Mounting Loose, or taking your stream into a shop?

[BoldAdventure]

Was planning on buying new tires to replace the ST's on our Airstream before our next trip this Thanksgiving. I've found that the Costco buy my house which I am a member has the best price installed, better than even Tirerack. But Costco won't install loose tires. They need to see the vehicle they say...??

Is this normal? Do most of you just take your rim into a place or actually take your Airstream to a dealer?

I normally have had a guy install my tires when I order online, but this time it looks like form both Tirerack and Discount Tire the cost is about 100 more not counting the installation.

[SteveSueMac]

I was fortunate to find a Town Fair Tire dealer not far from me who listened to what I wanted to do with the P-rated Michelins (white letters facing out, even :-) ) and had me bring the trailer to their shop. We used my TrailerAid to lift one tire at a time on the dual axles and they installed my TPMS internal sensors too.

Have you talked with the service manager there?

[Wingeezer]

When I wanted to change to Michelin LT tires, I did get a price from our local Costco, but then found a small local tire shop that had them for about $10 less per tire and also were able to get me a very good price on the 16" aluminum wheels I wanted as well.

They had no problem at all installing them on our trailer directly, although they had to do it on the forecourt of the building rather than inside due to the size of the trailer.

I stayed there at the time and rather than rink them make jacking incorrectly, I put the wheels up on ramps one at a time for them to install the wheels.

They also removed the old ST tires That were pretty much shot) for me and I sold the 15" Alcoa rims to someone on the forum afterwards.

Brian.

[Silver Hawk]

I switched to Michelins last year. Bought them at the local Costco - brought them in to mount two at a time and put them on myself - they would not do the job if I brought my airstream in, but would mount them if I brought them in by them selves - said Costco policy was they will not do trailers, only vehicles but would do tires mounting by them selves. Different part of country? or ?

[mgcoonan]

As I was reading up on my Minuet, I ran across a post or article about balancing the tires.
That they had to be balanced on the trailer not off the trailer. Does that sound right? If it is, how many of you do it? Also, how is it done?
Mike

[Ganaraska]

Garages and tire stores used to have a balancer that worked on the vehicle. The first garage I worked at in 1968 had one. There was a round thing with 2 knobs or weights in the center. It clamped on the wheel. You spun the tire up to 60 MPH and adjusted the knobs so the tire was in balance, stopped the tire, and installed the weights. This meant tire, wheel, brake drum and all were balanced together.

For the front (non driven) wheels there was a machine about the size of a lawn mower. It had an electric motor and a drum to drive the wheel. Push it against the tire, turn it on, and it would spin the wheel up to speed.

[21Airstream]

I ordered six Michelin LT225/75-16E tires on Costco.com and they were delivered to my local Costco store. After they arrived, I dropped off my new Sendel T-02 wheels and they mounted and balanced the new tires on them (and I installed them on our Airstream at home).

They did ask what type of vehicle they would be mounted on, and said the mileage warranty wouldn't apply since they would be mounted on a trailer. I have dealt with them several times over the years and this might have helped (and those Michelins are more than up to the task).

[TinTin]

My experience was the same.

Originally Posted by 21Airstream

I ordered six Michelin LT225/75-16E tires on Costco.com and they were delivered to my local Costco store. After they arrived, I dropped off my new Sendel T-02 wheels and they mounted and balanced the new tires on them (and I installed them on our Airstream at home).

They did ask what type of vehicle they would be mounted on, and said the mileage warranty wouldn't apply since they would be mounted on a trailer. I have dealt with them several times over the years and this might have helped (and those Michelins are more than up to the task).

[idroba]

I brought my new wheels to Costco in Missoula MT, where they installed my new 16" Michelin tires, and I brought them home and put them on my trailer myself. It was a non issue.

[perryg114]

It is better to carry in loose wheels. I don't like taking stuff to a garage if I don't have to. Also you can tell them wheels are for a Chevy Suburban. Many shops won't put car tires on trailer rims.

Perry

[Inland RV Center, In]

Originally Posted by SteveSueMac

I was fortunate to find a Town Fair Tire dealer not far from me who listened to what I wanted to do with the P-rated Michelins (white letters facing out, even :-) ) and had me bring the trailer to their shop. We used my TrailerAid to lift one tire at a time on the dual axles and they installed my TPMS internal sensors too.

Have you talked with the service manager there?

Did they balance the tire, whell, hub and drum as an assembly?

Andy

[Ag&Au]

The last I knew, Discount tire will match anyone else's price. They had no problem mounting them on my trailer as long as I signed a form acknowledging that I was aware they were not the same type/size tires that the trailer was equipped with when new.

Ken

[cwf]

Find a 'good ol' boy" shop or a 4x4 accessory shop... they will mount ALMOST any tires.

[BoldAdventure]

Wow, I'm embarrassed at how atrocious the spelling and grammar is in my first post. Forgive me for that. Sometimes at work, I post in a hurry and don't read over things.

I called the tire center and spoke with the service manager who told me the employee I spoke with in the store was mistaken.

Now I just need to search the forum on how to properly jack my Airstream.

Originally Posted by cwf

Find a 'good ol' boy" shop or a 4x4 accessory shop... they will mount ALMOST any tires.

That's who I've been using. $60 for 4 tires. Which worked out to the same as Costco's $15 per tire.

Thanks everyone.

Based on a post in another thread I'm switching to Michelins in my stock 15's. I'd like to run 16's but right now we have tires that have a 2009 date stamp and visible warping in the walls. And they're Goodyear Marathons.... I'm embarrassed to admit we've driven on them already. Since I fixed the floor, and we set our goal to camp at least once a month every month till we go full time, I want to take care of these tires. Should hold us over till next April. Figure I can recoup come cost when I sell these.

[polarlyse]

It seems you have 3 choices for safe tire replacement. If you're hooked to your tow vehicle it's easiest to simply lay down a ramp and drive one axle at a time onto the ramp which will raise the other wheels off the ground. Safe and easy. Otherwise you will simply jack it up. Some use the axle mounting plates as a reinforced jack point with good result and that will take 2 wheels up. Others use the indicated jack point which is usually marked by a diamond shape just inboard to the rear of the aft wheel. This point is on a frame member and works well when I need to jack it up also taking 2 wheels up.

Easy to do just make sure you are doing it safely. Good luck and see ya on the road sometime.