Getting new tires installed

[hirstpb]

Just got to campsite in Fla, where we intend to stay for about 2 months, and noticed what looks like an indentation along the outer tread of one of the tires and a bulge nearby on the side of the same tire. So, I decided I'd replace all 4 tires, which are the originals on our 2007 Safari 25FB. Only about 10,000 miles on the Marathons (roundtrips from Arkansas to Nova Scotia and Florida and some local travel), but if the one tire is so obviously showing signs of wear, they all may have problems. The discussions here about Marathons vs Maxxis have been helpful thinking this through. That said, once the decision is made, how do you actually go about getting new tires? Can most tire dealers handle a trailer? Can I take off one at a time while remaining in the campground, or do I need to take the rig in? Just never thought about it before, and would appreciate any advice on procedure and recommended national tire dealers, etc. Thanks, Bill Hirst.

[Mike Leary]

Goodyear tires have never let me down in the four Airstreams we've run down the road. The product is perfect, the service is the same. I am not a rep.

[Gil Reinke]

I just replaced my Goodyears for Maxxis load rage D for my 2007 Bambi at Discount tire

[henw]

I am replacing my Marathons with Maxxis after a catastrophic failure.
I got them sent Fedex. Local tire place will change them for labor cost.

Tom W

[2airishuman]

Originally Posted by hirstpb

...noticed what looks like an indentation along the outer tread of one of the tires and a bulge nearby on the side of the same tire...

hi bill

indents are normal and SOME bugles are too (not the ROUND ones)...

here are some references, and FOLLOW the links inside...

What would you do?

http://www.airforums.com/forums/556178-post79.html

however IF you've already purchased new tires (they may have UNDULATIONS TOO) ...

-some shops can handle trailers and some can NOT...

-some will jack up and remove from the trailer and some will NOT...

-some shops don't know WHERE to jack up a stream, SEE the many threads on this issue.

Jacking up an Airstream

YES u can take 1 or 2 in at a time and have them changed...

-but some shops cannot do LUG CENTRIC balancing, which is needed for these wheels.

for HUB centric balancing the shop needs an ADAPTER to attach to the wheel.

so call around or check out the local tire shops...

some gy company stores will do trailer tries and some rv dealers can install/balance...

with independent tires shops there is NO way to predict.

Originally Posted by hirstpb

...Only about 10,000 miles on the Marathons...the one tire is so obviously showing signs of wear...

ONE oddly or excessively worn tire can be caused by MANY issues, there is a discussion of that in posts #58-68 here...

180,000 miles on my goodyear marathons!

cheers
2air'

[Mike Leary]

We get 80k out of our tires, but the alignment is checked every few years. Could the axles be shifting to cause premature tire loss?

[Ganglin]

Bill,

Discount Tire was the only place I could find to have our new tires lug centric balanced (oh and Toyota dealers but they wouldn't do trailer tires). I had to take the wheels to them.

Discount Tire/America's Tire Stores in Florida

Wherever you have them mounted you might want to look at this info. also:

Tire Business - Commercial Tire Service

And this:

Q: What are the Red/Yellow Dots on a sidewall for?
A: A red dot applied to the sidewall of a new radial tire indicates the high point of radial run out, and must be considered for optimal match mounting of the assembly. For steel wheels, align the red dot with the dimple. For the aluminum wheels align the red dot with the valve stem. Some new tires have only yellow dots and they should be mounted with the yellow dot aligned to the valve stem, on both steel and alluminum wheels. Always ignore the yellow dots on new tires that have both red and yellow dots. Red dots always over-ride yellow dots.