Is Your Spare Tire A Firestone???

[LOTH]

Well, here is my story.... I own a Z71 with 17" Goodyear Wranglers all around. I was on my weekly commute from Pittsburgh to Cincinnati and had a rear blowout. I was going about 85 when it happened and let me tell ya, I was pleasantly surprised how well the truck handled, I barely knew it blew out. Anyway, I pulled over in a rest area (2 miles down the road) and opened the user manual and began the easter egg hunt for all of the tools. Once I found all of the tools, a pleasant surprise provided by GM was encountered...the lug wrench comes with a pair of gloves!! My old BMW didn't even have that!

So, to my point...I lowered the spare tire to to find not only is it a different size (16", but taller profile so its the same as the stock size) but it was a Firestone Wilderness AT...the same model recalled from Ford. I check the recall web site and the size isn't one on the recall list. So, I wonder, do you think the Av originally came with Firestones? Do you think the spare tire should be suspect? I called a local dealer hear in Cincy, but haven't got a call back. Any thoughts??

And by the way, I had the tire replaced by another Goodyear Wrangler....the consumer version has a different tread pattern and a different font for the tire lettering. I was told that sometimes products produced for GM or another auto maker may be different than what is provided to consumers. And it cost $200!!!!

Just a little true story to make you think...

 

[LazKat]

Hey, Firestone had to do *something* with all those tires... My guess is that 95% of car buyers would never notice or of they did wouldn't think much about it.

I like being in the top 5%...

 

[Guest User]

All of the spares are the 16" Goodyear, no matter what tire size you ordered. That is why I am ordering the 16" wheels and tires and will replace all 5 once my truck arrives.

 

[dssnuffy]

That was my post (as guest). You can see my thread on wheels and tires from about 2 weeks ago.

 

[Mr._A_Valanche]

I also have the Firestone Wilderness AT as a spare (265-75-16). I had the same Firestones on the 2000 Silverado I had before the Av. I called the Firestone dealer when the recall was going on and he told me that size was not included in the recall.

 

[invested]

I was just reading about a bulletin from GM. it's about the spare tire and if it's a different size than the other tires. bulletin #02-03-10-001 has anyone else seen or heard about this? I will ask the dealer about it when my rear window finally comes in.

 

[jmg3]

Yep, spend 40,000 big ones and get the big one in your behind!! That is some crap chevy pulled by putting the firestone under the rear for the spare on the AVY's!! They ought to be ashamed for that one. I noticed it the night I picked up my truck when I had it on the lift at the dealership checking for damage underneath from shipping (I have # 2 sold in NJ, so I was very curious) Spend 40 g's and get a firestone, which in my eyes, is worse than riding on a bicycle tire at 80+

 

[truckman]

I noticed the smaller Firestone spare a few days after I picked my AV up at the dealer. I called the dealer and they just said, "that's the way they are coming in". This is obviously something Chevy ain't too proud of. I've got the same Firestone on my 2001 Tahoe. I really doesn't seem to be a bad tire, but I wonder if there are any safety problems with one odd ball size tire doing 75 mph on the freeway if you ever have to use the spare .

 

[Carrierdealer]

It was the second thing I noticed about the truck.
After I bought it.

 

[msimpy]

A little digging at GM and here's what I found....
http://www.chevrolet.com/avalanche/features.htm#wheels
Sure don't remember this one being on their site a couple of months ago when I was looking at getting an Av.

 

[Twain]

All of my tires are Firestone Wilderness LEs and that's on all of the 16" rims I saw at the dealers. The 17s had Goodyears.

Not a flame, but here's my take...
Personally, I think the Ford Exploder's design coupled with drivers who believe they are driving a car, contributed to rollovers more than the tire design.

 

[jstrickl]

I would have to agree with Twain on this one. I had an Expedition XLT with 17" Firestones that were eventually part of the Ford recall. 3 times I called the dealership - the first to choose my replacement rubber. The next two times to ask where are my tires. I eventually just gave up bugging them as they really weren't willing to give me any good information.

I drove another 15k miles on those recalled Firestones. I rotated them every other oil change and to the day I turned it back in at lease end, the tires were still in good shape. I guess I never really got in too much a fervor over the tires. I live in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area and took it to Waco once and Indianapolis 2 times while waiting for my replacements.

Jamie

 

[shafman1]

I have a Firestone spare tire. However, I had 16 inch Firestones all around on my 99 Silverado and I never had a problem nor was I worried about it. They were never part of the recall.

 

[Dali555]

Has anyone contacted the dealer about this CRAPPY Firestone Wilderness spare that comes with the AV I just bought a Z71 AV and looked under to see FIRECRAP staring me in the face. I am very upset over this. If they have Goodyears all around and you pay 38-40,000 for this truck they could at least give you the exact same tire and rim for the spare. I haven't checked but do I have a 16 inch spare rim? I am going to contact my dealer and complain tomorrow. I will post if they help at all. If they don't then it is a letter to Chevy! I don't usually complain but with what I spent I don't like to see them skimping!
Later

 

[Rolando]

I know what you mean Dali555. Fortunately, when I upgraded my tires, I also changed the spare to match the other 4.

The last thing I want is to have to use a spare tire that's a different size from the rest and ruin my suspension or something else.

But, going back to your comment, I couldn't understand why they put basic street tires on an AV.

 

[jstrickl]

Also check out this thread:
Is your spare tire a Firestone?

As much as it DOES suck having the firestone under the bed, it is in fact a 16" tire that has a taller sidewall. It actually will be the same size on the road when on your truck. I would guess it is a decent cost savings not to have a polished steel 17" rim that theoretically will never be used sitting under the bed. I can see there point but they could have just used a plain old 17" rim with another matching Goodyear.

Jamie

 

[NJAV]

This still remains a mystery to me as well.....I think I'm going to give my buddy a call down at the dealership and inquire about this one....

 

[AVYNUT]

Because of this thread, I did a "test" run for changing a flat tire. ?Once I figured out how to insert the tire lowering "rod," it was smooth sailing!

The Firestone tire works fine (for an emergency) flat. ?Besides, with OnStar, let someone else handle it!!!

Don't feel too bad! ?I just checked all the new Tahoes (8 of 'em) with 16" wheels... ?They all had Firestone Wilderness AT tires! ?

NJAV... ?If you get a FREE replacement Goodyear put on your steel spare rim, let us know, OK

 

[truckman]

I responded to the other thread concerning this topic. I've also got a '01 Tahoe with Wilderness "LE" tires on it. These are the upgrade tires for the Tahoe (wider w/white letters). The "LE"s are a totally different animal than the "AT"s. I'm sure there were some probelms with the "AT"s, but Ford should share in the blame for telling customers to under-inflate their tires to cover a poorly designed vehicle.

Truckman

 

[NJAV]

I will attempt to coherce Chevy into replacing my firestone with a goodyear.....I haven't had a chance to make it down...but I will without a doubt report my results with the General...

 

[Boar-Ral]

My dad spoke with the owner of the dealership that I bought my Avalanche from, regarding the Firestone spare tire.

Sometime this week or next week, I am to go to the dealership. They are pulling a Goodyear from an Avalanche on the lot and replacing my Firestone spare with it. I believe the wheels are different sizes, so they are going to have to deal with that as well.

I am very impressed with the dealership doing this. I am also surprised dad spoke to them regarding this. I had no idea he even knew about the spare tire being Firestone, let alone him getting in touch with the dealership regarding it.

 

[AVYNUT]

You MAY open a BIG can of worms for "THE GENERAL!"

 

[Rick_Smith]

I also have goodyears all the way around but ended up with a firestone underneath.

 

[dkwatsonGuest User]

As the G.M. page says,,,,all spare tires are the 16" size and all I have seen are Firestone. Question? If to protect the locking rear the tires have to be the same [size], hight. Why then does G.M. say that with 16" tires the truck sits [4] inches lower? This does not add up...............k

 

[ygmn]

Bigger rubber on the 16" spare so the ODs match.