Michelin and Goodyear tires...

[azloafer]

I was at an RV dealer for service recently. It was extremely busy and I had to wait to check in so I walked around the lot looking at the coaches that came in for service and coaches for sale. I noticed that all the Michelin tires had (for lack of a better description) bulging sidewalls and the Goodyear tires were not bulging out nearly as much. I mentioned this to the service tech and he said that it must be a difference in tire construction. I began to wonder which was better, a softer sidewall or a harder sidewall. There were too many examples to just chalk it up to air pressure. Has anyone else noticed this and have some thoughts on it?
Joe

[AFChap]

I recall when Michelin radial tires first hit the market in the late 60's, they always looked under-inflated (more bulge) compared to other tires ...'course most tires were still bias then so I don't know if it was just because they were Michelins or because they were radials. I had not noticed that in recent years although I did have a guy at a military hobby shop tell me last week he thought a front tire (Michelin) on my car needed some air, but it didn't really when I checked with a gauge.

[GaryKD]

My thoughts are the same as Paul. My coach and toad tires look under inflated, but they are correctly inflated. For me, I'll take the softer ride. 66K miles on the coach Michelin tires and they will, most likely, last longer than I will. The last set of toad Michelin's went 94K. No wear bars were showing when I replaced them.

[RVhauler]

second the michelins. had too many Goodyears let go from tread seperation.

[Wizard]

I have done a lot of research on different forums and a lot of people have stated that the Michelins give a much smoother ride. I will know more soon as I will be replacing my front Goodyears with Michelins next month in trying to get a better ride.
I will report my results back when complete.

[Vegasdan]

Originally Posted by Wizard

I have done a lot of research on different forums and a lot of people have stated that the Michelins give a much smoother ride. I will know more soon as I will be replacing my front Goodyears with Michelins next month in trying to get a better ride.
I will report my results back when complete.

Our coach had Michelins and when I put on new tires I went with Toyos and found the ride to be better. However, that said, new tires will have a tendancy to ride better that old tires so any comparison between what you had and your new tires is probably inaccurate.

[Wizard]

Originally Posted by Vegasdan

Our coach had Michelins and when I put on new tires I went with Toyos and found the ride to be better. However, that said, new tires will have a tendancy to ride better that old tires so any comparison between what you had and your new tires is probably inaccurate.

I agree but as I have Goodyears with less than 5K miles, it should be a good comparison.

[PlayItForwrd]

If you get a chance to check the sidewall of a used Michelin, it might scare you. They're like silly putty.

That may be a bit of an exaggeration, but not much. Last month on vacation we were on a hard-sand beach, slowly heading for the lake's edge. I had to drive past some old black 'vegetation', don't know if it was sagebrush or what. But as luck would have it I didn't get past it all...

And this black twig sticking up---




----poked this hole in the sidewall (inside wall of the outer right rear)




After getting another tire, upon checking out the hole, I was amazed at how soft and pliable the sidewall was. I guess not TOO surprising considering what happened--and the fact that this guy had very little trouble changing the tires with manual tools without even removing the wheel from the coach--


================

Ironically, I had a cedar brush twig poke a hole in a (much smaller) Goodyear trailer tire several years ago. I'm not much of a fan of Goodyear either.

I'll be buying new tires next spring. I know this much, neither Goodyear nor Michelin's are going on... (nor Toyo's for that matter, but that's another story!)

[B Bob]

Tires are in constant debate at this forum. Have six Mich and two GY on my coach. They both work fine. No issues with either brand. I do think the GY appear to have stiffer sidewalls. If you have money to spare Mich are likely the best tires. But these days there are many acceptable brands.

[speed racer]

If your going offroading with your MH you had better get some offroad tires because MH tires are made for a comfortable ride not to protect you fron rocks and sticks. In most all tires the protective belt are in the tread area not the sidewall.

[WilleyB]

Really interesting thread. Yes the Michelin side walls are soft and thin and its for a specific reason. "TO Keep The Tire Thread In Contact With The Road Surface". It does this by flexing the sidewall. Y'all know what happens when the tires lose that tiny bit of contact with the road surface
That is how radial tires work, Think back to the first years that Michelin became involved with Formula 1, second string drivers on Michelins whupped the top drivers both on the qualifying and on the podium proof of the Michelin tire stability and traction.
So if you want safety and mileage buy Michelin, if you want thicker side walls then the choice is yours. BTW Bridgestone will have thin sidewalls also

Cheers
Willey

[jetfromtn]

From the looks of the cracks in the sidewall of that tire, you were on borrowed time.
Surely that twig did not make all those cracks.

[PugPug]

Drove big rigs for years and we ended up going to Michelins on all axles. They look underinflated but aren't. We had better traction on slick roads and they lasted longer etc. etc. I now run only Michelins on my TV and RV. Better ride, quieter, and if you shop at Costco on sale, about the same price as others.

[PlayItForwrd]

Originally Posted by speed racer

If your going offroading with your MH you had better get some offroad tires because MH tires are made for a comfortable ride not to protect you fron rocks and sticks. In most all tires the protective belt are in the tread area not the sidewall.

I'd hardly call this "off-roading". Not the best picture, but I don't believe the 200 or so RV'ers on the (same) beach consider it off-roading either. (this pic covers about 1/5 the beach camping area)


and FWIW, I understand how flexible sidewalls work. I also understand that if you bend anything enough times, it's going to get soft and break. And you don't need soft sidewalls to keep the tread in contact with the ground. What you need is the correct amount of air pressure. Even mighty Michelins won't contact the ground correctly with too little or too much air...

And there's plenty of tire hazards on plain old roads, too...