RV Tires Great Deal?

[SpursMVP]

Originally Posted by mrock

What size tire did you get and if you don't mind me asking where did you purchase. Thx

These were 275/R70 22.5 tires at a small tire shop up here in Nebraska. Took the guys 1.5 weeks to get the tires and they rubber was stamped with dates within 6 months. His low overhead allows him to sell them at lower prices than the Big Shops in Lincoln or Omaha, yet they are backed by the Toyo brand.

[Ramzfan]

I don't mean to sound haughty or anything, but if you're going to have a large motorhome and carry your family around in it, why in the world would you skimp dollars on the one item that carries you over the road? I want the best tires that I can get on my motorhome, not to mention the best brakes I can buy. Just one man's opinion....

[Francesca]

[BirdDoggin]

Ramzfan,

I believe so many ask questions about tires is that the internet is filled with people with your believe that by spending more on tires will ensure quality and longevety, and they are sadly proven otherwise. A google search on any popular brands will lead you from forum to forum with praise or "junk" status all the way to class action law suits.
If any one walks into a tire shop and asks for the best tire for their RV it is a very rare instance that they are not going to get the most expensive tire with the largest mark up, or at least steered by the sales person to that shops most profitable brand. That is why there are so many threads on all different tires by people that have been let down, they spent the money and for one reason or another and have had problems.
Another rather large problem is that the sales person may in no way be any more informed or knowledgeable on what your RV needs than the customer. If you as the owner of the RV walk into a shop and just ask for a price on a certain sized tire, without any knowledge of load range, speed rating, position, and number of ply's, they may just give you a standard tire and price that may not be close to your needs. Resulting in any thing from rough riding, bad handling, to blow outs.

An example of a well intenioned customer and sales person is for a long time major tire brands had what they called regional/urban tires. Sold to local school bus companies and city metro authorities and waste haulers. They where able to take heavy loads, and had great "scuffing" traits, but only had a speed rating of 55 mph. The speed rating was not on the tire or the literature at the tire shop, so both thought they were getting/giving the best tire for the application and money. The tire shop I'm sure said "we sell a lot to of these tires to these other customers with great success, we've never lost a bus load of kids to a blow out, your family will be safe." Totally unaware it did not meet the RV owners application because unlike the rest of the vehicles that these tires got mounted on the first thing the RV owner did was to jump on the interstate and set the cruise at 60-70 mph, starting the dimise of the tires.

The OP in this case gave an example of a tire with correct position (all position), speed rating (either 71 or 75 mph), and had a correct load rating. These are the first steps to ensure quality and longevity, irregardless of price.

[Jon Mopar]

I'm ordering 6 michelins (19.5s) for $2700!!

[gonational]

Go with the FMCA membership and Michelin Advantage Program..I did and the tires,,your size,,,and mine were 378 apiece. plus 745 for alignment, balance, new stems and oil change..and I have tires I know and Peace of Mind....

[SeattlePirat]

I know I would never put Goodyears on. Too many horror stories about blowouts. True or not, where theres smoke, theres fire.

[Mr_D]

Originally Posted by SeattlePirat

I know I would never put Goodyears on. Too many horror stories about blowouts. True or not, where there's smoke, there's fire.

Only blowout I've ever had in 50 years of driving was a GoodYear on our '97 Jeep.
Up until we got two flats at a dog show venue (screws through the tread) I could say I've never even had a flat with a Michelin.
Guess you know what brand tires I buy?

[csrrsr]

Originally Posted by Mr_D

Only blowout I've ever had in 50 years of driving was a GoodYear on our '97 Jeep.
Up until we got two flats at a dog show venue (screws through the tread) I could say I've never even had a flat with a Michelin.
Guess you know what brand tires I buy?

Guess I'll jump on the Michelin band wagon too We have been Running Michelin's on all our rigs since the buying our Dodge diesel back in 2000. I'm on my 4th set getting approx. 62,000 miles per set. Put them on the Jeep after the Firestones went bald in 20,000 miles and 35,000 miles later the tread still looks new. MH has the 255/80R22.5 XRV's mfgd in 2009 and they look like they were put on yesterday. Problem is, I know I'll be replacing them in 4-5 years and they'll still look brand new?? No flats, no blow-outs....ya gotta go with what works for ya.

[Doc Vegas]

Folks: I just picked up my first rig and drove it from Houston to Tucson. The seller told me the tires were in great condition... about 75 miles west of San Antonio I lost a rear inside tire. Limped it to the closest shop I could find off the first exit of the I-10. Shop told me they could order some tires and have them later in the afternoon. After 7+ hours of waiting, my new tires were installed. They are Sailun 637 245/70/19.5. Out the door price was $1650 for all four. Frankly, I was desperate and angry, so did not ask many questions. Seemed a fair price based on internet search, but my big fear was the balancing! They added some kind of sand/beads to balance the tires. Seemed pretty bumpy on the way home. Did I get a bad story from these guys???

Thanks!

[powerboatr]

Originally Posted by Muddypaws

With only one exception every tire that has failed me in 40+ years of RVing has been Chinese.

I've been conditioned not to trust them.

me to with only 20 years of rving
all of my tire failures sans one have been china tires.

[trode]

...if this forum or any other that I read had factual information about tire manufacturers vs. opinions and random reactions. The trend of these threads is usually..." I had a blowout with a Goodyear tire, man Goodyear tires are terrible" or the omni-present " I would never buy that Chinese junk" .

I am not picking sides here, but only in a few posts are there real world comparisons between these brands. And believe me I want to know because I will be shopping in a year or two. My take on the big players is that they are overpriced in comparison to off brand tires in order to pay for the HUGE advertising campaigns, after all someone has to feed that gigantic Michelin man! Years ago I worked for Goodyear at a tire center, and at that time Goodyear tire centers could not sell any off brand tire, actually only could sell Goodyears. We had a very hard time competing with the big multi line tires dealers because we had no pricepoint tires. Yet Goodyear made huge profits on the tires we had to sell.

Just saying that I wish there was some definitive information available to do side by side comparisons about various manufacturers. It never fails to amaze me when I go to my local independent tire seller here in my town and he shows me different off brand tires and then tells about who and which ones are manufactured by the same company, and where they are made.

By the way, he sells Chinese brand tires and claims to have a good track record with them. I take him at his word, I have been buying tires from him for over 20 years, don't feel like he would mis-lead me to sell me my "last set" from him.

MHO

[brobox]

After a number of dogs died in our area from dog treats made in China, I won't be buying Chinese tires I won't even go into the Billions of $$ in problems with Chinese Drywall here in FL and other southern states and the number of people it left homeless or bankrupt. I just can't trust Chinese tires on the most enjoyable part of my life.

[mel s]

Originally Posted by gonational

Go with the FMCA membership and Michelin Advantage Program..I did and the tires,,your size,,,and mine were 378 apiece. plus 745 for alignment, balance, new stems and oil change..and I have tires I know and Peace of Mind....

I found the lowest price for my 6 Michelins at Sam's Club...($180 less than the so called, FMCA "Michelin Advantage Program" price).
Mel
'96 Safari