Goodyear Marathon Disaster Adverted

[Timberock]

Prior to our road trip in the summer of 2015 the Goodyear Marathon tires on our 2013 Flying Cloud 27FB were showing relatively even wear and decent tread depth remaining. We had an epic trip last year traveling to the 5 national parks in Utah and then over to California up Hwy 101 through Big Sur, in to Yosemite with a final stop at Crater Lake before returning home to the Seattle area. We keep speeds at or below 65 MPH and all on on paved roads with the exception of the occasional campground gravel road. We encountered no significant rough patches or large pot holes, but as this was a July/August temp the road temps and tire temps were higher than previously experienced.

Upon return from the trip and adding 3600 miles to our tally two of the Goodyear Marathons were showing significant wear on the outer edges. One to the point of potential tread separation. In the photo below the street side tires on are the top and rear tires are to the left of the photo. You can observe an interesting pattern of wear on the outside of the curb side rear tire and street side front tire.

I am not sure if this is worth pursuing with Goodyear, but I am interested in hearing others experience here. Regardless we have upgraded to 16" wheels, Michelin LT225/75R16 Load Range E LTX M/S2, and Centramatic Balancers. We also had a an axle alignment performed for good measure.

The last step is to dial in on the right tire pressure for the new 16" tires. Airstream show 80 PSI on models with 16" tires arriving from the factory but this feels like it will result in a harsh ride. Looks like I have lots of forum reading and research ahead of me

[HowieE]

Not to support Goodyear but the first thing you check is the axle alignment. I suspect they are so far out that you will be able to see it without a straight edge set across the center line of them while on the trailer.

[Timberock]

Totally agree and we had a re-alignment done prior to mounting the new wheels/tires. I unfortunately did not write down how much of an adjustment was necessary. The alignment shop mentioned it was a "minor" adjustment.

[HiJoeSilver]

That wear pattern is not caused by the tired but by the axle/wheel having way to much positive camber. If not fixed you will have the same result in your michelins.

[HiJoeSilver]

Originally Posted by HowieE

Not to support Goodyear but the first thing you check is the axle alignment. I suspect they are so far out that you will be able to see it without a straight edge set across the center line of them while on the trailer.

Not sure what shop fixed the alignment but unless they had very specific equipment for aligning these type axles, which is rare, they probably ripped you off. The axles actually have to be bent for this type of alignment. It's not a simple wrench like adjustment like on cars or trucks.

[Timberock]

Thanks for your concern. We contacted Dexter Axle to locate a alignment shop in the Seattle area. They recommended Kimball's Alignment in Tacoma, WA. Service took about 3 hours for a dual axle trailer and ran $340 with tax.

The tech working on the trailer make me ensure we were only going a short distance at low speeds when he caught the tire damage. Luckily we only had a 20 mile journey back to the Airstream dealer for the tire swap and other maintenance.

I was pleased with the service I received and would recommend Kimball's to others looking for an alignment shop in western Washington.

[aftermath]

I am glad that you now have Michelins. I am sure you will sleep much better at night now. I agree with the previous posters, the wear pattern you show in the photos have nothing to do with the tire but everything to do with the alignment of your trailer. Put whatever you want on and you will probably see the same pattern over time.

And when you said, "One to the point of potential tread separation", I think you were simply restating what the critics say about the Marathons. I really don't think that tread separation shows by a worn strip on the edge of the tire. I might be wrong here but I think separation happens more in the center of the tire and it has devastating consequences.

Again, happy to know you have a new set of tires. Also, kudos to you for paying attention to everything. Keep an eye on the new tires and you should be good to go for a long time.

[dkottum]

Sounds like you are well on top of it and made good choices.

There are never-ending discussions on tire pressure for the 16" Michelins, a lot of us use 65 psi for a softer ride. We do and have no stuff bouncing around in our trailer, or parts coming loose. Part of this is tow vehicle suspension and unsprung weight, as well as flexible w.d. bars, but the tire pressure looks good.

[HowieE]

Originally Posted by HiJoeSilver

Not sure what shop fixed the alignment but unless they had very specific equipment for aligning these type axles, which is rare, they probably ripped you off. The axles actually have to be bent for this type of alignment. It's not a simple wrench like adjustment like on cars or trucks.

Many Truck trailer shops have the equipment to bend the axles. Just make sure you find one that knows what they are doing. Do not consider a dealer.

[Tincampers]

Originally Posted by HowieE

Many Truck trailer shops have the equipment to bend the axles. Just make sure you find one that knows what they are doing. Do not consider a dealer.

A dealer might be able to point you to a shop they use. We asked the Boise service manager and he referred us to a shop in Ontario, OR. They got us right in and the problem was fixed. $150 for the front axle. The rear was fine.

[Dexterpix]

Curious if you have a TPMS? Did the 2 tires with excessive wear run hotter or with higher pressures than the others? Did all the wear occur on this one trip? Have the tires been rotated?

Just interested to know how quickly that much wear can occur. Is this an accumulation of the tires total life or was it just this one trip because the tires had been rotated recently. Good catch before having a blow out.

Safe travels
Joe D

[HowieE]

Unless he had frequent inspections of the tires he really can't answer that question. That ware is a function of the alignment and there is not way to tell for sure when the axle bent. It could have come from the factory, most likely that way, or bent on the road.

[AWCHIEF]

Story starts off blaming the tires just by the title of the post when the actual cause of the wear had nothing to do with the tire brand. Reminds me of reading a yellow rag headline. Funny stuff.

[FCStreamer]

I think beating up on GYM is a national forum sport. Reminds me to take everything I read here with a grain of salt.

[rostam]

The title of this thread is misleading. This issue has nothing to do with the tire brand.

I would also take much of what I read here with a grain of salt. There are at least a dozen "themes" in this forum (hitch, TV, tires, stability, etc) that are all exaggerated, inaccurate or flat out wrong. They are repeated so many times, that they are now shared as facts.

[Farmer Dan]

Timberock, my tire dealer recommended the full 80 psi for my Michelin tires. He says less flex and thus lower temps on the tires. On our recent Caravan, a friend with the same 16" tires measured the temps of his tires and mine at a rest stop. He runs 65 psi in his. My tires were 10* cooler. But both were acceptable temps. I have run that with both trailers for the 3-4 years that I have had these tires. The things in my trailers haven't bounced or fallen or re-arranged themselves. I also have the Centramatics on both trailers.

Dan

[Ray Eklund]

Originally Posted by rostam

The title of this thread is misleading. This issue has nothing to do with the tire brand.

*******

I do have to agree... a bit... with your statement.

The majority of Airstream Owners, including myself, are not Trailer Dealers, Trailer Mechanics, Tire Specialists, Dexter Axle experts, Hitch and Receiver sales men... and on and on.

At $110 to $150 an hour to inspect your brakes and wheel bearings, when they should be dependable for thousands of miles... is an example of excess.

We are merely Airstream owners who have people selling, selling and pushing for upgrading our trailers... by the... so called Experts. When many tens of thousands of dollars are spent for 'looks', it is disappointing that all of us learn quickly that you eventually become proficient in fixing and repairing them.

That is why many questions lack important details and many questions must be answered in order for those with experience can make comments. Many regular long term owners have made the Airforums an excellent source of opinion and assistance.

It is not the Consumer who is misleading, but the Army of individuals selling and promoting products. Even myself when it comes to substituting an alternative for pop rivets, tires, wheels, hitch fit to receiver, and how to do's for those of us who are learning.

I had a similar issue with the Marathons on a 23 foot with 14" tires. I replaced the tire and it solved itself. So... it gives me the impression that it was the tire. I eventually learned on the Forum that some trailer branded tires were better... Goodyears were not in my case of the 14".

I had no issues with the 15" Marathons, but did not waste any time to sell all five and replaced them with 16" wheels and Michelin Tires.

Was it necessary? Maybe not. But the price to change over for better options is purchasing 'insurance' that I will not regret. If I can get 58,000 miles on Michelins on my tow vehicle and trade the truck in with plenty of tread remaining, without failure... it is a decision made from experience.

Although, when we get down to those debating toilet tissue and black tanks... I leave it to the Experts among that group.

I depend on the tires on my trailer and tow vehicle to be the BEST I can manage to find. I can promise everyone I will not be going from Michelin tires to Goodyear Marathons in my lifetime. Sometimes dealing with the details and other Airstream owners is the best information I can find.

[m.hony]

I thought so, too, until I had GYM tread separations...

[floridalarry]

I cannot go with 16" on my '66 Globe Trotter. Replaced the tires three months ago with Duro 225 75R x15, which was recommended by an AS dealer. However, the tire dealer up-sold me to E rated, which is 80#'s cold. Went to the International Rally and found out that I was crazy to buy tires where I had to run 80#'s . . . will pop rivets. Went back to the trailer and sure enough I had 8 loose interior rivets that I didn't have before making the trip. Went to Maxxis 205 75R 15 D rated where I can run at 65#'s pressure. Either way, with two or four axles, I would be concerned running at 80#'s. As the Duro manufacturer's rep told me . . . you can run truck tires based on the auto manufacturer recommended pressure on your truck not on the trailer and ST tires should never be run at a pressure lower then that is on the tire. Go figure.

[m.hony]

You couldn't run the Load Range E tires at 45 or 50 psi?
The 80# on the sidewall is maximum air pressure, right?
I run my Load Range E tires at 65 psi even though the sidewalls state 80 psi.
No popped rivets-
Everything stays where you put it.
Stuff on the counter or table stays on the counter or table.
Really whether you get Load Range D or Load Range E is according to the weight/GVW of your trailer.