use the carlightly.

The donut spare itself (maxxis 125/80-15) is 95M - so 1,500 pounds (way more than the factory tires) and 81MPH.

Every donut tire I've seen has "do not exceed 50 mph" or "maximum safe speed 50 mph" or something to that effect right on the sidewall of the tire.

Also the chances of having a problem with the reduced traction of a spare, gets much lower with lower speeds. I suppose with stability control these days, losing control is less of an issue, but I'm sure someone driving in the snow with a donut on the rear, could easily overwhelm most stability control systems.


I think the one on my focus just has TEMPORARY USE ONLY stamped in the side. I'll have to check to see if it has a speed limit in addition to being 95M.
 
I'm guilty of retreading light truck tires with
commercial Bandag BDRW's.
Because of the added weight of the tread and increased
centrifugal force, I lose the original speed rating
of the tire.
I frequently ask logging truck drivers how they like
the wide-base front tires.
I usually get a longer answer than I bargained for.
From the front-end steering construction and dual
power steering pumps to better traction in snow
that counters the triple drivers.
One common reply is that over 80 mph;
"your taking your life in your hands".
 
all this stuff is probably why the hiways are littered with "road gators", big chunks or rubber and wire laying in the middle of the lane right as you go around a curve. Major hazard. Hit one of those and if you get away with a few thousand dollars body and mechanical damage and you're lucky. And of course the party responsible for the hazard gets away scot-free
 
You are absolutely correct, but sometimes the
driver does not know about the blown tire.

The ones that do should stop and pick up the debris.

Question; We all have seen "gators" on the highways.
How many of you have stopped and either picked them up
or moved them out of harm's way?
If not, why not?
 
If I remember correctly no semi tires are rated for more than 80 MPH. Most are in the 75 MPH range.

Originally Posted By: used_0il
Question; We all have seen "gators" on the highways.
How many of you have stopped and either picked them up
or moved them out of harm's way?
If not, why not?


Because I'm not stupid enough to stop on a busy highway, get out of my vehicle, go darting around traffic just to pick up some road debris. I'm perfectly capable of looking ahead, seeing them well in advance, and making sure I don't hit them. I assume other drivers can do the same until such time as the road crew removes the debris.
 
You will notice that high speed tires have less tread depth.

It is heat that limits the speed. Truck tire loaded near max with deep stiff tread for long life is going to get hot.

Years ago before Michelin bought the remains left by incompetent management BFG made a one ply steel radial with 1 ply? maybe 2 cap for trucks that would run on the test wheel all day at 100 MPH

Rod
 
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