Winter Tires

[Think outside the box]

My tires are still legal, but have less than 1/4 inch of tread, mostly bald, but the mechanic found a few good spots. The mechanic says they audit him so he can't change them and put on winter tires. My sup says keep writing it up. My safety committee says they will address it next conference call, in another week or so. Basically package division manager has to bitch at auto division manager to get it done. All this time they are preaching safety first? They better hope we don't get a quarter of an inch of snow or more, because they are going to get a lot of E/C packages from me. As it is we got a dusting and I was spinning my tires up a bunch of driveways.
After 25 years you think I would be used to this.

 

[Packmule]

Been writing it up since October here. Do every year. Just got a new pair of summer tires in the front. They will help steer you, but are nothing but a pair of skis when stopping. Not good in mountain country, but like you said, "safety first." Right.

 

[Nimnim]

I don't see why they couldn't just get a spare feeder and fill it up with winter tires, then when it gets that time swap it with the summer tires. It's not an issue here in Florida, but this idea in the long run, while it keeps the mechanics busy for a bit, just makes things safer without really costing that much.

 

[brownmonster]

We run snow tires on the rear year round. My mechanics keep looking at my bald rears but no one changes them. I'm sure they will be changed after the first towing bill.

 

[soberups]

Im pretty lucky I guess, for whatever reason you dont have to fight to get good tires here. My route in particular is horrible in the winter when it comes to mud and snow, so on Dec. 1 each year I have them put brand new mudders all the way around. If my current tires are only partially worn they will install them on a car with a city route or keep them for use as spares. In our building, the shop gets charged with a road call if you get stuck so it is never an issue getting good tires or extra tire chains if you ask for them.

 

[rod]

Do like I did once when I couldn't get our mechanic to aim my headlights properly. Have a friendly cop write you a fix-it ticket. But then again if your tires are still "legal" there probably isn't much you can do besides get stuck alot.

 

[Dracula]

Or "run over" some nails.

 

[Leftinbuilding]

Or "run over" some nails.

Once ran over a steel stake buried under gravel. Blew a tire. Was charged with an accident. Later (much later) rescinded.

 

[MinnesotaBrown]

Pull into the yard on a snowy day and slide into the auto managers car.

 

[klein]

The only place safe to drive a UPS vehicle in winter is Quebec ! Winter tires are government mandatory there. What a blessing for Quebec UPS drivers, compared to their other Canadian counterparts.

 

[lateagain]

We get tires whenever we ask. Buy your mechanics a pizza once in a while. It's amazing how well they take care of your car, when you take care of it.

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

The only place safe to drive a UPS vehicle in winter is Quebec ! Winter tires are government mandatory there. What a blessing for Quebec UPS drivers, compared to their other Canadian counterparts.

You don't have to tell me about this law----I deliver to a MBE store which has a lot of Canadian boxholders. I have lost count of how many snow tires I have delivered so far this year.

 

[cosmo1]

Snow was forecast here for Tuesday. Monday night I asked the mechanics if they had any new rears for my truck. Tuesday morning, 4 inches of snow on the mountain and brand new (retreads) tires.

 

[rod]

Snow was forecast here for Tuesday. Monday night I asked the mechanics if they had any new rears for my truck. Tuesday morning, 4 inches of snow on the mountain and brand new (retreads) tires.

You mean those retreads that have about a 4 inch tread width on them and last about a month?

 

[104Feeder]

It's not 1/4", it's 2/32" in the rear, 4/32" in the front measured from any major tread groove. Your mechanic should be replacing them if they are bad in any one spot (major groove) not "finding good spots". Get yourself a tire tread gauge from an auto parts store for about $3, document and call OSHA.

 

[brownmonster]

We get tires whenever we ask. Buy your mechanics a pizza once in a while. It's amazing how well they take care of your car, when you take care of it.

Not. No one buys me pizza for doing my job.

 

[Think outside the box]

"Your mechanic should be replacing them if they are bad in any one spot (major groove) not "finding good spots".


Would that include the center of the tire. They inflate the tires so much the center treads are bald and it's only the outer edges that have any tread.

 

[kingOFchester]

Do what a driver did in my building. Do your daily vehicle inspection. If you find the tires do not meet the law, refuse to sign DVIR and tell your SUP you will only sign the DVIR if they sign it. Problem was fixed. This was not for tires but for another issue. May work for you too.

 

[BSWALKS]

"Your mechanic should be replacing them if they are bad in any one spot (major groove) not "finding good spots".


Would that include the center of the tire. They inflate the tires so much the center treads are bald and it's only the outer edges that have any tread.

They should be taking the measurement from the center. No bald spots are acceptable.
Who's putting the inspection stickers on the package cars?

 

[104Feeder]

Anywhere across the tread surface where there is a major tread groove. A major tread groove is one that goes all the way around the tire, not those short ones you will find within tread lugs. You measure from the deepest portion of the groove, not on top of the 'wear bars'. Oftentimes the outer tread grooves will wear first because of poor alignment or all the turns we make, as will excessive inflation, improper rim size, or brake lockup cause center wear. We replace tires all the time where a trailer lost it's air line and the brakes locked up causing a bald spot in just one roughly 8" circle spot on the tire.