16" Sendel Wheels & 16" Michelin LTX Tires

[SeaLevel]

Originally Posted by SteveSueMac

Did Airstream announce that somewhere? Could you share a link to the story please? Thanks.

Users have reported here that they came on their new 2017 models, and I asked AS about getting them this summer when I take my unit in for service. They said they could and that they just started getting them in.

[SteveSueMac]

Interesting. Thanks SeaLevel.

[tjdonahoe]

I have not had any problems with the gym's, 22,000 miles ,3.5 years they show even wear at 50 0/0. Replaced with 16" michelins. I run them on my big trucks , also the steer axle tire is the same on my trailer, so far showing no wear at 10,000 miles....you get what you pay for, there are no bargains out there.....

[tjdonahoe]

I have not had any problems with the gym's, 22,000 miles ,3.5 years they show even wear at 50 0/0. Replaced with 16" michelins. I run them on my big trucks , also the steer axle tire is the same on my trailer, so far showing no wear at 10,000 miles....you get what you pay for, there are no bargains out there.....

[Tn Traveler]

After about 50 years of driving on Michelins I had my first blow out. I was driving my car equipped with Michelin Pilot Sport Y speed rated tires. While driving up the ridge cut on I-24 in Chattanooga I was sandwiched in with a tractor trailer in front and on the right. A pickup truck was on the left. All of a sudden I saw something yellow come out from under the trailer in front. Too late to avoid it I struck it with my right front tire. The tire immediately blew, but the car remained very much under control. I exited to the emergency lane to change the tire. Shortly after a Tennessee TDOT safety truck pulled up. Asked if I saw what I hit. I said I only had time to see that it was yellow. From his truck he pulled a huge steel hook. He said that it must have fallen from a tow truck used to retrieve tractor trailers. The tire side was blown out by a cut. The M-B aluminum wheel was bent, and the front facia was trashed. About $2,500.00 damage to the car. Thank goodness the car did not behave erratically. The tire did not shred.

Absolutely not the fault of the tire. The rim was bent even inside. In fact the good construction of the tire maybe responsible for not having an accident. Yep, replaced it with another Michelin.

[gypsydad]

Guess the question might be, why is AS offering the Michelins as standard equipment on the flagship Classic and some other special models, and as options now on other models, vs GYE or GYM? Seems they should get better pricing if they stuck with one mfg. or maybe that is just my logic?

[Action]

Manufactures (of all products) will do different things on high end, special issue models that is not done on lower end models. Not saying this is the case here. It just has been my experience.

Or dress up a similar model to create a new model. (with a different look)

The proof of all of that is in sales and market demand. In addition a manuafacture may decrease or increase the list price (or dealer cost) by small margin (say a $100) to see what impact that has on sales in the same period a year previous. If putting on less expensive tires and dropping the sales price results in greater sales, all manufactures are going to do that.

The industry in general has a bad rap for cheap tires. And tire companies make cheap ST tires because manufactures request them. The market place is so much different than passenger cars, where the RV market place uses this product on an infrequent basis. In addition many more passenger vehicles are to get from point A to point B. A travel trailer is to live in on a short term basis. Movement is part of the usage however there is a signifcant percentage of RVs that do very little movement. If it isn't moving why have a high end tire. The manufacture does not know the end user, only what sells the most. If the competition is selling for less you have to train your sales force to educate the buyer on why to pay the extra money. Or drop the sales price to meet the market. (Or some combination) IN addition to all of that is the market place changes all of the time. So the hot seller today may be so so tomorrow for no other reasons than the market changed.

>>>>>>>>>>>>Action

[ratchet]

I will be posting tomorrow on this forum. I did the change over to 16" wheels and tires. Part of the post will be pictures of what I did. This includes the new tire and rim in the original area for the spare on the trailer. It fits, no problem.

Originally Posted by m.hony

Some upgrade the spare. They say it will fit- sometimes with slight bending of the pat that holds the tire in.
I did not upgrade the spare. Budget-
Another wheel/tire would have been another $265 or more.

[switz]

We acquired a SenDel S62-66655G galvanized wheel for our 16" spare on our Classic. I also have a spare SenDel T03-66655T wheel "just in case" in storage.

[zapper]

Ray- Just up graded to the 16" Sendel wheels /Michelin LT X tires. Very happy with up grade. Just one note of caution, just be sure to torque the lug nuts until they are completely seated in. How do you know when they are seated in? When the lug nuts stop moving when being torqued. Unfortunately there is no specific number of miles. Three of mine set in during the first 200 miles, the fourth wheel decided not to cooperate and took off down the I-10 freeway in Tucson AZ along with six lug nuts. Minor damage to the lower rear quarter panel. Felt nothing from the AS, wouldn't have known anything happened were it not for the rear view camera. Saw it bouncing down the freeway. Whoops. Fortunately I bought 5 wheels and tires . Robed lug nuts from the other 3 wheels to bolt on the 4th. Got me to my destination 90 miles later. Had shop remove brake and replace all lug studs and new lug nuts. Took over 500 miles before new wheel and lugs set in. Never had this happen before. Always torqued to spec.

[txnole]

Originally Posted by zapper

Ray- Just up graded to the 16" Sendel wheels /Michelin LT X tires. Very happy with up grade. Just one note of caution, just be sure to torque the lug nuts until they are completely seated in. How do you know when they are seated in? When the lug nuts stop moving when being torqued. Unfortunately there is no specific number of miles. Three of mine set in during the first 200 miles, the fourth wheel decided not to cooperate and took off down the I-10 freeway in Tucson AZ along with six lug nuts. Minor damage to the lower rear quarter panel. Felt nothing from the AS, wouldn't have known anything happened were it not for the rear view camera. Saw it bouncing down the freeway. Whoops. Fortunately I bought 5 wheels and tires . Robed lug nuts from the other 3 wheels to bolt on the 4th. Got me to my destination 90 miles later. Had shop remove brake and replace all lug studs and new lug nuts. Took over 500 miles before new wheel and lugs set in. Never had this happen before. Always torqued to spec.

Wow, that sucks.. torgue lug nuts..guess one more thing to add to the newbie remember to do list.

[SSquared]

Originally Posted by zapper

Ray- Just up graded to the 16" Sendel wheels /Michelin LT X tires. Very happy with up grade. Just one note of caution, just be sure to torque the lug nuts until they are completely seated in. How do you know when they are seated in? When the lug nuts stop moving when being torqued. Unfortunately there is no specific number of miles. Three of mine set in during the first 200 miles, the fourth wheel decided not to cooperate and took off down the I-10 freeway in Tucson AZ along with six lug nuts. Minor damage to the lower rear quarter panel. Felt nothing from the AS, wouldn't have known anything happened were it not for the rear view camera. Saw it bouncing down the freeway. Whoops. Fortunately I bought 5 wheels and tires . Robed lug nuts from the other 3 wheels to bolt on the 4th. Got me to my destination 90 miles later. Had shop remove brake and replace all lug studs and new lug nuts. Took over 500 miles before new wheel and lugs set in. Never had this happen before. Always torqued to spec.

My AS owners manual says "If the wheel was replaced, check the torque every 10, 25, and 50 miles."

I have tried to remember to do this on my trailer. And I have found nuts that moved a little when I re-torqued them. But not when I'm beyond a hundred miles. 500 miles seems like a heck of a lot!

Any chance your torque wrench has gone out of calibration?

[dcasr]

Originally Posted by zapper

Ray- Just up graded to the 16" Sendel wheels /Michelin LT X tires. Very happy with up grade. Just one note of caution, just be sure to torque the lug nuts until they are completely seated in. How do you know when they are seated in? When the lug nuts stop moving when being torqued. Unfortunately there is no specific number of miles. Three of mine set in during the first 200 miles, the fourth wheel decided not to cooperate and took off down the I-10 freeway in Tucson AZ along with six lug nuts. Minor damage to the lower rear quarter panel. Felt nothing from the AS, wouldn't have known anything happened were it not for the rear view camera. Saw it bouncing down the freeway. Whoops. Fortunately I bought 5 wheels and tires . Robed lug nuts from the other 3 wheels to bolt on the 4th. Got me to my destination 90 miles later. Had shop remove brake and replace all lug studs and new lug nuts. Took over 500 miles before new wheel and lugs set in. Never had this happen before. Always torqued to spec.

________________
You didn't go back for your tire and wheel? I think I would have, depending on how busy your freeway was and how much collateral damage the rogue tire had caused before it came to rest.

I had a right rear rim on my pickup stress fracture around the bolt holes while pulling a 22'er and the WD hitch kept the rear of the pickup level, but I saw a tire passing me on the passenger side going downhill in rural KY. Took me a moment to say, THAT'S MY TIRE! Stopped and went looking for it. It was a great tire even if the rim was ruined.

[zapper]

Originally Posted by SSquared

My AS owners manual says "If the wheel was replaced, check the torque every 10, 25, and 50 miles."

I have tried to remember to do this on my trailer. And I have found nuts that moved a little when I re-torqued them. But not when I'm beyond a hundred miles. 500 miles seems like a heck of a lot!

Any chance your torque wrench has gone out of calibration?

Nope torque wrench OK. This left rear wheel and one or two lug nuts on that wheel seemed to always need a flat turn every day Or so while the AS was parked even before I left the storage facility. Checked at 10 miles out seemed ok. Checked again at 200 miles one nut required a complete turn. All the other 3 wheels Ok. Wheel left me 200 miles later.

[zapper]

Originally Posted by dcasr

________________
You didn't go back for your tire and wheel? I think I would have, depending on how busy your freeway was and how much collateral damage the rogue tire had caused before it came to rest.

I had a right rear rim on my pickup stress fracture around the bolt holes while pulling a 22'er and the WD hitch kept the rear of the pickup level, but I saw a tire passing me on the passenger side going downhill in rural KY. Took me a moment to say, THAT'S MY TIRE! Stopped and went looking for it. It was a great tire even if the rim was ruined.

Nope didn't go back. Freeway widening construction on right shoulder underway complete with concrete "k" rails blocking right shoulder. Not safe under the best of conditions in daylight, this was 8:00 pm at night.

[nursematt]

i have been thinking of upgrading my wheels and tires. had a 1500 mile trip last week and two blow outs both marathon's. that is not the only time had a blow out. wouldn't be so bad except when they blow they do so much damage. anyone else having the same problems? i so sick of changing tires on side of the road. i do ck the psi before each pull and the shape of the tire to make sure no visible dmage. even bought one of them tpms. to make the wife feel more comforrable. any help appreciated.

[Caffeinated]

Originally Posted by nursematt

i have been thinking of upgrading my wheels and tires. had a 1500 mile trip last week and two blow outs both marathon's. that is not the only time had a blow out. wouldn't be so bad except when they blow they do so much damage. anyone else having the same problems? i so sick of changing tires on side of the road. i do ck the psi before each pull and the shape of the tire to make sure no visible dmage. even bought one of them tpms. to make the wife feel more comforrable. any help appreciated.

1 read the whole thread.
2 there are lots of other threads that say similar things.
3 to sum up most of the threads on this subject, many people have swapped to 16 inch Sendel wheels and Michelin LT tires. Those who have done so seem exceedingly happy. Airstream also offers the 16 inch whheels and Michilin tires as a upgrade, and on some trailers, standard equipment.
4 if you don't want to go to 16 inch whheels there are Michilin and Nokiaan tires that people have had success with, but smaller numbers of people have chosen this route.
5 some refuse to use anything other than a "trailer tire" on their trailer, even though there seems to be more anecdotal evidence that ST tires are problematic.
6 YMMV

Mike

[Ray Eklund]

I have to agree with Mike and Post #457. I also want to add:

When I 'upgraded' my wheels and tires... I discarded the lug nuts that came with the 15 inch wheels. These are those lug nuts with the thin metal covering to make them look better... or? I have never understood why this kind of lug nut, but that is not the purpose of this Thread. They are easily damaged when removed and the socket will not easily fit.

The lug nuts were cost effective that were offered with the Sendel Wheel purchase. They are solid and in all appearances, much superior to those that came with our Airstream.

Some mounting a wheel onto their Airstream, may not have practice how to properly tighten the lug nuts, rotating the wheel and do it in a methodical method. This way each lug nut is seated properly and there is a method to tighten them, opposite one another to get the lug nut and wheel 'seated' to the drums (in our case).

I have not had loose lug nuts... ever. I check them from time to time, but the first time I have a lug nut become loose... I would remove that one and look it over.

Losing a wheel while moving would be a good reason to check out what kind of lug nut you are using. It could be the lug nut and not the user's installation.

I have NEVER had a loose lug nut on my vehicles nor trailers. Much like installing head gaskets onto an engine block, it is important to do it right. Otherwise, you will be having to redo it.

I prefer the SOLID lug nuts over the Airstream provided lug nuts. The Airstream lug nuts would not make very good fishing weights... either. Junk them and use lug nuts recommended to be used with your new Sendel wheels.

[Boxite]

Be careful when selecting after-market lug-nuts. There are different shapes that might not be apparent at first glance.
There are "conical" and there are "bulge" and there are "conical-bulge".... and it's important that the nut accurately fit the hole in the wheel in order for the torque to not change or completely loosen the nut. (The "fit" of the nut against the wheel involves the surface-area-friction which prevents the nut from loosening.)

[zapper]

Originally Posted by Ray Eklund

I have to agree with Mike and Post #457. I also want to add:

When I 'upgraded' my wheels and tires... I discarded the lug nuts that came with the 15 inch wheels. These are those lug nuts with the thin metal covering to make them look better... or? I have never understood why this kind of lug nut, but that is not the purpose of this Thread. They are easily damaged when removed and the socket will not easily fit.

The lug nuts were cost effective that were offered with the Sendel Wheel purchase. They are solid and in all appearances, much superior to those that came with our Airstream.

Some mounting a wheel onto their Airstream, may not have practice how to properly tighten the lug nuts, rotating the wheel and do it in a methodical method. This way each lug nut is seated properly and there is a method to tighten them, opposite one another to get the lug nut and wheel 'seated' to the drums (in our case).

I have not had loose lug nuts... ever. I check them from time to time, but the first time I have a lug nut become loose... I would remove that one and look it over.

Losing a wheel while moving would be a good reason to check out what kind of lug nut you are using. It could be the lug nut and not the user's installation.

I have NEVER had a loose lug nut on my vehicles nor trailers. Much like installing head gaskets onto an engine block, it is important to do it right. Otherwise, you will be having to redo it.

I prefer the SOLID lug nuts over the Airstream provided lug nuts. The Airstream lug nuts would not make very good fishing weights... either. Junk them and use lug nuts recommended to be used with your new Sendel wheels.

Underscore Ray post #457. Like Ray I never lost a lug nut, let alone a wheel on any of my vehicles including my former 2007 Safari 25 FB. Hard to know what the "cause" of loosing a lug nut. All four wheels were installed and torqued according to the method Ray describes. All four wheels were checked as mentioned above and verified with the torque wrench "click". Me thinks perhaps as Ray suggest one or two of the lug nuts was faulty initially causing the wheel to loosen up from vibrations. ( I did have Centramatic balancers on the wheel) hmm dunno.