Chinese RV tires... holding up!

fj12ryder wrote:
I think the China-made tires are lightyears ahead in quality from the ones sourced a decade ago. There were some very shoddy tires coming on trailers as OEM in the early 2010's.

I agree. The Chinese military doesn't want junk tires on their equipment. They probably put pressure on the tire companies.

gbopp wrote:
They probably put pressure on the tire companies.

Tire pressure! :) hahaha

Actually we have had some excellent P and LT tires made in china brands for years now.
Even when all ST tires were made in the USA they were know as ST maypops for good reason especially on road trailers. Some USA ST mfg dropped them altogether or moved ST operations over to the Asian rim countries and became know as china maypops...for the same reasons.
The old ST made better tires utility type trailer that sit a lot or didn't see lots of all day highway runs at max speeds or lawn service trailers that gets pulled around town.

Agree ST tires like the Carlisle HD and the USA made Endurance.... or ST tires first used on commercial trailers like the Providers that were one of the first ST tires to have a higher rated speed rating that started showing up on regional service trailers in the '10 or '11 era.

And of course just about all good commercial grade 16" ST load G tires like the Sailun S637 all steel ply carcass made for service trailers are made in China. This includes several other commercial grade all steel 16"/17.5" ST load G and H tires.

Yosemite Sam1 wrote:
Got a new RV with factory installed Made in China tires with unknown brand.

I figure I'll have it replaced after a year.

But to my pleasant surprise, after a thousand miles and 5 months in deep winter storage, the air pressure on it has held up.

Well, maybe in another year or two?:B

Man thanks for the glowing report. Me gots ta get me sum. ;)

I put my money where my mouth is. Junk NEXEN’s came on my RAM. Had a set of USMade tires waiting when I took delivery of the truck. Sold the six takeoffs for $650 on CL first day.

Same with my boat trailer. It had two year old Tow-masters that were in new condition. Had ENDURANCE installed and 4 years and 20k are truoblefree and still plenty of tread. I tow lots at 70.

I had to replace 3 Castle Rocks in a week and a half this month. First was spare. Doing my pressure checks prior to trip and spare had a strange bulge. Got that replaced.

On my trip drivers side tire blew out and damaged my slide out, it will not fully open now. Had that tire replaced. Trip home, passenger side, tire blew.

My new Goodyear tires are coming today. I took one of the surviving Castle Rocks off yesterday. As I was rolling it I noticed the tread curved in one area. No bulge, but not straight.

I always kept my pressure correct and my goal was to get thru this last trip and get new tires before my August trip. Well, I am keeping to my goal but not in the manner I wanted.

My TT is 2019 and I have had it less than 3 years, so tires were not that old. My pressure checks include visual inspection looking for cracks/chips/bulges. On my last trip on the way home we stopped at a rest stop and did a check also, all looked good.

I was hoping if I treated my China Bombs correctly all would be well, but I wasn't going to push my luck too far. 3 tires in a week and a half is makes one seriously question the quality.

fj12ryder wrote:
I think the China-made tires are lightyears ahead in quality from the ones sourced a decade ago. There were some very shoddy tires coming on trailers as OEM in the early 2010's.

Are you old enough to remember back in the mid '50s when toys "made in Japan" where nothing but junk. In my family the J word was enough to be sure nothing but toys bought. But by mid/late '60s most imports from Japan where of high quality and some things where far superior than available made in US.
In the late '80s I was friends with a lady, about my age, that lived in Japan until the early '60s. Discussing this issue she pointed out that when she got to US goods made in USA where of higher quality than USA made in her home country. She pointed out that maybe the manufactures of Japan where shipping the quality they thought Americans expected, based on what they saw.
I wonder if US has not sold lower quality goods to China, and they manufactured the quality they thought we expected?

In the OTR trucking industry Chinese tires are very quickly taking a bigger chunk of the market.

A friend runs the family tire shop, they have several large fleet customers who have changed over to them. He says they are holding up at least as well as the Big Brand tires from US, Japanese & Euro brands.

pbeverly wrote:
I had to replace 3 Castle Rocks in a week and a half this month. First was spare. Doing my pressure checks prior to trip and spare had a strange bulge. Got that replaced.

On my trip drivers side tire blew out and damaged my slide out, it will not fully open now. Had that tire replaced. Trip home, passenger side, tire blew.

My new Goodyear tires are coming today. I took one of the surviving Castle Rocks off yesterday. As I was rolling it I noticed the tread curved in one area. No bulge, but not straight.

I always kept my pressure correct and my goal was to get thru this last trip and get new tires before my August trip. Well, I am keeping to my goal but not in the manner I wanted.

My TT is 2019 and I have had it less than 3 years, so tires were not that old. My pressure checks include visual inspection looking for cracks/chips/bulges. On my last trip on the way home we stopped at a rest stop and did a check also, all looked good.

I was hoping if I treated my China Bombs correctly all would be well, but I wasn't going to push my luck too far. 3 tires in a week and a half is makes one seriously question the quality.

This is what worries me.

And for me, money is no object in getting that sweet peace of mind.

JRscooby wrote:

fj12ryder wrote:
I think the China-made tires are lightyears ahead in quality from the ones sourced a decade ago. There were some very shoddy tires coming on trailers as OEM in the early 2010's.

Are you old enough to remember back in the mid '50s when toys "made in Japan" where nothing but junk. In my family the J word was enough to be sure nothing but toys bought. But by mid/late '60s most imports from Japan where of high quality and some things where far superior than available made in US.
In the late '80s I was friends with a lady, about my age, that lived in Japan until the early '60s. Discussing this issue she pointed out that when she got to US goods made in USA where of higher quality than USA made in her home country. She pointed out that maybe the manufactures of Japan where shipping the quality they thought Americans expected, based on what they saw.
I wonder if US has not sold lower quality goods to China, and they manufactured the quality they thought we expected?

True dat!


It's possible that we are getting better quality as we are famously descriminating consumer -- and can pay a little more.

In Asia, China products are still notoriously low quality -- but for them, cheap is higher in the hierarchy of life's priorities.