Replacing Tires for Alaska

[SWharton]

We normally replace our tires every 6-7 years on our MH. We plan to go to Alaska and the tires will be 5 years old. Opinions if we should replace before going.

Thanks

[remoandiris]

How is the tread?  The road surfaces up north are more coarse than in the lower 48 and could chew them up faster than you are used to.

If you still have a lot of tread, I'd just go and not worry about it.

[SWharton]

Tread on Rv tires are normally good. Age is the culprit.......................

[remoandiris]

Since your experience has shown 6-7 has not been a problem, go to Alaska and don't worry about your 5 yr old tires.

[Yarome]

Without knowing what tires you have, and without close inspection, it's really impossible to say if you're about due or not. However, considering the road conditons you'll encounter, the potential lack of availability issues and the exorbitant prices you would likely pay if you blew a sneaker... and if your pocket book allows...I would change them out now. Remember too that a single blowout actually means replacing 2 tires (at over inflated prices). The blown one and the 5 year old one that just got overload picking up the weight the blown tire just dumped on it.

If you have someplace to store your current tires, and once back in the lower 48, you might consider throwing the old ones back on and try and get another year or so out of them before going back to your new set, but that might be more hassle than it's worth.

If you consider the fact that trying to squeeze out another year is really only giving you (ballpark).. what?.. $50 per tire of value. I don't recall exactly which rig you have (signatures are gone) but I'm basing that on a $300/per tire rig over 6 years. Getting another couple three hundred dollars of value out of a tire set isn't worth, to me anyway, a catastrophic blow out that could potentially cause damage into the multiple thousands.

To each their own, but IMHO, tires are NOT where you want to push your luck just to save a few bucks.

[SWharton]

Yarome,

That has been our leanings also, just replace the tires and be done with it. Your point of getting one more year, value of $50 hit home. They are Michelin and if we had our 5th probably wouldn't worry as much but we are now in a MH and we feel tires are more critical. We will probably wait until we are in Washington to replace the tires, just before we hop on the ferry(with plenty of lead time in case of problems).

[Yarome]

12 minutes ago, SWharton said:

We will probably wait until we are in Washington

That would be my play, but I would do them in Oregon. No sales tax! 

[Yarome]

~Not to mention giving you a little time to run them a bit to check alignment and balance before hitting the ferry.

[SWharton]

Good point about sale tax. Thanks.

[Barbaraok]

Les Schwab dealer in Sutherlin, OR is really great at getting new tires in for you.   We will be stopping on our way north this spring to get new front tires. 

Barb

[SWharton]

I have heard about  him. I just couldn't remember where. I need to call him and see if he does alignments also. I assume he is the only Les Schwab in Sutherlin. 

[Barbaraok]

Yes, as far as I know.  They do a huge volume business, lots and lots of trucks (especially logging trucks) go through, has a huge covered area for changing truck and motorhome tires and the equipment to do it fast.   I don't know if they do alignments.  If you find out, please post.

Barb

 

[SWharton]

I will. I just checked and they are not open on Sunday. Put it on my list for tomorrow.

[2gypsies]

We did change ours out after 5 years before our last Alaskan trip. From Arizona we called Les Schwab in Junction City (just outside of Eugene, Oregon) and had them order us a new set. We specified the tire date of not more than 4 months old and the matched set was installed before heading up.  We crossed the border at Sumas, Washington - not too crowded and an easy one.  We spent the first night in Hope, BC - a neat small town. The streets are lined with huge gorgeous wood carvings. It has a nice grocery for stocking up and we converted some cash for the trip. We stayed in public campgrounds in Canada and the Yukon and many have the 'iron ranger' to drop your fee.  We had no damage or dings on our trip to either the motorhome or the Jeep.  Have a good one!

[Yarome]

6 hours ago, Barbaraok said:

They do a huge volume business

YEAH they do! Les Schwab is good way to go. They may not be the cheapest, but are highly competetive, have excellent C.S. and, literally, stores everywhere in the PNW. I would be highly suprised if the Sutherlin store doesn't do alignments. They warranty all of their work, however... they do tires. If they try and hit you up for brake work or such take a pass and get a second opinion. Their auto repair is notorious for unwarranted repairs and exhorbitant pricing.

[tbc27143]

Speaking from a pro standpoint of hauling new and used trailers from RV's to horse and cargo trailers. Every time I towed a used trailer that had tires over 3 years old I had tire troubles and sometimes even newer than that. I towed trailers all over the US and most all of Canada. I lived in Alaska for 3 years and drove the Alaska highway before improvements were made. I got to the point that if the tires were over 2 years old and had been sitting much I would not move it without tire replacement. RV tires usually have good tread. It is the dry rot of the tire casing that is the problem. I have had to replace multiple tires on some trailers and on one I had two tires cratered at the same time and I refused to move the trailer if the owner would not replace all 4 tires.....which they did. There is nothing more frustrating than tire problems out on the highway. Believe me.....there are one hell of lot of open spaces and empty miles between here and Alaska and not help in site. There are many many miles of empty highway in the northwest and on the ALCAN Highway. DON'T BE SORRY.....REPLACE ALL THE TIRES WHILE YOU ARE AT HOME AND BE DAMN SURE YOU HAVE A GOOD SPARE.

[acampingwewillgo]

Good topic because I want to do Alaska  2018 and my tires are at the 5 year mark now. Problem being that on my trip last year, I had a tread separation on my Yokohama's and had to put what was available on as a spare...a Toyo.  So now my thinking is to replace all 6 tires this year before much traveling and keep the Toyo as a mounted or un mounted spare for Alaska.... 295/75r/22.5. Any thoughts?

[Yarome]

16 minutes ago, acampingwewillgo said:

replace all 6 tires this year before much traveling and keep the Toyo as a mounted or un mounted spare for Alaska

Sounds like a solid plan to me.

[Barbaraok]

We run Toyos on our motorhome.  They were original and we've replaced with the same.  They are heavy duty truck tires, but that s ok with us, they do the job.

[gjhunter01]

Another option would be to replace the 2 front tires and find a place to carry the 2 unmounted tires, (strapped to the roof). When you use up your 2 spares, you will know it's time to replace the last 4 tires. When going to Alaska, I think it would be good to have 2 extra tires along. Even new tires can have problems although the risk is somewhat lower. You have to decide what your budget can handle

Greg

[SWharton]

I called Les Schwab in Sutherlin. They do not do alignments on MH. Gene's Brakes in Rosenburg does.

[Barbaraok]

Thanks.  Great info 

[Mike and Claudia]

If you are waiting until you get to Oregon, be sure and let them know the exact size and tire you are wanting so they will be AVAILABLE when you get there. 

 

You don't want to get there and they not have YOUR tires in stock.

[SWharton]

Thanks but I doubt if any of us would assume they would have our tires in stock. That would be such a high risk move. Even for a car you need to confirm the tires you want are in stock(even at Sams and Costco). My experience is that no one ever has in  stock the tires I want. They might have 1-2  but never 4 or 6. And then you need to schedule the alignment.

[lockmup68]

Take 3 spares, 2 mounted. You will use them all, new tires or not.