tires

[James Rios]

i keep seeing those giant tractor tires around this and other affiliate web sites and have been wondering where i would find such a HUGE tire. i live near in a suburb adjacent to Los Angeles so i cant just go find a local farmer or anything like that. i was also wondering if anyone could give me a ballpark estimate of the cost.

thanks for any input

[Veronica Carpenter]

If you do a little asking around you can get one for free.

One place you could get a nice heavy one for free is at a quarry or gravel pit, I have seen used tires in piles at those places in the US, I don't know if they have such places anywhere near LA though.

[Alex Rosch]

Check out tire-shops that service OTR (Off The Road). Just take a drive around the back of the shop to see what they have. These shops have to pay to get rid of these tires, so you're acually saving them money. Make sure you talk to them before you take a seemingly free tire. The ones outside could just as well be awaiting pick up by the customer...so check before. And you can also have a 'set' of tires...so although you're waiting for that 450lb tire, take the 150lb'er (much more common) home and flip that (many, many times).
I can't wait till it's warmer outside and I can futher confuse the neighbours by flipping my tractor tire down the ally
For a new tire you're looking at a bit of money...like take a rather expensive passenger tire ($300+) and imagine making one bigger...so the cost can be in the hundreds to thousands...In Fort McMurray, where there's a lot of tar-sand operations, there are these 300 tonne trucks...the tires (or tyres) are so huge you don't even come up to the hub (centre of wheel)...just to get a 'flat' repaired on these things cost hundreds! They're about $20-30,000 new...and a few thousand pounds too...unrelated? Yes. interesting? Yes.

[Timothy Roehr]

I got mine at a tire store. Many of them also have a commercial center. You might also go find the local Catepillar dealer.

[David Chow]

I agree with Alex, just hit one of the local tire shops around you and speak with the shop manager. Tire shops have to pay to get rid of old tires and they're more than happy to have someone take them away for free. The tires you get may be old and dirty, but they get the job done and most importantly they're FREE!

One important thing is that if you do find a giant tire bring a friend and a truck/trailer. I scored a big one and it took me 15 minutes to get it in the back of my truck and another 15 to get it out. Happy hunting!

[Dennis Barrett]

Just about any city or county road or highway dept operates front end loaders and backhoes. If they are big enough, they have a maint. dept. that handles the tire replacement or they have a contract with the local Goodyear, Firestone or Crazy Charlies Tire World for tire replacement.
They all have to pay to dispose of these big tires. If you present yourself properly and they don,t think you plan to film your friends rolling off a cliff for a worlds wildess vidio show then abandon the tires in a ditch to come back and haunt them, they may well be glad to let you have one for little or nothing.

Dennis B.

[Dan Ensing]

Originally Posted by Dennis Barrett

Just about any city or county road or highway dept operates front end loaders and backhoes. If they are big enough, they have a maint. dept. that handles the tire replacement or they have a contract with the local Goodyear, Firestone or Crazy Charlies Tire World for tire replacement.
They all have to pay to dispose of these big tires. If you present yourself properly and they don,t think you plan to film your friends rolling off a cliff for a worlds wildess vidio show then abandon the tires in a ditch to come back and haunt them, they may well be glad to let you have one for little or nothing.

Dennis B.

I got mine from a local public works department. It costs them money to dispose of it, and time since they have to cut it in half. Cost me nothing but a little time to pick it up.

Dan

[Ryan Saul]

We just got two full size tractor tires and three semi-truck tires for $20 from a tire repair/junk yard. They also delivered. Just find anyone who works with tires and ask if they have any scrap tractor tires. You shouldn't pay more than $10 for one.

Ryan

[Chris Champagne]

I also live in LA county and have been looking for one as well and just yesterday I was coming back from Pismo Beach on the 166 and found a gas station that had about 6 HUGE tires and he said we could pick them up for FREE however it may cost a bit to drive up.

CC