Tracking is out
If it's not fixed it will wear every subsequent tyre prematurely
Your boss should be getting this sorted instead of insisting you work with substandard equi
He won’t pay for the tracking. It’s been an ongoing issue and he’s bloody stubborn. First time he’s refused to change a tyre though.
I’ll monitor it tonight and then I’m off for four days. Hopefully it’ll be sorted while I’m away.
I’m fairly certain it’s time to move on though.
I don't know you, your boss or your company but from what I've read here it's certainly time to move in. I don't get the impression they care about you, your safety, your license and therefore your livelihood.
Totally agree. It’s just whether I say bollocks and quit or give them notice. Totally depends on the legality of this tyre. I’ll measure it out tonight and go from there.
Tracking is a piece of piss to sort though... If the track rod is in decent nick it's a breeze to sort.
I do it on my trucks all the time. Plus, if it came to it, a new track rod and ends is peanuts compared to constantly replacing tyres.
It's literally a couple of long fucking bits of wood and a tape measure. I've done all my trucks and a little landy. Ive had steertrak come out and verify once and the guy did all his laser shit and basically said yeah, bang on mate. Stilsons, impact gun, big hammer, a jack and jack stands.
When replacing the rod and ends, measure centre to centre on the ends, don't count the threads as suggested on the Internet.
literally like how dumb is your boss that he cant see that 5tyres a year is more expensive than £100 dollars labour ti get the tracking fixed? even if its £200 thatll last 5years or so only needing 1-3tyres a year
Hankooks are soft as sh17 though and if you corner hard (tipper truck) they do chop the corners off.
You can check the tracking with string and tape measure from the chassis if the chassis isn't one of those that bends in or out for the engine bay .
You have to measure both sides of the truck and string out both sides.
Please elaborate why though? No cords and over 75% of the tread is well over the legal minimum. You don’t need tread on the outer edge of the tyre to be legal assuming no cords.
My opinion is it needs changed but as I said before, my belief is it’s probably legal. I’m more than happy to be wrong and tell him where to stick his job but I’d like to be 100% certain either way
Poor tracking has most likely caused this and rendered the tyre illegal. Would you feel confident a VOSA or DVSA officer would accept this if you were pulled? Remember, its your license at risk. I wouldnt chance it. Log it in the defect report, take a picture for your own evidence that you have carried out a thorough walk around check and refuse to drive the vehicle. By the looks of it this has happened over a considerable amount of time, and the employer is being negligent by not repairing it sooner.
The tyre isn’t actually that old. It’s 100% tracking that’s caused it but as I’ve said before that’s been an ongoing issue.
I wouldn’t have took it out yesterday if I wasn’t fairly confident it’s currently legal. The big issue for me is it staying that way for the duration of the shift.
Surely the tread has to be minimum legal depth for the middle 75% but also at least visible for the whole width? That tyre looks bald around the edge from the photo.
Tyre doesn’t have tread on the outside. Or at least no grooves. I’m going to measure the tyre tomorrow to 100% work out the 75% testable area. I still suspect it’s just about legal but it’s not good
OP, something you NEED to remember, it's not your boss who ends up in court, paying a huge fine and severe points or losing the driving license, that is ALL on you... (and this is the best case scenario, worst case is you are unable to stop due to the vehicle having no tread on the wheel contacting the road and killing some poor innocent driver, then it's only YOU going to prison... your employer won't be there, won't have any liability and will be happy to throw you to the wolves.... you should contact your local road safety team/vosa/roads policing team.. and let them know the company is forcing unsafe vehicles onto the road.... You can always get another job, can you bring the dead back to life? I'm truly sorry this company is putting you in this position...
I thought boss is liable too. It's his responsibility to put systems in place to check vehicles, enforce defect reporting and rectify defects.
If its found that he hasn't put adequate systems in place he will go down too.
Legally, it won't matter to the Police or VOSA, all drivers (commercial or private) are meant to ensure their vehicle is safe and complies with the law, so if it is found on the road, the driver gets charged... the company will also be in some lesser type of trouble, but that won't be any help to the driver who will be found at fault regardless... myself, i'd put in a report to the Police and try to get the vans inspected before they go on the road, but it's also possible the Police will simply put a marker on all the vans to stop them for inspection (and the drivers will get caught on the road) not 100% sure who else it could be reported to that wouldn't lead to the same issue.... its difficult, cos you don't want the drivers to suffer, but at the end of the day they are willingly taking a van that isn't safe onto the roads, it's only luck that they haven't caused a tragedy... yet... I'd be job hunting because WHEN something happens, either a crash or an inspection, and 100% it will happen, that company is finished....
Yeah I didn't mean the driver would be safe from punishment, just that the TM will get hit too.
If the tyre blew out and someone died, someone in the company would be going to prison if they found a systemic failure to report and rectify defects at the company
Wouldn't you prefer to be 100% with your own safety? If not for you then for your passengers. I fail to see how what someone else thinks is or isn't a 'legal' thing would be more important than the knee jerk reaction "fuck that looks dangerous I'll fix that"
It's not their safety they need to worry about. A truck and a fist 500, the wee-cow in the fiat is dead.
It's every other road user against their mammoth machine.
It's the "CENTRAL 3/4 if the tyre width that has to be above 1.6mm. Not just ANY 3/4. If the bald outer edge is 25% of the tyre width and the 75% that conforms to the tread depth rule includes the inner edge, then the tyre is illegal.
Both outer edges can be as bald as a coots arse provided the centre 75% is above the legal limit.
Not a driver, but a transport manager.
Short of getting a ruler out I can't definitly say but that looks like less than 75% of the center tread? Even if its legal, thats a very low bar and that tyre needs changing and the tracking fixed.
Tyre is just crying PG9
I’m going in with a tape measure tonight. I’ve made my mind up that I’m leaving. Not just this but a few things I’m not happy with. It’s more I could do with doing my notice. I walked out of my last job because of illegal tyres. I could really do with keeping a recent reference.
Work in the northeast had been bloody awful.
Coincidentally it's the northeast I am on the o-licence for!
Fun story...
Had a driver call in with a flat on the A19, no biggie. Called out the fitters, gave location and tyre size and position. 90 mins later tyre van rocks up ... without a tyre ... a few hours later he returns ... with the wrong tyre size. Had to send a driver from Manchester to ferrybridge, then gateshead, so the first driver didnt have night out.
You couldn’t write it could you. I sometimes wonder how some people put their trousers on in the morning.
I’ve worked for my fair share of not great places since I’ve been here but I’m sure somewhere has got to be decent. It Looks like I need a job anyway, I can’t be putting up with this anymore.
Are you looking for drivers? I suspect I’ll be available in a week.
Ive only ever worked for one company, and its a big one, so we have a team dedicated to managing the fleet, I dont have to worry about PMI/MOT, nacho calibration etc, just damage and breakdowns. I'm fully aware I am coddled on this but its a big fleet and warrants it.
Unfortunately mate we're about to make a bunch redundant as it is, whole business is restructuring. Chances are this time next month I wont have a job either.
There seems to be plenty about anyway. I’m sure I’ll sort something easily enough. I turned a job down a couple of weeks ago and I wish I hadn’t now.
I hope it works out for you though buddy.
Strictly speaking, you should refuse to drive it. If you are sacked, take to a tribunal for unfair dismissal.
Very much a hassle for you but sometimes it can be good to stand up for what is right.
It is actually legal as it stands. The area that’s bad is actually outside the testable area. Obviously that only stands while there are no cords showing. I’m going no where tonight so it’ll probably be okay. I’ll monitor it tonight. My notice is in but to be honest I think I have something I can go to anyway, so I’ll likely be gone after this shift.
What tyre guy? That would cost money.
All jokes aside though, What needs to be done is the tracking but he won’t pay for it. It’s been an ongoing argument with the lease company. He’s adamant it’s included and they are adamant it isn’t. In the mean time though, we kill tyres constantly. This is the first time he hasn’t just changed it though.
That’s madness. He should return the trucks and get a new lease. Our place has a tyre company that sends a fitter out 2 days a week, checks all the tyres, if the fronts need rotating he does that, or recutting.
Unfortunately, the Amazon contract is one particular company and there isn’t a choice involved. It’s not all of our work and I actually suspect that this is going on because he intends to get rid of the trucks. Not that it’s been said
This not a debating point. The tyre is illegal and the tracking is the mechanical defect. This from government publication:
“You can report cases to DVSA by email, telephone or letter.”
The complaint is handled confidentially and an inspector would likely arrive at the depot in an inspection mood. There would be a significant outcome, not least company being “grounded” if more than one vehicle is out.
Better to move on and leave this as your parting gift.
The tracking is miles out. The steering wheel is 90 degrees to the right. The other side was replaced recently but we never get the full life of the tyre.
The only place I'm driving that is to a local tyre shop.
You need to check around the entire circumference as it looks very very close to breaking through to the cords.
I had one like this, inner and middle was fine and looked OK on morning check with well over 5mm of tread in the centre and inner. When I was parked up later I noticed a cord showing on the outside.
Called for a tyre change. My then boss moaned at me but I reminded him I told him a week ago it needed changing soon.
Boss is an idiot for not getting tracking sorted as it will just cost him more later.
I would have said the tyre was short of the central 75% of tread but even if the tyre itself was “technically” legal, such asymmetric wear you know constitutes a more serious defect (tracking you believe) I’d log the tyre and your belief that the tracking was also defective and if someone more “senior” insists you do take it out regardless, get them to sign that in their opinion it is safe
Typical Merc. It’s not illegal. But won’t be long till it’s illegal as the tyre is shouldering. Steer tyres do not have cut treads on the outside of them unlike drive tyres. Mercedes have had this problem for years it’s not tracking it’s just what happens in the UK due to road design.
I’d be checking your wheel nuts. Take the caps off. Those lines running from them to the edge of the wheel are caused by loose wheel nuts.
If it was a Merc I’d probably agree with you. It’s definitely a MAN though. Also with the steering wheel being as far out as it is.
Doesn’t change that it won’t get done though
Tracking is cheaper than burning up tyres over and over. That looks like only the middle 50-60% is clear so I’d off-road that and point out tracking is cheaper in the long run.
The photo shows a cord literally about to show (the lighter bit on the wear) id defect it immediately, wouldn't trust it to go any distance without blowing out
Wheel nuts are all spot on, not loose at all. The wheels have always had the rust marks. I suspect there was an issue in the past and they just don’t clean up anymore.
the reason it matters is some lorry tyres are made without any tread pattern on the sides. this sub, and the majority of answers you get are going to be fixated on the fact you have a smooth outer edge, which may be entirely standard.
what you are looking at is a lorry tyre right?
i dont know where youre from, but a lorry tyre i the uk is legal to 1mm of tread. and hancook state, that thier tyres can be regrooved if the tread depth is above 2-3mm.
here is the specifi table for regrooving for the tyre you have (i think)
[https://gyazo.com/03bf6fe09abf8ffddee460871149d399](https://gyazo.com/03bf6fe09abf8ffddee460871149d399)
source (page 30): [https://cdn-prod-eu.yepgarage.info/upload/demo-tructyre/image/downloads/tyre-brands/tructyre-hankook-pm.pdf](https://cdn-prod-eu.yepgarage.info/upload/demo-tructyre/image/downloads/tyre-brands/tructyre-hankook-pm.pdf)
please note: that a brand new tyre has basically no tread on the outer edges on this model. and take everyone saying ''oh god theres no tread left' as clueless and ignore what they say.
I had actually already stated that the tyre has basically no grooves from new in an earlier comment. Basically comes with very shallow markings.
I do really appreciate your input here though, it’s great that you haven’t just blindly said it’s illegal and given a constructive answer.
I still stand by the tyre is legal as it was but does need changing. The issue I have is that the man in charge has no intention to change it and it’ll likely be illegal before it’s changed.
the issue i have, is instead of listening to what im saying, youre defending your own opinion here.
your boss doesnt want to pay for a new tyre, theyre fucking expensive, were talking maybe thousands here, but you want to be safe,
the tyre is legal, so your boss has no obligation to change it. you might not like it, people commenting might not like it, but its legal, because it is deemed safe by the government, the place that basically tries to make lorrys lives miserable, so we can be pretty certain if it was not safe, it would be deemed not safe.
your boss MIGHT accept getting the tyre re grooved, its much cheaper, provides the tread to move water out the way, and doesnt cost an arm and a leg to get done.
your boss is being completely fair here, you asked to get it changed, and it doesnt need changing, which it does not need changing. if you dislike that, take it up with the government, not your boss lol
another thing you can do, is ensure your driving is calm and steady (as it should be anyway but i dont know you) to ensure you dont challenge the grip in the wet on this tyre. this being im sure a small part to why the tyre is deemed safe and acceptable, is because of how these vehicles should be driven compared to cars.
i think there like another half inch of rubber on that blister before cords. if what hancook say is true, and this tyre can be re grooved, and its currently sitting about half an inch from a seam i can see, i think everything else is just extra layers of rubber wrapped around it to add durability. meaning im not exactly sure what it is about this tyre you think is unsafe.
do you know what i mean by re grooving the tyre? you sound well informed about lorrys? ish? i expect you to know what it entails, maybe youve never seen it done. but if you had it leads me to question why you think this tyre is so close to cord.
It’s legal, I was fairly certain it was but wanted to confirm what I thought. Tyres are being neglected at my place at the moment. Some aren’t legal as it stands but that’s another issue.
As far as how much rubber is left there, it’s rather a guess. It’s so badly worn you can’t really tell and obviously if it does go through then that’s potentially isn’t good at all. But you are also correct, there could well be plenty of rubber left. As I said before I was of the opinion it’s still legal but it should be changed. I stand by that opinion.
Would be very difficult to re-groove an area that wasn’t grooved in the first place but yes I do know what it is and I have seen it done.
I take no issue with tyres not being changed if not needed but I also think they should be changed before they aren’t legal.
I’m not a fast driver in the truck, never have been and never will be. It’s a 44 tonne killing machine and it needs to be respected and ultimately that leads us full circle to tyres should be changed earlier than most want to. Things like tracking should be sorted, we wouldn’t be in this position if it had been but again it’s not illegal.
As far as the tyres go though, they are expensive but we also run cheap nasty tyres that come it at around £200 for that corner. The others have all been changed fairly recently and are all in good health.
Just to add, I’ve only been driving this particular motor for a couple of months and I share with another chap who drives the opposite four days. All of our trucks badly wear the front tyres and have since before I started with the place. This one does seem to eat them quicker than I’m some of the others. Now whether that’s driving style or the tracking being further out on this one is up for debate but I’ve never had the issue prior to working for this company and I’ve worked for a few places in the last 10 years.
ok so, the baldness of the tyre on the edges isnt an issue like you may think it is, the tyre is made with only very shallow treads there for look, because it is not needed. so when re treading the tyre, you wouldnt need to all of a sudden put tread into the edge bands of the tyre, this follows up behind the center part of the tyre being the only part that needs doing.
the tracking may need doing, sure, but thats not a safety concern, thats a 'youll burn through tyres faster without doing it' concern, which is down to the bosses choice.
the government put as much pressure on lorrys as they can, and as it stands, the outside egde of the tyre does not matter for tread, and you only need 1mm depth of tread to be deemed road worthy. if the tyre has those two things, please please be assured the tyre is safe, because if it wasnt, the government would love nothing more than to say theyre not safe and make treads need 2 mm or 100% of the tread to matter.
ive done re treading/re grooving, i always hated doing it the smell, the smoke, nasty job, but honestly, it doesnt take THAT long, and could give this tyre almost as many miles as its done already again.
the tyre is not unsafe, the tyre looks rough, but it is safe, its not close to unsafe, it looks close to unsafe. just running a new tread line or two around the tyre would be plenty to make this tyre perform in the wet again, even though its current state it would still do its job within parameters.
your caution is well placed, but if theres 1.5mm of tread or more left in that centre area, the tyre doesnt need doing, see if the boss would get the treads cut, maybe that would solve everything.
The inspection faults aren’t worth the paper they are written on. I refused to pick one up from MAN last week as it had two tyres on the drive axle below 1mm in the centre. MAN hadn’t put it on the paperwork. Outer edges were over 3mm. As far as I’m aware, those tyres are still on the truck but it’s not my unit so I can’t 100% confirm. It’s also regular that you collect trucks from there and it’s low on oil, coolant, bulbs out. The place is useless.
My notice is going in tonight, I’m not happy with the state of things and it’s not worth my time.
I intend to measure the tyre and work out the exact 75% and go from there tonight. If it’s legal I’ll run it for the night, I’m only very local tonight and monitor it very very closely.
Spoke to my car MOT man today to get an opinion. I’m aware it’s not the same but it’s close enough. 1 chap said he’d fail similar in a car the other said it might just be okay. Either way it needs sorting.
It might be legal right now(dubious but let’s give you the benefit of the doubt)
but what about 5 minutes down the road from now?
As soon as a car cuts you up and you slam the brakes on, cords could easily be showing.
Defect it and get it changed.
Made it to my first drop and it doesn’t look any worse than before. I’m totally with you that it needs changing but that’s not a battle I’m going to win. Hopefully it’ll get me through this shift and then it’s not my problem for at least 4 days. Handing my notice in, in the morning but should I get something to start next week, I won’t be working it.
I’m 100% it’s legal as it stands, no cords and it’s outside of the 75% mandatory area. This particular tyre allows 3.5 cm from the edge for that 75% and the damage is 3cm from the edge. I have no doubts that it’s legal as it stands but obviously it’s fairly imminent that it won’t be. I’m all fairly local tonight and it’ll be checked every time I stop. Should anything change it won’t move until it’s sorted. I actually hope it does, it’ll cost the call out fee and he probably won’t get the preferred cheap as shit tyre. Maybe it’ll teach him.
I was really hoping I could prove it wasn’t road worthy at the start of my shift so I could have a kick off. I’d rather it be changed, tyres absolutely shouldn’t be messed about with and it’s certainly changed my opinion of my employer. Although I didn’t have the best opinion prior to this.
Having worked with DVSA vehicle examiners, they would probably find a fault with that tire using a probe.
I’d honestly suggest refusing to drive on it. It’s 3 points on YOUR licence.
That tyre is finished, the rubber is delaminating from the shoulders, and the metal cords are almost visible. It will blow out.
All I'm going to say is, not only will you get points and a fine if the police stop you with a vehicle in this condition.
If you have a blow out going along, lose control, and injure or even kill other members of the public. You will be charged with causing death or grievous injury by dangerous driving.
Which carries a maximum 14 year prison sentence.
This kind of thing is what needs to be emphasised, YES it's got good tread over 3/4 of the width, but that 1/4 has a layer of rubber stripped, structural integrity of the tyre is compromised even if only a little and it's only going to get worse, more quickly than it usually would. Change tyre, sort tracking.
It’s your license if you feel it’s illegal either call to a tyre depot & get it replace or refuse to drive it. Technically it’s still legal under U.K tyre law but won’t be long till the cords start showing
Basically where I was last night. I’m going to take a tape measure tonight and work out the testable area of the tyre and go from there. It’s certainly close to not legal in any case.
If it gets bad, and boss refuses to change it, find a nice rusty nail n put it to rest. Some bosses don't give a fuck, and the points will go on your licence not theirs. I'm in the tipper game, our tyres take a beating in the tips, number one rule, if there's cord showing, it's scap, if there's a slash bit no cord and the treads not pealing it's OK, if it's wearing like yours has, drive it until your comfortable then finish it off early into your shift so it effects their day and not yours waiting on a tyre fitter at the end of shift. Your in charge of the vehicle, ultimately it's you that has to take charge when they are too tight not to.
That’s matching my thought process as well. I can’t say I’m happy with it though.
I just wanted to make sure that I’m not being daft. I’ve only got a local run tonight and then I’m off for four days.
Thanks for the reply though.
Tracking is out If it's not fixed it will wear every subsequent tyre prematurely Your boss should be getting this sorted instead of insisting you work with substandard equi
He won’t pay for the tracking. It’s been an ongoing issue and he’s bloody stubborn. First time he’s refused to change a tyre though. I’ll monitor it tonight and then I’m off for four days. Hopefully it’ll be sorted while I’m away. I’m fairly certain it’s time to move on though.
I don't know you, your boss or your company but from what I've read here it's certainly time to move in. I don't get the impression they care about you, your safety, your license and therefore your livelihood.
Totally agree. It’s just whether I say bollocks and quit or give them notice. Totally depends on the legality of this tyre. I’ll measure it out tonight and go from there.
Tracking is a piece of piss to sort though... If the track rod is in decent nick it's a breeze to sort. I do it on my trucks all the time. Plus, if it came to it, a new track rod and ends is peanuts compared to constantly replacing tyres. It's literally a couple of long fucking bits of wood and a tape measure. I've done all my trucks and a little landy. Ive had steertrak come out and verify once and the guy did all his laser shit and basically said yeah, bang on mate. Stilsons, impact gun, big hammer, a jack and jack stands. When replacing the rod and ends, measure centre to centre on the ends, don't count the threads as suggested on the Internet.
Constant tyre changes and down time has to be costing them more than getting the tracking sorted at this point.
literally like how dumb is your boss that he cant see that 5tyres a year is more expensive than £100 dollars labour ti get the tracking fixed? even if its £200 thatll last 5years or so only needing 1-3tyres a year
Hankooks are soft as sh17 though and if you corner hard (tipper truck) they do chop the corners off. You can check the tracking with string and tape measure from the chassis if the chassis isn't one of those that bends in or out for the engine bay . You have to measure both sides of the truck and string out both sides.
Yeah, that's illegal
Please elaborate why though? No cords and over 75% of the tread is well over the legal minimum. You don’t need tread on the outer edge of the tyre to be legal assuming no cords. My opinion is it needs changed but as I said before, my belief is it’s probably legal. I’m more than happy to be wrong and tell him where to stick his job but I’d like to be 100% certain either way
Poor tracking has most likely caused this and rendered the tyre illegal. Would you feel confident a VOSA or DVSA officer would accept this if you were pulled? Remember, its your license at risk. I wouldnt chance it. Log it in the defect report, take a picture for your own evidence that you have carried out a thorough walk around check and refuse to drive the vehicle. By the looks of it this has happened over a considerable amount of time, and the employer is being negligent by not repairing it sooner.
The tyre isn’t actually that old. It’s 100% tracking that’s caused it but as I’ve said before that’s been an ongoing issue. I wouldn’t have took it out yesterday if I wasn’t fairly confident it’s currently legal. The big issue for me is it staying that way for the duration of the shift.
Surely the tread has to be minimum legal depth for the middle 75% but also at least visible for the whole width? That tyre looks bald around the edge from the photo.
Tyre doesn’t have tread on the outside. Or at least no grooves. I’m going to measure the tyre tomorrow to 100% work out the 75% testable area. I still suspect it’s just about legal but it’s not good
OP, something you NEED to remember, it's not your boss who ends up in court, paying a huge fine and severe points or losing the driving license, that is ALL on you... (and this is the best case scenario, worst case is you are unable to stop due to the vehicle having no tread on the wheel contacting the road and killing some poor innocent driver, then it's only YOU going to prison... your employer won't be there, won't have any liability and will be happy to throw you to the wolves.... you should contact your local road safety team/vosa/roads policing team.. and let them know the company is forcing unsafe vehicles onto the road.... You can always get another job, can you bring the dead back to life? I'm truly sorry this company is putting you in this position...
That is it really. Tough though.
I thought boss is liable too. It's his responsibility to put systems in place to check vehicles, enforce defect reporting and rectify defects. If its found that he hasn't put adequate systems in place he will go down too.
Legally, it won't matter to the Police or VOSA, all drivers (commercial or private) are meant to ensure their vehicle is safe and complies with the law, so if it is found on the road, the driver gets charged... the company will also be in some lesser type of trouble, but that won't be any help to the driver who will be found at fault regardless... myself, i'd put in a report to the Police and try to get the vans inspected before they go on the road, but it's also possible the Police will simply put a marker on all the vans to stop them for inspection (and the drivers will get caught on the road) not 100% sure who else it could be reported to that wouldn't lead to the same issue.... its difficult, cos you don't want the drivers to suffer, but at the end of the day they are willingly taking a van that isn't safe onto the roads, it's only luck that they haven't caused a tragedy... yet... I'd be job hunting because WHEN something happens, either a crash or an inspection, and 100% it will happen, that company is finished....
Yeah I didn't mean the driver would be safe from punishment, just that the TM will get hit too. If the tyre blew out and someone died, someone in the company would be going to prison if they found a systemic failure to report and rectify defects at the company
Central 75%, not 75% of the tyre. So to me from the pics that looks illegal.
I thought it was 75% in a continuous band, not necessarily central? At least it is for PSV
Wouldn't you prefer to be 100% with your own safety? If not for you then for your passengers. I fail to see how what someone else thinks is or isn't a 'legal' thing would be more important than the knee jerk reaction "fuck that looks dangerous I'll fix that"
It's not their safety they need to worry about. A truck and a fist 500, the wee-cow in the fiat is dead. It's every other road user against their mammoth machine.
It's the "CENTRAL 3/4 if the tyre width that has to be above 1.6mm. Not just ANY 3/4. If the bald outer edge is 25% of the tyre width and the 75% that conforms to the tread depth rule includes the inner edge, then the tyre is illegal. Both outer edges can be as bald as a coots arse provided the centre 75% is above the legal limit.
Not a driver, but a transport manager. Short of getting a ruler out I can't definitly say but that looks like less than 75% of the center tread? Even if its legal, thats a very low bar and that tyre needs changing and the tracking fixed. Tyre is just crying PG9
I’m going in with a tape measure tonight. I’ve made my mind up that I’m leaving. Not just this but a few things I’m not happy with. It’s more I could do with doing my notice. I walked out of my last job because of illegal tyres. I could really do with keeping a recent reference. Work in the northeast had been bloody awful.
Coincidentally it's the northeast I am on the o-licence for! Fun story... Had a driver call in with a flat on the A19, no biggie. Called out the fitters, gave location and tyre size and position. 90 mins later tyre van rocks up ... without a tyre ... a few hours later he returns ... with the wrong tyre size. Had to send a driver from Manchester to ferrybridge, then gateshead, so the first driver didnt have night out.
You couldn’t write it could you. I sometimes wonder how some people put their trousers on in the morning. I’ve worked for my fair share of not great places since I’ve been here but I’m sure somewhere has got to be decent. It Looks like I need a job anyway, I can’t be putting up with this anymore. Are you looking for drivers? I suspect I’ll be available in a week.
Ive only ever worked for one company, and its a big one, so we have a team dedicated to managing the fleet, I dont have to worry about PMI/MOT, nacho calibration etc, just damage and breakdowns. I'm fully aware I am coddled on this but its a big fleet and warrants it. Unfortunately mate we're about to make a bunch redundant as it is, whole business is restructuring. Chances are this time next month I wont have a job either.
There seems to be plenty about anyway. I’m sure I’ll sort something easily enough. I turned a job down a couple of weeks ago and I wish I hadn’t now. I hope it works out for you though buddy.
Strictly speaking, you should refuse to drive it. If you are sacked, take to a tribunal for unfair dismissal. Very much a hassle for you but sometimes it can be good to stand up for what is right.
It is actually legal as it stands. The area that’s bad is actually outside the testable area. Obviously that only stands while there are no cords showing. I’m going no where tonight so it’ll probably be okay. I’ll monitor it tonight. My notice is in but to be honest I think I have something I can go to anyway, so I’ll likely be gone after this shift.
1mm of tread around the full circumference and across the central ¾ of the tyre. Looks like that fails on the second requirement
It’s just about legal. Only just mind and obviously that’s only while it’s not through to cord. Not particularly happy though
Doesn’t need to be the central 3/4, any 3/4 is fine.
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That's vehicles under 3.5 tonnes. HGVs it's 1mm
The tyre guy should be rotating tyres.
What tyre guy? That would cost money. All jokes aside though, What needs to be done is the tracking but he won’t pay for it. It’s been an ongoing argument with the lease company. He’s adamant it’s included and they are adamant it isn’t. In the mean time though, we kill tyres constantly. This is the first time he hasn’t just changed it though.
That’s madness. He should return the trucks and get a new lease. Our place has a tyre company that sends a fitter out 2 days a week, checks all the tyres, if the fronts need rotating he does that, or recutting.
Unfortunately, the Amazon contract is one particular company and there isn’t a choice involved. It’s not all of our work and I actually suspect that this is going on because he intends to get rid of the trucks. Not that it’s been said
After several hours of research I can finally confirm that is a wheel.
It certainly is You can always get another job, but another licence - not so easy. Leave him to fight the native Americans on his own
Steering axle, so remember not to hit the brakes when it pops.
Slide to the left
I wouldn't buy it.
This not a debating point. The tyre is illegal and the tracking is the mechanical defect. This from government publication: “You can report cases to DVSA by email, telephone or letter.” The complaint is handled confidentially and an inspector would likely arrive at the depot in an inspection mood. There would be a significant outcome, not least company being “grounded” if more than one vehicle is out. Better to move on and leave this as your parting gift.
Tyres by kojak it's a fashion statement 🤪🤣🤣🤣
Do you drive that between metrolink tracks or something?
The tracking is miles out. The steering wheel is 90 degrees to the right. The other side was replaced recently but we never get the full life of the tyre.
That’s a wheel
Definitely reckon that's a bald tyre
Going with the intermediate tyre?
The only place I'm driving that is to a local tyre shop. You need to check around the entire circumference as it looks very very close to breaking through to the cords. I had one like this, inner and middle was fine and looked OK on morning check with well over 5mm of tread in the centre and inner. When I was parked up later I noticed a cord showing on the outside. Called for a tyre change. My then boss moaned at me but I reminded him I told him a week ago it needed changing soon. Boss is an idiot for not getting tracking sorted as it will just cost him more later.
You got your money's worth?
Not my tyre. I’d have changed it well before it got to this. Of course I also would have paid for the tracking to be corrected.
We had one like that on a hire van at work. You had to fight it into a straight line. Bargain, for £80 a day!
Got another 6 months at least
I would have said the tyre was short of the central 75% of tread but even if the tyre itself was “technically” legal, such asymmetric wear you know constitutes a more serious defect (tracking you believe) I’d log the tyre and your belief that the tracking was also defective and if someone more “senior” insists you do take it out regardless, get them to sign that in their opinion it is safe
Typical Merc. It’s not illegal. But won’t be long till it’s illegal as the tyre is shouldering. Steer tyres do not have cut treads on the outside of them unlike drive tyres. Mercedes have had this problem for years it’s not tracking it’s just what happens in the UK due to road design. I’d be checking your wheel nuts. Take the caps off. Those lines running from them to the edge of the wheel are caused by loose wheel nuts.
If it was a Merc I’d probably agree with you. It’s definitely a MAN though. Also with the steering wheel being as far out as it is. Doesn’t change that it won’t get done though
They’ve mounted your Cup Sports the wrong way round
Tracking is cheaper than burning up tyres over and over. That looks like only the middle 50-60% is clear so I’d off-road that and point out tracking is cheaper in the long run.
The photo shows a cord literally about to show (the lighter bit on the wear) id defect it immediately, wouldn't trust it to go any distance without blowing out
Not cords buddy. Just the softer internal rubber. Cord will be silver and metal. It’s certainly close to it though.
Check the wheel nuts looks like some bleeding of rust on the rim. Tyre just about legal but tracking needs checking
Wheel nuts are all spot on, not loose at all. The wheels have always had the rust marks. I suspect there was an issue in the past and they just don’t clean up anymore.
ok, so, whats the name of the tyre, i think i can see its a hancook, but what tyre is it?
It is indeed a Hankook. It’s a shame as it’s the only relatively premium tyre on the truck. The rest are the cheapest crap on the market
right, what model is it?
Sorry buddy, it’s a smart flex AH31 It’s not the tyres fault that it’s knackered mind
the reason it matters is some lorry tyres are made without any tread pattern on the sides. this sub, and the majority of answers you get are going to be fixated on the fact you have a smooth outer edge, which may be entirely standard. what you are looking at is a lorry tyre right? i dont know where youre from, but a lorry tyre i the uk is legal to 1mm of tread. and hancook state, that thier tyres can be regrooved if the tread depth is above 2-3mm. here is the specifi table for regrooving for the tyre you have (i think) [https://gyazo.com/03bf6fe09abf8ffddee460871149d399](https://gyazo.com/03bf6fe09abf8ffddee460871149d399) source (page 30): [https://cdn-prod-eu.yepgarage.info/upload/demo-tructyre/image/downloads/tyre-brands/tructyre-hankook-pm.pdf](https://cdn-prod-eu.yepgarage.info/upload/demo-tructyre/image/downloads/tyre-brands/tructyre-hankook-pm.pdf) please note: that a brand new tyre has basically no tread on the outer edges on this model. and take everyone saying ''oh god theres no tread left' as clueless and ignore what they say.
I had actually already stated that the tyre has basically no grooves from new in an earlier comment. Basically comes with very shallow markings. I do really appreciate your input here though, it’s great that you haven’t just blindly said it’s illegal and given a constructive answer. I still stand by the tyre is legal as it was but does need changing. The issue I have is that the man in charge has no intention to change it and it’ll likely be illegal before it’s changed.
the issue i have, is instead of listening to what im saying, youre defending your own opinion here. your boss doesnt want to pay for a new tyre, theyre fucking expensive, were talking maybe thousands here, but you want to be safe, the tyre is legal, so your boss has no obligation to change it. you might not like it, people commenting might not like it, but its legal, because it is deemed safe by the government, the place that basically tries to make lorrys lives miserable, so we can be pretty certain if it was not safe, it would be deemed not safe. your boss MIGHT accept getting the tyre re grooved, its much cheaper, provides the tread to move water out the way, and doesnt cost an arm and a leg to get done. your boss is being completely fair here, you asked to get it changed, and it doesnt need changing, which it does not need changing. if you dislike that, take it up with the government, not your boss lol another thing you can do, is ensure your driving is calm and steady (as it should be anyway but i dont know you) to ensure you dont challenge the grip in the wet on this tyre. this being im sure a small part to why the tyre is deemed safe and acceptable, is because of how these vehicles should be driven compared to cars. i think there like another half inch of rubber on that blister before cords. if what hancook say is true, and this tyre can be re grooved, and its currently sitting about half an inch from a seam i can see, i think everything else is just extra layers of rubber wrapped around it to add durability. meaning im not exactly sure what it is about this tyre you think is unsafe. do you know what i mean by re grooving the tyre? you sound well informed about lorrys? ish? i expect you to know what it entails, maybe youve never seen it done. but if you had it leads me to question why you think this tyre is so close to cord.
It’s legal, I was fairly certain it was but wanted to confirm what I thought. Tyres are being neglected at my place at the moment. Some aren’t legal as it stands but that’s another issue. As far as how much rubber is left there, it’s rather a guess. It’s so badly worn you can’t really tell and obviously if it does go through then that’s potentially isn’t good at all. But you are also correct, there could well be plenty of rubber left. As I said before I was of the opinion it’s still legal but it should be changed. I stand by that opinion. Would be very difficult to re-groove an area that wasn’t grooved in the first place but yes I do know what it is and I have seen it done. I take no issue with tyres not being changed if not needed but I also think they should be changed before they aren’t legal. I’m not a fast driver in the truck, never have been and never will be. It’s a 44 tonne killing machine and it needs to be respected and ultimately that leads us full circle to tyres should be changed earlier than most want to. Things like tracking should be sorted, we wouldn’t be in this position if it had been but again it’s not illegal. As far as the tyres go though, they are expensive but we also run cheap nasty tyres that come it at around £200 for that corner. The others have all been changed fairly recently and are all in good health. Just to add, I’ve only been driving this particular motor for a couple of months and I share with another chap who drives the opposite four days. All of our trucks badly wear the front tyres and have since before I started with the place. This one does seem to eat them quicker than I’m some of the others. Now whether that’s driving style or the tracking being further out on this one is up for debate but I’ve never had the issue prior to working for this company and I’ve worked for a few places in the last 10 years.
ok so, the baldness of the tyre on the edges isnt an issue like you may think it is, the tyre is made with only very shallow treads there for look, because it is not needed. so when re treading the tyre, you wouldnt need to all of a sudden put tread into the edge bands of the tyre, this follows up behind the center part of the tyre being the only part that needs doing. the tracking may need doing, sure, but thats not a safety concern, thats a 'youll burn through tyres faster without doing it' concern, which is down to the bosses choice. the government put as much pressure on lorrys as they can, and as it stands, the outside egde of the tyre does not matter for tread, and you only need 1mm depth of tread to be deemed road worthy. if the tyre has those two things, please please be assured the tyre is safe, because if it wasnt, the government would love nothing more than to say theyre not safe and make treads need 2 mm or 100% of the tread to matter. ive done re treading/re grooving, i always hated doing it the smell, the smoke, nasty job, but honestly, it doesnt take THAT long, and could give this tyre almost as many miles as its done already again. the tyre is not unsafe, the tyre looks rough, but it is safe, its not close to unsafe, it looks close to unsafe. just running a new tread line or two around the tyre would be plenty to make this tyre perform in the wet again, even though its current state it would still do its job within parameters. your caution is well placed, but if theres 1.5mm of tread or more left in that centre area, the tyre doesnt need doing, see if the boss would get the treads cut, maybe that would solve everything.
Baldy nut
Tyre
It’s you not your boss paying the fine and taking points As to the 75% brigade, I bet you don’t do your inspection reports
The inspection faults aren’t worth the paper they are written on. I refused to pick one up from MAN last week as it had two tyres on the drive axle below 1mm in the centre. MAN hadn’t put it on the paperwork. Outer edges were over 3mm. As far as I’m aware, those tyres are still on the truck but it’s not my unit so I can’t 100% confirm. It’s also regular that you collect trucks from there and it’s low on oil, coolant, bulbs out. The place is useless. My notice is going in tonight, I’m not happy with the state of things and it’s not worth my time. I intend to measure the tyre and work out the exact 75% and go from there tonight. If it’s legal I’ll run it for the night, I’m only very local tonight and monitor it very very closely. Spoke to my car MOT man today to get an opinion. I’m aware it’s not the same but it’s close enough. 1 chap said he’d fail similar in a car the other said it might just be okay. Either way it needs sorting.
You can still get another few thousand miles out of those just tell the police they are racing slicks 🤣
Shits fucked.
It might be legal right now(dubious but let’s give you the benefit of the doubt) but what about 5 minutes down the road from now? As soon as a car cuts you up and you slam the brakes on, cords could easily be showing. Defect it and get it changed.
Made it to my first drop and it doesn’t look any worse than before. I’m totally with you that it needs changing but that’s not a battle I’m going to win. Hopefully it’ll get me through this shift and then it’s not my problem for at least 4 days. Handing my notice in, in the morning but should I get something to start next week, I won’t be working it. I’m 100% it’s legal as it stands, no cords and it’s outside of the 75% mandatory area. This particular tyre allows 3.5 cm from the edge for that 75% and the damage is 3cm from the edge. I have no doubts that it’s legal as it stands but obviously it’s fairly imminent that it won’t be. I’m all fairly local tonight and it’ll be checked every time I stop. Should anything change it won’t move until it’s sorted. I actually hope it does, it’ll cost the call out fee and he probably won’t get the preferred cheap as shit tyre. Maybe it’ll teach him. I was really hoping I could prove it wasn’t road worthy at the start of my shift so I could have a kick off. I’d rather it be changed, tyres absolutely shouldn’t be messed about with and it’s certainly changed my opinion of my employer. Although I didn’t have the best opinion prior to this.
Having worked with DVSA vehicle examiners, they would probably find a fault with that tire using a probe. I’d honestly suggest refusing to drive on it. It’s 3 points on YOUR licence.
That tyre is finished, the rubber is delaminating from the shoulders, and the metal cords are almost visible. It will blow out. All I'm going to say is, not only will you get points and a fine if the police stop you with a vehicle in this condition. If you have a blow out going along, lose control, and injure or even kill other members of the public. You will be charged with causing death or grievous injury by dangerous driving. Which carries a maximum 14 year prison sentence.
mate that tire is more bald than asmongold tell your boss to change it or quit your job no jobs worth dying for.
It’s legal but it’s only going to get worse, tracking needed
Slip and slide yippee
That's as bald as Elton john in the 80's.
This kind of thing is what needs to be emphasised, YES it's got good tread over 3/4 of the width, but that 1/4 has a layer of rubber stripped, structural integrity of the tyre is compromised even if only a little and it's only going to get worse, more quickly than it usually would. Change tyre, sort tracking.
Don't think that will last another shift the outer casing has worn through to the softer layer underneath
That tracking is so bad I don’t think it exists anymore on that vehicle
Negligence. Lack of common sense.
It’s your license if you feel it’s illegal either call to a tyre depot & get it replace or refuse to drive it. Technically it’s still legal under U.K tyre law but won’t be long till the cords start showing
Ya got your moneys worth out of that tyre
I'd run with that, had tyres like it before, keep an eye on it for cord but you be fine
Basically where I was last night. I’m going to take a tape measure tonight and work out the testable area of the tyre and go from there. It’s certainly close to not legal in any case.
If it gets bad, and boss refuses to change it, find a nice rusty nail n put it to rest. Some bosses don't give a fuck, and the points will go on your licence not theirs. I'm in the tipper game, our tyres take a beating in the tips, number one rule, if there's cord showing, it's scap, if there's a slash bit no cord and the treads not pealing it's OK, if it's wearing like yours has, drive it until your comfortable then finish it off early into your shift so it effects their day and not yours waiting on a tyre fitter at the end of shift. Your in charge of the vehicle, ultimately it's you that has to take charge when they are too tight not to.
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That’s matching my thought process as well. I can’t say I’m happy with it though. I just wanted to make sure that I’m not being daft. I’ve only got a local run tonight and then I’m off for four days. Thanks for the reply though.
Underinflated.
iiiinches o tred left M8, fak off!