Firestone FR480 Tires
Thread Starter
|
Freshman User
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 41
Likes: 0
Firestone FR480 Tires
Just noticed something interesting about the 4-year-old Firestone FR480 tires on my 93 Ranger, size 225 70R 14, which only have 30K miles on them. Three of the tires started to get sidewall cracks after about a year, and now are peeling. The fourth tire looks good as new. The difference??? The first three are made in Brazil, and the fourth is made in Canada. Pure garbage from my local Firestone dealer. I'll be replacing them with Michelins before I become a rollover statistic. It's disappointing because this was my third set of these tires, the first lasting 72K miles, and the second lasting 80K.
Moderator
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 13,851
Likes: 111
From: SW Va
A thread with a link to tire manufacturer codes.
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/4...our-tires.html
I'm still running the OEM Firestone Wilderness HT's on my 99 Ranger & they have 65K + miles on them without sidewall dryrot.
The sidewalls on the OEM Michelin HW-4 tires on my 94 Taurus began to crack in 4 years, same for the MXV4+ Michelins I replaced them with, running a set of Michelin Harmony now on the Taurus, which are going on two years & so far are ok.
BTW, the tire Dealer warned me that Michelin wouldn't warranty the tires if a sidewall dressing like Armor-All, ect, was used.
They claim that it'll cause the sidewall rubber to depolymerize & crack!!!!????
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/4...our-tires.html
I'm still running the OEM Firestone Wilderness HT's on my 99 Ranger & they have 65K + miles on them without sidewall dryrot.
The sidewalls on the OEM Michelin HW-4 tires on my 94 Taurus began to crack in 4 years, same for the MXV4+ Michelins I replaced them with, running a set of Michelin Harmony now on the Taurus, which are going on two years & so far are ok.
BTW, the tire Dealer warned me that Michelin wouldn't warranty the tires if a sidewall dressing like Armor-All, ect, was used.
They claim that it'll cause the sidewall rubber to depolymerize & crack!!!!????
Cargo Master
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 3,208
Likes: 13
Buyer beware Michelin will not warranty there products. They have the lowest warranty claim rate in the industry and there is a reason. They don't warranty anything. The standard answer they use is you ran the tire with low air pressure. After Firestone was bought by the Japanese there tires come from everywhere but America so good luck. Right at this time I wouldn't recommend any tire Manufacture. they are all pretty much junk from cheap junk to expensive junk.
Postmaster
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 2,873
Likes: 0
From: St. Peter
I always like the tires we sold at tires plus (Bridgestone/Firestone). I think alot of the dryrot has to do with how you clean them. Some rim cleaners/tire cleaners will cause dryrot.
It does sound to me like something that happend during the manufacturing process.
I will say this though, my buddy worked at a sams club tire shop, and they would warranty just about anything. I was there when a guy brought in a tire that had been on a car with an obviously bad front end part. I mean, the tire looked almost new, but the corner tread was chewed off.
I know when I worked at TP we were pretty strict at that. However there were alot of people who would blame it on the tire, when it was really bad ball joints/etc.
It does sound to me like something that happend during the manufacturing process.
I will say this though, my buddy worked at a sams club tire shop, and they would warranty just about anything. I was there when a guy brought in a tire that had been on a car with an obviously bad front end part. I mean, the tire looked almost new, but the corner tread was chewed off.
I know when I worked at TP we were pretty strict at that. However there were alot of people who would blame it on the tire, when it was really bad ball joints/etc.
Post Fiend
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 7,147
Likes: 0
I haven't bought those stinken tires since the japanese bought the company. I run BFG KO's on all my off road rigs. I've also had good luck with cooper and kelly, plus michelins, but if it isn't broke, don't fix it and the BFG's were awesome on and offf road/ For just a street tire, I would say michelin is king.
Cargo Master
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 2,084
Likes: 94
From: Stanton, Michigan, USA
VVVVVVVery interesting tid-bit of information...... 
BarnieTrk
BarnieTrk
Trending Topics
Postmaster
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 2,873
Likes: 0
From: St. Peter
Even so, the tires have a completly different design.
I agree on the BFG AT/KO's though. If I were looking for a set of tires, it would be between them and the Dueler A/t Revo's. Those are a sweet tire.
However I bet HOW you take care of a tire will matter much much more than what tire you buy (in the same price line).
I agree on the BFG AT/KO's though. If I were looking for a set of tires, it would be between them and the Dueler A/t Revo's. Those are a sweet tire.
However I bet HOW you take care of a tire will matter much much more than what tire you buy (in the same price line).
FTE Stories
Ford Trucks for Ford Truck Enthusiasts
2027 Ford Super Duty Buyer's Guide (Every Model, Engine, & Package)
Brett Foote
Top 10 Ford Truck Tragedies
Joe Kucinski
AEV FXL Super Duty - the Super Duty Raptor Ford Doesn't Make
Brett Foote
Lobo Vs Lobo: Proof the F-150 Lobo Should Be Even Lower!
Michael S. Palmer
Ford's 2001 Explorer Sportsman Concept Looks For a New Home
Verdad Gallardo
10 Best Ford Truck Engines We Miss the Most!
Joe Kucinski
2026 Shelby F-150 Off-Road: Better Than a Raptor R?
Brett Foote
2027 Super Duty Carhartt Package First Look: 12 Things You NEED to Know!
Michael S. Palmer
10 Most Surprising 2026 Ford Truck Features!
Joe Kucinski
Elder User
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 871
Likes: 0
I haven't bought those stinken tires since the japanese bought the company. I run BFG KO's on all my off road rigs. I've also had good luck with cooper and kelly, plus michelins, but if it isn't broke, don't fix it and the BFG's were awesome on and offf road/ For just a street tire, I would say michelin is king.
Firestone was American.
Bridgestone was Japanese.
Bridgestone bought out Firestone in 1988.
Buyer beware Michelin will not warranty there products. They have the lowest warranty claim rate in the industry and there is a reason. They don't warranty anything. The standard answer they use is you ran the tire with low air pressure. After Firestone was bought by the Japanese there tires come from everywhere but America so good luck. Right at this time I wouldn't recommend any tire Manufacture. they are all pretty much junk from cheap junk to expensive junk.
And YES many of their tires are made in the USA:
In August 1997, Bridgestone Firestone announced that it would build a $435 million passenger and light truck tire plant in Aiken County, S.C. The plant began shipping tires in March 1999, and its almost 1000 team members currently produce more than 23,000 tires per day. A $24.5 million expansion of the facility was completed in December 2000. The state-of-the-art facility represents the latest tire manufacturing technology, including Bridgestone Firestone’s ACTAS, which stands for Automated Continuous Tire Assembly System. The company currently operates 15 tire plants in the Americas, with eight located in the United States.
Bridgestone Americas Holding, Inc.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
