Word From the Experts

[Jon Wehrenberg]

"Hello Jon and thanks for your email. We appreciate the opportunity to serve
you.

Concerning your questions, the link to our truck tire website (with warranty
details) is listed below. The warranty covers defects in workmanship and
material defects for five years of the date of purchase. Regardless of the
appearance of the tire, after five years the tire has aged and needs to be
removed from service. Motor homes have a basic issue in that most of them
travel very few miles in their lifetime and the tires will never wear out
due to this factor. Therefore, tires may look fine but still would need to
be replaced after five years of service, regardless of mileage or remaining
tread depth."

http://www.michelinrvtires.com/michelinrvtires/hom_us.jsp

There is not much more than I can add to that. I know we have discussed the life span of certain items but I have never seen any indication from Michelin about when they should be replaced. What this points out is that if you buy new tires and the ones being sold to you are dated six months prior you have already lost 10% of the service life.

[merle&louise]

Jon,

Great post. I just watched the video on tire blow outs, it was fantastic!

I am going to order a copy of the video for the Wives Driving Seminar.

Thanks so much.:D

[Jerry Winchester]

Jon,

Have you considered running the tires for say three years then replacing them and selling the old ones to a trucker or someone that will wear them out before their 5 year limit? Looks like there has to be some kind of option that would keep us from having to toss tires with lots of tread on them.

[merle&louise]

Jerry,

I have gotten a $75/tire trade-in on my tires, and all I did was to ask for it.:cool:

[Jon Wehrenberg]

I don't know how it is in the rest of the country but nobody around here wants them. Bus companies that run this size do not own their tires. They lease them.

Truckers do not want them because they do not run the size.

The tire dealer showed me a pile and he can't get rid of them.

I'd like to get something for my casings as Tuga did, but one of them has a puncture in the sidewall down near the tread that has been plugged. My old ones are probably just going to the recycling center. Both have aged out.

[merle&louise]

Jon,

I received a trade-in on the 11R24.5 size tires. My '93 had those tires front and rear. I had always thought that 11R24.5 tires were the staple of the trucking business. The 2 flats that I had over the years were both purchased from truck stops that had them in stock.

My current coach has the 315 22.5 Michelins on the steering axle, and I know that they are not stocked in the truck stops. My drive axle and tag axle tires are the 11R24.5 tires which I think are still stocked by most truck stops. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

[Jon Wehrenberg]

Tuga,

I think you are correct about the 11s being truckers sizes and that is why you got some Lewbucks for the casings.

My tires are the 315s, all around. I will have four more to get rid of when I change the drives this spring after POG III.

[lewpopp]

This is strange about no trade-in for the old tires.

I purchased two front tires about 1 1/2 years ago and the tire company gave me $150 for one and $125 for the other. One had a few minor cracks along the edge of the rim. I was surprised too. This happened in the beautiful town of Elmira NY. A few good things about the area are still available.;)

[Jon Wehrenberg]

Different size tire Lew.

[dreadnought]

Can I be the recycling center for unworn POG tires? I'll take all you want to send me, just call me & I'll tell you which trucking co. to take them to, probably Estes for most of you, you pay the freight, (only a small sacrifice on your part,) and those nasty old problem tires will never bother you again.;)

[Gary & Peggy Stevens]

OK, tell us what is up with this ?

What are you doing with these old tires, that nobody else has thought about doing with them? Spill the Beans, Man.

[Jon Wehrenberg]

I don't know about where other folks live, but in my county I am entitled and even encouraged to bring any materials including waste, appliances, tires, used oil, anti-freeze, etc. to any one of about nine county owned and run recycling centers so those items can be properly disposed of. Free. No charge.

So until somebody wants my old tires, free or otherwise, that is where they will go.

[dreadnought]

ok, ok, this hurts a little but I'll up the ante. I'll pay the freight. Probably needs to be at least 4 tires though, since freight companies have minimum charges. Tires have to hold air and have at least 25% tread remaining.

[Joe Cannarozzi]

I have an Idea but your going to have to check your ethics at the door.

We could sell them to one of these used bus sales places on the web. I'm pretty sure it would not be too hard to find one of these guys who would be interested in tires with loads of tread remaining.

Just a thought.

[Jon Wehrenberg]

Dread,

If you are serious they are yours.

Both are 2001 date codes, and have about 1/4" tread depth. Except for the plug in the exteme lower sidewall on one (yes it hold air perfectly) there are no other repairs or damage.

[garyde]

OK, tell us what is up with this ?

What are you doing with these old tires, that nobody else has thought about doing with them? Spill the Beans, Man.

One word; MEXICO

[mikedee]

I purchased 8 Michelin XZA 2 Energy for an even 5 grand including tax, mounted with Equal. The take off's had 50,000 with average wear, I got $65 a tire for them. Les Schwab Tire Ctr in Riverbank CA did the work. I normally go to Oregon for tires to avoid the sales tax.

Mike & Dee
East Shore, Pomona CA tonight