Now Tires Are Victims of Covid and ???

[leomara]

I recently contacted two of the large tire sellers in HMN, Coker and Universal for tires that fit my 1928 Chrysler restoration.  None available and we cannot say when they will be was the story.  More specifically, Covid and a rubber shortage.  I didn't even know they still used rubber in tires I thought they were using synthetic rubber.  The tires I want are Firestones 650-18 and made here in the USA I'm told.  I'm vexed.

[joe_padavano]

10 minutes ago, leomara said:

I recently contacted two of the large tire sellers in HMN, Coker and Universal for tires that fit my 1928 Chrysler restoration.  None available and we cannot say when they will be was the story.  More specifically, Covid and a rubber shortage.  I didn't even know they still used rubber in tires I thought they were using synthetic rubber.  The tires I want are Firestones 650-18 and made here in the USA I'm told.  I'm vexed.

 

The entire global supply chain has been disrupted for the last 18-plus months. I guess I'm surprised that people are still surprised by this. The real problem isn't COVID, it's manufacturers who have embraced the just-in-time delivery model to cut inventory costs. That works great until it doesn't. Once you hone any reserves to the bare minimum, it doesn't take much of a hiccup to wreak havoc.

[alsancle]

Wait till you try to get tubes.

[Guest]

 I have been told the same thing on a set of 225 75R/15's

 I am thinking of buying regular passenger tires in a black wall.

 The "classic" shape won't be there but I will be able to drive my 48 Chrysler, (and spent about $800 less.)

 How much is the difference in looks really worth to me?  

[bryankazmer]

synthetic rubber is rubber - the main type in tires is SBR.  Tires are roughly 2/3 synthetic rubber and 1/3 natural rubber.  Synthetic rubber has been used in tires since before WWI, but natural rubber has low heat build on mechanical cycling so is used in certain parts of the construction.

[J3Studio]

2 hours ago, joe_padavano said:

The entire global supply chain has been disrupted for the last 18-plus months. I guess I'm surprised that people are still surprised by this. The real problem isn't COVID, it's manufacturers who have embraced the just-in-time delivery model to cut inventory costs. That works great until it doesn't. Once you hone any reserves to the bare minimum, it doesn't take much of a hiccup to wreak havoc.

Yep. Just-in-time turns into just late. At work, I've spent since February 2020 warning folks about supply chain issues and then having them believe those issues somehow don't apply to them.

[Lahti35]

My wife's uncle works for GM and was saying they are pulling the tires off of the already done cars (except for the computer chip!) in the outdoor storage lot and putting them on the cars on the line to keep things going as they are having trouble sourcing them. 

 

I ordered some 7.50x16 power king Highway II's last week with no issues though I did wonder if I would get them or not... maybe I got lucky!

 

[Lahti35]

1 hour ago, J3Studio said:

Yep. Just-in-time turns into just late. At work, I've spent since February 2020 warning folks about supply chain issues and then having them believe those issues somehow don't apply to them.

Amen, it works as long as everything is running perfectly. No resilience when problems strike though, turns into a disaster. Management won't learn from this though, they will go right back to status quo ASAP.   

[J3Studio]

4 minutes ago, Lahti35 said:

I ordered some 7.50x16 power king Highway II's last week with no issues though I did wonder if I would get them or not... maybe I got lucky!

 

That's the other thing—what does actually show up is almost completely unpredictable.

[60FlatTop]

1 hour ago, Lahti35 said:

Management won't learn from this though

The world has been suffering from a cornucopia of inept management for a long time. It's always right there "just in time".

 

I remember the battle cry, our warehouses are the trucks on the road.

 

n the case of the narrow 18's there would be a problem. My newer, only 40-60 year old cars can get by for a year or two with the modern equivalent. I have already purchased a pair of "roll arounds" for my '64 Riviera. Next year or the year after I will go for the 7.10 x 15's,

[Studemax]

Years ago, long before the internet, people thought a lack of information and knowledge resulted in stupidity.

It wasn't that.

[41 Su8]

I truly believe most of these shortages are  attempts to inflate prices.  If everyone continues to pay these high prices, the prices will stay high.    John

[cudaman]

Same story from Universal tire - no supply and no estimate on availability. 

[dibarlaw]

I remember showing the Chrysler Corp. film "Just in Time" back when I first started teaching Industrial Arts in 1985. This was to tout industries efficent supply chain and to eliminate the horrifically expensive warehousing of components. If any one travels along route 81 in PA. from Virginia to New York will question the "Just in Time" concept. Or to see its ultimate development. Within 20 miles north and south of our Chambersburg location farm land is gobbled up at a swift pace for the MEGA warehouse complexes. 5 new monstrosities in the last 2 years. Route 81 is approaching gridlock with truck traffic. I avoid it at all cost.

Edited August 19, 2021 by dibarlaw
spelling (see edit history)

[ted sweet]

no other way from upstate to carlisle or hershey

[dibarlaw]

Routes 11/15 are the other choice.... That is untill there is a truck accident on 81 then 11/15 is in gridlock!

[60FlatTop]

Anyone involved in IT or computer services at the turn of this century should be familiar with the Denial of Services Attack. Many of the recent shortfalls in services sure have that feeling to them. There's an agenda.

 

I needed to make an important call a couple of days ago. The generated voice told me I had a 65 to 70 minute wait. I figured all those people were calling in to thank them for the wonderful job they had done.

[MarkV]

On 8/17/2021 at 8:45 AM, Roger Walling said:

 I have been told the same thing on a set of 225 75R/15's

 I am thinking of buying regular passenger tires in a black wall.

 The "classic" shape won't be there but I will be able to drive my 48 Chrysler, (and spent about $800 less.)

 How much is the difference in looks really worth to me?  

that’s what I did with my new to me Studebaker. I bought the cheapest I could find $400 out the door with road hazard and lifetime rotation and balancing. The results look good and what’s the difference? Oh yes I can get the pie crust blackwall but in the end unless you are taking the car to shows where people know, no one cares. And not every car had huge whitewalls back in the day that is some weird cultural idea that all the 40s and 50s cars had whitewall tires. 

 

I wasn’t going to spend $1200 for Blackwall tires and I wasn’t happy with my last purchase from Coker 

Edited August 21, 2021 by MarkV (see edit history)

[30DodgePanel]

On 8/17/2021 at 7:04 AM, joe_padavano said:

 

The entire global supply chain has been disrupted for the last 18-plus months. I guess I'm surprised that people are still surprised by this. The real problem isn't COVID, it's manufacturers who have embraced the just-in-time delivery model to cut inventory costs. That works great until it doesn't. Once you hone any reserves to the bare minimum, it doesn't take much of a hiccup to wreak havoc.

 

I agree, but I'd have to add that because of the lost revenue (yes, due to covid) they found themselves in this situation (just in time delivery model) to begin with.

 

So many other factors are definitely pointing to a predicted inflationary situation that only compounds where we are on top of everything else. Combine the uncertainty or fear of taking a risk to increase inventory along with the covid unknowns IE shipping, material costs, the Fed's unending manipulation of the entire system etc... then why would anyone expect anything otherwise? 

 

---

For those that didn't see this coming, they must have had their head in the sand. Things are NOT the way they used to be and I doubt we'll ever see a return to normality. 

 

As Studmax hinted, prior to the internet... wisdom and patience will always reign supreme. 

Edited August 21, 2021 by 30DodgePanel (see edit history)