Michelin Tires

[lewpopp]

I went out to my local tire dealer and their main product was Michelin. I priced another brand (TOYO) and Michelin. Am I in the dark ages or are these prices good on a R12 22.5 : At the moment they are 490.12 plus the balancing compound $10 installed. They expect a 8% increase any day and I have asked for them to call me of the availability. If they could resell my old 6 yr old tires as used, they will give me as much as $150 a piece. Is this a good price or what? I expect they are the same tires I presently have on my coach on the drive wheels. Is there a special lettering on them I should be aware of? I have XZE now. I've gone brain dead.

I expect that anyone who needs tires and sees this will be calling to find out where this is. I can recall prices as high as $600 or more in some places.

[Jon Wehrenberg]

Lew when we were talking about the $600 plus cost of tires it was for 315 size.

I would recommend you get the tires rated for 75mph. Michelin recommends the XZ2 for your size tire.

[truk4u]

Lew,

If you do it, also check the DOT dates and make sure your not getting old stuff.

[hhoppe]

I still don't see spending big bucks for tires that won't get worn out, they'll just rot out in 5-6 years and have to be replaced. Maybe Premium on the steer tires if you really need your blanket. Sumitomo, Toyo, Michelin there probably all Hecho in Mexico or China. Retired folks bucks come hard, don't waste them. Joe chime in here you have worn out more tires than weve seen.
How much risk is involved in tire selection? Race cars run over 200 MPH on 2 ply tires.

[Joe Cannarozzi]

Shoot Harry I do not go far from home with the stuff I drive with used rubber and caps.

As an example though, Last I blew a used trlr tire, there was 15 or 20% tread left on it and it was 10 year old according to the code. Never run low pressure and rode over nothing. Until that point accept for slight cracking and dryness looked o/k. So maybe at 8 or 9 Yr your pushing it 5 yr is too soon to pull and that goes for any brand you choose. That is my comfort zone for the bus. We only weigh 42000 all full tanks and gear so I tend to agree with you. But


I think buses have gotten all over the board with weight. If I had a 50,000+ rig I would be spending more.

I have learned to try to only suggest size and capacity and let the guy who is paying for them decide the brand. You can buy new tires for 2400 for 8 and you can also spend 5000+.

[Jon Wehrenberg]

You have to be a magician to get our size tires, either the 12s or 315 for $300 apiece. If we were running 11s or 295, maybe.

Its not our total bus weight that is the issue. It is the load our individual tires have to carry in some instances. My bus is only 46,600, but the front axle tires need to carry 7,000 pounds each. Some are carrying 9,000 per tire when you add a slide up front and locate a generator or batteries up front also. I don't think the steers on the typical tractor, even when heavily loaded come close.

[Kenneth Brewer]

Lew,

Lewpopp,

If you do it, also check the DOT dates and make sure your not getting old stuff.

I have bought many tires, or so it seemed; 3 sets over the 19 years we had our Bluebird FC. I agree with Truk4u; the price seems good, but there may be a reason: the tires may have been in the warehouse for a few years, and if so, if you don't see mini-cracking ('rot') when they are mounted, you probably will, surprisingly quickly, and you will be tempted to assess them as 'not too bad'. I have had 2 inside tire blowouts in this way. Just be sure they are adequately 'new', please.

Take care.

[lewpopp]

As a matter of fact, I did discuss the build date of the tire with the tire man and he assured me these would be fresh tires with an age of 90 days or less on them

As for the wieghts and measures troopers coming to Spearchuckker, when they arrive, you'll see the place clear out like turning the light on massive swarms of cockroaches. Dale, don't you know that the majority of the members are on the lamb from the feds?

I will call today to see what he found out. Damn, I am between a hard place and a rock as to wether I should change rubber now or not. You know me, I don't want to spend the Lewbucks.

[Darl-Wilson]

Lew,

If you do it, also check the DOT dates and make sure your not getting old stuff.

Go to this site for a John Stossel video report on the above. Good post Tom. This is very important for all of us.

Darl

[Ray Davis]

Interesting report. Kind of contradicts what evidently was said at the SV and Pahrump rallies this year by two different tire makers? If I heard correctly, they said ties were good for 10 years, as long as there was no visible cracking. This report is more along the 6 year line that I'd always heard.

Ray