Michelin XRV tire can O worms!

[footdoc]

I'm opening the can here...over on RV.NET there has been a long discussion about Michelin XRV tires getting a zipper blowout where the sidewall splits. I think Newmar uses these on all the DPs including mine
Im planning on getting a pressure monitoring system soon, but that wont help a zipper BOOM!
Has anyone over here had that experience with the XRVs? If so, has it been associated with a curb ride-over or underinflation or overloading?

[footdoc]

I'm opening the can here...over on RV.NET there has been a long discussion about Michelin XRV tires getting a zipper blowout where the sidewall splits. I think Newmar uses these on all the DPs including mine
Im planning on getting a pressure monitoring system soon, but that wont help a zipper BOOM!
Has anyone over here had that experience with the XRVs? If so, has it been associated with a curb ride-over or underinflation or overloading?

["007"]

Have had Michelin tires on all 3 F-53 chassis and this one as long as psi and weight overloading is not done tires, should be OK.
That site slams Michelin all the time have not seen that here.

[GaryKD]

I have had only Michelin tires on my autos, trucks and coaches since 1978. Before that I had other brands and did have problems. I have never had a blowout. I have had only one out of round problem and Michelin stepped up and replaced both tires. For me, Michelin tires are the only tires I will buy. I do keep the tires properly inflated, based on the weight they are carrying.

[Ecker]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by footdoc:
I'm opening the can here...over on RV.NET there has been a long discussion about Michelin XRV tires getting a zipper blowout where the sidewall splits. I think Newmar uses these on all the DPs including mine
Im planning on getting a pressure monitoring system soon, but that wont help a zipper BOOM!
Has anyone over here had that experience with the XRVs? If so, has it been associated with a curb ride-over or underinflation or overloading? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

It's not clear the cause but I recorded a long list of such failures for the FW Discovery Club starting in 1999. The easy answer was under inflation but we had several owners who were all most fanatics at checking air pressure and knew thier weights, etc. We tried to get Michelin to investigate but they refused. On a personal basis I drove my Discovery over 45,000 miles with no problems before changing out to GY 670RV's. We reported our finding to NHTSB but got no response there either. We thought we saw a trend to left front where it was known that due to slide the tolerance was less. However,over time this was shown to be not statistically valid. The most cogent thought was that it was related to over loading due to crowned roads putting too much load on one tire where the excess capacity was minimum to start. FW did change to next size larger (255 vs 235) after several years and owners replaced with the larger size and the reported failures became very infrequent if at all.

[Cruzer]

Are you sure you have XRVs on your MADP? Not all Michelins are XRVs. When I looked at the 2005 MADP 4301 I'm pretty sure it had XZE series tires on it.

My 2003 Suncruiser had XRVs. My 2004 Allegro Bus has XZEs and my 2007 has XZA3s. The XRV has a very thin sidewall which is designed to give a cushier ride to RV owners compared to the heavier sidewalls in the truck tires. Therefore, they are more susceptible to "issues". Low pressure will take a tool on them and lightly brushing up against a curbing, which normally isn't all that bad on a heavier tire, can weaken the sidewall. True, there's a number of RVers who do take care of them and still have the zipper tears though so I can't speak to that. But, the XZE and XZA3 series tires have heavier sidewalls and I don't hear about zipper tears on these.

[clubmed98]

I'm inclined to believe it is a problem of weight and inflation..spartan or newmar did a recall on my 98 dsdp and put xzas on front and at fmca rally after my neighbor weighed his allegro bus with the xrv he found using new michlen pressure charts he was over weight do to new pressure/weight table..

[footdoc]

unfortunately I'm positive...need to find a trooper who will let me use his portable scales to see where I am..

[FrontRangeRVer]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by footdoc:
I'm opening the can here...over on RV.NET there has been a long discussion about Michelin XRV tires getting a zipper blowout where the sidewall splits. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>



That post is a YEAR old post resurrected by the original poster.....

I am under the belief that people are not inflating their tires enough for their weight for their coach.

[rebelsbeach]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by FrontRangeRVer:
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by footdoc:
I'm opening the can here...over on RV.NET there has been a long discussion about Michelin XRV tires getting a zipper blowout where the sidewall splits. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>



That post is a YEAR old post resurrected by the original poster.....

I am under the belief that people are not inflating their tires enough for their weight for their coach. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

I AGREE!!

[DriVer]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by footdoc:
If so, has it been associated with a curb ride-over or under-inflation or overloading? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>footdoc, My XRV tired are DOT dated 3002. That means that the tires were made on the 30th week of 2002. I have close to 50,000 miles on these tires and I will be replacing them in the spring with a second set of Michelin XRVs. I have not had any problems with my RV tires. I am very proactive about checking my pressures and this is what I attribute the longevity and reliability of my tires.

Regarding curb ride over, under and over inflation, these are all operator intervened occurrence that are beyond the control of any manufacturer.

A tire pressure monitoring system is great BUT what might happen here is a lack of driver - tire interaction. A strategy of pre-trip tire checks gives you the knowledge you need to be on top of what your tires are doing.

A slow leak can be discovered quickly and a repair applied before a blowout occurs BUT you have to do the pre-trip checks to gain this knowledge.

When my tires are low on pressure what I find is that most often they will all be down by the same 3 or 4 pounds per tire. This is most often due to temperature and how long the motorhome has been sitting idle. Air does bleed off these tires. It's very important to check your tires and to keep a +5 PSI cushion above the minimum recommended pressure to assure a margin of safety.

[Toterman (David)]

At our HDT Rally we had a session on tires and inflation. We were told the proper way to set your tires is to have each wheel weighed seperately. Every tire made has a weight to preasure table for it. If you set each tire according to the weight you have done everything possible to protect yourself.

David

[DriVer]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Toterman (David):
If you set each tire according to the weight you have done everything possible to protect yourself. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>David, Yes and driving yourself crazy trying to remember as many as 9 different pressure settings. .... But that's what they make paper and pencils for.

You are right though it's the best way to go but shortcuts are allowed.

[Dav5942]

According to the Michelin web site my rear tires are to be at 90lbs., but it calls for my front tires at 75lbs. which cannot be correct. The factory had my rear at 90 and the front at 120! Ride was rough so we lowered the front to 100. So much for the Michelin specs!