Tire Questions

[tekebird]

yep there was nothing wrong with the corvair either....just bad press ala nader.

People didn;t stop buying mercedes or was it BMW when old people started driving through thier garage back walls and such.  now there was a small mechanical/electrical issue but 99% of the incidents were attributed to driver error.

[JohnEd]

Bill/sivr,

I guess you, and others here, would be the ones to ask.  Long ago there was a "debait" about switching from the 22.5 rim to a 24.5 rim.  A couple years ago I talked with an Eagle pilot that was 76 or so years young and had had his conversion for many years.  I asked him for a lessons learned from all his years as a Knut and he said one thing was for sure:  I would have switched over from 22.5 to 24.5 rims. (and tires, for you nitpickers)  He added that he had a close friend that owned a truck tire shop and that he had been advised to do so early on but declined.  He said it would have been a lot cheaper fopr him to do it than for most others.  "That", he said, "That I would change".  He was happy and surely proud of the Eagle he had built.

Recently I purchased tires at a truck(mostly) tire store.  I asked the owner if the 22.5 tires were still a better bargan than the 22.5's and he said "NO!".  He said that that had been the case but it was not true today as so many more 22.5's were out there that there was no advantage in choice of models or cost.  What is the current wisdom, as you see it?  Stay with 22.5 or switch and maybe what is the breakpoint?

Are any of the "off brands" like Kuhmo worth considering?

Thanks for your obvious expert opinion,

John

[sivrtnge2]

I asked the same question, and got this response. More of the trucking industry are going to the 22.5 tire. Many reasons were behind this. All I can say is the reason I am going to the 22.5 tire is because I have a number of 12r 22.5 steer tires with 70% or better rubber and no signs of stress or cracks. I can kill 2 birds with 1 stone:
Go to a hub piloted wheel (***MY OPINION *** THE STUD PILOTED WHEELS CRACK WHEN YOU GO TO PEOPLE WHO SUPPOSE TO KNOW HOW TO SERVICE THEM BUT DONT (T/A, PETRO, AS WELL AS SOME OF THE MAIN TIRE SHOPS. THESE ARE THE PEOPLE THAT TAKE A 1" AIR IMPACT, AND JUST TORQUE LIKE THEY ARE TRYING TO PUT A STEEL BUILDING TOGETHER.)
Also, use the tires that I am stacking up in my shop!!!

I can say that in my honest opinion, Firestone and Dunlop is the only brand that I have had problems with. I have never tried the others. As for as the price, They are pretty darn close!!!
--
BILL

[Nick Badame Refrig/ACC]

Hi Guy's,

After reading this thread, everybody seemed to miss one important check point when buying tires.

Date codes..... Remember, years are more important to us conversion users cause most of us will hit age issues before wear.

Watch out for the chineese brands, I have seen 4 year old dates on my suppliers floor and he said that is

normal for chineese brands. Well, he can keep them, and he did!

I purchaced Firestone F-400's all with date codes no later earlier then dec. 07'

Good Luck
Nick-

[belfert]

Nick, did the tire guy say why it is typical that Chinese tires are 4 years old?  The Chinese are building new plants for everything all the time and I bet there are more than a few tire plants not even 4 years old yet.

I still most likely would not buy a Chinese tire yet due to reports of poor reliability plus I want to keep Americans working.

[Le Mirage]

Afraid you say?? After this video, you will look (and buy) your tires with suspicious...

http://rvvideos.blogspot.com/2008/07/your-new-car-or-rv-tires-could-kill-you.html

[JohnEd]

Gaytan,

That was a great video and priceless info.  I think that as Knuts we have a serious list of common issues.  Tire quality and safety are one.  Tire date marking "on both sides" would seem like a place to start for regulation.  Legalizing the sale of tires no older than 6 years for new equip install seems prudent.  If one tire mfr has tires that age much better than others, he must be using different and better performing technology.  Would be nice if a tire was specked to a certain higher performing aging standard of mfr. 

I know lots of liberals that would howl at the thought of regulating the tire industry.  Even though any sane person should conclude that if they, the tire manufacturing industry,  haven't stopped dangerous practices by now they never voluntarily will and Gummint reg is needed to protect us all.  Let the liberals screech about the God given right of mega corps to conduct business as they please no matter the cost to us consumers.  The cost(negative in this case) to the stock holder is their primary concern even if they own no stock and never will.  Liberals confuse me but seeking a safe environment for me and mine on the open road is a very Conservative and time honored posture.  And if costs us all a buck....so be it.  I kind of like those stickers on a new tire that indicates the milage and performance of the tire.  Actually, I make choices based on that info and I have heard that the liberals want that requirement to install those stickers deleted from tire mfr regs.  Liberals always seem to have a "go it alone", "I'm not a member of society", "I can yell fire in a crowded movie theater if I want cause I have freedoom of speech" sort of collection of attitudes.  Heck, our first colonies were little more than communes and that was needed for our survival and even at that we would have perished if it hadn't been for the generosity and kindness of our indigenous native neighbors.  Conservatives were in charge back then as if it had been the liberals we wouldhave heard things like "it's every man for himself" and "If God intended..." and most probably "I ain't sitt'n down and eat'n with no unbaptized savages."  The mind boggles at where we would be if the Liberals had been in charge.

John