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krlajwvater · 03-21-2011, 08:08 AM

which michelin 16" tires did you go with, LTX M/S or LTX winter? what is the difference between the M/S and winter tire. Why didn't you use the XPS rib, which is an all season tire, price?

Gene · 03-21-2011, 11:51 AM

krla',

I don't know who you are asking about the Michelins. But, we got the LTX M+S. I don't know what an LTX "winter" is since the M+S is a snow tire. There are several versions of the LTX line of tires. You can go on the Michelin website for all the specs and other differences between their tires.

The XPS Rib is, in my opinion, a tire for commercial trucks. It is built to be retreaded and to use for many, many miles. It is more tire than I thought necessary for the trailer. I looked at the expected miles to be driven in 5 years with the trailer and the LTX should last about that long. We drive a lot of miles, so for some that would be more tire, but the Rib is even more than the LTX.

Some like the Rib because it has stronger sidewalls than the LTX and thus is more like the idea of a ST tire. I would think the Rib may ride a little harder than the LTX tires.

We put LTX A/T2 tires on the Tundra because we figured we'd put a lot more miles on the truck in 5 years than the trailer and that tire's tread should last longer than the M+S.

Gene

2dabeach · 03-21-2011, 01:48 PM

After reading this forum I've become very concerned about the original tires on my Airstream and would like to upgrade to something with a better record of performance. The ST tires are designed for trailer towing use and by switching to a LT tire you are going to a tire not designed for trailer towing use. Is anyone concerned about having a problem with your insurance company if you have an accident running on LT tires and your insurance company decides not to pay the claim because the trailer was being operated on tires that are not designed for trailer use? Has anyone looked into this issue?

Steamy1 · 03-21-2011, 02:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 2dabeach

After reading this forum I've become very concerned about the original tires on my Airstream and would like to upgrade to something with a better record of performance. The ST tires are designed for trailer towing use and by switching to a LT tire you are going to a tire not designed for trailer towing use. Is anyone concerned about having a problem with your insurance company if you have an accident running on LT tires and your insurance company decides not to pay the claim because the trailer was being operated on tires that are not designed for trailer use? Has anyone looked into this issue?

The Tire Manual in the Airstream states that LT tires can be used. I have yet to hear of an LT failing.

Steamy1 · 03-21-2011, 02:19 PM

The Airstream "Travel Trailer Owner's Manual Addendum", titled "Tire Safety Information" that came with my 2007 AS states on page 8 that "LT-The "LT" indicates the tire is for light trucks or trailers".

Gene · 03-21-2011, 04:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steamy1

The Airstream "Travel Trailer Owner's Manual Addendum", titled "Tire Safety Information" that came with my 2007 AS states on page 8 that "LT-The "LT" indicates the tire is for light trucks or trailers".

I believe it says the same in the 2008 manual. Obviously Airstream changed its opinion later as they started putting LT tires on Airstreams in 2009. Once Airstream started offering LT's as an option, a lot more people on this Forum started switching.

So, if you have a problem with an insurance company, you can refer them to Airstream. I suspect an insurer that tries to deny a claim based on LT tires is an insurer that will give you lots of trouble anyway.

Gene

krlajwvater · 03-21-2011, 04:42 PM

Has any one use firestone Lt225/75R16 transforce HT (highway all-season) tires. I like this tread design better then Michelin LTX M/S, and Goodyear Wrangler HT.

SilverCottage · 05-03-2011, 12:22 PM

Just spoke to Michelin and the LTX 225/75/16 is now available in the M/S "2" model rather than just the M/S. They said it is a new and improved design over the M/S.

Does anyone have experience with this M/S 2 tire? Tirerack does not even have it setup yet.

Foiled Again · 05-08-2011, 07:35 PM

So, I got my rims - same ones as the Eddie Bauer and I got my centramatics, and bought the tires locally and had them mounted. Then took all five to the campground, hitched up, made the Lynx Leveler ramp to get one tire at a time off the ground, and changed each tire out.

Found the hardest part was getting the new tire on the lug bolts inside the rim. It's very hard to lift and push away at the same time. Solution? I grabbed two spare Lynx levelers as a fulcrum and a breaker bar, which I used to lever the tire up into place. Three out of four went on smooth as silk, the fourth fought me, but I persisted and won with nothing worse than a bloody thumb.

All good.

Then I dropped the 15" spare and tried to get the 16" spare under there.
(Extraordinary expletives deleted. The guy at the next campsite - a retired Marine DI - turned an alarming puce when he heard me. Oh well, the poor darling.)

Here's the problem. There are retaining pins that protrude from the sides of the "Y" shaped spare carrier They're "L" shaped and protrude about 4 inches from either side of the Y. Those suckers fit a 15" tire snugly (grrrh). So after 20 minutes of sweating like a coolie trying to nudge and kick the tire in far enough to raise the carrier, I yanked the spare back out and went for "the girl toolkit" - which is any tool used for a purpose other than it's basic design.

What I WANTED was a hydraulic jack to use to pry those pins farther apart, but of course No luck. A 5lb. sledge hammer didn't to do much but make me angrier... so then I went back and perused the toolkit again, and then I saw "IT"... A Crescent wrench, with a 5/8" round hole in the handle! Stealth Attack! I put the handle OVER the end of the pin about 1/2 way down and used main force to push the other end of the wrench downward. I felt the pins bend. Stealth and Trickery, eh? Next I let about 10lbs. of air out of the tire, then shoved it in successfully. Finally to lift the spare carrier back up, I used a piece of rebar I keep to anchor flagpoles, inserting it into the carrier's handle and lifting without having to try to do it through the tongue. Got it into position, slipped in the bolt and cotter pin. DONE. The triumph of the Girl Toolkit again!

(Yes several nice men offered to help, but if I'm going to fulltime I've got to have delusions of adequacy! I did borrow a torque wrench from one of them.)

If you decide to do it yourself, keep the spare carrier in mind. Just when you think all of the hard stuff is done too.

Paula (aka "She who walks like a woman, but smells like a goat!")
Gawd that shower afterwards was pure heaven!

Foiled Again · 05-08-2011, 08:10 PM

Yeah, yeah... I dun put em in the classy-fied's too. If you want them, come and get them - I'm selling cheap. Got spares TOO. Two even have decent tires I'll leave on. Rest have got original marathons which I'll have removed. (Or will probably be fine for a year or two if you've got a parked 'stream.) PM Me.

Paula

Gene · 05-09-2011, 08:24 AM

Paula, the spare carrier is a challenge. I had the tires mounted in JC, so they bent the pins outward so I don't know how they did it, but I'd bet they used a lever such as a pipe to multiply strength.

Wait 'til you try to get the tire out of that thing when it comes time to rotate tires. I put it back once and since the last time I removed it, it stays in the pickup bed when we travel, in the shop when we don't.

Gene

Foiled Again · 05-09-2011, 11:53 AM

I made a spare awning hook out of solid aluminum rod - thicker than the original with a bigger "crook" handle. I use it to yank the spare out. Once I bent the pins, I also let some air out of the spare. Between the two it should come out easily.. but then I'll have to sit while my tiny pump reinflates it. Oh well.

Paula

Florida 55 · 12-01-2011, 10:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by krlajwvater

Has any one use firestone Lt225/75R16 transforce HT (highway all-season) tires. I like this tread design better then Michelin LTX M/S, and Goodyear Wrangler HT.

Did you buy the Firestone Transforce? I'm considering it as well.

Air-Texas · 12-14-2011, 10:55 AM

So I just ordered 7 new Eddie Bauer style 16' wheels, with the black paint on them, with 7 Michelin LT M/S2 tires. 6 center caps and 30 tire Lugs. about $2600.00 plue tax and shipping. I am having them shipped to a tire dealer in my naborhood, who will install my new TPMS aftermarket 6-Wheel Kit (P602C) from Orange Electronics.

Moflash · 12-14-2011, 12:20 PM

Ordered the same wheels 16's from tredittire.com for $75 per wheel.Ordered Michelin lt's from tire rack for $148 per tire plus $50 to ship.Also ordered TPS from tire rack and it all works great!Glad I made the change from the 15's.Bent the prongs outward on spare tire carrier used a large Crecent wrench.Fits perfect now.Easy

Coloradobus · 12-14-2011, 02:00 PM

Moflash. What is Tredit's part number for the wheels. I don't see them on their website. Perhaps, are they the T03's? I see they have a 'black" coloration model category.

Air-Texas · 12-14-2011, 03:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Moflash

Ordered the same wheels 16's from tredittire.com for $75 per wheel.Ordered Michelin lt's from tire rack for $148 per tire plus $50 to ship.Also ordered TPS from tire rack and it all works great!Glad I made the change from the 15's.Bent the prongs outward on spare tire carrier used a large Crecent wrench.Fits perfect now.Easy

I got a quote from tredittire.com at $102.00per wheel!
You got a deal at $75.00

Did tire rack have a set of 6 in the wheel TPMS? I only saw a set of 4...

Air-Texas · 12-14-2011, 03:38 PM

OH, I now have 7, 15 inch wheels and tires for sale!!! PM me

Coloradobus · 12-14-2011, 04:54 PM

Tredit in Kansas City quoted me $71.00 per wheel for the chrome version, not black, and $4 and some change for the hub cover.

2dabeach · 12-15-2011, 07:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Moflash

Ordered the same wheels 16's from tredittire.com for $75 per wheel.Ordered Michelin lt's from tire rack for $148 per tire plus $50 to ship.Also ordered TPS from tire rack and it all works great!Glad I made the change from the 15's.Bent the prongs outward on spare tire carrier used a large Crecent wrench.Fits perfect now.Easy

Moflash... I contacted the tredittire.com dealer in York, PA and they told me they were a distributor and could not sell direct to an end user. What type of valve stems did you install, metel or rubber, and who did you purchase them from?