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Your Michelin tire neighbor needs to go to one of his company tire seminars.
There is probably some tire damage from UV, but they sure did not stress that in the two tire seminars this year. They stressed tire pressures, keeping the tires clean, and talked about such things as the proper way to store and how to repair a tire.
Running a tire with an air pressure 20% less than the charts call for according to them converts the tire to trash. My guess is low pressures are the biggest causes of premature failure.
Both of the companies that did the seminars said the same thing. Neither was a proponent of putting any dressing on the tires, and in fact dressings that had petroleum distillates probably harm the tires. Both agreed that to maximize the tire life, keep them stored like tire warehouses store them. Inside, away from electrical devices like big motors and welders, and take the weight off them when the bus is not in use.
Ask your friend if UV rays are such a big issue, why do tires crack on the sidewalls just as much on the inside sidewall that is always shaded as on the outside sidewall that has exposure to the sun.
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Lloyd, We replaced our XZ2's just before arriving in Sevierville and in the process I also found that they had been discontinued. The XZE looked like a good tire to me due to its strong sidewall and deep tread but I was also concerned about its regional rating so I called Michelin Tech Support. Was told that the rating was strictly a comparative one and that the XZE was an excellent choice for motorhome use. The tech also said the tires listed in the Michelin RV handbook are all suitable for motorhome general use and all are rated at 75mph.
Like Loc, we have been very happy with the XZE's, they are very smooth and quiet. As we discussed at SVE, I have since installed BalanceMasters and am very happy with the setup. I would think the XZE would compliment your XZ2 steers just fine.
Bottom line, I would call Michelin. The dealers are not always as informed and also may bias their recommendations based on what they have in stock.
