Opinions please on this tire for my...

[Getahobby]

03 28 ft classic weighing in at 8600lb max. Michelin ltx MS2


They have a 2183lb per tire capacity. Made in North America. My Marathons are only 2 years old with under 10K miles on them and they're already herniated. I don't want to buy Chinese crap and I don't want to buy new 16" wheels.
thanks,
Dave

[DKB_SATX]

Lots of people are using that tire. I'm planning to put a set on my Argosy (that grosses about 3k lb less than your Classic) in the next few weeks, a good friend has had a set on his '70s Ambassador for over a year, and you'll probably get lots of people chiming in with their LTX experience.

[RLS]

I would not chance using tires that close to the limit. JMHO The only 15" tires I am aware of that would be ok are the Goodyear cargo and Continental Vanco 2 tires. 225x70x15" with a load limit of 2,47 lbs. I think. Downfall of either is that your rig will be lowered 1/2".

[Ag&Au]

Since you are asking for opinions, mine is that you are cutting corners on the one thing that is most likely to cause expensive damage to your expensive trailer. You may not want to buy 16 inch wheels and tires, but if I'm not mistaken that is the only way you can get load range E tires, which is what you really need. My advice is bite the bullet and do it right and scrimp somewhere else less important.

Ken

[handn]

You are close to the limit. Is 8600 the gross vehicle weight of your trailer?
What is its tongue weight? That should be subtracted from the load carried by your tires.
The only way to do it would be to run with little or nothing in your trailer. If you are willing to take the trouble to do that, you are probably o.k., at least better off than running with ST tires. To me, the peace of mind would be worth the expense to upgrade to 16 inch wheels and load range E LT tires. That way if I don't want to take the trouble to drain all my tanks on a rainy morning in Georgia, I don't have to sweat it.

[Gene]

This tire is made to confuse people. It is called an M+S which would mean mud and snow, but the small print says it is not a real snow tire. The LTX originally meant Michelin's signature brand name "X" tires and added "LT" to signify light truck. Then they added M+S for mud and snow, but they don't mean it anymore.

Trying to figure out what load range the tire is also confuses. It used to be load range was in plies—6 ply, 8 ply, 10 ply, etc. Then we went to letters—C was 6 ply; D was 8 ply, etc. But now they are switching to numbers sometimes and new letters for passenger tires such as XL (extra load), LL (light load) and SL (standard load). The numbers are seen sometimes and I think 110 is a C or D tire, but haven't found much about it.

Light trucks and SUV's often come with passenger car tires now and they may be XL.

The 15" Michelin is a passenger tire regardless of "LT" and an all season tire despite M+S. I think Michelin makes great tires, but this kind of branding is deceptive. However, that doesn't mean it can't be used if the numbers add up properly.

You would have a 132 lb. margin (1.5%) with these tires assuming you don't overload your trailer.

Another thing to consider is whether the sidewalls of these P tires are as strong as sidewalls of LT tires. I haven't checked this, but certainly would if I were buying tires. A stiffer sidewall is good for a trailer. That is why some buy the Michelin Rib tire—it has very strong sidewalls—although I think that is not necessary as the true light truck LT tire is sufficient as I see it.

I don't feel good about these P tires. Maybe that's not rational, but I would need to know a lot more about them. I have to agree with Ken in the post just above—tires are very important and the risk of damage from them is serious and the costs of such damage are very high, so a savings of $400-500 for new wheels may not be a savings at all.

Check more information before you buy. These differently rated P tires for truck and trailer use are seductive because they come in 15", but we really don't know enough about them to be entirely clear on whether they work well. They are approximately a C load range tire and Airstreams of your size come with D load range—that may tell you something, but the load range designations have been muddied recently and all is unclear.

Gene

[Getahobby]

Keep it coming! Anyone using this tire with about an 8000lb trailer. Any fitment issues with 16's on the 03 Classic? What width wheel is correct?

[Phoenix]

I agree with CrawfordGene, this is cutting it a little too close. These "XL" tires are spec'd similar to the old load range "C", and your Airstream probably came with load range "D" tires. While I trust Michelin's build quality and reliability, it won't be the manufacturer's fault if these fail, and you used tires inadequate for the load.

Just another opinion...

[Gene]

Originally Posted by Getahobby

Keep it coming! Anyone using this tire with about an 8000lb trailer. Any fitment issues with 16's on the 03 Classic? What width wheel is correct?

Check the tire diameter on the Michelin website and then measure the tires you have now—the difference should tell you how much clearance there is. Then check the new tire diameter by centering the tape measure on the center of the hub cap. Then measure it again if your not sure. This will show you how much space you have between the tires and in the wheel well.

It seems going to 16" wheels on recent model tandem axle trailers is no problem. I don't know specifically about the '03 Classic, but checking yourself is not difficult. I think measuring a couple of different ways is good to check whether you got it right.

Gene

[Ducatiman]

You might want to go through this thread.

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f438...ire-83262.html

Pretty good discussion of the Michelin LTX option. I am having four of the Michelin's installed tomorrow morning on my 1968 30' Sovereign.
Good luck. Let us know which direction you go.

[Getahobby]

That is the thread to read on tires. Thanks! Ordering the LTX's. I don't get close to the 8600lb as I haul the heavy stuff in the truck and I don't drive fast with the trailer. Will keep vigilant watch on tire pressure and temperatures and will post those when I get them.

[bwoodtx]

Getahobby-when you get your new tires, have them filled with nitrogen and the GREEN valve caps put on. Nitogen gives you less pressure and temperature fluctuation than compressed air. There is a reason it's called compressed air. It will expand and contract in a confined space; like a tire. Nitrogen will not, effectively resulting in longer tire life because of little or no pressure and temperature changes.

JMTC worth.

[Getahobby]

I'd heard of that, but is it readily available for tires when needed on the road?

[Gene]

I use a mixture with 78% nitrogen. It is easy to find and cheap too. It is part of a gas named after Airstreams.

Gene

[Ag&Au]

Originally Posted by CrawfordGene

I use a mixture with 78% nitrogen. It is easy to find and cheap too. It is part of a gas named after Airstreams.

Gene

If you get stuck in a tunnel, you can breath by sucking on your valve stems.

Ken

[r carl]

You can use helium if you want to reduce your gross trailer weight.

[Lance M]

Originally Posted by Getahobby

03 28 ft classic weighing in at 8600lb max. Michelin ltx MS2


They have a 2183lb per tire capacity. Made in North America. My Marathons are only 2 years old with under 10K miles on them and they're already herniated. I don't want to buy Chinese crap and I don't want to buy new 16" wheels.
thanks,
Dave

Hey Dave,
There is a lot of information to read on these "XL" rated tires. I have a set on my '72 Ambassador. I love them. One of the biggest factors in going with the Michelins was the fact that Rich Luhr has had great success with them on his '05 30' Safari bunkhouse. You can read about his experience with them here. Keep in mind the GAWR of your trailer. The load that the tires actually carry. I would recommend you check your axle weights on a certified scale when fully loaded. Four of these tires will give you #8,732 of load capacity. If you were to subtract the tongue weight listed on AS spec sheet (#630) you should have about #7,970 on the axles. This can and will vary depending on loading, hitch rigging etc. That is why it is best to check axle loads on the scales.
In the end, you have to decide what to put on your trailer. I can tell you if I owned an '03 28' Classic, I wouldn't hesitate for a second to put on the Michelins.

[jcanavera]

I think you are pushing it way too close. Bite the bullet and go with 16" wheels and the LTX 225 75R 16 M/S. Tire. This is what Airstream is putting on the Eddie Bauer models and fits my 2004 31' Classic slide out. I checked with Airstream and talked to one of the factory guys at the RV Show here in St. Louis this spring and they told me that there would be no issues with the fit. $202 dollars each from Discount Tire Direct with free shipping. About $104 a wheel with center caps, new lug nuts and valve stems for the T03 aluminum wheels from Tredit. You will not regret making the move.

Here's the detail of my experience. http://www.airforums.com/forums/f438...ere-92584.html

Jack

[vswingfield]

Originally Posted by bwoodtx

...It will expand and contract in a confined space; like a tire. Nitrogen will not, ...

Why not?

Why would nitrogen not expand when heated and contract when it cools?

[Lance M]

Originally Posted by vswingfield

Why not?

Why would nitrogen not expand when heated and contract when it cools?

Vaughn,
It does, but less than compressed air. Nitrogen is used to service tires, spars, struts, and many other things in the aviation world for its stable properties. Is it worth using in your trailer tires? I'm not sure. Depends on the cost vs. benefit as viewed by you.