new tires

[Titus]

Based upon previous posts I was planning to buy Michelin Defender LTX MS tires when it came time to replace my OEM Continentals. It is now time. I just went on-line and found a new(?) Michelin option - Michelin XPS RIB. They have a 5* rating on the Sam's Club website, whereas the Defender LTX have no stars and are out of stock. Anybody have experience with the XPS RIB tires? The XPS RIB is a lot higher price - $264 vs $195.

[InterBlog]

No experience personally, but looking at the spec sheet, they appear to have a higher load rating than the Michelins discussed previously (I commented with our tire specs but don't have them in front of me, but I remember the existing load rating is closer to one ton per tire). Given the positive experience we've had with our Michelins to date, I'll definitely be looking at these when our future replacement time comes.

[dkottum]

Consider ride quality. I have heard the XPS Rib is a rough one, designed for heavy duty commercial use. They may have steel in the sidewalls which translates to a tough tire that is very stiff. We put Defenders on our pickup and they are really nice.

[InterBlog]

The T1N Interstates (Sprinter 2500s) are built quite close to GVWR and only have four tires to carry all that weight, not six. Myself I'd be more concerned with safety and durability than ride quality. Plus for those of us who are intending to get air suspension eventually, I'd hope that would offset any additional ride roughness imparted by a tougher tire.

[jldmd]

I have never had duallies before and in fact this is my first RV. Can you just go to any tire shop to change out tires in such a large vehicle? Can you get them done at Costco? Or do you need to go somewhere that is equipped to jacked up such a large and heavy vehicle?

[BurntAsphalt]

I have XPS Ribs on the front and Defenders on the rear duallies. I did this at the suggestion of a forum member who is a Canadian Airstream dealer. I was having problems with crosswind gusts taking out my ESP system. My front tires are slightly smaller than stock tires to increase stability. The XPS tires are built like a tank but may be overkill in your situation. They are not recommended for ice and snow because they have a harder rubber formulation for durability.
Michelin Defenders are good tires. Whatever you do, get a front end alignment and make them set camber to zero to avoid uneven wear. If you don't have one yet, get a tire pressure monitoring system while you're at it. TST makes a good one.

[jcanavera]

I know there are some here on the forum who use the Ribs on their trailers. They are great strong tires and because of their construction can be recapped. Quite honestly the question is whether you need all that extra capacity. Those of us who went the LTX MS/2 Michelins have gotten great performance without the price hit that the Ribs carry. My own feeling would be that in your usage, the upgrade to the Ribs may not be worth the extra expense.

Jack

[Moflash]

Mixing tires creates problems and is not recommended as it affects handling.due to sidewall flex differential and rebound rate.Changing tire sizes to a smaller tire in front end applications is definitely not recommended especially and becomes even more complicated if are smaller in overall diameter.

[73shark]

Another problem w/ mixed diameters is it can confuse the ABS and stability control systems.

[BurntAsphalt]

Originally Posted by 73shark

Another problem w/ mixed diameters is it can confuse the ABS and stability control systems.

I was reluctant to try it but have been very pleased with the results. Definitely wouldn't recommend it except for this specific ESP failure issue which was a significant safety issue. The ESP would shut off(and lose cruise control) with a 25-30 mph wind gust. I had already tried the Koni shocks, stiffer sway bar and SumoSpring helper springs with no success. Installing the slightly smaller XPS ribs on the front solved it. Only downside is the speedometer reads 3 mph faster than the bus is actually moving.

[Boxster1971]

According to the tire data on Tire Rack web pages the XPS Rib is actually slightly larger, 30.7" diameter, vs the Defender at 30.4" diameter. The XPS Rib is an excellent tire, but for summer use only as it has minimal traction on ice a snow. There is also an XPS Traction tire with more aggressive thread designed more for off-road use.

[Teamaron]

Question

We still have factory contis and just turned 20k miles
Ours is a 2014.
The tread is in great condition as we rotated often and do mostly highway driving. And it's stored indoors.

Is there a recommend replacement time? After so many years?

We're very anal about maintenance and upkeep

Thanks

[73shark]

Tire mfgs usually recommend 6-8 years. I'd check condition of tread and sidewalls also.

[TouringDan]

Originally Posted by 73shark

Tire mfgs usually recommend 6-8 years. I'd check condition of tread and sidewalls also.

I thought the recommended replacement time for tires was 5 years.

Dan

[xrvr]

6 to 8 years for tow vehicle tires, much less for trailer tires, 3 to 4 years.

[InterBlog]

Originally Posted by Boxster1971

.... There is also an XPS Traction tire with more aggressive thread designed more for off-road use.

This reminded me of something I saw last week at a local repair shop - a Gulf Stream Vista Cruiser, which is another Class B built on the T1N Sprinter. I stopped to look because I thought it was for sale, but it was reportedly just in for a transmission repair. I noticed the owner had lifted it, and put some fancy wheels on it, so I took a pic. BF Goodrich Baja Champion - first time I saw anything like this on a Class B. My guess is that the owner does some serious hunting or fishing.

[TouringDan]

Originally Posted by avionstream

6 to 8 years for tow vehicle tires, much less for trailer tires, 3 to 4 years.

I don't understand why the replacement time would be any different whether it is a trailer or the tow vehicle.

Dan

[TheHoff]

I can only comment on the Michelin Defender LTX. I had them on my Tundra and loved them. Better road feel, less wallowing around than OEM, and super longevity. I just put a set on my AS Interstate, and couldn't be happier. Same handling improvements that I had noted on my Tundra. Got them delivered to my door in two days from The Tire Rack for about $170 each, including shipping. They are a 4 1/2 star rating at Tire Rack as I recall.

[swilly43]

It has been awhile since this topic was discussed so will see if there are any updates. I have a 2106 AI GT Ext. I have about 27 K on the Conti's and they have never been rotated ( at least not since I bought it at 11.7K). I have been happy with the ride etc but am experiencing inside tire wear on the fronts, more on the drivers side than the passenger. Most posts indicate outside tire wear. Any experience with inside tread wear.
I am certain that I can get another 10K if I rotate them but am willing to buy 6 new Michelins given that Discount Tire will rotate for free (confirmed today). The rears are in good shape so hat throwing 4 good tires away. I doubt there is much of a secondary market for the used ones but could be surprised. Any thoughts?

[Lineolated]

Does Discount tire know that the tires can’t be rotated without taking them off the rims? You have 3 different types of rims on the AI. For that reason, I’ve never bothered to rotate.