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FedEx Freight | XDA-5 Michelin 275 tires

CaptainKirk

CaptainKirk

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As a somewhat new member of TB, would like to hear feedback on the Micheling 275 tires. IND was selected to try out these tires starting in the fall of 2008. During that winter I (road dispatcher) heard nothing but complaints that the tires would not hold traction in the snow (and even heavy rain). The IND road drivers said that the compound was too hard and cold, allowing snow/ice to build up in the treads.
I forwarded these complaints to HRO, and was told that perhaps IND drivers needed to learn how to drive!!!!!!!, and that the LIT drivers loved these tires.
Number 1, I would put IND drivers up against anyone in the system. What I really would like to see is comments, both positive and negative, concerning these tires. Do not know if most do like these tires, or if it is just some more corporate bullcrap.
I wish I had known about TB last winter to ask for comments, but better late than never. Appreciate all comments. I know corporate bigshots monitor this forum from time to time, and if what I think I will see is correct, perhaps this certain individual at HRO will be forced to eat his words.
 
well you need to get hro and little rock folks to spend the winter season and you indy drivers go south where 1 inch of snow means shut it down see what it does for changing their minds bet youo get new tires quick that are suitable for winter driving in real snow conditions
 
CaptainKirk;

The same type of situation has been going on since day one. It's a standard line used by someone who has no idea what you are talking about and has no knowledge of the subject.
If a driver has a bad set tires then He or she needs to go to the shop "if you have one" use words like unsafe, dangerous, wheels breaking loose on wet pavement does not feel safe to drive on wet pavement and lastly I will deadline it as an unsafe vehicle if they are not replaced. The driver has wright to have safe equipment We are the last line defense as far as safety goes. The people in HRO are not in the real world they live in the land of make believe and "we will do what we want because our pay checks are bigger than yours" and we are smarter than you anyways.

Out west for awhile safety ruled even over money now the dollar rules everything. People in HRO like to step over a 100$ bill to save a dime and then pat themselves on the back for a job well done. We used to go through the shop for a safety check every time we hit a yard now it coast to much. We went 248000 miles between breakdowns just bit better than 80,000 miles don't you think !
 
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CaptainKirk said:
As a somewhat new member of TB, would like to hear feedback on the Micheling 275 tires. IND was selected to try out these tires starting in the fall of 2008. During that winter I (road dispatcher) heard nothing but complaints that the tires would not hold traction in the snow (and even heavy rain). The IND road drivers said that the compound was too hard and cold, allowing snow/ice to build up in the treads.
I forwarded these complaints to HRO, and was told that perhaps IND drivers needed to learn how to drive!!!!!!!, and that the LIT drivers loved these tires.
Number 1, I would put IND drivers up against anyone in the system. What I really would like to see is comments, both positive and negative, concerning these tires. Do not know if most do like these tires, or if it is just some more corporate bullcrap.
I wish I had known about TB last winter to ask for comments, but better late than never. Appreciate all comments. I know corporate bigshots monitor this forum from time to time, and if what I think I will see is correct, perhaps this certain individual at HRO will be forced to eat his words.
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Do you have the name of the person that insulted all the drivers in IND? I'd let HRO know about that attitude in these days of trying to engage the employees. The skill of a driver has nothing to do with snow and ice becoming impacted in the tread of a tire. It has to do with the type of tire. Not the type of driver. Whoever said that is a cretin and shouldn't be in his position.

If the tires are cheaper, that's what they are going to go with. Safety, regardless of the latest DVD offerings stating that safety is the MOST important thing to FedEx, they will cut costs without regard to your or anyone else's safety. Walked on a dock lately with some newbie trying to move a 3000 pound bundle of steel with a forklift? Good luck to you.

The person who said go to the shop and use words like "dangerous", "unsafe" is correct. You need to put that in the write up when you deadline the equipment also. And if you have scanners, text your dispatcher letting him know your concerns. They can pull up any text should they need to. Guess they could delete any text the want to also, but I'd write down what I wrote and when I wrote it, date and time and to who.
 
Drivers are funny about tires. My assigned truck has super single drive tires and I've heard complaints from other drivers about these tires when they've driven my truck on dry roads. There are others that have never driven it and said they would refuse to.

Now I can tell you, I've driven this truck in snow, ice, heavy rain and even up over the Rockies in the snow and never had an issue with them. I guess tire opinions are kinda like aholes, everyone's got one.

Just for clarity sake, what are these tires used for and what makes them different?

roog
 
very true roogie I would be optimistic about the super singles and give them a try ,I have never had a problem with the super single dollies in the snow my self so would try the drive tires .the opinion thing is vey true the autoshifts are another example I absolutely hate the one i have to drive as does my coworker we have a gravel yard and i have sat beside the road broke down way too much for my liking so thats where i get my sourness for them.I would assume look at the michelin site and would be able to see the xd5's
 
I just looked at the michelin site I can see where they are coming from solid shoulder tires are not at all very good in snow and michelins have such a hard rubber compound to try and get tread life that that compormises traction here goes the opinion thing again but I have never been much of a fan of michelin drive tires myself for said reasons not very good traction on slippery conditions.I had the best luck when the company used the goodyear drive tires both the recap pattern and the virgin tire they used I think it was the 362 something or other I know the original goodyear drives on the autoshift i drive they were changed at 163000 miles which I didnt think was too bad for a single axle high torque tractor that was used for P&d work as well as linehaul
 
Santaclause said:
very true roogie I would be optimistic about the super singles and give them a try ,I have never had a problem with the super single dollies in the snow my self so would try the drive tires .the opinion thing is vey true the autoshifts are another example I absolutely hate the one i have to drive as does my coworker we have a gravel yard and i have sat beside the road broke down way too much for my liking so thats where i get my sourness for them.I would assume look at the michelin site and would be able to see the xd5's
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I just got a new set of Michelins on my truck, they are more aggressively patterned that the ones they replaced (Michelin X One XDN-2 vs XDA1.) I looked up the XDA-5 and with their solid outer edge they would have probably worked like the XDA1's I had previously.

They would spin pretty easy in the rain if I had lightweight trailers and started from a complete stop, my new ones have big blocks on the edges and seem to do better, although I can still get them to spin in the rain if I want to.

I remember when I ran a LIT meet the guy I met got those XDA-5 tires, but the bids changed right after he got them and I went back to the XB and haven't seen him since to see what he thought about them.

I drove R7750 (Volvo, AutoShift) and it was a good truck, but that was over 3 years ago. I know that another in our barn is in the shop quite a bit. My favorite automatic was a KW, R6751, it had a 12 speed Meritor auto with a seat mounted shifter that you could drive like a manual by nudging the joystick forward or back. One of a kind as far as I know though.

roog
 
CaptainKirk said:
As a somewhat new member of TB, would like to hear feedback on the Micheling 275 tires. IND was selected to try out these tires starting in the fall of 2008. During that winter I (road dispatcher) heard nothing but complaints that the tires would not hold traction in the snow (and even heavy rain). The IND road drivers said that the compound was too hard and cold, allowing snow/ice to build up in the treads.
I forwarded these complaints to HRO, and was told that perhaps IND drivers needed to learn how to drive!!!!!!!, and that the LIT drivers loved these tires.
Number 1, I would put IND drivers up against anyone in the system. What I really would like to see is comments, both positive and negative, concerning these tires. Do not know if most do like these tires, or if it is just some more corporate bullcrap.
I wish I had known about TB last winter to ask for comments, but better late than never. Appreciate all comments. I know corporate bigshots monitor this forum from time to time, and if what I think I will see is correct, perhaps this certain individual at HRO will be forced to eat his words.
Click to expand...

CaptainKirk :clap:

Not sure if I have seen the Michelin XDA5 tires here yet. I think I have XDA3 in the steering axle and will have to look closer at the drive tires.
Here is the main page for Michelin tires for our type of operation and tire size.
Michelin Americas Truck Tires

313hixx.jpg


:shift:
 
There were two guys from Michelin on the IND yard this summer a few times. They were checking tire tread wear. I talked to the guys for a few minutes they really didnt seem to worried about the problems with the tires. They loose traction when taking off even on dry pavement. Also the tread wears so uneven that the truck rides rough and awkard. I guess they tested them in the north east and they had a lot of complaints about them so they brought them to us to test.
 
I drove R7750 (Volvo, AutoShift) and it was a good truck, but that was over 3 years ago. I know that another in our barn is in the shop quite a bit. My favorite automatic was a KW, R6751, it had a 12 speed Meritor auto with a seat mounted shifter that you could drive like a manual by nudging the joystick forward or back. One of a kind as far as I know though.

roog[/QUOTE]

there was a guy from PIT used to drive R6754 with the meritor and he absolutely loved it also I think alot of the problems we have with ours at our barn is the NY road salt the things run in the crap 6 months out of the year and unfortunately it eats the wiring up badly, Volvos are also noted for weak electrical systems anyways plus i think P&d work is extremely hard on the autoshifts they really arent made for that I dont think the constant stoping and starting guys not used to them slaming them against the docks takes it toll on them I am hoping to get something else here sometime i hate the thing but that is me
 
there was a guy from PIT used to drive R6754 with the meritor and he absolutely loved it also I think alot of the problems we have with ours at our barn is the NY road salt the things run in the crap 6 months out of the year and unfortunately it eats the wiring up badly, Volvos are also noted for weak electrical systems anyways plus i think P&d work is extremely hard on the autoshifts they really arent made for that I dont think the constant stoping and starting guys not used to them slaming them against the docks takes it toll on them I am hoping to get something else here sometime i hate the thing but that is me
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There's no way I'd want to do P&D with an AutoShift, I'm sure the customers love their buildings getting slammed by FXF trailers. :/

I'd seriously take R6751 back, it was good running truck.

roog
 
From what I've seen,,, the auto trans is not the problem so much as is the idiot clutch mechanism .... Slamming docks,,, trailers,,, etc,,, is not good in any case..... Seems like they could just as easy put a manual clutch in front of the auto trans,,,,,, used to be hotrod transmissions like that,,,,, one called the Clutchflight....
 
Ive done P&D in an auto shift they are not that great. If they would take off in 3 or 4th gear instead of 2 all the time it would be better. And about the slamming the dock it took me a few days to figure out how not to slam docks, but it takes you forever to back it in though. And they are horrible about shifting in turns while snow and ice are on the ground.
 
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