Just bought my (new to us) 99 u320 which has 2006 tires all around (with a small chunk out of one on the sidewalls in the rear...). Currently in Nacogdoches and would like to know 1) who are happy with their tire choice (brand/size) and 2) are you aware of any place to buy more recently DOT dated tires around NAC? Read online about issues with Michelins on the forum but I have run them on a previously owned FT without any issues. Toyo's? Bridgestone? Michelin? Prefer hearing from folks with similar year/build coach. Thanks a million for your thoughts and experience!
Herman Power Tire in NAC generally keeps a fairly fresh supply of tires cuz they sell a lot of them.
Herman Power Tire | Nacogdoches and Diboll, TX Tires And Auto Repair Shop (https://hermanpowertire.com)
Our coach is not "similar year/model" but FWIW we went with Uniroyal RS20 275/80R22.5 LRH tires, and have been totally satisfied with them.
Prices have probably changed since 2 years ago:
Hanging At Camp FOT (https://www.foreforums.com/index.php?topic=33952.msg310838#msg310838)
I got a 99 U320 coach which came with 295/75/22.5 Bridgestone tires and I have no complains.
We have 295/75-22.5 Toyo M177 tires and they give us a great ride. Purchased in Sealy Brown Tire
John
Toyo M137's 295/75/22.5 H
Southern Tire Mart Longview, TX as they do a bunch of oil field trucks and turn over tires quickly.
Mike
36' 1998 U320. Changed over from the outdated Michelin's to the Toyo M137. Picked the M137 as they have a bit less tread depth (less tread squirm) than other Toyo's. We are happy with the Toyo's.
Main reason to not go with Michelin's was that Michelin has to pay for the racing sponsorships and up-charges significantly compared to others and more importantly has a well deserved rubbish reputation on warranty claims.
Every unihome and unicoach made came with Michelin's.
Michelin's x steel inner carcass self centers in its design.
Plus the later tires have self centering sipes as part of the design.
Look at the various tires pictures on the internet for yourself and see the design differences.
Seen a lot of big rigs with Michelin's on the steer axle. Less riding herd on the steering wheel.
Thicker sidewalls on the other brands for run flat reasons.
Michelin runs thinner sidewalls on all their tires as the carcass itself will run straight after a pressure loss.
Shreds the sidewall. Versus hold it stiff.
Most coaches would not show the handling differences.
A unihome or unicoach will steer better IMO.
Yes they are more money. Cal freeways bad ride was helped by the higher load rated "h" series Michelin's that allowed us to run 97/87 front and rear pressures.
The other "h" rated tires lower load capacity would have us back to 107/97 for our load and result in a stiffer ride over the sharp edges on the freeways concrete block construction.
Perfect roads this may not be noticeable but on bad roads was very noticeable.
I ran Continentals for 9 years. Excellent tires. I replaced them with the Toyo M137. Mainly because most seemed to like them and they seem to be a much better value. I have always liked the ride of Michelin, but not sure they are worth the extra$$. JMO.
Jerry
Stiffer sidewall tires are more durable and the coach does not move around as much. Key here is not how many miles you can get out of them but how long the carcasses last. Bridgestone/Firestone have the reputation for lasting the longest, Michelin the shortest. Lots of good tires Toyo, Continental or even some Thai, Taiwan or Chinese tires.
Pierce
When should we start seeing 2020 dated tires available at retail locations? I need new tires so following this thread with great interest? I definitely intend to let retailer know I want a recent manufacture date.
PO is adamant the tires are only two or three years old. DOT code shows they are much older. Could be he just lost track of time, but could be he was sold old stock tires. Sidewalls are not showing any cracks, but the date of manufacture is 8 years ago.
You should be able to get tires made within the last quarter (3 months).
If not, were it me I would shop or wait unless an emergency situation.
And, I have specified exactly that on both our motorhome tire purchases and car tire purchases. Have seen zero discount for old inventory.
Unicoaches seem to be 2,000 pounds heavier, mostly in the front structure, than unihomes.
So a lower tire pressure tire on a unihome with certain ride quality results may be different on a 40' unicoach with a front mounted gen and a larger fuel tank.
Our 97 40' is just over 12k on the front axle wet. The g rated tires at the needed higher pressure and older design rode roughly on bad roads.
New design, higher capacity, run at lower pressure really helped. Plus Koni FSD shocks.
Steers beautifully. Rides nice. Very little "squirm"
That actually does appear to depend on the tire size and popularity, at least with Michelin.
Seems, at least from our experience, they produce most of the MH tires for spring installations (which makes sense - that's when folks are getting coaches out of storage and doing maintenance). Now should be the best time to find fresh ones. We found waiting until later in the year you were much more likely to find older stock and in the case of the standard tire size (275/80R22.5) there were times, especially towards the fall, where the distribution chain showed no production of that tire/size planned for several months.
When we got our coach at MOT in 9/17 we bought Uniroyal tires from Herman power in Nac. A year later one of the fronts got a bulge in the side wall the size of a golf ball on the way home from San Antonio, Brown tire in Sealy on I10 on the way home was our next stop. They were out of stock on the uniroyals so we went with 2 toyos on the front. Other than the one that went bad on the front they have all been good tires.. Herman power tire did me right on the defective tire, they seem to be a good outfit. Brown tire bought my old outta date tires for a decent price too by the way. They sell them to truckers at a reduced price, truckers don't care how old the tires on their trailers are. Helped on the sting of the price of new tires.....
Keith
Thanks for your feedback. Herman Tire had some Toyo's that I am having mounted as I type. Thoughts on air pressure to run in front and back? No slide U320 with 3 8D's and full propane tank at front axle. I will be getting it aligned (Big Trucks Huntington) and weighed (escapee's Livingston) upon my return home from NAC.
Walt
Until you weight it, go by the PSI on the GVWR sticker on the wall next to the driver's seat. It is based on each axle being loaded to its GAWR (Gross Axle Weight Rating).
^ What Brett says ^
You don't want to risk running underinflated and damage brand new tires. While inflating to axle rating will result in a stiffer ride, at least you won't risk tires or safety and in this case (with the Smart Weigh in the near future), it will only be for a short period of time.
Brett, Wouldn't it be better to use the tire to determine what pressure to get to the axle weights? I was surprised to find that my front load range H tires had different pressures for weights than my rear Toyo load range H tires.
The PSI on the GVWR plaque is for the OE tires. Certainly if you have different load ratings than OE tires, PSI could be different. Since one should NEVER go down in weight rating from OE, the OE recommended PSI could be accurate or a little high. Can't see it making a material difference. Would be surprised if there would be more than a 10% difference.
But, agree. If non-OE weight rating tires, I have no problem in going to the tire manufacturer's inflation table with the coach's GAWR to determine PSI until weighted (and weighted when loaded as you will travel which means full fuel as well as all your "stuff".
Four years ago I put new Continentals (H) on all the way around. My front axle weight is 12,200 lbs loaded, which by Conti's tire chart require 110 psi in each tire. Even with new Koni FSDs the ride was horrible and very tiring. I did some research and found that Michelins (275/80R22.5) only needed 100 psi for that same axle weight, and further checking led me to the new Michelin X Multi Energy tires that only require 95 psi. I purchased two of them from OTRUSA Tires the first week in December with a manufacture date of 11/10/19 and mounted them with a pack of balance beads in each one.
Today was the first time I have driven the coach since changing tires and I am really happy to say that the ride with 95 psi vs 110 psi is like night and day. They ride great and steer great.
I still have the Conti''s on the rear at 95 psi so no reason to change them. The Conti's are a great tire if your axle weight allows 95-100 psi IMO.
Real Happy Camper here!
Well stopped by Herman Power Tire this morning planning to purchase 6 tires. Decided on the Toyo M177 that they had in stock (they fell under Brett's 3 month rule ;) I asked them in advance if they thought there was any problem with the tire hitting the front airbags. They said no but that they were happy to mount one and find out. Sure enough they slightly touched the airbag metal base plate so I decided to look elsewhere (other tires I was considering showed a DOT code older than 3 months). So still hunting for some good tires that clear the front air bags in tight turns. I admit, I get confused trying to keep up with tread depth, tire width variances... therefore your help is very much appreciated. I do have a picture of the Toyo M177 hitting the front air bag of my coach during the experimental tire mounting if I can figure out how to upload it. Thanks to Herman Power Tire for their time and willingness to check it out together.
Yes, I have inspected other coaches where 295/75R22.5 were just enough wider to touch either the bag base steel plate or the drag link.
In most cases minor "polishing" rather than destructive.
The 295s don't touch the airbag, just the bottom plate in certain turns. It polishes ours but nothing more. It's NO BIG DEAL at least on ours.. I'll take the 7% added width anytime.
Here is the size comparison chart:
Pierce
When MOT installed my new shocks and airbags last year. I asked them about this problem with my new Toyo's. Their answer was IT ISN'T A PROBLEM. They emphasized that. They said the tire only rubs the base (not the bag) and that only happens during a very sharp turn. So the wheel speed is low. If you turn sharp enough at highway speed to start rubbing that base. You are either going to lose control or roll the coach. The rubbing would be the least of ones worries.
My 12 year old bridgestones are getting replaced with Toyo soon. I would not consider Michelins under any circumstance. The local commercial tire shop actually recommended a popular chinese truck tire they have been installling successfully for years. I might go that route but havent decided yet. He is trying to save me $$ and says out of the thousands they install on fleets the amount of defective tires they replace is extremely low (he said similar to any major brand) and they work well in much heavier duty service than a motorhome. It would be quite a bit of money saved, but of course thats all for nothing if they suck.
The Chinese car market is larger than the market in the U.S. with 20 percent of the world's vehicles and a third of the passenger cars made in the world. Mercedes among others has a factory there, some of our Buicks come from there and the Chinese own Volvo. I think it absurd to think they somehow make poor tires to fit to their cars. The huge tires on my Case tractor as well as some of our car tires are also from China. They have all given excellent service.
Uniroyal and General Tire are owned by Continental Tire, a German company and maker of our Conti Airbags. Firestone Tire and Rubber is owned by Bridgestone so our airbag choices are either Japanese or German.
Pierce
Slight correction: Michelin has owned Uniroyal since 1989.
http://www.nytimes.com/1989/09/23/business/michelin-to-acquire-uniroyal-goodrich.html
Knowing a lot of forum members dislike Michelin tires, I'll put in a plug for them, I have been very happy with our 5 year old Michelin XZE tires. After 40,000 plus miles and 5 years, no cracks or wear visible, smooth ride and trouble free. Too much $$$? Maybe? But I will always purchase a name brand and I won't chance a off brand tire that has questionable quality controls during manufacture.
A defective tire can show up with any manufacturer, the more tires they produce the greater number of possible problems. A lot of factors to consider. Go with the tire manufacturer that YOU have confidence in and if you have had a good experience with them in the past, then the more reason to stick with that company.
I prefer BF Goodrich tires also, have had good luck with them in the past on truck tires.
Good luck with your choice.....
To those who are concerned about "Where It's Made", and as an item of possible future interest to other tire buyers:
The
Uniroyal RS20 tires on our coach were manufactured in the
Michelin Tire Plant, Tuscaloosa, AL.
Which also happens to be the exact same factory as
BF Goodrich Tuscaloosa Manufacturing
Small world...
PS: Most RV tires that are "Made in The USA" have a stamp or mark on the sidewall that advertises this fact.
Yup, Michelin has owned both since 1989 (see article link above) .
Yes, quite correct. ^.^d ^.^d
Has anyone used the FMCA and/or Prevost Community (via Dupree Unlimited) Michelin Tire Discount Programs? Anyone have an idea of how much can actually be "saved" via the programs? Trying to identify the true cost of the tires, mounting & balancing via the discount programs vs. buying outright from a dealer. I am unable to price tires w/o submitting an order through the dealer with no commitment to (<3 mo) DOT age. Also, I am unable to locate a dealer that has the 275/80RX22.5 H rated (66205) tires (with date code 3 months or less). Dealers are saying Michelin tracks tire their inventory at the dealer level and moves tires around (between warehouse and dealers) based on orders (as I understand it). I don't want to buy 1 yr old tires... I am stuck.
Contact OTRUSA tires online and see what they offer with regard to price, shipping and date of manufacture. I had really good luck with them.
If you can R&R your wheels and tires and take them to a tire place nearby they will mount your new ones for a small price. I paid $20.00 each and supplied the balance beads from Amazon.
I specified a manufacture date of no more than three months and what they shipped were about thirty days old. See my reply #19.
OTRUSA.COM - Wholesale discount tires (https://www.otrusa.com/)
T-Man, somehow I missed "absorbing" the information you provided in your earlier reply (#19). I will give them a call. Thanks for everyone's thoughts. Great forum.
Working on getting quotes to purchase Michelin X Multi Energy Z (h rated) STEER tires for the front and 4 Michelin X Multi Energy D (h rated) for the rear. Does it make sense to buy steer tires for all 6 positions or put Z's on the front axle and D's on the rear axle? OTRUSA tires online wanted more money than my local dealer.
Walt
Steer tires all around!
Ditto.......what the smart man said ^.^d
My previous statement "OTRUSA tires online wanted more money than my local dealer" in reply #34 was incorrect. The pricing between OTRUSA and my local dealer was THE SAME as OTRUSA quotes with FET tax included. My mistake.
Found my wk50 2019 Michelin X-Line Energy Z (66205) tires. Apparently, there are two Michelin advantage program(s) (Michelin Fleet or Michelin Associate - $6/tire difference).
Thanks everyone for your help. You are a great group of folks willing to share your knowledge and experience. I hope to be able to do the same one day.
My understanding is that Michelin is the only tire maker with straight across steel cord belts in its inner core.
Remember the billboards years ago showing the Michelin Man and pictures of the tires core?
Years and years of Michelin "x"
The design has a different safety design in that the sidewalls shred and the rim comes straight down on the tread belt and does not flop around.
Other tires told me long ago that they went to a stiffer sidewall to keep the tire from flopping around in a pressure loss.
I appraised countless coaches as a Foretravel Sales manager and after a while I played a game with myself and did not look at the coaches tires prior to my drive.
Now remember this is in my local so cal freeway area with choppy freeways and medium condition side roads.
The other brands were very close to each other. The Toyo's seemed to be among the smoothest riding.
The Michelin's were more precise in their steering and turning. Noticeable.
Never was wrong about saying .michelin and then finding something else. Never.
Take it for what it's worth but if I had a nice highline used coach that was worth retail and had worn or older tires I would invest Foretravels money out of my budget and my commission to put new Michelin's on the coach regardless of brand.
Always made more money in the deal in my mind to put new tires, new batteries on every coach I resold
Long ago info. May not be important now.
I can tell you my Xza-3+ require me to have to use the brakes more than when it had Xza-2's. Much lower rolling resistance.
Steers and turns great. Rides nice on crummy roads.
IF you live where there are nice smooth roads the differences may be less pronounced.
The higher load capacity for the "h" rated version allows me and others to run 10 pounds less pressure per the same load.
Much better on bad roads to me.
We were in a competitive environment as every top brand was sold within a few hundred yards.
As we were not as pretty it had to drive and ride perfectly
Uniroyal RS20 from Walmart.com. $325 shipped to my door times 6. Love them. Owned by Michelin.
Just go to Walmart.com, in their search bar, place Uniroyal RS20 and your tire size. It will pop up
I'm a big believer of this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wvZrNrF9NDY
It also makes perfect sense to have the alignment checked "under road load".
Alignment or RUN-OUT and BALANCE?
Some truck alignment shops are starting to do a loaded toe in adjustment. Instead of just after being sat on the lazy Susan trivet plates.
Wow. Would love to see that equipment. Who makes it?
Thanks.
I was reading about that process a while back. But can't find it right now. The theory is that front suspensions while at rest do not impart any stress to the tie rods from the toe-in setting. When underway. The forces of rolling down the road puts outward pressure on the tie rod and can thus increase toe-in to out of tolerance levels. So the process is simply to put a load bar on the back of both front tires to simulate the force imparted by toe-in while driving. Then check and adjust the toe-in.
If the load bar changes the toe-in setting I would argue that the tie-rod ends are worn....
Just my 2 centavos
Tim
Putting on my Toolmaker's apron, making sure I have my 1" micrometer, my 6" steel scale and my pencil. And a clean shop rag, all in their places. OH, and my glasses,
Nothing is rigid. absolutely nothing.
When it comes to a front end suspension, all of those moving parts have built in clearances so that they move. So yes, we set a certain amount of toe in when the suspension is adjusted in the garage*. And yes, when driven down the road the front wheels are sprung out against all of that built-in play to a more or less straight ahead position.
It is my
opinion that pulling in on the rear of the front tyres to simulate road conditions is akin to snake oil.
*We used to have our own alignment rack in our garage.
I dismounted my junk michelins (I had two inner rear duals blow holes in sidewall) and mounted my toyo m177 myself at home. I got the ken-tool Serpent bars (price has gone up since I bought them).
I also got the slide hammer bead buster, but I didn't need it on the aluminum rims, the beads all slid off easily by standing on it. The steel wheels took some beating. I replaced the two steel wheels with aluminum. I have 6 alum rims and 1 alum mounted spare now. Anybody wanna buy my steelies with mounted tires?
I did not balance...because I installed centrimatic balancers. It rides smooth as silk. I measured the tow and adjusted slightly for good tracking. I found that going by feel to dial it in is the best (assuming it isn't far enough out to cause tire wear).
I do appreciate all your thoughts and feedback. Ended up purchasing Michelin X Multi Energy Z (H rated) STEER tires all around via the Prevost Dupree Michelin tire discount program. Tire clearance good all around. Had tires balanced with beads. Drives and rides great! On the road again!
Uniroyal RS20's from Walmart.com!!!! Owned by Michelin. Dealer told me your getting Michelin quality at a 40% discount
I've attached the Uniroyal commercial tire inflation book. For 275-80-22.5, 110 lbs., that takes you to 22,750 on your rear axle, and 12,350 on the front axle. This seems a little high, so I would at least weigh sometime when fully loaded, at least they recommended a safe pressure.
The Uniroyale tires will be fine, they are not the same as the Michelins in the previous post. Many are happy with the Uniroyale brand as I am with my Toyo tires. Most replace the tires because of age and not wearing them out.
Toyota builds both the Lexus and Toyota brands. No knowledgeable, honest salesman would say your getting Lexus quality in your Toyota Corolla for 60% less. Different design, materials, and assembly criteria. What you were told is called "a pitch". No worries though, correct air pressure, equipment mechanical condition, and road conditions will, as with any tire, be important to you now that you have new tires.
Don't agree at all but that's ok, If you want to pay for a Mich, you can! Mine will age out before wearing out, so it's not worth it. I would challenge you to go look closer at Toyota and Lexus again. Your paying for a name and a few more gadgets, not the quality of the build or parts. Japan has it figured out. Make a quality car no matter what the price
Agree. Toyota products take a beating with contractors, etc. Less likely to get garaged. Lexus is great but Toyota is right there with them. Our RAV4 has 240K on it with only brake pads and one battery in many years of ownership. No timing belt to worry about.
Least expensive RV ownership would be a Toyota/Lexus Land Cruiser/Sequoia/Lexus GX/LX 470 pulling a rebuilt older Airstream. Tires would be about it.
Pierce
Bob & Susan,
We are only interested in Michelin tires and have been happy with XZA3 LR-H.
Since XZA3 are no longer available and if price is not a factor, what Michelin model do your recommend from the current lineup?
Like others we use FMCA to get their Fleet price
Thank you,
Barry & Cindy
Foretraveler@gmail.com
Barry and Cindy I notice the new Michelin "x" energy Z tires "h" rated max out at 7160 pounds at 120 psi.
My Xza-3+'s were 7610 at 120.
No longer offered.
The new tires hopefully should have similar ride and handling qualities and the higher pressures needed.
Most do not live in so cal with bad roads.
I would buy them no problem
Thanks Bob & Susan for the Michelin info and specs.
Barry & Cindy
Hopefully I have attached the Michelin X-Line Energy Tire Chart pressures for anyone that may have an interest. I had my 99 U320 36ft no-slide FT weighed loaded with normal supplies ((10,300 (5,100/5,200) front and (19,500 rear axle weights)) and added 1,000lbs for people and fuel, propane, groceries, bay storage supplies top offs plus a little margin. Similar approach with my H rated tire pressures (105 on front & 100 on rear tires which allows for cooler/warmer ambient temp variances without having to adjust pressures every morning...). It does not ride rough but may reduce tire psi over time as I gain more experience with this set of tires.
Your chart is G
Using your data it appears you are 15-20 lbs overinflated at the 100/105 inflation numbers.
You say your axles weighed in at 10,300 front 19,500 rear. From the chart below, it appears 85 lb all around would take you to 11,100 front axle and 21,040 for rear axle?
MICHELIN INFLATION CHARTS FOR TRUCK TIRES
275/80R22.5 LRH from current Mich website 3/23/2020
Shared album - John Lewis - Google Photos (https://photos.app.goo.gl/mLKdZym1d2mmCpqg6)
Michelin bought uniroyal and BF Goodrich and from what I have been told they started using the Michelin process to Mfg both uniroyal and BF Goodrich I can't verify this but what I was told. I do know that some Mfg companies use the same process on the cheaper brands as the more expensive brands-- Case in point I worked for Maybelline cosmetic company for nearly 20 years, they were bought out by L'Oreal in late 90's. The first year a new L'Oreal product came out it was marketed under L'Oreal brand
the 2nd year it would be marked under Maybelline brand same process same raw material different package at 1/2 the price or less
I was one of the guys who kept the machines going. So you can tell the DWS that if they find a product in L'Oreal brand that they like next year it will be available in Maybelline. BTW when they say L'Oreal Paris and Maybelline New York in the advertising It is ALL made in N. Little Rock Arkansas If you are going on I-40 east of N. Little Rock you will drive by the plant on south side of road
Can't miss it!
Chris
As Brett said earlier, "In 1988, the company then known as UniroyalGoodrich Corp. exited the tire manufacturing business, selling that part of its operation to the Michelin Group of France. Uniroyal and BF Goodrich brands are still produced and sold by Michelin."
I am not saying what you say may not be true. I am saying I have trouble following your logic and caring it over to the tire industry.
Few CrossRoads, Cruiser RV, Dutchmen, Jayco, or trailer owners would say their trailer is the same as a Airstream, all built by parent Thor. Few Winnebago motorhome buyers would say their motorhome is the same as a Newmar, all built by parent Winnebago.
There are differences in "process" among different tires, made by the same tire manufacturer, such as the French owned Michelin and the Japanese owned Toyo. This involves ride, wear, chipping resistance, tracking, traction, rolling resistance, etc.
Lots of excellent tires on the market today and most will have a low rolling resistance tire available. The most important feature to me is casing life. Some will rot out before the tread shows any wear on an average yearly mileage RV while others are known for excellent casing life and may be recapped out to 15 years. Sidewall flexibility is another issue. I like a more rigid sidewall but that's a personal choice. and some seem to blow out more frequently that others. Selection should not be based on price as some manufactures advertise a lot, others hardly at all. Many are sold by smaller independent tires shop but have national availability. Men seem to have their favorite horse in the race.
The word "cheaper" is, unfortunately, associated with poor quality. This is not true in most cases but lives on for many people.
Pierce
But with tires, as with many other products, it's buyer beware — you get what you pay for.
Because of the substantial differences between name-brand tires that are made in China and tires that are designed and manufactured by Chinese tire makers, it may be more relevant to consider Chinese tires as two separate products.
Consumer Reports magazine tested 23 affordable all-season replacement tires, seven of them made in China, reported Gene Petersen, tire program leader for the magazine. Of those seven, six finished in the top half of the field, he noted.
They included tires from brands such as Toyo, Cooper, Pirelli, and Kumho. "Because these tires are being built with the companies whose names are on the tires, the same specifications that would apply to a tire made in the U.S. would apply to a tire made in China," said Petersen.
But that was seemingly not the case for the Chinese-branded Ling Long tires tested by Car and Driver magazine. The Ling Longs wore a tread pattern identical to that of a popular Yokohama tire, a visible semblance that could cause consumers to assume similarity of performance.
That assumption would be wrong. The magazine found the braking distances and cornering grip were much worse for the Ling Long tires than for any others in the test, requiring an extra 22 feet — one and a half car lengths — to stop from 50 mph than the best tires.
"Chinese-branded tires are a whole different world," reported Car and Driver technical director Dave VanderWerp. "You absolutely get what you pay for, which, as we found in our test, is capability that is nothing short of scary. The Ling Longs in our test scored less than half the performance-based points than even the next-best, eighth-place tire. That's how far they are off the pace."
"Is a Ling Long tire as good as a Michelin?" asked Smith. "No. If you want a Michelin, buy a Michelin," he said. "It depends on the consumer and what they are willing to pay."
There is no way to predict whether Chinese-branded tires will prove to be safe for American drivers, but because they are built to pass U.S. government safety tests, they should be.
But in the question of safety and performance in real-world driving conditions, Chinese tires will have to prove their worth to convince consumers. "It is more than the tread pattern, it is the engineering that goes into the tire," that determines its performance characteristics, said Edmonds, of Tire Rack.
Unfortunately, because these tires target the price-sensitive low end of the market, customers might be more swayed by the price tag than by the potential for longer braking distances.
"I'd sure like it if the guy behind me can stop another 20 feet shorter in the rain," said Edmonds.
Dan Carney
Different models of the same tire brand have totally different characteristics. Green Max truck tires are made by LingLong in Thailand. In speaking to a large Los Angeles truck tire dealer, the reviews have been excellent. Here is quote from a tire test company.
In this test, Linglong Tire's Green-Max HP 010 (205/55R16 91V) gets a total test score of 8.3 points out of 10 points, and Test World Tire Test Report gives its the following assessment: Linglong Tire has a surprisingly good result in this test. Its performance on wet surfaces is better than that on dry surfaces. Linglong Tire has particularly excellent grip on wet surfaces, especially in a rather cold condition, it will make your driving easier and safer. Its noise is low and its rolling resistance is the average level.
The performance on wet surfaces accounts for more than 55% in summer tire testing. In regard to this index, the braking distance of Linglong Tire on wet surfaces is just 1.5 meters behind Michelin, the first place in this test, and shorter than that of Goodyear, Pirelli and Maxxis. As to the maneuverability on wet surfaces, Linglong still did a better job than some famous brands like Bridgestone and Yokohama, demonstrating the gap between Chinese independent brands and overseas premium brands continuing to narrow.
The Green Max steer tires (line haul) in 295/75R22.5 are $220/ea .
DoubleCoin is another Chinese company that gets high marks. The are the #5 truck tire brand in the U.S. They average in the $300 range for the same sizes.
We have been extremely happy with our Atturo 800 275/65R17 on our MBZ ML320. The optional size, they look great, stop and handle great, have a V (149 mph) speed rating and don't make any noise. Plus, they have an excellent ride at over 40 psi. In all of the tires we have had on our SUVs, these are the best overall. A dry weather high performance tire, the only slight deficiency is the snow but have not been able to get the ML stuck yet even trying. The OEM Bridgestones lasted 80K but had a harder ride and were a little noisy. The ML320 is right at 5K lbs. $420 for 4 out the door, tax, disposal, balancing, etc.
If you want an even better high speed tire, the Atturo AZ850 seems to be a favorite with the racers and winter drivers even offering a run flat tire. It's rated Y (186 mph) and lots of reviews can be viewed on YouTube at: https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=atturo+850+tires
All of our Macs and iPhones including my two 5,1 towers come from China. They just don't fail.
Pierce