Best Suburban tire brand/model??

[Rhizzlebop]

1998 Suburban takes 235/75/R15.

It's a somewhat odd size tire as we're told because most heavy weight vehicle tires now have larger than 15" rims.

It has michelins on it now, and we've been told to not put those on again due to softer sidewalls. (We found this out the hard way on a Pacearrow RV some years ago that Michelins wont hold that kind of weight and the sidewall is thinner.

My dad is looking for something strong, with good wear, that will MAYBE help a little with his trucks rear stability under load. (I have another thread where you guys helped with his sway issue).

He pulls a 31ft Montana by keystone weighing 8900# dry.

I have been helping him look for tires and found some good 6 ply BF Goodrich T/A KO tires on Discount Tire for 125 and theres a $70 MIR. However, there are a lot of bad reviews about fast wear, and road noise.

He also found a 6 ply General for about 100 a tire.

I told him to look at the Goodyear Wrangler Silent Armor as I have the Fortera Silent armor on my Trailblazer and like them. The tire website reads like theres one rated XL for a standard SUV and one rated C for 3/4 and 1 ton trucks. They are about 135 a tire and no rebate.

Anyone have a recommendation on this?

It seems anything C rated is 6 ply, and anything XL rated is 4 ply and thats all we've really learned.

Thanks so much for any helpful suggestions.

[TXiceman]

Sounds like the tire dealer does not sell Michelin tires. I really dislike sales people and negative selling. I have run Michelins on motorhomes as we as my current F350 dually. F-I-L ran nothing but Michelins on his 3/4 ton Burbs and no tire problems.

Does he have a 1/2 ton Burb? If he does, step up to a LT or light truck tire.

If you do not want the Michelins, look at the Bridgestone RIB radials.

Ken

[RustyJC]

With sidewall stiffness and load carrying capability being the primary consideration (and to reduce sway it definitely is), I found a Load Range D LT tire available in this size - see HERE.

Rusty

[Rhizzlebop]

iceman, recently, the guy not recommending michelin was an old mechanic that my dad has known for years. He has no dog in the fight, just experience. ( He also camps).

Our own personal experience was with a Pacearrow RV. Several years ago, we went cross country, SC to Seattle, to San Fran and back across, and we blew 4 tires on that RV. (All were Michelins) At the second blowout, in Montana, we walked into a tire shop that you could drive 6 full size Semi truck and trailers inside at once and change tires. Walked up to the guy there, and said we had an RV and blew a tire, and he said "Oh, you must have Michelins". He proceeded to explain that noone runs Michelin on heavy loads because the sidewalls are too thin and blow out. He said they are great for passenger car weight, cause the softer side rides better, but not for loads. He said everyone out there runs Kelly because they can't afford to breakdown when a cop might only pass a given spot of interstate once every 3 days or so.

I know, also, after returning home, a couple years later, we had replaced the fronts with Kelly, and the outside rear dual with Kelly. Took a trip to Tenn. Blew an inside Michelin, (didn't know it) and that single outside Kelly carried that thing all the way to Tenn, and back home, and about 2 weeks later, I happened to glance under the RV and saw the inside Michelin was slick with wire sticking out. Had no idea it was blown. I'm confident had that outside dual been a michelin, it woulda blown shortly after the inside one blew and we would have had a serious problem.

[RustyJC]

Actually, the all-steel-construction Michelin XPS Rib has been used for years to solve tire failure problems with heavy 5th wheels that use Load Range E LT235/85R-16 tires as standard OEM equipment. They have an outstanding reputation and have survived where other equivalently-rated tires have suffered catastrophic tread separation failures.

I've used the XPS Ribs on my previous 5th wheel and now have them on my truck. I only wish they made a G-rated tire for my current 5th wheel (2 failures with the all-steel-construction, trailer specific LT235/85R-16G Goodyear G614 RST.)

Insofar as other RV applications are concerned, if you search the MH forums here, you'll find a lot of folks that are satisfied users of various Michelin tires.

Rusty

[Rhizzlebop]

Iceman, yes it is a 1/2 ton truck. We are looking at LT tires.

Rusty, I just read over that tires reviews. I like its weight rating. Must stronger than anything we've looked at. The concensus on the reviews seems to be that it runs pretty well, and fairly quite, but almost everyone says they flatspot when sitting overnight and take a few miles to round out again.

Also, odd how one person can say, this is the worst tire every, wet traction is like riding on grease, and the next review can say its the best wet traction he's ever experienced.

[RustyJC]

If I were in your dad's situation, I wouldn't worry about flatspotting when cold - that's a sacrifice I'd take to get the performance characteristics that I need (i.e., sidewall stiffness and load carrying capability).

FYI, back in 1996 I was looking at a Jayco TT that had a GVWR of just over 10,000 lbs and a tongue weight of 1,200 lbs. We were looking at 3/4 ton Suburbans but went for a 5th wheel instead as the 3/4 ton Suburban was only rated for 10,000 lbs towed weight and 1,000 lbs hitch weight with a weight distributing hitch arrangement. The 3/4 ton Suburban was completely different than the 1/2 ton - 454 cubic inch engine, larger brakes, heavier rated 8-lug vs 5 lug (1/2 ton) wheels, larger higher load rated tires, heavier full-floating axle, beefier frame, etc.

IOW, your dad is asking a boy to do a man's job with that 1/2 ton Suburban, but if that's the route he's chosen, I'd upgrade to the highest rated tires I could get under it - but that's just me.....

Rusty

[TXiceman]

Michelin did have a problem with some tires used on Motorhomes a few years back. I don't remember the series, but we had some and we started having failures at 5 years. Up until then, no problems. Had to replace them on the road and put on 6 Bridgestone Highway commerical radials and never another tire problem. Also put Bridgestones on a class C that had the great FireBoom tires.

I ahve run mostly Michelins and some bridgestones on the trucks and motorhomes. I would't take a Firestone if it was given to me.

My dually has the load range E Michelins LTX A/S tires and doing good so far.

As for the Burb, Rusty is right, you are asking a boy to do a mans job. We tried a 3/4 ton Burb with out 28' Solver Streak, 5.7L and a 4.10 axle. 7.2 MPG and struggled on the slightest hill. Our trailer is less than 8000# wet and loaded.

Like Rusty noted, I'd put the heaviest tires I can find on the Burb.

Ken

[Rhizzlebop]

I see iceman.

Well, I know several folks, including yourself have said his burb isn't big enough and relayed that to him.

His point is always, that MPG, hill climbing, engine temp and RPM, stopping power, etc are not issues. Its just a soft rear.

He actually said the first time he climbed Saluda hill, (A major mountain section on I-40) he didn't realize he was on that hill until he was over half way up as he was still around 50MPH and passing semis, whereas in the Pacearrow he had before, he'd be down around 35 MPH on that hill. He said he passes other campers on that hill. So, the "boy works hard" lol. True, he may blow the engine, or a trans, and he'll cross that bridge then.

I called and told him about that Pirelli. I didn't find the Bridgestone RIB you mentioned.

Also, he's with you on NEVER touching a firestone. He had 3 blow out on a brand new F-150 in 1985 for no reason and they wouldn't make good on em, so he will never touch one.

Isn't Bridgestone owned, or made by Firestone?

[RustyJC]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rhizzlebop Isn't Bridgestone owned, or made by Firestone?

Bridgestone bought Firestone back in the 1990s, IIRC, but they are 2 separate products (just like Michelin, who owns BF Goodrich). I switched from Michelins to Bridgestones on my Acura 3.2TL-S and am quite satisfied with the Bridgestones. By the way, they flat spot overnight as well and are kinda lumpy for the first mile in the mornings.

Rusty