Forum Discussion

Medic_Chick's avatar
Medic_Chick
Explorer
Feb 26, 2017

Tire help

Hey all!

Was puttering around the MH yesterday starting to get it ready for the season (I'm eager, can you tell? LOL), and noticed the following cracks on one of the front tires.

I know cracks can be benign, or a sign of something far more serious, depending on what they look like - but I don't know which these are.

Half of the tires are Michelin XZA 8R 19.5, the others are Michelin X 8R 19.5. They're on a 32' 1986 Triple E Invitation Class A motorhome, with a little over 100,000kms on it.

Do I need to replace that tire, and if so, what should I replace them with that will give me a smoother ride and better handling without feeling like minor steering adjustments are causing it to swerve everywhere? Right now it feels like I'm driving on skinny little bicycle tires.

Tire photos
Class A
  • enblethen's avatar
    enblethen
    Nomad
    Feb 26, 2017
    I would be looking into some new tires.
    Photos 1 and 3 show deep cracks.
  • Medic_Chick's avatar
    Medic_Chick
    Explorer
    Feb 26, 2017
    Hey Bud!

    That's kind of what I thought. Those are the unsafe kind of cracks then, yeah? ;)

    Any suggestions on what to go with?
  • ets1996's avatar
    ets1996
    Explorer
    Feb 26, 2017
    Not what anyone wants to hear but You should replace those tires. What is age of the Tires? Date code information on the side wall of tires. I would not think they are original being 100,000 Km as your stated mileage. Also there are numerous posts on this site as to when tires should be replaced and which brand to buy. From tour pictures I would say replace Don't risk your and others safety. Welcome to the Forum
  • enblethen's avatar
    enblethen
    Nomad
    Feb 26, 2017
    I have been running Double Coin tires. They are a little stiffer in the side walls then the Michelins.
    Not sure where you are located. Here in Northwest many truckers and RVs run them.
    Don't let your local tire dealers say that 8R-19.5 are not available. I run the 8Rs in the rear and wider 245s in the front.
  • Medic_Chick's avatar
    Medic_Chick
    Explorer
    Feb 26, 2017
    From what I understand of how to read date codes, it's the last 3-4 digits on the DOT line, right? In which case, they were made in the 32nd week of 2003... and it's high time to replace them cracks or not I guess!

    I've seen the multitudes of tire threads out there... it all kind of mumbo-jumbos after a while. Was hoping someone could cut through the jungle and give me a clearer answer - the all the tire shops around me deal with farm trucks, and haven't got the foggiest idea about RV tires.
  • gbopp's avatar
    gbopp
    Explorer
    Feb 26, 2017
    You have been a forum member since 2012, I'm sure you've read about RV tires aging out before wearing out.

    Your tires are probably both. :)

    HANKOOK tires are a good choice..
  • Medic_Chick's avatar
    Medic_Chick
    Explorer
    Feb 26, 2017
    enblethen wrote:
    I have been running Double Coin tires. They are a little stiffer in the side walls then the Michelins.
    Not sure where you are located. Here in Northwest many truckers and RVs run them.
    Don't let your local tire dealers say that 8R-19.5 are not available. I run the 8Rs in the rear and wider 245s in the front.


    We're in the middle of farm country Alberta - the closest RV places are 1.5 hours of highway driving from where we live. :(

    Can I run 245's on the same rim the 8R's were on, or would I need new rims as well?
  • Medic_Chick's avatar
    Medic_Chick
    Explorer
    Feb 26, 2017
    gbopp wrote:
    You have been a forum member since 2012, I'm sure you've read about RV tires aging out before wearing out.

    Your tires are probably both. :)

    HANKOOK tires are a good choice..


    gbopp... that I have, yup! I'm not maligning the Michelin tires, I was just surprised to see cracks that weren't there when I tucked the old lady into bed in October, and wasn't sure if they indicated a structural failure in the tire itself, or if they were cosmetic and safe to drive on.

    Does Hankook make the 8R's?
  • Jim's avatar
    Jim
    Explorer
    Feb 26, 2017
    Amazon sells tires. If you're a prime member, that means they'll ship them free. Takes 5 days for tires. If you have a shop near you that has the equipment to change them out, ask if you can have the tires shipped directly to them. I've used Love's Tire Stores for that over in Oregon.

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