Castle Rock Tires exploding

[sunvale]

Check the condition of the axels. If the trailer is over loaded and the axels are bend, tires will wear real fast. Don't ask me how I know

[BillJinOR]

I would look at axle alignment maybe . However it’s Interesting that most blowouts are caused by overloading , over speed or under inflation for the actual weight All heat related. While it true motorhome tires are adjusted for weight for ride issues , trailer tires generally should be at max cold pressure. On every trailer I’ve owned I have upgraded not just the brand but more importantly but the load rating. I.E. from c to d or e. Almost every trailer manufacturer puts the minimum tire for the load on when new. In fact by the time you load it with your stuff it’s overloaded. Get it weighed ! Any truck stop has a scale ….. for the OP I hope you not only bought new Goodyears but also moved up a level in load rating .. cheap insurance. I run Chinese made tires on my car hauler .. upgraded from d to e and since the rims are capable the higher psi of e. No problems in 40,000 towed mile in the last 5 years

[Geo19Irv]

Bought a new Master Tow Dolly that came with Castle Rock tires. At 11,000 miles going down a country road the passenger side tire had a blow out, it took the fender and lights out ($170 + new tire). I will carefully inspect the other tire.

[Tireman9]

Originally Posted by Shawz

Skip426 above The pics show the belt exposed on a fully inflated tire. The exploded one is the one that blew up and the third has a bulge on the side wall. The 4th tread (no pic) was all twisted as is the 2nd and 3rd when you look down it.

Bulge in sidewall is evidence of Impact.
The radial split is what is seen in many tires that suffered impact.
I don't think the tire simply Exploded as in too high inflation but an impact failure and rapid air loss can easily be confessed with an "Explosion"



Here is information on Impacts from my RV tire safety blog
Friday, January 10, 2020

"I never hit a pothole"


The title for this post is a direct quote made by many people who have suffered some tire failure. If you think about this claim for a moment and then think about the road conditions we all see in our day to day driving experience one has to wonder just where these people are driving.

In our life as drivers, I am sure that all of us have hit some objects other than simple 1" deep pot hole. Some objects could include bricks, lumber, railroad tracks, curbs, and puncturing or cutting objects such as nails or screws.

Here are some examples of tire damage I discovered in my work. The first three were each submitted with a written claim that the tire was "defective" so I can only assume the driver made little or no effort to inspect the tire or wheel for evidence of what might really have happened.

The last tire, with the wooden stake through the tread was submitted with a claim that the tire was defective because it was "making noise". IMO the noise would have been from the wood hitting the pavement at speed.

I have no expectation of changing the minds of those who want to make a claim of never hitting a curb or pothole or another object. I do want to relate the findings I recently discovered in a technical paper on tire forensics and impact damage.

In the paper, the reference studies involved a process of obtaining a couple dozen both new and used tires P type, LT type and sizes appropriate on Some Class-A RVs. The rim diameters ranged from 14" to 19.5". Tires came from 8 different tire companies. Each tire was inspected and no externally visible signs of damage were found. Each tire was run on the appropriate DOT laboratory tests to confirm the tire was in good condition. Each tire was then mounted and hit with a heavy pendulum to simulate hitting some object or pothole on the road using a machine like this from STL company

The tires were again visually inspected and any evidence recorded. Finally, every tire was run on a drum durability test under a load until failure occurred.

RESULTS:
Failure Rate 100%
Miles to failure for new tires 1,826 mi to 41,400 (avg. 11,586)
Miles to failure for used tires 5 mi to 7,458 (avg. 2,092)

Can anyone here list every object they knowingly or unknowingly hit over the past 2,000 miles?

I know that I have posted a number of times that tires do not always fail at the instant of impact or damage. Clearly, these above studies confirm these observations.



Some reference material for those interested:
Price, V & Follen,G (2019). Road Hazard Impacts: Their Influence on Radial Passenger Tires and the Forensic Signs They Leave Behind
Bolden, G. C., Smith, J. M., & Flood, T. R. (2001). Impact Simulations in the Lab. Tire Technology International.
Bolden, G. C., Smith, J. M., & Flood, T. R. (2005). Impact simulations - what happens when a tire/wheel impacts a road hazard. Tire Technology International, 44.
Bolden, G. C., Smith, J. M., & Flood, T. R. (2006). Structural Impact Damage Under Varying Laboratory Conditions. Tire Technology International, 10.
Gent, A. N., & Walter, J. D. (2005). The Pneumatic Tire. Washington: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation.
Giapponi, T. R. (2008). Tire Forensic Investiagation Analyzing Tire Failure. Warrendale: SAE International.
McClain, C. P., & DiTallo, M. A. (2001). Tire Examination After Motor Vehicle Collisions. In K. Baker, Traffic Accident Collision Investigation (9 ed.). Evanston, Il: Northwestern University Center for Public Safety.
Tire Industry Association. (2005). Passenger & Light Truck Tire Conditions Manual.

[LifeSalt]

Originally Posted by BillJinOR

While it true motorhome tires are adjusted for weight for ride issues , trailer tires generally should be at max cold pressure.

I've always maxed out the tire pressure on trailers. Whether utility, heavy equipment, boat or rv trailer They seemed to wear just fine.

[Skilletface]

Well stated Tireman9 pictures with factual references.

Not stating there are defects in tires that are produced, manufactures are always trying to produce things at a price point that a consumer demands.

While observing some folks maneuvering skills, I am also witnessing the destruction of the sidewalls and belt separation. We live in a world of, “it’s not my fault”.

With anything, you get what you pay for. Demand a low price and someone will build that product which meets (not exceed) an established standard.

[snapper23]

These type of topic has become too common in the RV industry over the years. I have seen some RV manufacturers finally step up to the plate and they started putting name brand tires on their trailers and fifth wheels, for example Jayco and Grand Design. These upgrades I observed have started over the past couple years. This indicates to me that they have dealt with this issue in the past and may have been held responsible in some manor by the court system,or have been taken to court over a similar issue. You may want to contact a lawyer who has some experience on lemon laws or transportation expertise. The only way you get positive change in the RV industry in regards to matters like this is being forced to address the issue. These tire companies who do business have to be held accountable for their poor quality. There approach to just ignoring customers is not acceptable. Coachman in my opinion needs to step up and help in some manner. It’s their reputation that is being put on the line. Coachman is owned by Forest River. It might be possible that Forest River might be owned by a larger Corporation. I am impressed by some companies that stepped up and are now placing some decent tires on their trailers at this time. Best of luck to you and I am happy that nobody was hurt or worse in your situation. I am sure their are other campers out their that have experienced worse outcomes. Happy camping and safe travels

[Snapcap3]

Why do you think they have the nickname "China Bombs". I took mine off soon after buying our RV. We replaced them with Goodyear.

[Snapcap3]

While discussing Manufacturers warranty and service, I have to say we had an ongoing issue with our air conditioner. Nobody could find the problem or take ownership of it. Finally I took it to an independent RV service center. They found the issue and fixed it. By now we were past the warranty period. I sent all the documentation to Jayco for review. They reimbursed us for 100% of our costs. That's service! My hats off to them!

[Dadeoo]

This situation totally sucks. Frankly it could have been prevented, but in this market there is only one way: Get it inspected before you buy, even if its new and has a warranty.

Too many of us buy an RV because it has the "ideal" floor plan, but don't realize that we are also settling for poor construction and insulation, a poorly painted ungalvanized frame (which would never be OK on a boat trailer), junk tires, spaghetti wiring, and just plain poor workmanship. Until we insist on taking delivery of quality (and are willing to pay for it) we are not going to get it.

When I bought my used (1 summer) 2019 Grand Design 18RBE I did the same thing I did when I bought my new boat. Boaters call it a survey, but its an inspection, like you would do when buying a house or older used car. On a boat it gets you a discount on insurance and some finance companies insist on it. It costs $$$. Mine found on my trailer:
- the supply line to the hot water heater was kinked behind the heater (he saw this with a mirror),
- the heating duct to the underbelly was not attached (it was flopping around on the floor),
- another set of parts for the TV antenna under the range,
- loose screws jammed into the furnace duct work and side of the trailer,
- the wiring job was messy and there was hot 12 volt wiring that was unused but not not properly capped off,
- that while the battery was new it was not a true deep cycle RV battery, and,
- sawdust under the range, fridge and furnace.

He also told me to replace the Westlake tires despite the fact they looked almost brand new (and maybe were). He also didn't think much of the scissors jacks. They were rated for 2,500 lbs (each) but were rusting.

After all this my inspector said my trailer was better than the average new trailer and far better than the used trailers he sees. There was no frame rust, all the walls were straight and true, everything worked, the water pump was properly adjusted, the axles were straight and large enough to carry far more than the trailer was rated for,. There are no signs of leaks, accidents, or dangerously poor wiring.

The dealer agreed to replace the water line and fix the wiring at his cost. I had to settle for paying for tires and jacks. We cleaned up the mess under the range and screwed down the ductwork during the inspection. Since we don't boondock that much and have a generator, the battery is still there.

In this market, I'd strongly recommend an RV inspection before the purchase is settled, and never settle for no name Chinaboom tires. The dealer might not agree to pay to correct things, but you never know for sure.

Originally Posted by Shawz

Thanks Blazing Zipp. I also want to raise awareness because most people don't understand that even though you spend $30 0000 on a brand new trailer you are still on your own. Because they put $25 tires on your trailer it will be your responsibility to change them before they do you damage like I am dealing with. Its a win win for the OEM because they can blame the damage for any additional harm created down the road such as water damage if the repair is not done correctly. Not to mention the cost advantage to the dealers for repairs. The only way to change this and hold OEM companies responsible is by raising awareness and eventually raising our voices enough to make them change. If everyone insisted the dealer changed castle rock tires before buying a new trailer the OEMs will take notice. Thank you for your reply.

[Tireman9]

Originally Posted by snapper23

These type of topic has become too common in the RV industry over the years. I have seen some RV manufacturers finally step up to the plate and they started putting name brand tires on their trailers and fifth wheels, for example Jayco and Grand Design. These upgrades I observed have started over the past couple years. This indicates to me that they have dealt with this issue in the past and may have been held responsible in some manor by the court system,or have been taken to court over a similar issue. You may want to contact a lawyer who has some experience on lemon laws or transportation expertise. The only way you get positive change in the RV industry in regards to matters like this is being forced to address the issue. These tire companies who do business have to be held accountable for their poor quality. There approach to just ignoring customers is not acceptable. Coachman in my opinion needs to step up and help in some manner. It’s their reputation that is being put on the line. Coachman is owned by Forest River. It might be possible that Forest River might be owned by a larger Corporation. I am impressed by some companies that stepped up and are now placing some decent tires on their trailers at this time. Best of luck to you and I am happy that nobody was hurt or worse in your situation. I am sure their are other campers out their that have experienced worse outcomes. Happy camping and safe travels

Best way to get better quality is to not buy what you think is Junk. Think back to the '80's & '90 with Detroit. Japanese quality cleaned the clock with Detroit to never fully recover.
If you find an RV you want simply demand better tires and be willing to walk away if they will not give you the quality tires you want.

[NXR]

Originally Posted by satchiss

Now for the PSI. Tires will expand in PSI from running on the road. My 22.5 tires call for 125PSI "MAX". I set them at 110 PSI and while driving they expand to around 122PSI. Haven't had any issues with them and I am on my second set of 6.

I had a customer some years back that would fill his tires to max PSI per the sidewall cold. Then complained that he was having blowouts. I learned from him..

Unfortunately you learned bad information. The pressure molded into the sidewall is the MINIMUM pressure required to support the MAXIMUM design weight of the tire when the tire is cold (not driven on for hours and no direct sunlight on them). It is in no way the maximum pressure the tire can handle.

Tires are expected to increase in pressure while in use and can safely exceed the pressure molded into the sidewall. That is all considered in their design.

Ray

[Wild Buckeye]

I have 4000 miles in first year of Castle Rock fires.Always visually check before trips,keep speeds under 65 and nave TPMS to monitor temps and pressure.Any sigh of anything off with tires and I will certainly replace with Goodyear.

[2upServant]

have you checked the manufacture dates on the tires? i wonder if it is possible they put old tires on it because they had a shortage of new tires. check your date codes on the tires and see when the tires were produced.