Tell them if there was smoke before the tire went
A tire that fails on the road is not always the cause of the stop. Sometimes it is the last thing to go after something else on that wheel had already been failing for miles.
A brake that has been dragging heats the wheel end until the tire beside it gives up. A wheel bearing on its way out does the same. In both cases the driver sees a blown tire, and a fresh tire on the same wheel end fails again further down the road.
The driver usually saw the clue and did not think it mattered. That is why the useful questions on the phone are not only about the tire.
- Was there smoke or a burning smell from that wheel before it failed?
- Did the truck pull toward that side, or feel like it was dragging?
- Is the wheel itself hot to stand near, much hotter than the others?
- Was there noise, a grinding or a growl, that came and went?
Any yes is worth saying when you call. It tells the technician that the job may be the wheel end as well as the tire, and that putting a tire on and sending the unit away could mean a second call.
What the call needs besides that
Where the unit is, which axle and side, and the tire size from the sidewall. Settle authorization ahead of time through a fleet account, so the call is not waiting on a signature.
When the unit comes back to the store, heavy-duty truck alignment and wheel work can be done at the same address. The national roadside assistance page covers what any call needs.
Nearest other roadside stores
De Soto to the north, and across the state line, Paducah, KY.
About this store
The Jackson store is open Monday to Friday, 7:00 AM to 5:00 PM, and is managed by Mike Rhymer.
See the national roadside assistance page for all 48 locations.