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Tincrew · 06-11-2007, 09:10 PM

Boy is this great, I know where to stay and even what space to ask for! Makes me real glad we didn't buy an SOB and end up lost!

Thanks again for all your information and beautiful pictures, keep us posted.
(Posted, get it, Ha)

Leslie

Boondocker · 06-11-2007, 09:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by moosetags

Your second photo looks a lot like this one that we took yesterday at Shell Falls in the Bighorn N.F.

I suspect there is good reason for that. I am so glad you are spending time in the BHs. Its a special place for me.

**moosetags** · 06-11-2007, 10:39 PM

Day 29 - June 11, 2007

We broke camp this morning in Ranchester, Wyoming, and headed out eastbound on I-90, expecting to make Rapid City today.It was a beautiful day and everything was right with the world. As we were discussing whether or not to take the detour and go by Devils Tower, a lady passed us frantically pointing to Lucy. We immediately stopped on the shoulder and found that Lucy's left front tire had blown out and was shredded. This was a repeat of the incident with Lucy's right front tire outside Dallas several weeks ago. Fortunately, there was an exit one quarter mile ahead. we went through the same routine of putting the spare on and continuing to the next big town.

The next big town was Gillette, Wyoming, about 25 miles up the road. We contacted a tire company in Gillette. They only carried the Maxxis trailer tires. We decided to give one of these a try since the Goodyear Marathons have been so great. When we arrived at Big Horn Tire Company in Gillette a little while later, we were shocked to find that the right rear tire had also blown since changing the left front!!! We were blown away. We decided that replacing all of the OEM tires was in order. The manager of the tire company told us that his customers have had very good service from the Maxxis 10 pliy (load range E) trailer tires, and most of them are pulling gooseneck stock trailers that gross out over 15,000 pounds.

We went with four of the Maxxis tires in ST22575R15E at $130.00 per tire. We had the tires mounted, balanced, and installed on Lucy. We took the new Goodyear Marathon that we had bought in Dallas and made it the spare. We didn't let the tire company jack Lucy up. We took her up one tire at a time on the leggo blocks. The tire company technician was really good. He put all the lug nuts on with a power wrench, and then torqued each one one to 115# with a manual torques wrench. Each of the new tires was inflated to 80 psi and the Goodyear spare to 65 psi.

The blowout had happened at 65 mph, and the outside temperature was 83 degrees. I had checked the inflation in each tire this morning before leaving Ranchester. We had traveled about 100 miles all on the Interstate. I had also check the torque on each lug nut this morning.

By the time that we got out of the tire store, it was going on 6:00 PM. We decided to stop at a small campground in Gillette. We had a nice dinner, got supplies at Wal-Mart, and went back to Lucy to check the tires.

Tomorrow, we plan to go by and see Devils Tower, and then go on to Rapid City. We hope that these new Maxxis tires do better than the Goodyears.

**moosetags** · 06-11-2007, 10:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sugarfoot

Again, beautiful photography. In your photo above, any idea what the "object" in the sky upper right was?

The blip in this photo must be the "Tire Fairy" closing in on us.

doorgunner · 06-11-2007, 10:49 PM

Whirley birds watching over you are a good thing!!

**moosetags** · 06-11-2007, 11:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by doorgunner

Were these Marathons made in china?? I'ld really like to know. BTW- I'm glad there was not an accident and that you both are O.K. Tim

I'm sorry that I don't know the anwer to that. I did happeen to notice that the Maxxis are made in China. I figure that I can't do any worse than the Goodyears. I'm still trying to recover from two separate blowouts in the same day.

Happycampers · 06-12-2007, 04:20 AM

I put Maxxis on our 5th wheel and really like them. I am thinking I will put the same tires on the Argosy when we finish it. Thanks for all the pics you are doing a great job. Enjoy the rest of your trip, be safe.

Minnie's Mate · 06-12-2007, 07:07 AM

My Airstream is one model year newer than yours. Were your tires all the original factory issues? Sorry, I'm not sure if that is what OEM means.

I have used my trailer one season so far plus a few trips this year for a total of probably 6,500 miles. Almost all of my trips involve interstates and interstate speeds. How many miles do you think you had on your tires? I seem to have good tread left, but I don' won't to take chances. I will be having the bearings greased and the brakes checked before our next trip over the 4th. I may have the tires rotated then.

Sugarfoot · 06-12-2007, 08:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by moosetags

The blip in this photo must be the "Tire Fairy" closing in on us.

Wow, twice in one trip. I'm thankful you two remained safe and that Lucy didn't suffer any major damage.

Sky · 06-12-2007, 08:23 AM

Moose,

This thread is really a big elaborate scheme to get us to buy tire monitoring systems right? You are really a Tire Monitor sales rep or marketing person right?? You have been sitting in your den at home for the last month typing these posts, and attaching pictures from vacations long ago, right??

Oh my, what are the odds? If I understand correctly, 3 out of 4 tires blew in last 30 days? I would be very suspicious of some other root cause besides normal tire wear, but I’m no expert.

Been enjoying your posts, good luck the rest of your trip.

SilverCabin · 06-12-2007, 08:42 AM

It worked for me! I'll be ordering my tire pressure monitors soon.

Randy

Minnie's Mate · 06-12-2007, 08:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sugarfoot

Wow, twice in one trip. I'm thankful you two remained safe and that Lucy didn't suffer any major damage.

Right now I'm thinking I'll be buying new tires before next season or maybe even before.

I, too, am glad that there were no injuries to anyone and no damage to Lucy or passing motorist.

Three tires on one trip and two of them in the same day...scary.

safari57 · 06-12-2007, 09:19 AM

Thank heavens you were alerted to the first blow out, and what a hassle to then have another. It's a good thing you were not that far from a good tire shop. You are having a tremendous journey and it is good that these issues coming up are not limiting your desire to continue to have fun.

Are you emailing Airstream/Thor and your selling dealer with your tire issues? If so, are they responding with any suggestions? Also the tire manufacturer? I'm sure the tire dealers know who the regional rep is and I would think that they would want to be aware of this issue before thousands of us hit the roads for the summer. Have any of the installing tire dealers given you any thoughts on why they believe your tires are blowing? It would be interesting to know what they think it could be.

We really appreciate your keeping us posted on the good stuff as well as the bad. Too often all we hear/see is reports of the problems and not a lot on the upsides of the trip. Please keep the pictures and narrative coming.

Barry

Relentless · 06-12-2007, 09:32 AM

Why did you not let the tire changer jack Lucy up? I assumed, always dangerous, that we could jack up if necessary.

Minnie's Mate · 06-12-2007, 09:39 AM

I just looked back at your photos of the tires again and it just occurred to me that I should probably get a set of those orange triangle thingies...does it sound like I'm getting paranoid to anyone?

Can you get the triangles at Wal-Mart or do I need to go to one of the Auto-Zone/Pep Boys auto supply store type places?

**moosetags** · 06-12-2007, 09:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Minnie's Mate

My Airstream is one model year newer than yours. Were your tires all the original factory issues? Sorry, I'm not sure if that is what OEM means.

I have used my trailer one season so far plus a few trips this year for a total of probably 6,500 miles. Almost all of my trips involve interstates and interstate speeds. How many miles do you think you had on your tires? I seem to have good tread left, but I don' won't to take chances. I will be having the bearings greased and the brakes checked before our next trip over the 4th. I may have the tires rotated then.

Lucy's tires that have been blowing out on this trip were the ones that came on her from the factory. OEM stands for Original Equipment (from) Manufacturer. We keep a very accurate mileage log for Lucy, and her right front tire that blew near Dallas had 13,700 miles on it. The left front tire that blew yesterday had 16,500 miles on it, and the right rear tire blew out 25 miles later. The tire pressure had been checked before heading out yesterday morning, and the tires had been visually checked about 30 miles before the first blow out of the day. This whole thing has us gun shy when it comes to Lucy's tires. All three of Lucy's tires that have blown out all appeared to be in very good condition and had a lot of tread left on them.

While Lucy's new Maxxis tires were being mounted yesterday, I had a discussion with the service manager at Big Horn Tire Co. in Gillette. This is the kind of place that does mostly big truck and commercial tires, and the manager seemed very knowledgeable. He told me that this type of trailer tire is only good for about four years regardless of mileage.

**moosetags** · 06-12-2007, 09:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sugarfoot

Wow, twice in one trip. I'm thankful you two remained safe and that Lucy didn't suffer any major damage.

Unfortuneately, it's three times in one trip. We had two separate blow-outs yesterday.

thecatsandi · 06-12-2007, 10:01 AM

What pressure were your running in the Goodyears?

**moosetags** · 06-12-2007, 10:03 AM

No, I'm not a tire pressure monitor sales rep, nor do I own one of the companies that make such equipment.

After Lucy's first blow-out several weeks ago in Texas, we discussed which tire monitor system we would be buying. Needless to say, after yesterday's two blow-outs, this will become a priority when we get home.

**moosetags** · 06-12-2007, 10:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by safari57

Thank heavens you were alerted to the first blow out, and what a hassle to then have another. It's a good thing you were not that far from a good tire shop. You are having a tremendous journey and it is good that these issues coming up are not limiting your desire to continue to have fun.

Are you emailing Airstream/Thor and your selling dealer with your tire issues? If so, are they responding with any suggestions? Also the tire manufacturer? I'm sure the tire dealers know who the regional rep is and I would think that they would want to be aware of this issue before thousands of us hit the roads for the summer. Have any of the installing tire dealers given you any thoughts on why they believe your tires are blowing? It would be interesting to know what they think it could be.

We really appreciate your keeping us posted on the good stuff as well as the bad. Too often all we hear/see is reports of the problems and not a lot on the upsides of the trip. Please keep the pictures and narrative coming.

Barry

No, I have not sent anything to Airstream or the dealer. I figure that they know as much about tires as I know about nuclear submarines.