Lesson Learned:

[Rob]

Decided to install the new steer tires onto my daughter's truck last evening so I could cease storing them in my car wash bay. The old dryrotted originals can go outside. I've had these things on fresh blasted and painted rims for about nine years now, but never installed onto the truck. The truck is nosed into a stall without a drive axle under it and on frame stands. I roll my wide saddle 10 ton floor jack under the center of the steer axle beam lifting both front tires about 1/2 inch from the floor and dismount the passenger side tire from the hub. I've done this so many times without problems I didn't bother with jack stands as I don't have any free at the time being.

I remove the lug nuts, and pull the tire/rim combination from the truck, without problems. The weight of the tire/rim combination being removed shifts the truck and it pivots placing the driver's side tire on the floor. No problem here, about four more pumps of the jack handle and the tire is once again clearing the floor. I then remove the driver's side tire and rim assembly by "jerking" it from the hub. This sudden removal of the weight from the driver's side causes the truck to roll to the passenger side and it overcomes it's center of gravity, causing the axle beam to slide on the jack saddle and down it goes. Nothing hurt, or damaged as the brake drum on the passenger side slid along the smooth concrete floor without impact force. However, if someone would have been standing on the passenger side of the truck, they could have been hurt becomming pinned between the fender of this truck, and a spare R model cab next to it, as the truck came to rest about four inches from the cab, (which is sitting on a shipping pallet and is heavy.

Now with no tires on the steer axle, the jack saddle stuck in the upward transition of the axle beam near the spindle, and not enough room to insert another jack, I've got a problem cause I can't move the truck. I wound up taking a 10 ton porta power against the floor and front spring pad mount on the driver side to remove the floor jack. While the porta power supported a portion of the weight of the truck. I got a pair of stands from the frame rack, then jacked the thing back up, blocked it, then remounted the new tires/rims without further adieu.

I hope others learn from this experience. Nobody was hurt, nor damage sustained (thankfully) but my own complacency could have caused a very different turnout.

Don't think I'll make the same mistake again.

Rob

[RowdyRebel]

Decided to install the new steer tires onto my daughter's truck....

....I've had these things on fresh blasted and painted rims for about nine years now, but never installed onto the truck.....

I do hope this is a truck she does not intend to drive....or if she IS going to drive it, you buy new rubber to put on it before she goes too far. Rubber deteriorates over time, and after 6-8 years, they are at significantly higher risk of coming apart than a new tire.

http://abcnews.go.com/WNT/story?id=129404&page=1

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/05/27/eveningnews/consumer/main698335.shtml

http://www.kpvi.com/Global/story.asp?s=8253128

http://www.wistv.com/Global/story.asp?S=2542296

[Rob]

Actually I don't worry about it near as much as the news would have you believe the problem is. These are 10:00R22, (Dunlop, american produced) tires and were stored out of light, and soaked in silicone rubber treatment prior to mounting, and are still sticky. Not negating the concern as I'm sure it is real, but these have not had the typical storage that a lot of older tires have such as sitting outside in a rack, or in an unheated warehouse, nor having weight upon them, (except their own).

I would rather place my trust in these, than I would any of this Chinese, or Indian garbage that is available in this size.

In reality these will wind up on my A-40 for show duty only in the future. I want her truck to have readily available tires for on road breakdowns. It will probably go to 11RX22.5 rubber when she starts to drive it.

I don't watch the news on television. Life is much happier that way.

Thanks for your concern.

Rob

[RowdyRebel]

Actually I don't worry about it near as much as the news would have you believe the problem is. These are 10:00R22, (Dunlop, american produced) tires and were stored out of light, and soaked in silicone rubber treatment prior to mounting, and are still sticky. Not negating the concern as I'm sure it is real, but these have not had the typical storage that a lot of older tires have such as sitting outside in a rack, or in an unheated warehouse, nor having weight upon them, (except their own).

I would rather place my trust in these, than I would any of this Chinese, or Indian garbage that is available in this size.

In reality these will wind up on my A-40 for show duty only in the future. I want her truck to have readily available tires for on road breakdowns. It will probably go to 11RX22.5 rubber when she starts to drive it.

I don't watch the news on television. Life is much happier that way.

Thanks for your concern.

Rob

Sounds like ya got things under control, then...

[other dog]

after doing some research...

[MACKS]

Live and Learn,we've all made our share of mistakes when working on trucks or heavy equipment,the main thing is no one got hurt,it's definitely worth taking the extra time to do it safely especially when messing with truck tires,tube tires are the worst, old tube type tires and old rims are disaster waiting to happen,you need to take every precaution you can including deflating the tires before loosening the first lug.

[RowdyRebel]

Live and Learn,we've all made our share of mistakes when working on trucks or heavy equipment,the main thing is no one got hurt,it's definitely worth taking the extra time to do it safely especially when messing with truck tires,tube tires are the worst, old tube type tires and old rims are disaster waiting to happen,you need to take every precaution you can including deflating the tires before loosening the first lug.

Heck, hit shappens even when you THINK you are doing everything right...

...from another forum:

[Ironman]

IT"S SO EASY TO BE CRITICAL OF OTHER PEOPLE AND THE THINGS WE DO.

But it's difficult to look at ourselves and be equally critical.

I've done the same. Ah.. I'll just quickly get this done.. No need to hunt down some stand.

Nothing will happen if I strategically place the jack in the center. Stands are a waste of time.

And going to get them and place them under the truck is an even more waste of time.

Here is an opportunity to turn back time.

If you were laying in a hospital bed.... I know you would be wishing.. If I could go back

I would have taken that extra couple of minutes to go get the stands.

I'm glad to hear you got lucky Rob. Nobody got hurt.

Keep an eye on those nine yr old tire.

[other dog]

Live and Learn,we've all made our share of mistakes when working on trucks or heavy equipment,the main thing is no one got hurt,it's definitely worth taking the extra time to do it safely especially when messing with truck tires,tube tires are the worst, old tube type tires and old rims are disaster waiting to happen,you need to take every precaution you can including deflating the tires before loosening the first lug.

I've seen one of the mechanics where I used to work sit on tube type tires with the split rims while he inflated them. I told him "them things are gonna kill you one of these days" and he always said "I ain't worried-I do it all the time". He was lucky too. He never had any kind of accident-but it only takes once.

[other dog]

IT"S SO EASY TO BE CRITICAL OF OTHER PEOPLE AND THE THINGS WE DO.

But it's difficult to look at ourselves and be equally critical.

I've done the same. Ah.. I'll just quickly get this done.. No need to hunt down some stand.

Nothing will happen if I strategically place the jack in the center. Stands are a waste of time.

And going to get them and place them under the truck is an even more waste of time.

Here is an opportunity to turn back time.

If you were laying in a hospital bed.... I know you would be wishing.. If I could go back

I would have taken that extra couple of minutes to go get the stands.

I'm glad to hear you got lucky Rob. Nobody got hurt.

Keep an eye on those nine yr old tire.

I probably wouldn't be here now if not for a block of wood. I was helping some friends put a clutch in a '66 Chevelle and was underneath taking the driveshaft out. When I got it loose I pried it forward to get it out of the yoke on the rearend and when I did the car rolled forward off the jacks and dropped down onto the big wooden blocks on each side under the frame. It had been supported by the 2 jacks, and was about an inch off the wood. When it dropped that inch with me under it I realized what might have been and how quickly stuff can happen, and how stupid I had been.

[HK Trucking]

Heck, hit shappens even when you THINK you are doing everything right...

...from another forum:

I'll bet the owner of that Camaro was not a happy camper!!!!!!!

[Double L]

Let's see here the first link you posted Rowdy, the person sued. You can tell a tire is old by using common sense and looking at the sidewall. Most people are so much in a hurry they don't think to do a pre trip before they leave, I do one before I leave all the time. I check the tires, oil, and check for leaks. Also another reason why tires fail so early is cause people are too much in a hurry to check their tire pressure and then wonder why they get crappy fuel mileage.

[Freightrain]

Glad no one was hurt Rob. Kinda sounding like Michelle on the ATHS board. One lil "oops" and it brings everything back into perspective. I was anticipating the results as you were starting your story(as I could tell from the set up that it was going to fall). I remember pics of the cut off frame and I know it would have to be pretty tipsy if you jacked the nose up.

That camaro took a wrong turn, but look at the lift arms. Why is the drivers side "out" under where the car would be and the others retracted like they were not used. I wonder if the rack lifted and shouldn't have? Or were they lifting one side to just get under the car? Sad though. Definitely an "ah shit" kinda day.

[Double L]

Ah shit doesn't begin to describe that Camaro. I consider it a f*ck up.

[Rob]

Glad no one was hurt Rob. Kinda sounding like Michelle on the ATHS board. One lil "oops" and it brings everything back into perspective. I was anticipating the results as you were starting your story(as I could tell from the set up that it was going to fall). I remember pics of the cut off frame and I know it would have to be pretty tipsy if you jacked the nose up.

That camaro took a wrong turn, but look at the lift arms. Why is the drivers side "out" under where the car would be and the others retracted like they were not used. I wonder if the rack lifted and shouldn't have? Or were they lifting one side to just get under the car? Sad though. Definitely an "ah shit" kinda day.

Those two post, surface mounted lifts have a hydraulic cylinder in each tower and use a cable to equalize the lift arms. As they are designed, there is no way to lift only one arm. It looks to me as if the hydraulics failed on the passenger side lifting arm, and the mechanical arm locks either failed, or were incorrectly adjusted. There is no way that arm should have fallen separate of the other arm. This does not look to be a manufactures defect but rather an owner operator installed system that was not setup and maintained as it should have been.

I have two of those lifts in my shop and there is no way they can let what has happened in the photos happen here. I do test, and adjust my lifts regularly. This is no joking matter and can snuff the life out of an unsuspecting individual quickly.

If you have ever used one of these lifts you know that upon reaching the top of the stroke lifting the vehicle, you let the arms down so the weight of the vehicle is setting on the mechanical locks in the columns rather than trust the hydraulics of the cylinders. One must push the button to engage the hydraulic pump to raise the arms from the mechanical locks, pull and hold a handle to keep the spring loaded locks retracted, and pull and hold a second handle to release hydraulic pressure to lower the arms. The recesses that are built into the columns are on about 6" centers so the lock handle needs to be kept pulled while the vehicle is lowered.

Rob

[Freightrain]

Yup, should be cable connected, but I agree, if they "forgot" to latch the locks, it could fail and drop. I've used that type of lift and always set it back on safety catches.

[Packer]

With that same front tire swap, I only change one at a time.

Been there and done that!

A good but Stupid friend was working on a 2 ton service truck.

It needed a front brake change.

Nearly lost his arm and did loose three months worth of work.

I asked him if he had jack stands and he said yes but did not use them.

"Just a brake job"!

Had to jack the axle off his own arm with the other hand 'cause no one else was around.

Then drive himself to the hospital!!!

"JUST A BRAKE JOB"????????

Packer