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Gene · 10-29-2010, 12:24 PM

SRW, RIB tires may have a longer life—this is only a guess. They are for commercial use on trucks and being that profit margins in trucking are low, they get retreaded until they fall apart, so Michelin may make them to last longer.

Gene

Air Cruiser · 10-29-2010, 01:44 PM

Re: rib tires -- if they're really mfd. for larger trucks (I'm guessing 18 wheelers), is it possible that they could be too "stiff" for our TT's?

Also, I think I've read it here somewhere, but I have a really difficult time when searching for specific things, so I'm going to ask again:

What do we need to measure and look for to make certain that our 1969 Tradewind has enough clearance for us to go from 15" wheels and tires to 16" wheels and tires?

Thanks so much, and I'm sorry for asking a question that has more than likely been discussed before but I can't find.

Deb

SteveH · 10-29-2010, 02:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by D. Hall

What do we need to measure and look for to make certain that our 1969 Tradewind has enough clearance for us to go from 15" wheels and tires to 16" wheels and tires?

Deb

Given you use the same size 16" tires as you current 15" tires...i.e. 225 and 225, the 16" version will be 1" overall diameter larger than the 15". So, you will need at a minimum 3/4" clearance between your existing tires and all portions of the trailer. Meaning, the opening in the front of the tires, the opening in the rear of the tires, and then at the top of the tire between the tires and the wheel well, you will need this 3/4" plus the amount of travel the suspension needs while in use.

I say 3/4" because the 16" will be 1/2" larger in radius (1/2 of diameter) and this will give you an additional 1/4" safety margin.

The only way I know to check the clearance at the top would be to drive the trailer up on a block on one wheel, and then measure how much clearance there is in that condition between the wheel and the wheel well.

lewster · 10-29-2010, 04:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by D. Hall

Re: rib tires -- if they're really mfd. for larger trucks (I'm guessing 18 wheelers), is it possible that they could be too "stiff" for our TT's?

Also, I think I've read it here somewhere, but I have a really difficult time when searching for specific things, so I'm going to ask again:

What do we need to measure and look for to make certain that our 1969 Tradewind has enough clearance for us to go from 15" wheels and tires to 16" wheels and tires?

Thanks so much, and I'm sorry for asking a question that has more than likely been discussed before but I can't find.

Deb

The Michelin XPS RIB is available only in 16" sizes, so they are not for use in class 7 and 8 trucks. Rather, they are intended for light to medium duty use (3/4 ton pickups and Suburbans) and class 3 and 4 vehicles like the low cab forward Isuzu, UD, Ford and International medium duty truck platforms and one ton dually pick-ups.

I have a set on my '04 Mercedes Sprinter service van and the tires have almost 70K miles on them and still have a way to go. They have driven cross-country several times and have experiences road surface temps of over 120* and some sub-freezing ambient temps. Never had a problem and will replace them with the same tire when I need new ones in about a year.

Rollertoaster · 10-29-2010, 05:44 PM

I made the change to 16" and have no regrets. Here's the thread showing how they fit:

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f438...ari-51030.html

Gene · 10-29-2010, 06:10 PM

Sorry to contradict Steve, but tires of the "same" size have slightly different diameters. You can look on manufacturers' websites to get exact dimensions for each tires. Some of the larger tire chains also will have dimensions on their websites. It isn't much, but it's good to know. Once you put a larger tire on, you also may have to adjust your hitch because the trailer is approximately 1/2" higher.

Gene

SRW · 11-04-2010, 03:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bob Thompson

SRW, where can I verify the info that Michelin discards LT tires that are unsold after 3 years. I personally called Micheling customer service about a tire problem about 5 years ago and was told that tires older than 7 years should not be put in service, but nothing about discarding LT's unsold after 3 years.

I called Michelin via there help line listed on their website.

The rep that I spoke with told me about the "Discard after 3 year policy".

SRW

SRW · 11-04-2010, 03:06 PM

Here are two photos of my new wheels and tires.

Tires are at 80 psig with the lugs tightened to 140 lbs. As recommended by Discount Tire.

vswingfield · 11-04-2010, 03:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SRW

Here are two photos of my new wheels and tires.

Tires are at 80 psig with the lugs tightened to 140 lbs. As recommended by Discount Tire.

Like the wheels! More info please—where did you get them and what model are they?

Bob Thompson · 11-04-2010, 03:40 PM

Interesting reading about Michelin and their official position on tire life and when to take tires out of service: http://www.michelinrvtires.com/assets/pdf/TB-Service-Life-for-RV-Tires.pdf

SRW · 11-04-2010, 03:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vswingfield

Like the wheels! More info please—where did you get them and what model are they?

The wheels are GREENBALL's 16x7 aluminum DualForce.

SRW · 11-04-2010, 03:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SRW

I have ordered a set of Michelin LT225/75R16E1 XPS RIB for the Airstream from Discount Tire.

Set came in and they were made in week 29 of 2009.

I know that Michelin discards any LT's that are unsold after three years, and yet they want me to accept tires that are 18 months old.

I want tires made at least in 2010 and have been told that Discount has no way of asking for tires made in 2010. They did agree to order another set in an effort to get newer tires.

SRW

Discount Tire sent back the tires made in 2009 and reordered. The second order resulted in tires made the in Germany during the 39th week of 2010. These are the tires I accepted and had mounted on the AS, Cool.

Gene · 11-04-2010, 04:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bob Thompson

Interesting reading about Michelin and their official position on tire life and when to take tires out of service: http://www.michelinrvtires.com/assets/pdf/TB-Service-Life-for-RV-Tires.pdf

I think they meant they take them off the market after 3 years, not to stop using them at 3 years.

Gene

SRW · 11-04-2010, 04:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CrawfordGene

I think they meant they take them off the market after 3 years, not to stop using them at 3 years.

Gene

I agree with you, and didn't mean to imply otherwise.

SRW

Air Cruiser · 11-04-2010, 07:06 PM

I think the only question I haven't asked about changing our tires/wheels from 15" to 16" is..............

is there anyone here who has a 1969 Tradewind who has changed from 15" to 16" tires? If so, did you have any clearance problems which you had to resolve?

Sorry for asking so many questions re: changing the tires/wheels, but this is such a big decision -- and, ultimately could be our safety on the line, depending upon which way we go. We really don't want to have a blowout while driving.

Thanks.

Deb

HowieE · 11-04-2010, 07:21 PM

You can answer the question yourself if you just measure the new tire size and add any additional dimension to the current tire while mounted on the trailer.

The critical consideration is what shape are your axles in as far as the angle of the trailing arm. Look under the trailer and across to the other side. The arm that comes from the axle tube to the spindle should be angled down towards the spindle end. If the arm is level or angled up your axle is worn out and has eaten up any clearance that you need.

Air Cruiser · 11-05-2010, 10:51 AM

HowieE,

Thanks for the information on the axles; that is a part of our problem in a nutshell. We are planning to replace the axles, but not until next Spring. We need to replace the TT tires asap as the ones which were on it weren't even good enough to tow it home on and we had to remove our tires/wheels from our Safari to get the Tradewind home.

Anyway, we thought we would hold off on the axles until we have completed our interior remodeling thinking that would give the rubber in the axles another six to nine months of life (ordering them later as opposed to sooner).

One thing we are finding out is that it seems doing one thing on our AS is so connected with doing another. You know: "I can't do this until I have done that".

Maybe we should go ahead and replace the axles now, but we're thinking we would like to have the frame POR 15'd and the belly pan back in place before doing the axles.

Thanks again.

Deb

Gene · 11-06-2010, 01:06 PM

Deb, maybe you should bring it home on a flatbed. I know that will cost more than towing it, but may solve the other problems.

Gene

Air Cruiser · 11-07-2010, 08:23 AM

Hi Gene.

We have it home, it's just that one is sitting up on jack stands and needs to have wheels/tires under her.

Since we are so up in the air about whether to go to 16's, I imagine we'll stick with the 15's, toss a dart, and let that decide which tires to go with. I just don't think any of them are a "box of cherries".

Thanks Gene.

Deb

SRW · 11-10-2010, 09:11 AM

Originally Posted by 2001excella
"I called 1-866-866-6605 and got a rep that eventually transferred me to the Michelin Transport Department. I had asked each representative specifically about P235/75R15 LTX tires for use on a travel trailer. Mentioned that I had an Airstream with a 7300GVRW and wanted to put them on. The person could not recommend the use of this specific tire for that application (it is an automotive tire for automotive use only) and deferred by passing me on to the Transport Division representative that handles other tire types. That rep indicated that Michelin made no LT tires for use on a Travel Trailer and if the travel trailer manufacturer had originally supplied the travel trailer with LT tires that is what I should use. The rep also said that using anything but a LT tire on a travel trailer would be a "Safety Issue" because an ST tire is manufactured with a stronger (they did no say stiffer) sidewall construction which is more cabable of handling the load. The rep had also indicated that the entire department had recently been notified (in the last few weeks) in a meeting that they should never recommend any of their tires for use in ST trailer applications.

The reps I talked to all seemed to be adamant about their tires and the use of those tires only for automotive applications and not for trailer use. Maybe we should start another thread to see if a bunch of us could call tire manufactures and get the same line from each of them. You and I have clearly gotten two differing opinions which makes me somewhat uncomfortable."

After reading this post I called Michelin's Customer Care at 1-800-847-3435 naively expecting to confirm that what I had been told in an earlier call was indeed correct.

The Michelin rep (Bill) said that although Michelin did NOT make a tire specifically for use on travel trailers they were aware that the Michelin LT XPS RIB tires were being used with travel trailers, and in fact was providing good service.

He also said if a consumer wanted to use a Michelin tire on a travel trailer the XPS RIB was the best choice due to its stiffer sidewall.

He went on to say that most likely the reason that Michelin did not "recommend" their LT XPS RIB for use on travel trailers was due to a lack of testing, and that would no doubt change in the future.

Hmmmm.