Forum Discussion

Little_Hand's avatar
Little_Hand
Explorer
Oct 15, 2013

Goodyear China Bombs

China Bombs again, known as Goodyear Marathons. Tires on two year old Montana, blow out on mountain outside of Gunnison, Co. Ripped up the side of my unit. Left us on the side of road till we could get spare in place. The Colorado Highway Patrol and Sheriff's dept. came by to see if they could help, nice folks. Had we made it to the road out of Ouray and the Bomb had blew down the side of the cliff we would have went. We are safe thanks be to our Lord. I will be contacting Goodyear to see what they will do without a lawyer being involved. My advice is if you have them on your rig, think about your family and get rid of the suckers before they kill you.
  • Atom_Ant's avatar
    Atom_Ant
    Explorer
    Oct 15, 2013
    Oh how can that be?? JJ from Trailer Magazine says Goodyear and Michelin have trailer tires manufactured in China that are of a much higher quality than cheap Chinese tires because of the specs!! (I sure wish that guy would leave his keyboard every once in a while and get a clue)
  • SWD's avatar
    SWD
    Explorer
    Oct 15, 2013
    I have Goodyear Marathons on my fiver that we just purchased used. The unit is a 2005 and judging by the trailer condition, mint, these must be the originals. They are made in the US and have lots of tread left but I will probably get rid of them before next spring.
  • Me_Again's avatar
    Me_Again
    Explorer III
    Oct 16, 2013
    The good thing is that Goodyear will pickup the total bill if you hold their hand to the fire. They must get the failed tire back via dealer.

    It appears that you have a 2011 Montana 3580rl. That would have 7K axles derated to 6750 pounds so they could they could install those Marathon's rated to 3420 each, allowing full 90 pounds of excess capacity per axle.

    You could lobby for GY G614 tires, however your wheels most likely are not rated for the 110 pound inflation tires.

    So Keystone put you between a rock and a hard spot just like so many others. Be sure to file a report! https://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/ivoq/

    Chris
  • Vulcaneer's avatar
    Vulcaneer
    Explorer
    Oct 16, 2013
    Not a surprise. Marathons are junk tires. As a matter of fact, I don't recommend any Goodyear tires.

    The Goodyear fans will say they will stand behind their tires and pay for trailer repairs. Better to not need repairs in the first place.

    And get rid of ST tires all together. They are all crap.
  • broark01's avatar
    broark01
    Explorer
    Oct 16, 2013
    10 years 1000's of miles on GY Marathons on boat trailer and 5th wheels. Only failure was a leaking valve stem causing a flat but caught it before it went completely flat. After 10 years of noticing how others treat trailer tires, I suspect the manufacturers 2nd in a tire failure.

    Sorry,
    Brian
  • rockhillmanor's avatar
    rockhillmanor
    Explorer
    Oct 16, 2013
    Run on a low tire going flat and they blow. How can you be so positive that it was a bad tire?

    I had a tire go flat from a bad valve stem and it 'blew' and 'looked' exactly like a so called failed tire when all was said and done.

    Our RV's are not small cars. A car tire goes flat and you feel it, stop and pull over.

    You don't feel them going flat in a FW or MH, or TT and keep on driving on it till it's only option is to finally blow.

    If all these china bomb stories were true we'd have no tires to choose from to buy. just saying.
  • cummins2014's avatar
    cummins2014
    Explorer
    Oct 16, 2013
    rockhillmanor wrote:
    Run on a low tire going flat and they blow. How can you be so positive that it was a bad tire?

    I had a tire go flat from a bad valve stem and it 'blew' and 'looked' exactly like a so called failed tire when all was said and done.

    Our RV's are not small cars. A car tire goes flat and you feel it, stop and pull over.

    You don't feel them going flat in a FW or MH, or TT and keep on driving on it till it's only option is to finally blow.

    If all these china bomb stories were true we'd have no tires to choose from to buy. just saying.


    Have read more tire threads on this forum then I would like to admit, and they all sing the same tune, no overloading, no under inflated ,etc etc. Strictly the tires fault, Yup hard to believe.
  • BB_TX's avatar
    BB_TX
    Nomad
    Oct 16, 2013
    Good friend had Chinese Mission tires on his 5er for 3 yrs. No problems but was concerned about all the reports of Chinese tire blowouts. Replaced them with GY Marathons because he thought they were US made since they were Goodyear. Wrong. Chinese also.
    Had one Marathon blow out last year and two more this last summer.
  • Little_Hand's avatar
    Little_Hand
    Explorer
    Oct 16, 2013
    rockhillmanor, I can assure you the proper inflation was maintained, I have all four tires, three that are still looking perfect and the one that is shreds. I have been pulling 5rs for 16 years and the only two failures were Goodyear tires, one in the yard before I got rolling and it was on a Mobile Scout. I replaced all four at BigO's in Montrose,Co. with Cooper Mesa LT E series. American made and with a guarantee. They said I was not the first victim of Goodyear tires they worked on.
  • MrVan's avatar
    MrVan
    Explorer
    Oct 16, 2013
    Here is the part I have trouble understanding. When RV owners switch from ST Tires to LT tires do they also suddenly no longer underinflate or overload them? If most ST tire failures are due to under inflation and overloading why do those same RV owners have so much better luck with LT tires? Are these same RV owners inoculated with something when LT tires are installed? The ST defenders argument's don't hold water IMHO.

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