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Are you running
in “the nail lane”?
Have you heard of
“the Nail Lane”? Actually,
there are two: Also known as the “shoulder”
and the extra lane nearest the median,
both are frequently used by emergency
vehicles on their way to save a life.
If you use interstates or freeways,
you probably spend a lot of time in
these “Nail Lanes.” Why
do we call them that? Because the
natural sweeping action of vehicles
running down the regular traffic lanes
tends to kick most of the nails, glass
and other debris either toward
the shoulder or the median.
These two “Nail Lanes” become
minefields of sharp objects that can
damage your tires. And that's why,
if many of your runs take you onto
the freeway, you might want to try
different tires for your vehicles.
Many emergency response vehicles use
“combi” radials, like the
Firestone Steeltex Radial A/T™
and Steeltex Radial R4S™ and
R4SII™ that feature a combination
of a two-ply polyester cord body with
two steel belts on top.
These “Combi” tires are
light in weight, less expensive and
provide excellent service for most
normal usage. Still, if you spend
a lot of time in the “Nail Lane,”
you may be able to reduce punctures
and other road hazard damage by switching
to an all-steel radial, like the Bridgestone
R187F.
Built for much more severe service,
most R187F radials feature three full
steel belts to provide even greater
resistance to punctures and road hazards,
together with an all-steel body ply,
for long life and resistance to casing
damage.
And, the R187F even features thick
sidewall protector ribs. These help
shield sidewalls from cuts and abrasions
that occur as a result of accidental
encounters with curbs.
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Both sidewalls are
ribbed, so when one set of ribs is
worn away through use, you can reverse
the tires on the wheels for continued
protection.
So, if you rarely run the freeway,
Steeltex Radials may be your best
bet. And, if nail holes and punctures
are way too common in your operation,
a tire like the R187F may be just
what you need.
Ask your dealer to help you select
the right tire for your vehicles. |
We have
a flat. Now what?
Fixing flats is a job for a tire dealer,
not a do-it-yourselfer.
As soon as you possibly can, you need
to get the vehicle to a reputable dealer
(You
can find the Bridgestone or Firestone
dealer nearest you, wherever you are,
via our web site, www.trucktires.com.
Look for “Emergency Road Service
Provider” in the menu on the left
side of the home page).
In order to do a proper repair, the
dealer must remove the tire from the
wheel, and if a repair is possible,
install both a rubber stem to fill a
nail hole, as well as a patch inside
the tire.
If either the stem or the patch is missing,
the repair wasn’t done right. If
the dealer doesn’t remove the tire
from the wheel, the repair wasn’t
done right.
There also are restrictions regarding
the size and type of repairs that can
be made. And, some areas of a tire cannot
be repaired at all, and the tire
has to be scrapped.
A properly repaired tire can be just
as serviceable as one that’s never
been repaired. You and your patients
depend on reliable equipment. Improper
tire repairs simply aren't worth the
risk. |
