A beat up subject, but....

[Phoenix]

For those who think GYM failures are only on Airstreams, here's a few links to tire discussion threads on boat forums:

• Goodyear Marathon Trailer Tire Failures - The Hull Truth - Boating and Fishing Forum
  
  
• Goodyear Marathon Tire Failure
  
  
• Goodyear Marathon tire problems [Archive] - TeamTalk
  
  
• One post in this thread mentions finding that Airstreams are having problems with GYMs, too. They thought GYMs were just failing on boat trailers:
  
  Goodyear Marathons ruin our first outing of the summer... [Archive] - TeamTalk
  
  
• Photos of GYM failures on boat trailers: https://www.google.com/search?q=good...HTwnBngQsAQIaQ

[Foiled Again]

Originally Posted by twolanehwy

Why is it i hear of so many blow outs on AS trailers?
i've never had one on my truck or trailer?
Is it because of weight or old age?

IMHO it's because people here USE their trailers. Like for Travel, man...
I know dozens and dozens of people who have RV's that sit on a lot and might get moved once or twice a year.

I plan to travel a lot more once I retire but I've put over 12,000 miles on my current Airstream in 2 years.

I live and work in Virginia Beach, VA... and my home camp has about 70% of the campers who put their RV's on one or two campsites a year, then drive to weekend in them throughout the spring, summer and fall. I told a story elsewhere about one man who got all hot under the collar when a repair guy refused to patch and re-air two of his 14 year old tires. The trailer has 14 year old plates on it and hasn't moved anywhere except between the on-site storage lot and a campsite since it was new.

The owner is still bitching about the high cost of 4 new GYM tires - which are perfect for his trailer which hasn't moved 14 miles in the past 14 years. Maybe his next set should be 3 or 4 layers of 15' round plywood planks screwed together with a hole for the hub and six for the lugs.

[PKI]

Asked the same question earlier and got similar answers. The GMs are good until they are not. Suggest you replace as soon as your budget allows. Pat

[Mrjkq]

Still debating (with myself) this issue. The one resolve I have is not to change out the wheels for 16" rims, as their are good Michelin LT tires in the 15" size.
Very good thread here, everybody's point is well taken, thanx!

[m.hony]

That depends on the weight of your trailer and the load rating of your tires-


Sent from my iPhone using Airstream Forums

[robert claus]

My trailer was 8 years old when I bought it with the original C-rated GYM's on it. Granted, the trailer had not been used that much. I put new D-rated GYM's on it, and they are now 6 years old, and it's been used regularly, including long trips. Neither of us had any problems. As ST tires go, the GYM's are the most expensive, and probably the best. The single axle trailers don't put the side loads on tires that the multi axle trailers would, as the multis drag the tires sideways as you take a tight corner. That said, I'll put new tires on before a planned long trip next May, and it will probably be GYM's based on my experiences.

[Mrjkq]

Originally Posted by m.hony

That depends on the weight of your trailer and the load rating of your tires-


Sent from my iPhone using Airstream Forums

Agreed, I'm running a 2016FC 25' weighing in at about 5800 LBS. The Michelins I'm looking at for future use are C rated at 2270 Lbs per tire X 4 gives me room to spare.

[SteveSueMac]

Originally Posted by Mrjkq

Agreed, I'm running a 2016FC 25' weighing in at about 5800 LBS. The Michelins I'm looking at for future use are C rated at 2270 Lbs per tire X 4 gives me room to spare.

You'll still have plenty of headroom, but if they're passenger tires (P-rated) you need to divide by 1.10 when used on a trailer (which gives you 2063 per tire and 8200 total # of capacity).

I use the current version of those Michelins - 1985# (derated) per tire and I'm at about 6000 in my trailer.

Good luck!

[cando]

After five tire failures on our Airstream with varius brands of trailer tires, my wife and I could change them in less than tem minutes. Luckily, we never suffered any body damages. After the last two tire failures on the way to and from Florida on two tires, one with about 2, 000 miles on it, the second about 3, 000 miles on it, we changes all four tires and wheels out for Michelin LTX MS2 with new rims (the same Airstream puts on the Eddie Bower model). We, ve never looked back. I feel much safer, and whem my wife is driving we have both commented about how much better the trailer feels from a safety standpoint especially in higher speed traffic like on any expressway with 18 wheelers flying past us a cououple feet away running 80 mph.

[m.hony]

Originally Posted by SteveSueMac

You'll still have plenty of headroom, but if they're passenger tires (P-rated) you need to divide by 1.10 when used on a trailer (which gives you 2063 per tire and 8200 total # of capacity).

I use the current version of those Michelins - 1985# (derated) per tire and I'm at about 6000 in my trailer.

Good luck!

Looks like even derated there is enough load carrying capacity per tire.


Sent from my iPad using Airstream Forums

[tjdonahoe]

I have 3 years and 21000 miles on my gym's no problems and they are at 50 percent, they get rotated and balanced each year ,they have been good....I think the michelins are going on this spring...

[m.hony]

I might have had 30,000 miles on the Puff-up-athons.


Sent from my iPad using Airstream Forums

[handn]

Originally Posted by Mrjkq

TIRES! I've read most of the posts on here about changing out GY Marathon tires for Michelin LT tires & honestly I agree as its a great upgrade & I'm not looking for more reasons to do it just an answer to a simple question. Presuming the GYM are properly maintained & run at 65 mph or less how long can I expect to safely run them? Is two years or 15k miles to long or is one year and the same mileage realistic?

It depends on use.
I ran ST tires and had many failures until I switched to Lt tires. My use was several multi day freeway trips in hot 95+ weather per years. My Marathons would last days or months rather than years. I was too dumb at that time to switch to LT tires. Not to beat up on Marathons other ST tires had the same dismal failure rate. One time, I got 200 miles out of an ST tire before it blew up in Florida and changing a tire in hotter than heck weather on the side of the freeway is no fun. I checked pressure regularly and tried to run under 65 mph.
If your use is shorter trips in cooler weather, there is no reason that the tires wouldn't last for years.

[KJRitchie]

When I purchased my 2008 preowned in 2013 it had the original GYM. Within the first month I went with the Michelins and I also purchased a TireTraker TPMS system. I will probably switch to 16" Michelins in a few years when its time to replace my 15" Michelins.
As much money we've spent on our trailers putting on good tires seems to be a no brainer. Of course I wouldn't have known to use Michelins until I read these forums. My previous trailer, a Casita, had GYM and on the first long trip discovered on of them was cupping and I had to get Good Sam road service to change to the spare tire. When I got home I switched to 15" Maxxis 8008 trailer tires and had them balance. Some of the Casita owner were switch to LT tires but figured for a 3500b trailer it wasn't necessary.

Kelvin

[m.hony]

I think August heat in Mississippi and Louisiana helped kill my Puff-up-athons.


Sent from my iPad using Airstream Forums

[PKI]

Talked to a neighbor who has gone to Kumho 865s on his tandem axle boat trailer. He did a lot of research before the purchase ans is convinced it is a good solution. They address the speed issue with a 99mph rating. However, when I looked them up on line, the comments were "I love them - I hate them".

Checked the pricing on new rims and Michelins yesterday. Expensive, but less than AS dealer service repair labor and a ruined trip. Pat

[pappy19]

Originally Posted by avionstream

I've had zero problems with my Maxxis tires but I will be replacing them with Michelin as they have aged out. Why take the risk?

Exactly, and after 3 blowouts, I was convinced. No more worries.

Pap

[tjdonahoe]

With the yen dropping in price, these Chinese tires will be even cheaper, good luck with them..

[m.hony]

They couldn't give me any China bombs- or even pay me to take them-


Sent from my iPad using Airstream Forums

[OTRA15]

Originally Posted by Mrjkq

[snip]
. . . realistic?

How much are you saving by waiting to upgrade?

Is it worth dying for this amount?