RCA repeated flats

[Dingesskahn]

Hey,

I've been an RCA for five years and some change. Two years in a town about 30 miles away, and three in my home town. It's a ten minute drive to work every Saturday. For the majority of my time I've used a 2006 Toyota Rav4 that barely worked. My post masters worked with me as they knew I really didn't make a lot of money. I had someone who was a friend of a friend who would inspect my vehicle which would probably not pass inspection anywhere else. Finally, thank you God, I saved up the money to purchase a 2015 Jeep Renegade. I love it. The first weekend went by like clockwork, and I was fairly impressed. Then, suddenly, I got a cut in the sidewall of my driver front tire.
Putting this up to bad luck I had the tire replaced. Then it happened again. Same tire, same kind of vertical cut in the tire.
This has happened to me three times now, and the tire has been replaced every single time, however Jeep Renegades do not come with spare tires. Today I'm on the way to a local salvage yard to pick up a full size "spare", but it's just another tire.
Here is my point.
My office is small, one full time route, a k route, and an aux route operate out of it. There are no cameras. The main carrier has no such problems, and yet here I am every weekend pulling my hair out. It's my responsibility to have the spare, of that I'm certain, however I don't understand where I'm getting the flat. I've re-ran the route, at least up and until where my tire goes, three times. I can't find any wire, jagged rocks, even glass. It's the driver front wheel, the one that stays on the road.
Does anyone have any advice? I want to retire from the post office and am slated to go full time next summer. For a lack of anything better to focus on I've prayed my little black heart out. I don't have any enemies that I know of, but I'm begining to think that someone is doing this to me, rather than happening naturally.
Thank you all very much for any response, and I love your site!

 

[btdtret]

Dingesskahn -- "I got a cut in the sidewall of my driver front tire. Putting this up to bad luck I had the tire replaced. Then it happened again. Same tire, same kind of vertical cut in the tire."

-- Ask the tire store's opinion as to what would cause a vertical cut in a tire.

-- Where is this happening? On the route? Or while parked at home? At the post office?

-- What is the width / length of the sidewall cut? Knife-sized?

-- If there is a police department in the town, show them the cut on the tire and ask for an opinion as to the cause.

-- See about a home security camera -- pointed at your Jeep.

-- Who was the former owner of the Jeep and did he / she have any enemies? Or a criminal record?

 

[DB.Cooper]

If you suspect vandalism, maybe you could hide a camera somewhere to watch your Jeep while at the PO... or maybe there is a better place to park it while unattended... there can be some fickle people working at the PO, that I can tell you... I've had similar problems as you've described, with nails placed in the sidewalls of my tires, which basically ruins them...

 

[eunomios]

I wouldn't rule out sabotage.

I got hired over another RCA who had to quit and reapply that everyone liked very much (I got the first interview because of test score). Stuff was routinely being dumped into my gas tank. Dealership had my fuel filter absolutely clogged and trashed, I experienced many mornings with non-starts (had to add throttle in neutral to push it all through), muffler clog (something was shoved up into it - coolant emptied out with no signs of leak or where it went. After the mechanics replaced my fuel filter/pump - fixed clogged injectors, replaced muffler they said I should get a go pro.

Didn't get a go pro; but a locking gas cap and getting in good favor with the PM/Regulars put an end to it.

Edit: my pov is in a locked garage at home, and i started measuring the fuel meter meticulously - It got to a point when I knew exactly when and where water/gatorade was entering my tank - all when a certain CCA who really liked the previous RCA loaded their LLV in the parking lot alone.

 

[Morty]

I had that issue with thin "cheap" tires. I went to a truck tire, sized up. No more flats.

 

[Rt2mailman]

If your tire damage is happening on the route on your front left tire there is little chance a co-worker doing it. He would have to damage your tire just enough to go bad after you leave the office, a hard chore for sure. It is more likely that there is something being thrown on your roads just before you get your flat. Check the roads carefully for any debris.
If you still or in the future want to keep you vehicle secure, you could get a dash cam that works while you are not in or near the vehicle. Is there anytime that you are a way from your vehicle while on your route? If at an apartment building, or other type of stop where you can't see your vehicle, it could be being damaged there.

 

[Dingesskahn]

I had that issue with thin "cheap" tires. I went to a truck tire, sized up. No more flats.

This is what the Rt 1 carrier told me to do. 10-12 ply. I'm kinda kept poor with several financial obligations but understand the need to meet the responsibilities placed on me by my employer. On the other hand I don't know if I'm going to need to be that paranoid. What's galling is the fact that the rim and tire for my model vehicle is so rare and expensive.

 

[Dingesskahn]

If your tire damage is happening on the route on your front left tire there is little chance a co-worker doing it. He would have to damage your tire just enough to go bad after you leave the office, a hard chore for sure. It is more likely that there is something being thrown on your roads just before you get your flat. Check the roads carefully for any debris.
If you still or in the future want to keep you vehicle secure, you could get a dash cam that works while you are not in or near the vehicle. Is there anytime that you are a way from your vehicle while on your route? If at an apartment building, or other type of stop where you can't see your vehicle, it could be being damaged there.

No more than 30 seconds, but this is much later in the route. I'm having the flat at about an hour in most of the time. Maybe two. We've been getting the talks every Saturday, or at least have been recently, about not pulling into drive-ways in order to eliminate the need of putting the POV in reverse.

 

[Morty]

This is what the Rt 1 carrier told me to do. 10-12 ply. I'm kinda kept poor with several financial obligations but understand the need to meet the responsibilities placed on me by my employer. On the other hand I don't know if I'm going to need to be that paranoid. What's galling is the fact that the rim and tire for my model vehicle is so rare and expensive.

Check on craigslist. I just bought a full set of 5 new tires/rims for less than new tires. I just checked my local craigslist and 4 brand new tires from a renegade, $125.

People that buy jeeps often ditch the stock tire/rims.

 

[csparks]

Unless it is deliberate, I'm kinda stumped. Maybe little suspicious of the rim for the tire that keeps getting damaged. If you locate another rim, put it on that front wheel?

As for tires, I've had very good luck with Yokohama Geolander 10 ply. There are the thickest tire Yokohama makes. They recently added a mud trac (Geolander M/T) that has been even better vs flats. I live in heavy gravel country, and our small town tire guy really knows what works. I just love these tires. They even have some tread on the sidewall.

Yokohama GEOLANDAR M/T G003 Tires: Ultimate Mud-Terrain Performance

Dominate extreme off-road conditions with Yokohama GEOLANDAR M/T G003 tires. Designed for aggressive traction, superior durability, and reliable…

www.yokohamatire.com

 

[Dingesskahn]

Unless it is deliberate, I'm kinda stumped. Maybe little suspicious of the rim for the tire that keeps getting damaged. If you locate another rim, put it on that front wheel?

As for tires, I've had very good luck with Yokohama Geolander 10 ply. There are the thickest tire Yokohama makes. They recently added a mud trac (Geolander M/T) that has been even better vs flats. I live in heavy gravel country, and our small town tire guy really knows what works. I just love these tires. They even have some tread on the sidewall.

Yokohama GEOLANDAR M/T G003 Tires: Ultimate Mud-Terrain Performance

Dominate extreme off-road conditions with Yokohama GEOLANDAR M/T G003 tires. Designed for aggressive traction, superior durability, and reliable…

www.yokohamatire.com

You and I are of like minds then. The rest of the staff at my office would be very put out if I were to shake things up by contacting any of the higher ups with this and no proof, not to mention make myself look like a fool. I'm attempting to find a matching rim and tire for a spare before Friday, but again, I am impeded by abject poverty. Also thank you Morty, I hadn't even considered Craigslist.

 

[Shafted]

Get a friend to be in the parking lot without being noticed next Saturday. If you suspect a coworker it will be evident. Video on a cellphone. We had a contract carrier that was hell bent on destroying anything new that I bought. The last two brand new RHD vehicles I showed up with were immediately met with him “accidentally” (deliberately) ramming a 1075 u-cart down between our vehicles when he loaded. The outer canvas was worn off the metal frame. Nice long scratches. He knew that I knew he did it, but I had no video. These were no accidents. Vehicle number two I had a hunch he might do it again, but by the time I got to the parking lot it was too late. When I got assigned an LLV he was clearly hoping to get my personal vehicle, ( we had carrier spots with POV, LLV, and personal vehicles all in same lot, and HC routes have no assigned parking). The first day I followed him and went outback right as he was rolling his carts out and pointed to the bank camera next door, ( I parked there for that reason ), and told him if he even thought about it he’d be getting arrested. That ended that crap.he was a total scumbag that had a permanent chip on his shoulder, and wanted to ruin anything nice that someone else had. Even went so far as hitting a city carriers new personal vehicle in the lot, looking around, and got out of his vehicle walking away. Someone saw it. Priceless.

 

[Jmdw52]

Is the slice on the inside? Pull your wheel and really look at the suspension etc... also, in driveway turn the wheel fully in both directions and check for clearance...

 

[Dingesskahn]

It's on the outside, every time. Always on the side-wall with a vertical slice, not a tear.

 

[RDruckus]

I hit one of those metal straps you see on loads of lumber in my POV on the highway.
I couldn't see it, I heard it snake around, and yes, slice a tire I had just bought that week.
(I bid off that route for something more rural at the first opportunity.)

 

[FEDUP Amazombie]

I had brand new tires & one inch slits came up. There was a blue heeler dog that was biting my tire! My sub had 2 flats at their house where he got her.

 

[Dingesskahn]

So I think I've figured it out. This whole time I was driving a toyota rav4 that could barely be called a car. I think only one wheel would pull due to developing electrical problems. I get the jeep, and it has lousy wal-mart tires on it. I think we can all agree that jeeps have a little more torque than most of your all wheel drive vehicles. A rut about 4 inches deep on a state maintained road had formed beside the third box on the route. I had to get out to deliver this boxes mail but after that and just taking it easy when taking off I had a full day with no incidents. Let this be a lesson to anyone who is a new RCA and is thinking about buying a newer car for the route. Know what you're buying and what it can do. Also, don't buy cheap tires for it and get on rough roads thinking you're just going to accelerate faster than is absolutely necessary. I chewed up three tires in three weeks.
Needless to say I feel pretty stupid right now.

 

[btdtret]

Dingesskahn -- Hopefully that rut is the problem. Nice detective work.

-- Next stop, a hard ware store for a bag of sand or gravel to fill the rut - as I doubt the state highway crew will get there any time soon after you call it in.

 

[Jmdw52]

Leave the gravel in the bag... it doesn’t wash away then and the bag stays good for a pretty decent length of time... customer on my route did this and I love it.... the rut would wash out every rain.