When to change tires

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When to change tires

June 18, 2016, 01:32:58 pm

I have looked at the tires on my Foretravel and they look great. No cracks, no abnormal wear, holding air pressure. The tires are Good Year 295 80R 22.5,. The left front tire was made 35 week of 2012 as is all of the rear tires that I can check can't get to the inside tires to see the date they were made so I am assuming they are in the same date range. The right front tire is newer made the 15th week of 2014. I feel comfortable with the tires as I believe I can run them as much as six maybe seven years, as long as they look good and I don't see any damage or bulges, broken belts and the like. Anyone have an opinion they would like to share?

Re: When to change tires

Reply #1 – June 18, 2016, 01:43:27 pm

I think you will have many opinions here and most are driven by the cost of replacing tires. Many will go far beyond the safe time period of a tire's life to save a few bucks. What the heck, if the coach is only out of the barn once or twice a year, why spend money on tires? Right? - Wrong, your life counts on these tires.

I stick to six years max time and not push it more because I do not see anything visible. What you cannot see will hurt you like tires drying out. If an initial layout of all tires is to much to spend, then replace the fronts first. On the next set of tires, then replace the fronts again pushing those newer front tires to the drive axle. Keep repeating the process until all tires have been replaced. This way, you always have the newest tires up front.

I also would not assume if one tire is 2014, the others ones are the same. If you bought the coach used, you never know what the previous owner did or if the other tires are older.

Bob

Re: When to change tires

Reply #2 – June 18, 2016, 01:57:18 pm

I agree with Bob. I last replaced my tires at 6 years even though they looked like new. I once had a tire blow on me , right outside rear on my SOB. That tire looked to be brand new and was just about 7 years old.

If cost is a consideration, look into the Michelin Advantage program or search this forum our other good brands.

Re: When to change tires

Reply #3 – June 18, 2016, 02:09:45 pm

Quote from: dixie flyer – June 18, 2016, 01:32:58 pm

Anyone have an opinion they would like to share?

I like Goodyears, used them for years, usually replaced them at 80-100 k or every six years. Might get some flak, but I never used the covers, thinking the heat build up in between was a bad deal. What I did do (still) was make sure I used a sealer/cleaner on the outsides, often. I really like "No Touch Tire Care" <www.notouch.com> I still (old habit) use a rag to make sure it's gotten in between the tire & the rims.

Re: When to change tires

Reply #4 – June 18, 2016, 02:22:43 pm

Six years max tire age.

Buy 6 when you are ready.
After three years by two new for the front, trade in the 3 yr old front tires.
After six years buy four tires, two new in the front, front to inside rear, two new outside rear.
After nine years do what you did at six and so on.

You could move the front tire and wheel to the outside rear on the opposite side, rotation is the same direction, I don't know if this is a good practice or not. Save two mount and balance charges.

If I get to 9 years I will be almost 80 and will be looking for shoes with velco straps. 😜

This way you always have 0-3 year old tires in the front and no tires over six years old. A bit more for mounting and balance but it spreads out the big chunks. FMCA Michelin Advantage program saves you about $25 per tire as of now. Sometimes shopping around can sometimes save that much. Toyos, Yokohamas BF Goodrich, Bridgestones, Hankook all get pretty good reviews on the forum. You can save as much as couple hundred per tire. Lots of variables in the choice, do what you are comfortable with.

Mine are 6 years old last November. Stayed home over the winter, six new Michelin XLEZ 275/80R22.6 LRH Tuesday morning using FMCA Michelin Advantage Program. Herman Power in NAC is supposed to have pretty good prices but it is a 2500 mile round trip for us. If we had gone somewhere south this winter that is where we would have bought new tires.

Re: When to change tires

Reply #5 – June 18, 2016, 02:29:21 pm

Quote from: mike leary – June 18, 2016, 02:09:45 pm

I like Goodyears, used them for years, usually replaced them at 80-100 k or every six years. Might get some flak, but I never used the covers, thinking the heat build up in between was a bad deal. What I did do (still) was make sure I used a sealer/cleaner on the outsides, often. I really like "No Touch Tire Care" <www.notouch.com> I still (old habit) use a rag to make sure it's gotten in between the tire & the rims.

Mike. Which one specifically do you use. They have a few. I've been looking for a recommendation.

Re: When to change tires

Reply #6 – June 18, 2016, 02:43:17 pm

Quote from: Roger & Susan in Home2 – June 18, 2016, 02:22:43 pm

You could move the front tire and wheel to the outside rear on the opposite side, rotation is the same direction, I don't know if this is a good practice or not. If we had gone somewhere south this winter that is where we would have bought new tires.

If you were south right now, you'd prolly be thinking when the last time the roof airs were serviced! Back to tires: My good friend/Goodyear dealer of 50 years told me, with the newer tires, rotate only helped him into retirement.

Re: When to change tires

Reply #7 – June 18, 2016, 02:57:27 pm

Quote from: Bob & Sue – June 18, 2016, 02:29:21 pm

Which one specifically do you use. They have a few. I've been looking for a recommendation.

Being a northern kind of guy, I always used "mud & snow" tires on all six. When we moved south, I realized the tires had a different tread pattern down here. Bottom line: "Where are you going?". We have Michelin 255/80R/22.5 XRV now: "Southern Tires". I'd not head into "fun city north" with this tread pattern, but they are quiet as all get out.

Re: When to change tires

Reply #8 – June 18, 2016, 03:47:54 pm

Ops, ya I meant the tire dressing stuff.

Re: When to change tires

Reply #9 – June 18, 2016, 03:56:54 pm

My tires are 10-15 years old and I probably put at least 10,000 miles per year on them. In about 8 years when I finally wear them out I'll buy some brand new 6 year old tires from someone on this forum who doesn't dare drive their 100 miles a year on them anymore.

Re: When to change tires

Reply #10 – June 18, 2016, 04:03:12 pm

I've had my coach for a year. We just bought 6 Michelin XZA2's. It was money I wasn't excited to spend we feel better having spent it. I've read the threads and watched the scary videos about blowouts. i will to do what I can to prevent one.

The first thing we did to the coach after we bought it was to install a Safety Plus steering stabilizer as extra, relatively inexpensive insurance to improve control in the case of a blow out. It was less than $300 installed, is maintenance free and guaranteed for the life of the coach. As a tangible benefit handling when being passed by an 18 wheeler is now a non event. It made a huge difference in this regard. I highly recommend this upgrade.

We also installed a TPMS so we can watch tire pressure and temperature.

For us, we will go 5 years with a set of tires and consider it the price of admission for this amazing lifestyle.

Re: When to change tires

Reply #11 – June 18, 2016, 04:04:37 pm

Quote from: RRadio – June 18, 2016, 03:56:54 pm

My tires are 10-15 years old and I probably put at least 10,000 miles per year on them. In about 8 years when I finally wear them out I'll buy some brand new 6 year old tires from someone on this forum who doesn't dare drive their 100 miles a year on them anymore.

Wow! I'll remember to give you a shout in 5 years.

Re: When to change tires

Reply #12 – June 18, 2016, 04:13:57 pm

I replaced my Kumhos at 9 years old.

Re: When to change tires

Reply #13 – June 18, 2016, 04:14:36 pm

Quote from: RRadio – June 18, 2016, 03:56:54 pm

I'll buy some brand new 6 year old tires from someone on this forum who doesn't dare drive their 100 miles a year on them

Remind me to never follow you. Ever blown a front steering tire? It's not for the faint of heart.

Re: When to change tires

Reply #14 – June 18, 2016, 04:25:25 pm

Quote from: RRadio – June 18, 2016, 03:56:54 pm

My tires are 10-15 years old and I probably put at least 10,000 miles per year on them. In about 8 years when I finally wear them out I'll buy some brand new 6 year old tires from someone on this forum who doesn't dare drive their 100 miles a year on them anymore.

Good luck with your 10-15 yr old tires.

Re: When to change tires

Reply #15 – June 18, 2016, 04:34:24 pm

Quote from: mike leary – June 18, 2016, 04:14:36 pm

Remind me to never follow you. Ever blown a front steering tire? It's not for the faint of heart.

Last summer we blew a right front tire on my F350 running 65 MPH on the Interstate while pulling my 38 foot 5th wheel.. I had two Kentucky State troopers stop to help me change the tire. Folks all I can tell you is it was a wild ride there for a few seconds. I don't ever want to blow a steering tire on this motorhome as I can imagine it could get wild also. That's why I am looking strongly at the tires that I have on the Foretravel right now, I really appreciate everyone's posting to this question about tires. It gives me a lot of food for thought and I am taking everyone post seriously. So if you have something to add please do so.

Re: When to change tires

Reply #16 – June 18, 2016, 04:46:17 pm

Been there, done that. Lots of damage. Does get your attention

Re: When to change tires

Reply #17 – June 18, 2016, 04:59:42 pm

Quote from: dixie flyer – June 18, 2016, 04:34:24 pm

I don't ever want to blow a steering tire on this motorhome as I can imagine it could get wild also.

"Wild", did you say "Wild" ? When our's blew, I thought I'd been been shot and looked for blood, then (in a fraction of a moment), wondered if the front end had come apart and I was heading off the road. Bottom Line: CS anything but the tires!

Re: When to change tires

Reply #18 – June 18, 2016, 05:03:06 pm

I saw a tow truck with my exact same tires on the front of it, and they were badly weather cracked. All the mechanics for this particular truck shop were standing there waiting for someone to arrive with the key to open up the shop so I asked them about those 10+ year old badly weather cracked tires and they all agreed they were fine and sorta chuckled at my silly question. When I was at Phoenix tire the other day buying a used spare I asked the tire salesman about my 10+ year old tires. He didn't have anything to say about them but the truck driver who was standing there laughed at me and said he'd run them on his rig if I didn't want them. I was just curious to see their reactions. Never ask a barber if you need a haircut, or a tire dealer if you need new tires. What's more likely to happen, if you actually use your rig, is you'll hit something like oh say a coping stone at Acadia national park that'll cut the sidewall of your right rear outside dual when making a tight turn, and then maybe you'll be paranoid and ask a bunch of truck mechanics about it and they'll all say to run the tire until it dies but watch it very carefully, and maybe it'll survive another 20,000+ miles before it finally develops a slow leak while camped at Lees Ferry on a side slope with extra stress on the sidewall... just hypothetically... or you could buy new tires every few years and give the "old" scary ones to someone who would rather spend thousands of dollars on diesel and campgrounds!

...and knows that none of you will ever follow him no matter what tires he has

Re: When to change tires

Reply #19 – June 18, 2016, 05:09:32 pm

Ok, I'm going to fire off a dumb question. Recently we replaced the tires on the corvette after 14 years and 45,000 miles. Was that a big no no. They weren't heat checked or damaged in any way but , they were run flats. I thought that the tread bar was there for a gage of when a tire was worn out.
And what happens to all these 6 year old new tires. They get sold to farmers? Who also travel at hwy speeds ( if the truck has the juice to do it ) AND carry very heavy loads. 80,000 on some. Or do they just get tossed ?

Re: When to change tires

Reply #20 – June 18, 2016, 05:30:06 pm

...smart truck drivers come over to RV owners at the tire dealer and hope to get a set of brand new 6 year old tires given to them

Re: When to change tires

Reply #21 – June 18, 2016, 05:48:44 pm

I spent the early part of my years as a young adult working with automobiles. My family owned a Lincoln Mercury dealership in Augusta, Georgia. I built my first hot rod when I was 16 years old and soon graduated to the modified division of NASCAR at an early age. I learn how important tires were and how they can come apart from the inside structure failing when on the outside they looked okay. Trailer tires are something else again. When China started making tires for campers and other trailer applications I found out just how important it was for proper inflation and not over loading a tire is. I once owned a fifth wheel that went through four sets of tires in four years until I finally figured out the game the manufacturing industry was playing with rating tires for their campers.

Going through tire test at Daytona back in the 60's taught me a lot about tires, but it also left me with a fear of running a tire too long even when it looked good on the outside. My rule of thumb for light truck tires and automobile tires is five years they are replaced with new. Motorhomes and travel trailers are a different matter because of the time they sit idle and get fewer miles on them, that is for most folks. Heat is an enemy of a tire as well as overloading and under inflation. Running over a curbing and obstacles on the highway is also bad news. I have learned the age of a tire even if it has few miles on it can also determine when it should be replaced. I am new to having a motorhome so I don't want to think I know what is best for my situation when I really don't have the experience in that department. I believe for me and what I have read running the tires I have on my motorhome for this summer will serve me well but I will replace them this winter.

I want to thank those who have responded to my question and all have valid points to consider. Thank you so much for your kindness and taking the time to respond to my concerns.

Re: When to change tires

Reply #22 – June 18, 2016, 06:16:15 pm

The problem with older tires, even if they look new, is that the rubber has aged. It is more fragile and less elastic. Not worth the risk.

Re: When to change tires

Reply #23 – June 18, 2016, 06:46:39 pm

OK, back "home again". 10 countries in a month. Very different (we were on a Holland America Cruise) than when I used to hitchhike there in the 1970's!

The answer to "at what age should I replace the tires" is EXACTLY like most mechanical questions: HOW WERE THEY CARED FOR?

?

To safely extend tire life:

Never under inflated/over-loaded. Coach weighing is critical for this one.

Cover when outdoors and not on the road. UV light is hard on rubber.

Best to drive at least 25 highway miles once a month-- the emolument that protect the tires migrate to the surface when heated (driving heats them up).

When storing, park on some kind of "insulator" to keep tires from directly contacting concrete or asphalt. I just use plywood.

Wash only with mild car wash soap and do not use tire dressings that contain petroleum.

Re: When to change tires

Reply #24 – June 26, 2016, 05:15:17 pm

As a young firefighter I was in a jump seat on the fire engine when one of the dualies blew; I thought we hit a land mine. I also had a "perfectly good" trailer tire blow out. Those were my personal experiences. As a FD rescue specialist, I've been to several blow outs including a motorhome and a couple of big rigs. In each case there was a lot of damage. The motorhome went into the grassy median and turned over and one of the big rigs caused a "secondary accident" when the car next to it went careening into another. You would be surprised at how little many truck drivers know about safety or maintaining their equipment and I would never rely on their "expertise" where safety is concerned. There is a reason for the inspection stations we see on the road. I see no reason to take any chances to save a few bucks.

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