Forum Discussion
4X4Dodger
May 30, 2016Explorer II
dclark1946 wrote:
Sorry to disappoint but you have not put the China Tire Bomb to rest.
There is plenty of real world data out there that many of us have experienced that says otherwise. If you are really an expert in import tires you should know that it is not the country that makes the difference but the consistent quality of materials and manufacturing processes that determines tire quality.
It was just a few years ago that a Chinese tire manufacturer was caught leaving out critical materials on passenger tires and people were getting injured or killed. I know China is capable of high quality products but unless you are careful on who your supplier is you may not get consistent quality.
I have noticed that the tires coming on new trailers are never any brand that you will recognize and if you check later it is some other unheard of brand.
When I was an RV show a few months ago I was looking at a new Airstream trailer and noticed that it had Michelin LT tires. The salesman indicated that option was now available due to tire quality issues with import ST tires.
Perhaps the China tire industry has made quality improvements in the last year or so but in my mind the jury is still out on that and as long as I can purchase LT tires for my trailer that is what I will use. I have never had an LT tire fail and I have had several tire explosions with Chinese manufactured tires.
You fall inot the same trap as so many here, mistaking ANECDOTAL "data" for "Real World" evidence.
Here are the facts from Tire Business Magazine: 2014 imports from China for Passenger car and LT tires...(includes trailer tires) Was more than 46 million units. A few bad tires out of 46 million does not make a trend. It is mathematically insignificant.
Your second mistake is to assume as so many do that just because they have never heard of a particular tire brand that it is a "no Name" Company that made it and therefore its quality must be suspect.
Well if you look at the chart in my post which I am not sure you bothered to read...your no name tires more than likely came from one of the TOP FIVE tire manufacturers in China. Companies much bigger and just as technologically advanced as any Goodyear or Michelin.
As for putting this debate to rest...well for those that value fact over fiction and solid sources(which I cite) over rumour it will go a long way to settle the MAXXIS-are-perfect because they are not made in China issue for sure.
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