Michelin Tires age poorly

[CntryCoachRV]

[QUOTE=lce3;4748985]According to Newmar, Michelin, and the tire guy, it's a manufacturing defect. Tire guy said they have bad batches every once in awhile

That must be the case, ZXA2 Energy Michelin’s on mine are from 3214 and they were installed in the fall of 2014, don’t cover them and no chemicals applied to them and park them on asphalt driveway about 4 months out of the year. No cracking and they ride great but then so did my previous Toyos and Goodyear’s.

Appears the ride is more a function of the chassis than it is with the tires in my case.

2000 Country Coach Intrigue

[tjwoody]

Just general information for all. Tire Safety Group has a web site related to tires and tire safety. According to them 6 years is the maximum safe life of any tire due to environment and the chemical processes of tire aging. They also have a nice app that allows you to identify where the tire was made, not just country, but also the city where the plant is and what company owns it. I put my truck tires into it and found out that my Michelins were made in a Uniroyal Goodrich tire plant. OPs were manufactured in Spartanburg South Carolina and have 1-1/2 years left. In any case, if I were the OP I’d have them checked out at a certified Michelin dealer.

[Jennessr]

I just paid many $$$$ for five new Goodyears. Old were same brand. Over 8 years, no covers, no sprays, FL sunshine all winter, parked on dirt summer and gravel winter, and wore out the tread. I’m very satisfied👍🏻. At today’s prices, that should be standard performance, and I hope the new ones do as well.

[41 TS]

Can't say anything bad. Purchased a 2001 Travel Supreme with 59K miles, and according to the tire code were the original tires!! Started the unit up after sitting in the sun for three years and got to the tire shop with not one blown tire. Kind of the reason I put them back on my coach, as if that was how they stood up I wanted another set! Obviously not ideal to drive on them.

[winningbagel]

We have been using Michelins on all vehicles for the last 40 years or so.
Can’t recall ever wearing out the tread, all have dry-rotted before wearing out.
Never had any failures, no matter how rotted. Flats were plugged, and returned to service.
Only changed them when the tires were 10+ years old. Not interested in tempting fate.

[Cotton Guy]

Originally Posted by Vanslam

Here is a video of what my 4 1/2 year old Michelin tires look like. And they only have 18,400 miles on them. I also check all the rv's that park were I do. And all of the RV's with Michelin tires had cracks in them. There were GoodYears and Sumo's that were way older with no cracks.

check with a Michelin dealer if they are front tires they might suggest replace front with new and move older tires to rear.

[Renipladlo]

New Michelins in 2013, no cracks, store on gravel, no plywood, keep tires covered when in Yuma, AZ, otherwise no treatments at all. They are fine. Wonder if the ones with cracks came from the same plant, and the ones that don't came from some other place? Had annual inspection at M-Tire store last fall, and he said they are all fine, have slow leak in one, but know it's the valve, tire place could not detect it, so did not have it fixed. Go figure!!

[Bunky Jones]

Tell me about it. I had 4 Michelins bought in 2011. At seven years old, one catostrophic failure after another, in less than a year 3 of the 4 had blown....violently, causing serious damage to my F350. They were great while they lasted, but that wasn't long enough to suit me. Now I have two Firestones on the front, and two Generals on the back. Now my truck sways and wanders like crazy. My trusted tire guy tells me it's radius arm bushings???? If ya want to play big, ya gotta pay big! LOL!

[OleTom]

Originally Posted by Vanslam

Here is a video of what my 4 1/2 year old Michelin tires look like. And they only have 18,400 miles on them. I also check all the rv's that park were I do. And all of the RV's with Michelin tires had cracks in them. There were GoodYears and Sumo's that were way older with no cracks.

I have run Michelin's for 20 years. I have never had cracks of any kind. I always get 90K+ miles on a set of tires.
Also, never keep any tires more than 7 years regardless of the mileage. Rubber starts to deteriorate as soon as it is removed from the mold.

[Tireman9]

As an actual tire engineer (not Michelin) I would not be concerned with the level of cracking seen in the video.


"Dry Rot" is a misnomer as I covered HERE.


Don't know of any tire company that has "approved" any aftermarket spray on the protectant.


Have not seen any sound, scientific test comparing different brands of "protectant"


If someone makes a claim that their product will protect a tire, the first thing to do is to get some statement in writing on what their guarantee is. Doubt you will get anything in writing but I could be wrong.



Protecting tires with a physical shield to keep direct Sunlight off tires is ALWAYS a good plan. I did a test HERE on UV protection. Also, have a number of posts on the value of white vinyl covers. I have also tested the flat screen covers sometimes used on Class-A RVs. The mess also works as the angle of the sunlight doesn't get through the mesh screen.

[NeilV]

Tires today are usually a blend of virgin rubber from trees and synthetic rubber which do start to break each other down the moment they are bonded together so it still holds true that tires are only considered safe for 5 years and possibly 6 years depending on your situation. Many have pushed things past that and gotten away with it while at the same time a good many have not fared very well with rolling that dice.

I see some have mentioned being near a welder as detrimental however its any device that generates electrical fields or creates a build up of ozone that can accelerate the deterioration of rubber products.

My Father was chemical engineer (Masters Degree in Chemical Engineering from MIT) who designed custom rubber and synthetic formulations for almost 50 years and he maintained that 5 years was the best safe practice for replacing road use tires. Yes he did design some formulations for the US Military and Civil Defense agencies that could be stored in their original wraps for 50 years however those were very costly and once put in service were still only good for 5 to 6 years of roadway use.

I really does not matter what they look like on the outside either even though it can be a good indicator if a tire has damage from environmental issues however many tires that may look good on the outside may be failing on the inside or may have through the treads absorbed enough water to rot or rust out the belting especially if they are steel belted.

Also do not get a false sense of security by a tires speed rating as that only means in the US that a sample of that tire design passed a 10 minute speed test at full rated load so a Motor Home tire rated for 75 MPH was only tested at that speed for 10 minutes and not for hours.

[RM Art]

Originally Posted by Outbound

Have you checked between the treads, I have been told that is a common place for Michelins to crack.

Thanks! - Ob. Being new at RV'n and not having had dump trucks in my const biz needing tire changes for a couple decades... I always rent big trucks now!

I'd plumb forgot to check in between the tread on our "new" 1996 Class A motor home. No tire shows sidewall cracks; even while using 6" dia magnifying glass with its own small spot light and my good flashlight too.

Back 4 tires are mid 2017; less than a full two years old and looking just like new; even the new smell when up close and personal - lol.

Two fronts are mid 2012; making em bout 7 yrs old - the longest duration recommended as tire change-time. They still look relatively new; but, no new smell.

Plan to try her out in general vicinity for a bit this spring with eyes closely peeled on front tire conditions. Before we take any sizable trip I will have two new "Hercules" truck tires mounted on the front... by my favorite commercial tire shop!

!!!!! To RV'n!!!!

[Ucbyrickg]

Originally Posted by Crasher

How do you apply 303 to the inside tire or the insides of the outer tires? It makes the outsides look good, but I question what if any good it actually contributes to the life of the tire. Lots of different tire dressings on the market claiming to be the cure all, but wonder what good they actually are. A rolling tire is the best, and covered when parked will give the best longevity. ANy dressings just look pretty. JMHO

There are products that look prettier but were not design specifically to protect the aerospace industry. 303 has UV blockers and conditioners to keep plastic, vinyl and rubber from drying out so quickly. You can spray it to the entire tire without wiping but the sun sides take the most beating. I spray 303 on my entire engine compartments and mechanics are shocked at at how clean and new everything stays. Some people don’t believe in sun block for their skin but pay the price later.

[Johnynorthla]

We use BLAK treatment on the outside of our tires. Works great. Prevents them from cracking with outstanding UV protection and tires look great. But you must clean your tires thoroughly and get any type of tire shine or dressing off of them before you apply the BLAK. I researched every product I could find and purchased the BLAK on Amazon. I put it on my tires as soon as I purchased my rig. I live in South Florida I need not mention how strong the sun is out here! I do also cover my tires when parked in storage.

Having said all of that there may be an issue with thode Michelin tires.. It’s so hard to get these companies to warrantee their tires.