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paiceman · 05-22-2014, 10:42 AM

There has been tons posted on here. I did what I thought was good thinking based on experience and input on the forums and others and replaced our Good Year Marathons with Michelin LTX 235x75x15. I even got email APPROVAL from Michelin customer care, thank goodness. I took the trailer out for a test run, empty and it got to bouncing. I thought maybe it was too much air pressure for the load, but I contacted Michelin Customer Care, again, this morning and within four hours had a phone call and an email stating that the Michelins are not approved for use on a trailer under any circumstances and that they would credit me with the dealer who installed them and credit the labor to install ST tires on my trailer asap. That I should not use the trailer under any circumstances with the Michelin tires on them. I received a file code, special 800 number et al. Just a personal experience I though I would share with you all.

Bud

perryg114 · 05-22-2014, 12:13 PM

Well those of use using the 235/75 XL15 tires would not agree. It is all about liability. If you put those tires on a top heavy 5th wheel or some other square box trailer with a high center of gravity they might get sued if it rolls over. If a tire blows on an SOB trailer it probably won't do much damage. On an Airstream, it can do a lot of damage. As long as you are below 2000lb per wheel you should be ok. My 31 foot trailer does not bounce. You can also put 16" rims on it and run higher load rated tires.

Your dealing with a one size fits all mentality. I don't want to use an ST tire because I don't want it to blow and take the back end of my trailer off.

Perry

Lance M · 05-22-2014, 12:24 PM

Bouncing like a basketball?
I have had no such problems with my Michelin LTX MS2 P235/75/15XL tires on my 1972 Ambassador in the last three years and 17,000 miles.
It is your trailer. You can do as you chose. I have yet to see or hear of a Michelin LTX MS or MS2 tire installed on an Airstream come apart, shred, throw a tread, slip a belt, explode, implode, disintegrate, pop, blow up, blow out or any other bad thing that may happen to a tire.

bwoodtx · 05-22-2014, 12:42 PM

I am using the same tire on my '97 31' wide body Excella for the same reasons as Perry.

My were purchased and installed at my neighborhood tire shop. The only mistake you madewas contacting Michelin. Of course, they are going to CYA according to federal statute whatever.
You have not provided enough info regarding the trailer "bounce". I am almost thinkin' it could be the hitch set-up.

openroad118 · 05-22-2014, 12:43 PM

Johnson Center swapped out my Marathon 15's for LT Michelien's 16 without batting an eye!?

Bill M. · 05-22-2014, 12:44 PM

Wow. Thanks for reporting this, I do not understand it, but glad you passed it along. Let us know how it works when you get the new GYM's installed on it. Those of us running the XL Michelins probably need to be aware of how Michelin feels about it. How about trying the same patch of interstate with the GYMs at the same speed?

bwoodtx · 05-22-2014, 12:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by openroad118

Johnson Center swapped out my Marathon 15's for LT Michelien's 16 without batting an eye!?

That is a different tire than what he is using. Yours are LT tires, his is a P metric- no same/same grasshopper.

paiceman · 05-22-2014, 06:47 PM

I understand all the comments on the Michelin's, I also feel the same way about them. However, I light of their recent major tire recall and the insistence on their part that the four tires be returned to their research center at their expense and their willingness to pay for all costs associated with the install and install of new ST tires of my choice - not the tire cost but labor weights etc. I am confident that if anything were to happen from this point forward the responsibility would not be theirs.

My installing tire dealer put the Michelin's on with no problem and in addition when I first contacted Michelin back in December about using their tires they actually recommended them. And this from the same customer care department that now is adamant they not be used. My intent is not to argue or set up a major discussion, simply to pass on that Michelin is now not accepting any liability on their product being used on travel trailers.

To Bill I have been over the same patch of interstate many times with this combination of tow vehicle and hitch with no bouncing. Someone privately suggested that it could be the difference in ride set up harmonics at a point and could only be stopped by slowing. Truck is not going in to have suspension checked as well just to be sure as we are planning a 10,000 + mile trip in a month or so.

My Best

Bud

pappy19 · 05-22-2014, 07:58 PM

I am running the "often used" 16" Sendel's with Michelin M/S-2's E rated and at 75# in each tire. So far, I have run them about 8,000 miles and am on another long trip that will total over 7,000 miles. I am also running Centramatic balancers on all 4 wheels and also on my TV. I have traversed most of the poor interstates including the infamous "interstate hop", huge potholes, and numerous near misses with semi's and bad drivers. I wouldn't get caught dead with another ST tire, no matter the brand. Never had a bounce on my 30' Classic with my Michelins even with the high pressues I'm running. Yours is a strange situation IMHO.

Steve & Mary · 05-22-2014, 10:33 PM

I ran the same Michelin tire you are running on our Classic 31ft. for a couple of years following a blowout on a GYM which did over $7k damage to our trailer. Goodyear paid for the repairs but I had no intentions of going back to an ST tire. I had good service out of them. Don't recall the "bounce" issue. Recently I went to 16 inch tires only because I was on the upper limits of the 15 inch tires. We are getting ready for some serious towing and I wanted more cushion factor. I have yet to sell the Michelins mounted on the original AS rims but would not hesitate one bit to put them back on should I find the need. Happy towing :-)

Jackcat2 · 05-23-2014, 02:44 AM

I would follow Michelins advice. All personal opinions aside, the liability issue in a tragic situation alone is more than enough reason not to use any non approved tires. Not trying to open another can of worms, but in court ones personal opinions up against a tire manufacturers data won't impress anyone. Use the proper tire at the proper inflation and oaded weight, and keep the speed under 65.

paiceman · 05-23-2014, 05:11 AM

Michelin has in their product information sheets sent to approved Michelin dealers the stipulation as to how each tire should be used. In court, they win-I am fully aware of this as for years I was on the other side and never lost when a product was not used as designed and intended by the companies I ran. Spent many days in court on very similar issues as this one and as stated we never lost and never settled out of court when our products were not used as intended.

Safe Travels to all

Thanks

Bud

r carl · 05-23-2014, 05:23 AM

I would just get my money refunded and go out and buy LT tires. That's the best you can do.

SteveH · 05-23-2014, 06:11 AM

If you just MUST run LT tires, a friend of mine uses 7.00X15 LT bias ply tires on his trailer because they do not have the steel belt, and says that's the part of the tire that does the damage to the trailer when they self-destruct. He has had a couple of failures over the years, and neither has done any damage to the trailer. Just food for thought.

crispyboy · 05-23-2014, 06:23 AM

With the trailer you have you are probably at the upper end of the weight limit on the 15" tires. Have you taken it to the scales fully loaded and ready to travel?
If you plan on taking the tires back, get the money and upgrade to a 16" LT tire. LT tires are approved for trailer use!

paiceman · 05-24-2014, 06:53 AM

Allow me to clear something up. Michelin as dreditied the dealer for the full cost of the tires, installation including balancing and disposal of the GYM tires. PLUS credited the dealer the exact same amount of money, in total, for them to install any ST tire I choose on our AS. as long as the Michelin tires are returned to Michelin and we install ST tires. As I noted earlier, having been on the Michelin side my entire career in other industries in my mind something is up. Michelin told me it was to compensate me for my time and effort, did not say it was due to their mistake, but it was implied. So we are going to go with an ST tire and probably change to 16" wheels and LT next winter after our 10-12,000 mile trip this late summer and fall.

Thanks

Bud

r carl · 05-24-2014, 07:04 AM

In that case go with bias ply st tires.

SteveSueMac · 05-24-2014, 07:07 AM

Are you saying you think the tires you had weren't really round? Bruce Beard wrote a thread about that in the forums somewhere...

xrvr · 05-24-2014, 07:19 AM

It would be helpful on these threads if the OP would post the complete tire info and not just the size. Like LT or P or ST. Same size tires can have dif ratings and applications. Vastly dif tires and uses. Thanks, jim

gmw photos · 05-24-2014, 07:42 AM

Anybody here running 15" using the GoodYear Cargo G26 ??
225/70-15C is a load range D ( 65 psi ) tire with 2470 lbs of capacity.

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires....5G26&tab=Sizes

I'd let the tire store buy me the ST tires....then pull them off as brand new and sell them on craigslist or similar, then put LT's on it. A bit of hassle, but worth it my opinion.