Multiple Blowouts!

[jperry29]

I've had it with these Goodyear Marathons! They have been blowing out on me on a regular basis. Yesterday I had two blowouts an hour apart, both causing body damage and one ripping brake lines off.

 

Tire pressures were correct, load was below limits, speed never above 65 mph. Mileage on tires less than 20,000, date stamp said they were built in 2011 (so they were a year old when installed on my new rig 8/12). These two tires actually lasted the best, all the others (triple axel, 6 tires) have been replaced, some two or three times.

 

My rig was built with 235/80 16's. The spacing between axles is pretty tight, I don't think there is room to move up to 85's. If I could I would put some Michelin XPS Ribs on and be done with these Chinese made bombs.

 

I've been researching replacement tires and it seems that everything in this size and type are made in China and don't do much better than the tires I have. One exception has been the Loadstar, it has some pretty positive reviews, just not many reviews for a good comparison.

 

So how about you folks? Got any insight on a tire in my size that won't make me feel like my life is in jeopardy because of blowouts?

 

BTW - The first blowout yesterday happened within the first thousand yards of entering the Mobile Bay bridge. I had to creep at 5mph in the far to narrow emergency lane for several miles before there was an exit.

[Yarome]

I don't think your experience is all that common. If your tire pressures and load limits are in the green, you might have other factors in play.. like weight distribution in your rig or possibly not towing flat so that weight is evenly distributed on all 6 tires. You might consider going with LT's.

[jperry29]

If I could get an LT that would fit I would do it in a heart beat. All of my searching has not turned up a 16" 235/80.

 

I don't think weight distribution or being off-level is the problem. All six positions have blown at least once. And after doing a web search it appears that my problem is very common. There are hundreds of postings describing my exact same experience.

[trailertraveler]

When you have a tire failure on a two or three axle trailer or one of a pair of duels. The other tire(s) are now likely carrying well over their rated maximum weight and very likely damaged even if it can not be seen. I have heard tire experts say it is not a matter of whether the other tire(s) in the set will fail, it is just a matter of when. From what I have read over the years on trailer and RV forums many folks play the music tire failure game because they only repair or replace the flat or blown out tire.

[Wagner4745]

You might try contacting Jack and Danielle Mayer @ www.jackdanmayer.com.

They are members of this forum and have a 2015 New Horizon.

You might also go to RV-Dreams.com forum and check out topic 2012 New Horizons custom 5th wheel.

We have a Keystone Fuzion which don't weigh what your RV does. We have had the similar problem with our tires blowing out in pairs on the same side but while I hate to say it in my case it may be operator error. We lost one tire due to a controlled sudden stop, left side front, then same trip 100 miles later we lost the right side front. When we got to our destination we replaced the other 5 tires for safety. The replacements worked well but I made the error of not running the tires at the recommended air pressure, 5psi low, and over time, heat, and road conditions we have lost two more tires, right side front and then the rear within 30 miles of each other. These tires were all under 20K miles but our travels are primarily are in south Texas heat.

It will come down to RV weigh and tire temp I think. Good luck and keep us posted on your results.

[rdickinson]

Is it possible or practical to switch to 17.5's? Diameter was the same as my old 16.? on the triple axle Travel Supreme.

[GlennWest]

I've had it with these Goodyear Marathons! They have been blowing out on me on a regular basis. Yesterday I had two blowouts an hour apart, both causing body damage and one ripping brake lines off.

 

Tire pressures were correct, load was below limits, speed never above 65 mph. Mileage on tires less than 20,000, date stamp said they were built in 2011 (so they were a year old when installed on my new rig 8/12). These two tires actually lasted the best, all the others (triple axel, 6 tires) have been replaced, some two or three times.

 

My rig was built with 235/80 16's. The spacing between axles is pretty tight, I don't think there is room to move up to 85's. If I could I would put some Michelin XPS Ribs on and be done with these Chinese made bombs.

 

I've been researching replacement tires and it seems that everything in this size and type are made in China and don't do much better than the tires I have. One exception has been the Loadstar, it has some pretty positive reviews, just not many reviews for a good comparison.

 

So how about you folks? Got any insight on a tire in my size that won't make me feel like my life is in jeopardy because of blowouts?

 

BTW - The first blowout yesterday happened within the first thousand yards of entering the Mobile Bay bridge. I had to creep at 5mph in the far to narrow emergency lane for several miles before there was an exit.

I'm shocked a New Horizons has Marathons on it.

[jperry29]

TrailerTraveler - If I blow one tire the other five are rated such that I still have excess capacity. I've had each tire weighed individually and my load balance is not out of whack. The specialist at Goodyear was more concerned that the tires were five years old. That sounds about one or two years early to be worried about time. Plus, there was zero checking or cracking, I keep the tire covers on any time we are stopped.

 

Wagner4745 - I did think about contacting Jack. His 2012 rig and mine were being built simultaneously and we were at New Horizons at the same time a couple of times. He let me include some of his design ideas into my rig. I'll check out the RV-Dreams post. Thanks

 

Roger - I would love to go to 17.5s but in all my searching I have not been able to find a tire that was same diameter as my 235/80's (30.7"). Do you happen to remember what you exchanged?

[trailertraveler]

...TrailerTraveler - If I blow one tire the other five are rated such that I still have excess capacity...

Are you calculating that by dividing the total weight of the trailer on the axles by 5 or dividing the weight on each side by 2? Which is the number that I would think would matter.

[lappir]

I had the same problem several years ago . Leaving Florida I had multiple blow outs before even getting out of the state. Thankfully I had a good spare for the first one and was able to limp to a location to get two replacement tires for the second. Tires were less than two years old, but it was very hot leaving Florida. Remainder of the trip I drove at night when it was cooler. Heat is the enemy. Goodyear did stand behind their tires and I had a replacement of the six. Found two more with wire coming out at dismount. I have 22.5 dual tandems now and hope to not have a future issue.

 

Rod

[rdickinson]

Here's the info on my rig:

 

Triple axle - hubs are 33 3/4" center to center

 

3 " between tread, wheel to wheel

 

Tires are 30.5" in diameter

 

Hankook 215/75R 17.5

 

I run them under 100 psi, cruise at about 64 mph on cruise control.

 

When the conversion was done, the hubs were upgraded to 7k from 6 and the wheel studs went from 1/2" to 9/16"....I think.

 

No issues so far, knock on wood.

 

Roger

 

Roger - I would love to go to 17.5s but in all my searching I have not been able to find a tire that was same diameter as my 235/80's (30.7"). Do you happen to remember what you exchanged?

 

http://www.dmbruss.com/zFullTimeLifeStyle/FTLS_Tires_SizeChange.htm

 

This may help

 

Another edit, don't get he lacquered aluminum wheels, the finish spiderwebs after a year or 2. The mfgr will not stand behind the problem, calling it cosmetic.

[NH2]

Not sure if you had load range D or E's for the Marathons.
These load range J Michelins are capable of carrying 4,800 lbs per tire rather than the 3,000 lbs (or 3,420) of the Marathons yet are the same outside diameter. Rims would have to changed from 16's to 17.5.
Good tires are expensive but like every insurance policy, we exchange ca$h for peace of mind.

Just a thought,

Mark

[Ray,IN]

FWIW, many ST tire mfgrs. recommend replacing them every 3 yrs.

If you have the space between tires to install Sailun 235/85R16, LR G tires, they are high quality commercial trailer tires, and totally eliminated my tire problems on our 40', 15,500# 5er. They are a bit larger in diameter than ST tires @ 32". The price of $180 ea. isn't bad either.

Sailuns are not widespread yet in the USA, but are common truck tires in Canada.

Another advantage is, your 16" x 7" aluminum rims will work for these tires as the rims are rated at 110psi., same as Sailun tire max. pressure. (I ran mine at 90)

[NH2]

Not sure if you had load range D or E's for the Marathons.

These load range J Michelins are capable of carrying 4,800 lbs per tire rather than the 3,000 lbs (or 3,420) of the Marathons yet are the same outside diameter. Rims would have to changed from 16's to 17.5.

Good tires are expensive but like every insurance policy, we exchange ca$h for peace of mind.

Just a thought,

Mark

OOPs, I just tried my link and it didn't go where I expected.

This should show you what I was trying to show:

http://i67.tinypic.com/1hy35x.jpg

sorry for the confusion,

Mark

[tinstartrvlr]

Axles out of alignment maybe?

[Dick 641]

FWIW, many ST tire mfgrs. recommend replacing them every 3 yrs.

If you have the space between tires to install Sailun 235/85R16, LR G tires, they are high quality commercial trailer tires, and totally eliminated my tire problems on our 40', 15,500# 5er. They are a bit larger in diameter than ST tires @ 32". The price of $180 ea. isn't bad either.

Sailuns are not widespread yet in the USA, but are common truck tires in Canada.

Another advantage is, your 16" x 7" aluminum rims will work for these tires as the rims are rated at 110psi., same as Sailun tire max. pressure. (I ran mine at 90)

 

They also have it in 2380R16 an are 14 ply seems to be a good tire an a fair price put these on my toy hauler last year an so far really like them. Discount tire has them for $420 for a set of 4

[SWharton]

You said that you have replaced the tires before, some multiple times. That is very unusual. I see you have a New Horizons, were the Marathons the original tire and you just kept replacing them with Marathons? LT tires would be the best but I would get a new weighing for each tire and see if you have some overloading and check the axle alignment. I would talk to New Horizons also, maybe a trip to them would be in order. I can't picture them putting tires on you trailer that can't support the weight.

 

Years ago we had a problem and the tires had too much flex, once we switched to an LT tire all our problems went away. Never had a blow out once we switched tires.

 

I would look into Toyo. I think they make a LT245/75R16 that should fit. Not 100% sure.

[TreyandSusan]

As Ray said, ST trailer tires should be replaced about every ~3 years irregardless of mileage or tread wear. Especially if they sit still for extended periods of time like almost all RVs (to varying degrees). Commercial trailer tires (like the 17.5") will last longer but will almost always need to be replace before the tread wears out.

 

To make good recommendations exact wheel position weights need to be known for all 6 trailer tire positions.

Load carrying capacity of RV tires is of utmost importance. RVs often have significantly different loads across the axles. So, knowing the actual load/weight on each wheel position is needed.

It would also help to know the axle ratings. from the Federal certification label on the trailer (front driver side)

 

In general, LT tires have lower load carrying capacity than ST.

LT tires can be a good choice if the loads allow but that does not sound possible. (but we don't know until measured numbers are given)

e.g. XPS Ribs (LT) only carry 3042 lbs while the Marathon can carry 3520 lbs.

17.5" can carry anywhere from ~3500 lbs to > 6000 lbs. depending on the load carrying capacity of the tire purchased.

So, if weight is the problem then there is no way an XPS Rib could be used no matter what the spacing.

17.5" (e.g. G114 - 30.5") tires usually have a smaller overall diameter than the ST235/80R16 (Marathon 30.7') so they would actually increase the spacing between the tires.

 

If weight is not the problem, then the suggestion of axle alignment (or axle issue) is a good one to consider because that would chew up tires quickly especially in a multi-axle system (triple axle).

 

As Ray said, the ST trailer tires should be replaced about every +/-3 years irregardless of mileage or tread wear. Especially if they sit still for extended periods of time like almost all RVs (to some degree). Commercial trailer tires (like the 17.5") can last longer but will still need to be replace before the tread wears out.

[NH2]

Commercial trailer tires (like the 17.5") can last longer but will still need to be replace before the tread wears out.

I agree but it should be noted that, unlike ST's, commercial trailer tires will be fine for 6 or 7 years. Yes, there will still be plenty of tread on them—I view that as a good thing.

Mark

[chirakawa]

 

They also have it in 2380R16 an are 14 ply seems to be a good tire an a fair price put these on my toy hauler last year an so far really like them. Discount tire has them for $420 for a set of 4

 

Can you provide a link please? I went to Discount Tire's website and looked under Shop by Brand and they didn't list a Sailun tire. Also, what size are you saying they have? You wrote 2380R16. Did you mean 235/80?

[wtgeodog]

I researched 17.5 tires rather extensively 4 years ago and found at least 10 tire brands with 215/75R17.5 which were "NOT" made in China.

Since upgrading to 17.5" I have not had one tire problem on my 17,000# trailer.

Right now I have Yokohama RRY023.

 

ShortyO

[trailertraveler]

...FWIW, many ST tire mfgrs. recommend replacing them every 3 yrs...

 

...As Ray said, the ST trailer tires should be replaced about every +/-3 years irregardless of mileage or tread wear...

Can either of you provide a link to a manufacturer webpage or catalog that states this? I looked at the Goodyear RV Tire Guide and the Maxxis ST Warranty? Seems to me if they recommended replacement every 3 years they would not be warrantying them for 4yrs (Good Year) or 5yrs (Maxxis) even on a prorated basis.

[Ray,IN]

 

Can either of you provide a link to a manufacturer webpage or catalog that states this? I looked at the Goodyear RV Tire Guide and the Maxxis ST Warranty? Seems to me if they recommended replacement every 3 years they would not be warrantying them for 4yrs (Good Year) or 5yrs (Maxxis) even on a prorated basis.

http://www.discounttire.com/dtcs/infoTrailerTireFacts.do

http://www.westmarine.com/WestAdvisor/Trailer-Tire-Basics

 

This pdf states the duty cycle of ST radial tires (storage vs use) can shorten the life of trailer tires to 5,000-12,000 miles but does not mention years: http://www.carlstargroup.com/cms_files/original/Trailer_Tires__Tips_Best_Practices.pdf

Sitting in one position for 6 months will greatly shorten tire life. No tire should sit in one position for over 1 month or tire life is affected.

[trailertraveler]

http://www.discounttire.com/dtcs/infoTrailerTireFacts.do

http://www.westmarine.com/WestAdvisor/Trailer-Tire-Basics

 

This pdf states the duty cycle of ST radial tires (storage vs use) can shorten the life of trailer tires to 5,000-12,000 miles but does not mention years: http://www.carlstargroup.com/cms_files/original/Trailer_Tires__Tips_Best_Practices.pdf

Sitting in one position for 6 months will greatly shorten tire life. No tire should sit in one position for over 1 month or tire life is affected.

Thanks for the links!! West Marine and Discount Tire are not tire manufacturers, they are tire retailers (sales people just like car and RV sales people). So, I am not sure how much trust I would put in their statements without corroboration from Tire Manufacturers' or independent testing facilities' documents. The West Marine document states: "According to rubber industry research, trailer tires need to be replaced after 3-5 years of use, even though they usually appear to have plenty of tread left." The Discount Tire document states: "Three to five years is the projected life of a normal trailer tire. It is suggested that trailer tires be replaced after three to four years of service regardless of tread depth or tire appearance." It also states: "All "ST" tires have a maximum speed rating of 65 mph." This simply is not true. Carlisle makes ST tires speed rated to 81 and 87 mph. Kumho makes ST tires speed rated to 100 mph.

 

The Carlisle Tire (a tire manufacturer) document does say on page 3: "3 to 5 years is the average life expectancy of a trailer tire, regardless of mileage. It is estimated that in approximately three years, roughly one-third of a tire's strength is gone. After three years, depending upon storage and conditions of usage, consider replacing trailer tires even if they have tread depth remaining. After five years, trailer tires should be replaced in all cases."

 

Thanks again for the links!!

 

To the point of the Original Post, the Carlisle document states: "If one tire fails, the remaining tires will be required to suddenly compensate by supporting the increased load. This increase of weight may overload the other tires causing a chain reaction blowout or other internal structural damage. After a blowout, check the other tires for damage and replace all tires on the side of the blowout."

[jperry29]

Well, this has been educational. It seems that the two blowouts I had this week was because I was running on borrowed time and my time ran out. Both tires had a manufactured date of 2011. Still does not explain my previous blowouts on tires that were less than three years old.

 

From a previous posting - there is no axle alignment issue, I don't have axles. Each wheel is independently mounted on a MorRyde IS. Tread wear has been even all the way around.

 

I'm none to happy about running on rubber that is so delicate and short-lived. I'm going to do whatever it takes to get into an LT with a load range of H. Probably means a trip to the factory to have my wheel mounts spread out. But first I'm going to dig in on the suggestion of going to the 17.5's that are the same diameter as my current 16's.

 

Thanks everybody for very insightful help.