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LFC · 10-30-2013, 05:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by beechplace18

I have seen no threads on 32' Excella's. I bought new Tow-master tires (5) prior to the Southwest Adventure Caravan and had two blow outs, and damage on both sides of my rig from the tread separation that followed. I was checking temps with an infared thermometer and rear tandem tires treads were running 104 F and fronts were running 98F. The pressures were 77 cold and would rise to approx. 80. These were E rated 2830# capacity at 80 cold. Can anyone offer suggestions? Thx. Beechplace 18 Towing with 3/4 ton Deisel.

I'd say you were running too much air pressure in the tires....look on the Airtream body tag it's plainly stated what air pressure the factory recommends.

Happy-rver · 10-30-2013, 06:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dkottum

Larry, what is the magic touch Can-Am has, that others who sell LTX's don't have?

The last thing I did before I left TR was check the tire pressure, 50 psi. We are now sitting at the town part at Port Lavaca, TX and our tires are still good. Since June 2000 we have owned our trailer and have gone with Can-Am for all issues for what tow vehicle to use to what tires to by (currently on our third set of trailer tires).

**jcanavera** · 10-30-2013, 07:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by beechplace18

I have seen no threads on 32' Excella's. I bought new Tow-master tires (5) prior to the Southwest Adventure Caravan and had two blow outs, and damage on both sides of my rig from the tread separation that followed. I was checking temps with an infared thermometer and rear tandem tires treads were running 104 F and fronts were running 98F. The pressures were 77 cold and would rise to approx. 80. These were E rated 2830# capacity at 80 cold. Can anyone offer suggestions? Thx. Beechplace 18 Towing with 3/4 ton Deisel.

No real answers here. You were well within the rated pressure of the tires and running at that pressure should not cause a failure as long as you weren't overloaded. The only other piece of information I didn't see was the speed at which you were towing. If you were at or below the 65 mph limit of the tires, the only explanation is the fact that it was another ST belt failure that many of us have experienced.

My Maxxis E rated tires suffered a separation on two tires on the same trip which caused a ballooning of the center tread area where air got between the tire tread and the belts. I had checked pressure cold and we were at 80 psi. Towing speeds were between 55 and 60. My luck was that the belts held together and I discovered this when I got home and in the drive. Here's a picture of one of the distended tires vs. one that wasn't.

That failure led me down the path to my current 16" LTX Michelin's.

Jack

dannydimitt · 10-30-2013, 07:33 AM

All ST Radials , not just the Marathons , are failing and causing extreme damage , and the fact that most of them come from China should not be overlooked .

SteveH · 10-30-2013, 07:48 AM

We were at a rally this last weekend, and I noticed two trailers with budging treads. One set of tires were just over a year old, and were Tow Master brand, and the other set were approximately the same age, and were Maxxis brand. Of course, both were "ST" tires.

Folks, the evidence is overwhelming, in my opinion, that all "ST" tires are junk and only are good for a bon fire.

afneill · 10-30-2013, 08:23 AM

Not to beat a dead horse, but I also made the switch to Michelins, 15 inch. On a previous SOB trailer, we had tread separation on the Marathon tires that were on it. They were neither too old nor run underinflated. They just separated of their on accord. We were headed to Alaska this spring so I replaced the Marathons on my AS with the Michelins. Took a trial run to Big Bend and then off on a 12,000 mile jaunt to Alaska, similar to the one described in a previous post, including the Cassiar highway, if the north part could be labeled that. No problems with the tires. Not even adding any Canadian air. All the way with Texas air, and you all know that is plentiful. A good upgrade in my opinion.

dannydimitt · 10-30-2013, 09:08 AM

Any and all ST Radials = Garbage

Any other Radial = Happy Trails

Bill M. · 10-30-2013, 09:41 AM

Had a puncture on the Michelin on my TV yesterday. It was down to 17 psi (rear of the truck) and still running. No catastrophic failure except in the wallet. Since it is a 4 wheel drive I now have to decide whether to replace all of them or live with one with deeper tread.
My 2 sets of Michelin LT 15" trailer tires have been to Alaska and Newfoundland and points in between with no failures very seldom adding air.

dannydimitt · 10-30-2013, 09:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bill M.

Had a puncture on the Michelin on my TV yesterday. It was down to 17 psi (rear of the truck) and still running. No catastrophic failure except in the wallet. Since it is a 4 wheel drive I now have to decide whether to replace all of them or live with one with deeper tread.
My 2 sets of Michelin LT 15" trailer tires have been to Alaska and Newfoundland and points in between with no failures very seldom adding air.

My 2 cents goes for replacing only the one . The difference in diameter will never be noticed or be enough to ever harm any of the running gear .

mstephens · 10-30-2013, 11:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dannydimitt

All ST Radials , not just the Marathons , are failing and causing extreme damage , and the fact that most of them come from China should not be overlooked .

Where are all the Michelin tires made? I have them, but I can't recall looking at the sidewall for country of manufacture.

SteveSueMac · 10-30-2013, 11:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mstephens

Where are all the Michelin tires made? I have them, but I can't recall looking at the sidewall for country of manufacture.

Mine were made in Canada.

Bill M. · 10-30-2013, 11:31 AM

The 15" XL ones put on my trailer this summer were made in Canada. The 17" load range E that I put on the truck yesterday was made in the US. I think Michelin has a several manufacturing plants around the world.

**DKB_SATX** · 10-30-2013, 11:37 AM

TireRack currently lists the country of origin for the 15" LTX M/S2 as either Canada or US.

CDONA · 10-30-2013, 11:57 AM

My '03 Alfa came with 225-16 Uniroyal Larado's LT, I had tread separation on three of the seven. I replaced them with Bridgestone R273 SWP II, advice from Ron's tire in Bullhead City.
I was limited in tire size, 235's won't clear the frame with stock wheels. I was looking at wheel spacers, or new wheels with a different offset for the inside frame clearance and 235's, or the bridgestones. I tried two at first, as I popped more stock tires I went for a full set. I'm still running them six years later.
I use downgrades for a run at the next upgrade, this is where I get the 70 mph max speed, my tv runs best @ 65. Pix in my gallery.

Gene · 11-05-2013, 08:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LFC

I'd say you were running too much air pressure in the tires....look on the Airtream body tag it's plainly stated what air pressure the factory recommends.

I think you'll find that the body tag recommendation is for Load Range D tires—they have a max of 65 lbs. Load Range E tires have a max of 80 lbs., so for the tire he has he is at the maximum, regardless of the body tag.

Gene

SteveH · 07-03-2014, 12:38 PM

We had a blowout yesterday with a less than three year old B F Goodrich Commercial TA E rated tire running 75 lbs pressure and 60 mph. Since it was the road side rear it did all the typical damage. Probably about 2K $ damage. Tire had about 30k miles on it and looked new. Guess they're not as good as Discount Tire said.

perryg114 · 07-03-2014, 12:44 PM

The road side rear is the most common tire to get a puncture then loose air then fly apart after the pressure gets low. So it may not be the tire. How much is left of the tire?

Perry

Gene · 07-03-2014, 12:59 PM

Steve,

Things just seem to happen to you. You could go into a monastery and give up all worldly things. Or, replace the tire with a Michelin. Do you have tire pressure monitors for the trailer?

I hope the truck is working out well by now.

We're thinking about going to Lake City in August, but I have to see docs about my back and some sort of surgery is in my future, so life is somewhat confused about our future travels.

Gene

J. Morgan · 07-03-2014, 01:03 PM

Tires are going to fail, and more so in the heat,,, this just is.

Some will have manufacturing defects, some will have been run low, and some will have experienced damage a long time before.

Sent from my iPhone using Airstream Forums

dannydimitt · 07-03-2014, 01:15 PM

We had the right rear go flat on our Safari near Pie Town , New Mexico about a month back . A nice young lady that had been following passed and signaled that there was a problem back there , we pulled over and she told us the tire had been down for several miles "towed perfectly with no apparent problems " the weight of the trailer had been carried by the right Front tire and wheel allowing the assembly to the rear of it to roll along without the wheel ever making contact with the road surface . This was a new first time on the road p rated 15 inch tire and did not come apart or do any damage whatsoever to the trailer, although it was run deflated long enough to inflict fatal damage to the outside sidewall of the tire , while the inside was perfectly fine . The tire that had been carrying the entire weight of the right side of the trailer was no warmer than the tires on the left side of the trailer .
Hats off to the young lady who stopped to tell us of the flat , she offered to help us put the spare on !