Michelin LTX MS2 235/75/15 XL

[LeeJ]

Top:
In your view/experience the Michelin tires should be a satisfactory substitute for the 7:00x15@50psi?

For my SN for 85 Sovereign
**GVWR. 6,800 lbs.
DRY WEIGHT4900 lbs.
NCC900 (net carrying capacity)
HITCH WT.755lbs.
Length 25 '.
Axles: 3200 lbs.

Appreciate your experience and wisdom more than you know.
Lee

[Lance M]

Originally Posted by LeeJ

Top:
In your view/experience the Michelin tires should be a satisfactory substitute for the 7:00x15@50psi?

For my SN for 85 Sovereign
**GVWR. 6,800 lbs.
DRY WEIGHT4900 lbs.
NCC900 (net carrying capacity)
HITCH WT.755lbs.
Length 25 '.
Axles: 3200 lbs.

Appreciate your experience and wisdom more than you know.
Lee

Lee,
Thanks! I would say they are more than satisfactory.
There are many, many Airstreams with these tires on them.

[slowmover]

Have a look at tires when having used some sharper angles to place it at campground or other parking. Tread has squirmed to one side or another. Impossible to avoid with a vehicle that cannot steer itself but has a long lever to move it around. That tire is being torn from the wheel. Highest allowable pressure keeps this to a minimum (as does a "highway rib, closed shoulder" read pattern). This is not so for the TV (where too high pressures aren't needed, and are counter-productive).

Yes, rattling trailer contents may take place. Yes, some reduction of braking traction may occur, mostly on wet surfaces (so get WD to transfer as much weight to TT axles as is reasonable AND test brake controller for best settng; most of all, discs with antl-lock "cure" this problem).

.

[Lance M]

Originally Posted by Top

This afternoon I went to Discount Tire and had four Michelin P235/75/15 Extra Load mounted on my old steel rims. I bolted them on this evening. They were not too bad to install at all. There are no problems with clearance. There is lots of room all around. Now we're ready to get out on the road in the Texas heat!

So, 5 years later I have about 25 thousand miles on these Michelin tires. No blowouts, bulges, slipped belts, tread separations, chunking, grinding, punctures, wallering, or any other tire failure.

Working well for me and my Ambassador.

[Lance M]

I decided to replace the P235/75R15 XL Michelins with another set of Michelins. The updated Michelin Defender LTX M/S 235/75R15 XL. I'm not one to push tires until they "run out of luck"



I have the old Michelins for sale if any of you would like to upgrade from your ST tires

[Lance M]

I just got back from a trip to Minnesota to visit my parents. It's time for brake and bearing maintenance. When inspecting the tires, I noticed this rubber crumbing-oozing out of the bead area. I've never seen this before. Any of the tire engineers care to tell me what this is caused by? My guess would be heat. I've always run these tires at 41-50psi.

[CapriRacer]

Originally Posted by Top

I just got back from a trip to Minnesota to visit my parents. It's time for brake and bearing maintenance. When inspecting the tires, I noticed this rubber crumbing-oozing out of the bead area. I've never seen this before. Any of the tire engineers care to tell me what this is caused by? My guess would be heat. I've always run these tires at 41-50psi.

[[Photos removed to save space]]

2 possibilities occur to me:

1) That's the bead sealer normally applied to old rims to help them seal.

2) The bead is being abraded by excessive movement and heat.

The only way to be sure is to remove the tire from the rim and inspect both the beads and the rim. But my money is one #1!

A couple of questions:

Are these the same tires listed above - put on June 2016? That would make them approaching 5 years old, right?

Was this just on one tire? It appears to be only the outboard side.

[Lance M]

CapriRacer,
Thanks for taking the time to answer my question. Your involvement in this forum is of great value.

"Are these the same tires listed above - put on June 2016? That would make them approaching 5 years old, right?"

Yes. They are a few weeks over four years old.

"Was this just on one tire? It appears to be only the outboard side."

It is on all four tires, both inboard and outboard. The pictures are from the tire that showed the most.

I don't recall Discount Tire mentioning bead sealer when the tires were installed.

For some context, my latest trip was about 2,200 miles round trip mostly on I-35 and I-90 at 70-75 MPH. I was traveling alone, so the trailer wasn't loaded very heavily and I made very few rest stops.

I think it's probably best to replace these tires a year earlier than I planned.

[ROBERT CROSS]

Question...what is the rational for putting new tires, especially radials, on 40-50yr old wheels?

Had one,( just like the pic above), fail, bead roll off, after installing new radials. BSTS.

Bob
🇺🇸

[Lance M]

Originally Posted by ROBERT CROSS

Question...what is the rational for putting new tires, especially radials, on 40-50yr old wheels?

Had one,( just like the pic above), fail after installing new radials. BSTS.

Bob
🇺🇸

Bob,
Is there some wrong with steel wheels because they are of a certain age? Aren’t there better criteria to use for determining serviceability of wheels other than age?

[ROBERT CROSS]

Originally Posted by Top

Bob,
Is there some wrong with steel wheels because they are of a certain age? Aren’t there better criteria to use for determining serviceability of wheels other than age?

IMO...NO

Many improvements in metallurgy and build practices.

Two of which...tubed wheels to tubeless.
Bias to Radial




Bob
🇺🇸

[Lance M]

Originally Posted by ROBERT CROSS

IMO...NO

Many improvements in metallurgy and build practices.

Two of which...tubed wheels to tubeless.
Bias to Radial




Bob
🇺🇸

Bob,
Thanks for the linked information. I order new rims yesterday prior to even asking the question here. I appreciate your knowledge and experience.

[Dustybird]

Thats the answer I personally was looking for. I think the follow up is what tire size is happyland with a 16" rim in the wheel well of my 27 I dont know who has done it but real experience would be great to hear.

[Lance M]

Originally Posted by Dustybird

Thats the answer I personally was looking for. I think the follow up is what tire size is happyland with a 16" rim in the wheel well of my 27 I dont know who has done it but real experience would be great to hear.

Dustybird,
There are probably 50 or more threads on 16" wheel/tire installations on this forum. It's been done and written about plenty in the last 10 years I've been on this forum.

https://www.google.com/search?q=16%2...=airforums.com

[hondas20001]

What are the correct Michelin tires for 15 in wheels and 16 inch wheels

[Lance M]

Originally Posted by hondas20001

What are the correct Michelin tires for 15 in wheels and 16 inch wheels

It depends.
What I have-
15" 235/75/15 XL
https://www.michelinman.com/tires/de...r-ltx-m-s.html

I don't have 16" rims, but I hear these are good, especially the XPS Rib.
16" 225/75/16 LRE
Maybe these
https://www.michelinman.com/tires/cr...ssclimate.html
or these
https://www.michelinman.com/tires/x/xps-rib.html

What is "correct" and what I use could be two different things. It depends.

[CapriRacer]

Word of Caution:

If your trailer came with ST225/75R15 LR E, then you can NOT use Michelin 235/75R15 XL's. Not enough load carrying capacity!

[Lance M]

Last year I bought another set of Michelin Defender LTX M/S 235/75R15 109T XL from Discount tire and had them mounted to a new set of Dexstar rims. I didn't install them until June of this year before a long trip to Iowa.

The last set were on Abby for nearly six years and around 20,000 miles. No issues. I think I'll run the new set for seven years.



I'm not a fan of the new Dexstar rims. The hub caps don't fit correctly. I'll be getting rid of them and the old set of Michelins shortly.