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CapriRacer · 09-03-2018, 03:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Silver Hawk

I checked with the website recommend for tire dating - TireTech. They show new DOT dating for 2000 on. I checked my six trailers - all with tires bought after 2004, and only two used the 'new' system of dating (which is much simpler than the old system). The rest used the old system using a Alpha system. So it looks like it's not mandatory. Does anyone know where to look online for the 'old' DOT system codes?

Look on the other side of the tire. The date code is only required on one side (the other side is a partial with alphanumeric digits), but the date code has been required to be all numbers since about 1970 - although they changed in 2000 from 3 numerals to 4 numerals.

Tireman9 · 09-03-2018, 08:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MissingLink5

The new Goodyear Endurance is a 10 ply tire whereas the Marathon was only an 8 ply. Endurance is rated at 80mph whereas Marathons are rated at max of 65mph. Enough said!!!

I think if you read the sidewall of your tires you will learn that they probably say something like...
Tread 2 ply steel, 1 ply Nylon, 1 Ply Polyester
Sidewall 1 Ply Polyester

The "ply rating" started to become incorrect in the 60's with the introduction of improved materials. The correct terminology is "Load rating" which indicates the level of load capacity at a given inflation.
LR-E usually means 80 psi is needed to support the maximum load and LR-D usually means 65 psi is needed to support the maximum load. LR-C means you would need 50 psi.

You also need to realize that the "speed rating" is a measure of temperature resistance. The test only requires a tire to be able to run 30 minutes at that speed on a laboratory test.

The load formula for ST tires is based on a maximum driving speed of 65 and that hasn't changed since St type tires were invented in the 60's.

Tireman9 · 09-03-2018, 08:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Uncle Bill

I have been doing the replacement thing since I purchased my 2012 Classic. I have installed Carlisle 10 ply tires and still am blowing them. What we need is what I did for my former 5th wheel. Replace the wheels to 16" and then install Michelin all steel XPS RIB truck tires. (Not made in 15") NO MORE BLOWOUTS. What a good feeling!

Don't you mean you really increased the load capacity of your tires which gave you more "reserve" load aka margin?

Did your Classic come with LR-D or LR-E in 2012?

What was the original tire size? Size of the XPS is what

Tireman9 · 09-03-2018, 08:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Silver Hawk

I checked with the website recommend for tire dating - TireTech. They show new DOT dating for 2000 on. I checked my six trailers - all with tires bought after 2004, and only two used the 'new' system of dating (which is much simpler than the old system). The rest used the old system using a Alpha system. So it looks like it's not mandatory. Does anyone know where to look online for the 'old' DOT system codes?

The "New" system is MANDATORY since early 2002. Be sure you are reading the side of the tires where the date codes are shown. New toreshave only a partial DOT serial on one side i.e. last 4 digits are not numbers.

The "Old" system had 3 numbers at the end of the DOT serial.

A tire made today would have 3518 as the last 4 characters. You should not be running any tire with a code older than 3508 ( ten years old)

AGraham · 09-03-2018, 09:19 AM

I had problem with Marathon tire separation in BC Canada. Continued home to Pa . Only had about 5000 miles on FC camper. Called Goodyear to complain and they covered replacement and cost of install. Goodyear does not manufacture Marathons anymore they did switch to Endurance. My tire guy recommended Towmax towmaster as a better choice.

Uncle Bill · 09-04-2018, 03:58 AM

My 2012 Classic came with GM 225x75R15 LR-D tires. I would like to tell you how many original installed tire I have had blowout using the original and same size tires as replacements. I even replaced the LR-D's with LR-E's and still only get about 3,000 miles before blowouts. It is the damage caused by the blowouts that concerns me most. I am tired of fixing my trailer after blowouts.

As I alluded to in my earlier message, I owned an Alpha 5th wheel that had 16" wheels as the original size. After 5 blowouts in one 6,000 mile trip I replaced the tires with Michelin 235x75R16 XPS RIB (All Steel) tires. These tires are made with steel sidewalls. Many thousands of miles later I traded the trailer for my present Airstream without any more blowouts on my Alpha.

I have another question that does not appear to have a good answer....If trailer tires are so good and must be installed on a trailer when truck tires wear so much better, what is the rational for requiring the ST's on a trailer? My truck, 2002 GMC Duallie uses LT tires and I can not wear them out not blow them out before I feel it is safe to replace them (7 years). I am running "LT's" LR-E's on my truck.

I am sorry to say that I do not agree with the idea that ST tires for trailers is the safest and best option.

Uncle Bill

switz · 09-04-2018, 07:55 AM

Airstream installed the 16" SenDel T03-66655T wheels on the Eddie Bauer models as well as some 2015 and later Classics along with Michelin LT225/75R16/E LTX M/S2 tires. This tire combination (tires are now the Defender model but the same size) is for sale at the entrance to the Jackson Center service center.

GYM diameter = 28.3"
Michelin 16" diameter = 29.2"

So the trailer is raised about 0.45"

Our 2014 Classic arrived on the Load D GYM tires. I converted to the SenDel wheels and 16" Michelin LT225/75R16/E LTX M/S2 tires as soon as I tool it off the dealer lot.

We used the 15" SenDel T03-56545T wheels (matches the wheels on our Classic) to upgrade our 2015 23D International Serenity from 14" GYM tires and wheels to 15" Michelin LTX (P) 235/75R15 XL tires on the original 10" five lug drum brake system.

Tireman9 · 09-04-2018, 08:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Uncle Bill

My 2012 Classic came with GM 225x75R15 LR-D tires. I would like to tell you how many original installed tire I have had blowout using the original and same size tires as replacements. I even replaced the LR-D's with LR-E's and still only get about 3,000 miles before blowouts. It is the damage caused by the blowouts that concerns me most. I am tired of fixing my trailer after blowouts.

As I alluded to in my earlier message, I owned an Alpha 5th wheel that had 16" wheels as the original size. After 5 blowouts in one 6,000 mile trip I replaced the tires with Michelin 235x75R16 XPS RIB (All Steel) tires. These tires are made with steel sidewalls. Many thousands of miles later I traded the trailer for my present Airstream without any more blowouts on my Alpha.

I have another question that does not appear to have a good answer....If trailer tires are so good and must be installed on a trailer when truck tires wear so much better, what is the rational for requiring the ST's on a trailer? My truck, 2002 GMC Duallie uses LT tires and I can not wear them out not blow them out before I feel it is safe to replace them (7 years). I am running "LT's" LR-E's on my truck.

I am sorry to say that I do not agree with the idea that ST tires for trailers is the safest and best option.

Uncle Bill

Never seen any requirement that trailers run ST type tires. However ST type tires can only be installed on trailers, so that might be the "requirement" you are thinking of.

The selection of tires to use on any vehicle is up to the RV company. They select tires based only on load capacity, physical size and cost as far as I can see. I don't know what the RV company actually pays for ST tires but it is probably less than an LT of equivalent load capacity.

If your only concern was for lower cost when comparing two tires of equal load capacity and the ST tire was easier to fit (it was smaller and did not require you make larger wheel wells), Why would you select the higher cost tire? You don't offer a meaningful warranty so do not face the expense of warranty costs if there is a tire failure so what is the incentive for the RV company to spend more?

featherbedder · 09-04-2018, 09:11 AM

A little off about tires but metal stems are a great deterant to vandalism as rubber stems can be bent at rim then sliced causing lack of pressure and can not build back up. only remedy is to dismount tire and replace stems. This can be costly if perp did all 4 stems. By looking cannot tell were sliced, must dismount to discover. I've seen this happen many times in a public transportation lot when people would block cars in, also exit or entry lanes. IMO Chgo. most commuters are very rude. I base this as working in and out, 40 yrs. in commuter serv. But there are also some very very nice people and caring.