Community Forums

jdpm · 06-20-2021, 01:38 PM

I just purchased a coach with the original GY G670 19.5 tires with less than 7K miles on them with a DOT date of April 2014. Yep, it has been driven very, very little. Its always been under cover and the tire sidewalls look great and are absent any sidewall cracking, etc. Of course, the tread wear is practiclly non existant.
I'm picking-up the coach in 2 weeks and drving it home which is 900 miles. I have all intentions of replacing the tires but I'm torn whether to do it prior to the trek home. The coach is in a smaller town so dealer options are more limited compared to where I live.
It's obvious by the age and miles that the coach has sat a lot which I know is not good for the tires.
Would you drive it home or replace the tires first? Thanks!

dbircky · 06-20-2021, 01:46 PM

Drive it home. 7 year old tires will be fine. Heck, some people even sell tires that old and older for others to use on the same roads we travel…..

kenandterry · 06-20-2021, 01:52 PM

IF you’re truly considering replacing the tires when you get home because there’s better selections and facilities…..do it.

However…..like you mention this vehicle has sat more than it’s ever been used so far. All fluids, brakes, and any other moving part is about to undergo a major trip for the first time in a very, very long time.

Think of it like waking some who has been mostly asleep for the last seven years, and now you want them to run a marathon.
Does the term “heart attack” mean anything.

Be careful is an understatement.

wolfe10 · 06-20-2021, 01:57 PM

Several options:

Run the 7 year old tires and hope you don't have a problem.

Replace just the fronts, since a blow out there is more likely to cause loss of control.

Replace all of them, take good care of them and don't worry about it for another 7 years.

Very low mileage is NOT good for tires. Much better to drive them, at least occasionally so the emoluments that protect them can migrate to the surface.

Both risks and costs of solutions are up to YOU.

Jim_HiTek · 06-20-2021, 02:01 PM

That's a tough one. Me? I'd crawl under the rig and check not only everything you mentioned but I'd check for splits in the rubber between the tread. Down in the groves. See if there is any cracking there. Sidewall cracks aren't as important. I'd check the date codes for the inner dual tires are as spec'ed and I'd look for flat spots on all the tires while underneath. Driving it wouldn't really tell you that if the owner drove it a bunch getting it ready to sell.

If everything looked good, I'd go ahead and drive it home WITH Coachnet insurance. Not without.

Now, if I spotted something not quite right, I'd take possession of the RV and drive to the nearest RV park. Then order the tires to be shipped right to me. (Usually takes 3-5 days for shipping tires these days). In your situation it doesn't sound like you'd need more then two. Store them in the bedroom. Then I'd find a local shop that will install them if I felt it necessary or I'd head home with two spares. If I do have a couple tires replaced, I'd use the removed tires to replace any of the others that aren't up to snuff. You know, swap them around until you feel safe. The fronts should be the best of the lot. They'd do the most damage if one blew.

On the trip home, I'd drive carefully, made sure I had ample air in the tires at all times...checking them often. I'd start out with the air that's in them when picked up. If there's a truck stop nearby, I'd stop and air up 10 PSI more. Drive a hundred miles, add another 10 PSI. This helps mix the oils in the rubber.

And I'd monitor the tire temps whenever I stopped, with an IR detector. Any tire that's overheating needs to be replaced, or at least checked for problems. The first travel day you'll want to stop every 90 miles for checking those tires, in this heat, it's just prudent to do. And I'd make sure it was a short travel day. Next day a bit longer, and so on.

Once you get home, you probably know where to go. If you don't, Love's tire centers don't mind putting on RV tires, and will even accept drop shipped tires.

crawford111 · 06-20-2021, 02:47 PM

Never blew out a front tire yes rear were all the weight is loaded on.

Dutch Star Don · 06-20-2021, 02:56 PM

One other consideration....if you replace them before you drive home, and later have an issue with the new tires, bad tire or balance issues, you'll be paying another shop for any repairs, versus gong back to the shop where you bought them.

Country Road · 06-20-2021, 03:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jdpm

I just purchased a coach with the original GY G670 19.5 tires with less than 7K miles on them with a DOT date of April 2014. Yep, it has been driven very, very little. Its always been under cover and the tire sidewalls look great and are absent any sidewall cracking, etc. Of course, the tread wear is practiclly non existant.
I'm picking-up the coach in 2 weeks and drving it home which is 900 miles. I have all intentions of replacing the tires but I'm torn whether to do it prior to the trek home. The coach is in a smaller town so dealer options are more limited compared to where I live.
It's obvious by the age and miles that the coach has sat a lot which I know is not good for the tires.
Would you drive it home or replace the tires first? Thanks!

Since you will be replacing them, as you say soon, I would check ahead of time in that town or down the road a way, with a tire dealer. Have an appointment to get the work done. Take away at least that one possible problem area about a coach you don’t yet know. Enjoy your trip.

jdpm · 06-20-2021, 03:12 PM

I know the appearance is not an excuse but here is a photo of the lear left side. As you can see, it also has the Cross Fire inflation system.

Dutch Star Don · 06-20-2021, 04:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jdpm

I know the appearance is not an excuse but here is a photo of the lear left side. As you can see, it also has the Cross Fire inflation system.

Look at your tire at the 1:00 position, through the "R" in Good Year. That could be the start of a cord separation. The Good Year G70's were prone to getting golf ball size knots in the sidewall. Had the G670's on my 2005 Diplomat and will NEVER buy another Good Year product again.

jdpm · 06-20-2021, 04:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dutch Star Don

Look at your tire at the 1:00 position, through the "R" in Good Year. That could be the start of a cord separation. The Good Year G70's were prone to getting golf ball size knots in the sidewall. Had the G670's on my 2005 Diplomat and will NEVER buy another Good Year product again.

Yep, I noticed that. I didn't look for that on the others. In my lifetime of owning vehicles, i h ave seen tires with this characteristic. I never new if iwas an issue or not.

Dutch Star Don · 06-20-2021, 04:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jdpm

Yep, I noticed that. I didn't look for that on the others. In my lifetime of owning vehicles, i h ave seen tires with this characteristic. I never new if iwas an issue or not.

Sometimes it can be normal, I would look at the others. Look at the sidewalls between the duals. If no other issues, I would still drive it home, just don't pick a blistering hot day. If you intend to add a TPMS unit at some time, maybe buy it now and install it before you drive it home, for a little piece of mind and watch the temps.

Domo · 06-20-2021, 05:30 PM

Replace the tires - you're going to anyway - so what do you have to lose? Simple - everything.

My tires (yes different vehicle) lasted five years until I saw cracks in the sidewalls. - easy decision.

You could go to a tire store and ask them to inspect - but if you're there, save your breath and replace them.

Get the fronts force balanced and for a few bucks more do the backs. Avoid beads and other add-ons that can mask future performance deterioration of the tires. For me, I'd rather know the tire is developing a problem than have beads hide it from me...

Jim_HiTek · 06-20-2021, 06:38 PM

From what I'm reading, if that lump is soft with air inside of it, replace the tire immediately. I had some Goodyears with those lumps and they were hard not soft. So I kept driving on them. Dunno if I screwed up or not, but I seem to remember reading that a hard lump was a problem in manufacturing and didn't indicate a problem.

I didn't have a blow out with them, luckily.

Be careful to do your own research on it though 'cus I'm not certain any more.