tire selection difficulty.

[heavymetal]

I'm readind all i can and talking with local tire dealers trying to find the best tires for me and my 27' p30 chassis coach.
One of the things about this coach that bothers me is the front axle weight. Its at 4900 lbs, with the wife and I in it, and its rated at 4800. The tires are 215/85/r16 load rate E with a max weight of 2640 at 80 psi X 2 = 5280 for the front tires.
Is it normal for some coaches to run on or over the tire rating?
From what I've found out from local tire dealers I can't put wider tires, like 235/85/16, on it to increase the load rating because of the spacing on the duals.
Anyway, if I have to stay with the same size and load rating I want the tire with the best durability. I was looking at the michelin XPS and getting prices locally and one of the dealers that sells a lot of rv tires says the michelin is a great tire but in his opinion of all the tires he sells the michelins are the worst for cracking and dry rotting here in the phoenix area.
He recommended looking at the bridgestone r250 as a comperable tire that is less likely to rot and is a bit cheaper.
Any opinions here?

[max49]

I would think that you could get an F rating in the same size tire.
I have Michelins and agree, they do crack and also the tread separates. I only bought them because I got an "incredible price" on the XDS2, trying to get risk of their stock, I guess.

[njs42]

My michelins are nine years old and not cracked at all--but I am replacing them this yerar because of their age.

Having ask that question you are going to get a number of conflicting comments about michelin, cracking etc; Michelin says their tires are good for ten years and that appears to be the case with the ones I have-----I'm not any more partial to michelin than any other brand I can just tell you the ones I have lived up to my higest expectations.

I winter in Tucson with my tires but they are here in the Northwest the remainder of time.

[Triker56]

Michelin gives no warranty on tire cracking from day one.
Goodyear G670's has a 7 year warranty on cracking.

[tims52ford]

njs42, i would really like to know how you got how you got nine years on your set of michelins. I have a 2003 national rv 6342lx an after five years old they were cracked so bad, even the inside dual was badly cracked. I wasn't taking any chances and bought six new summitumo tires. Sure they are not michelins, but I figured for the price I paid. I can run them for six years an still save money, compared to buying six michelins.

Oh, by the way, they still look good after three years.

[paz]

Originally Posted by Triker56

Michelin gives no warranty on tire cracking from day one.
Goodyear G670's has a 7 year warranty on cracking.

When did Michelin change their warranty?

[njs42]

Originally Posted by tims52ford

njs42, i would really like to know how you got how you got nine years on your set of michelins. I have a 2003 national rv 6342lx an after five years old they were cracked so bad, even the inside dual was badly cracked. I wasn't taking any chances and bought six new summitumo tires. Sure they are not michelins, but I figured for the price I paid. I can run them for six years an still save money, compared to buying six michelins.

Oh, by the way, they still look good after three years.

I'm not hawking any brand. Every tire brand has loyalist and detractors. They all have millions of tires running down the road daily under tremendous stress preforming as designed.

I'm happy for you and your Summitumos. I have not replaced my tires yet so I have shopped brands. Toyos (with equal) are available at a very good price but I found Michelins for just a few hundred dollars more with spin balance. Goodyears locally are just rediculously expensive so I cannot justify getting them.

MAybe I got the six best tires Michelin ever made I don't know. I cover mine diligently, I know they have never rolled a foot without proper air pressure (I have on board air) washed properly just basically take care of them and I have no complaints. They are really very smooth (yes I get down and look very closely). My factory weight sign inside says to run these at 80#'s---but when I weighed my rig I went to 100 and have stayed there---evidently the tires liked it fine.

If I change from Michelin then I go to a different size, I've had excellent service out of these and I am getting a good price so I'll probably go back with Michelins.

[njs42]

Originally Posted by Triker56

Michelin gives no warranty on tire cracking from day one.
Goodyear G670's has a 7 year warranty on cracking.

I hear rivering mentioned with Goodyear quite consistently---I haven't the faintest idea what rivering is but it does not sound good. What is it and why does Goodyear get that tagged to themselves?

[speed racer]

Just remenber that almost every thing you read on this subject is somones opinion and almost everyone has one. If every one had the same opinion there would only be one brand to choose from so do your research and form your own opinion.

[edgray]

Originally Posted by njs42

I hear rivering mentioned with Goodyear quite consistently---I haven't the faintest idea what rivering is but it does not sound good. What is it and why does Goodyear get that tagged to themselves?

I don't think I've ever heard that term used in any context, and I don't see it here in this thread (other than your post), so where did you "hear" it?

Hopefully someone can answer your question....."inquiring minds need to know"

Ed

[RJay]

Originally Posted by heavymetal

I'm readind all i can and talking with local tire dealers trying to find the best tires for me and my 27' p30 chassis coach.
One of the things about this coach that bothers me is the front axle weight. Its at 4900 lbs, with the wife and I in it, and its rated at 4800. The tires are 215/85/r16 load rate E with a max weight of 2640 at 80 psi X 2 = 5280 for the front tires.
Is it normal for some coaches to run on or over the tire rating?
From what I've found out from local tire dealers I can't put wider tires, like 235/85/16, on it to increase the load rating because of the spacing on the duals.
Anyway, if I have to stay with the same size and load rating I want the tire with the best durability. I was looking at the michelin XPS and getting prices locally and one of the dealers that sells a lot of rv tires says the michelin is a great tire but in his opinion of all the tires he sells the michelins are the worst for cracking and dry rotting here in the phoenix area.
He recommended looking at the bridgestone r250 as a comperable tire that is less likely to rot and is a bit cheaper.
Any opinions here?

I must be missing something. You don't have a tire problem, you have an axle weight problem. This isn't something your tires are going to solve you have to move/remove weight from the front axle.

[njs42]

Originally Posted by edgray

I don't think I've ever heard that term used in any context, and I don't see it here in this thread (other than your post), so where did you "hear" it?

Hopefully someone can answer your question....."inquiring minds need to know"

Ed

Since you ask I did a thread search and found this explanation from an old thread:



Is it an uneven, wobbly, wavy wear across the entire face or just on the tread edge/shoulder?

If you search you will find this most often mentioned with Goodyears. It has seemed to me I could not get in or out of a tire thread without hearing the term---I suppose this could also be caused by other factors than the tire.

[njs42]

Originally Posted by RJay

I must be missing something. You don't have a tire problem, you have an axle weight problem. This isn't something your tires are going to solve you have to move/remove weight from the front axle.

That too----!

The OP ask for opinions about tires---and if you have been around a while you know that can set off a lot of comment----but generally it winds up not really confirming anything factual. These crack, these river, I wouldn't have a _(insert brand)______ if my life depended on it etc;

So we each need to do our best research and then make the best choice we can. Research is not necessarily gathering opinions but facts if possible. So I offer---not generalize comment about Michelin---but specific information on the six that I own.

Certainly front axle weight is an issue here and needs to be addressed. In fact perhaps more complicated than the tire issue. More weight needs to be moved toward the rear---or weight eliminated all together ( I am going through this right now after collecting "stuff" on my rig for years).

It could be as easy as heavy stuff being in the forward basement bays and maybe just some moving and reweighing would do it. If not then caution s/b taken in loading up front to avoid overloading of the axle.

Tires? Generally most recognized brands have millions of tires on the road doing exactly what they were intended to do---if cared for properly and not abused they will have a reasonable life span. Toyo, Summitomo, Goodyear, Michelin, Bridgestone, et al. Get the best price and the best service and the proper tire for your rig and you will probably be just fine. If not then warranties come into play. IMHO in general terms they all make exceptable tires (personal exceptions noted)---after that it is just up to you.

Good luck on your choice---let us know what you decide it is nice to hear if all this chit chat has done any good for you.

[frederick w]

To Tims52Ford
How was the noise level up front on the Sumitomo tires?
6 tires are 700 bucks cheaper than Toyo tires at Les Schwab.
Don't know if the the Toyos are worth the extra bucks.
I only put 2000 miles a year on my 2000 Flair with no slides. 18,500 lbs with fuel and holding tanks half full.