Michelin LT failure

[SeniorGNC]

Well, I never expected to be writing this but I had a blowout on my second set of Michelin 16” LT load range E tires. They were only a year old.

We were on our way back to Houston Tx a week ago from a long summer vacation loop through the southwest desert. (About a 3000 mile pull.) On the last day just a couple of hundred miles north of home on US 84 we lost a tire to what the tire store manager called a catastrophic blowout. (There were just some inner casing pieces between the beads.) This was during the heat wave, I think the outside air temperature was about 103 degF. I pull at 60 mph, checked my tire pressure in the morning as I started and thought I was good. All that came to an end when a car pulled up next to me and held up a sign saying “blowout”. Bummer.

I could not even tell I was down a tire. There was no indication based on handling. Last time I scaled I was about 8600 lbs total on the two 5200 lb trailer axles.

Now I don’t feel so invincible tire wise. It cold have been due to a bad tire, a leaky valve stem, road hazard, who knows?

Maybe it is time for RIBs on the trailer and a tire pressure monitoring system.

Good thing I carry a tire changing ramp and DOT triangles.

Oh well, time to go fix the damage to the trailer…

[JIMNLIN]

RinconVTR wrote:
I am happy that some are posting their LT trailer use blow outs here. It proves blow outs happen no matter what the type or brand of tire you use. May some blow more than others, that is debatable because there are no facts, but the fact does remain...tires can all blow at anytime.

You assume too much from just a couple of reports of a LT that blew out on a trailer and proves nothing.
No one has ever said a LT won't blow out.
No one has ever said a Michelin won't blow out.

Now if we had LT blowout on our trailers dailey or Michelin having the majority of blowouts on a trailer at the rates we see for a certain ST tire brand then your statement may have some merit.

There are better tires types/brands out here for using on a trailer. That is a fact.

[RinconVTR]

I am happy that some are posting their LT trailer use blow outs here. It proves blow outs happen no matter what the type or brand of tire you use. May some blow more than others, that is debatable because there are no facts, but the fact does remain...tires can all blow at anytime.

[gitane59]

For me I would not use the LTX models on a trailer due to the tread pattern and heat generated by it.
I would only use the Michelin RIB for trailer applications.
I have yet to hear of or know of anyone with a RIB blowout on this forum or any other trailering forum I browse occasionally.

[cdlaine]

Kevin,

Excellent response/plan... well done. Good luck in the
travels...all we can ever do is hope for the best.

Don't forget the spare.

Charles

[Cummins12V98]

JEBar wrote:
I'm a Michelin fan .... they make fine tires, I have them on our pickup, Sportchassis, and my wife's Trailblazer .... that said, because I believe there are better options, I will not use them on a camper .... in purchasing a TPMS you are taking a good stride in helping minimize tire failure issues .... in stating you have 16" rims, down the road it might pay to upgrade the tires to Goodyear 614's .... that combo will may help prevent damage from a failure and if damage does happen, you don't have to pay for the repairs

Jim

I use GY on my RV's because they are good quality (never a flat or blow out) also because they WILL pay for damages un like most other tire manufactures. No insurance claims with GY.

The GY G and H tires are top quality.

I do run Michelins or BFG's on my vehicles.

[JEBar]

I'm a Michelin fan .... they make fine tires, I have them on our pickup, Sportchassis, and my wife's Trailblazer .... that said, because I believe there are better options, I will not use them on a camper .... in purchasing a TPMS you are taking a good stride in helping minimize tire failure issues .... in stating you have 16" rims, down the road it might pay to upgrade the tires to Goodyear 614's .... that combo may well help prevent damage from a failure and if damage does happen, you don't have to pay for the repairs

Jim

[joebedford]

Personally, I would put RIBs on the trailer and M/S (or A/S) on the truck.

[SeniorGNC]

Thanks for the responses. Let’s add some clarification:

I don’t know the specific tire failure mode. Was it a sudden blowout, or slow leak and the tire overheated, who knows? Like I said, I had no idea that I had a failed tire.

I do not currently have a tire pressure monitoring system. However, I am drafting a letter to Santa for an early Christmas gift…

Trailer tires are Michelin LTX M/S 225/75R16 LRE (Previous set replaced last year was LTX A/S, probably a better choice but not available when I needed them)

I replaced both tires on same side because I do not know how long I ran on a single tire, which was obviously overloaded with the other tire failed.

I have been a Discount Tire (and NTB) customer for over 20 years. Discount gave me a very good price on the replacements due to the 1 yr old tire failing and my long customer history. The store manager concurred the LTX M/S should be a good tire for this case. Thank you Discount Tire for helping me out.

My DW and I are planning a Yellowstone trip in two years for the family. I will have a TPMS and perhaps XPS RIBs or R250's by then on the trailer.

FYI: the truck has Michelin XPS RIBs 235/85R16 LRE

[Charlie_D_]

Cummins12V98 wrote:

Charlie D. wrote:
Op does not have a TPMS. I have had 3 blowouts, all ST tires. Never heard any of them. Last 2 had TPMS and I was alerted before damage. Not unusual to have blowouts and not hear them.

In my book a "Blowout" will be heard.

Wrong. I am not the first to report a blowout without hearing it. I realized the first one was gone when someone pulled up beside me and waved. I was alerted of the other two by my TPMS. Those two tires had gaping holes on the side and tread pretty much intact. I have seen other people post that on this forum. I define a blowout as a tire that has a gaping gap on the side wall that is at least 7" long and 2"-3" wide. I also realize that tires loose pressure, deflate and are ruined by continuing to run on them before realizing it.

Op said he had a "blowout", perhaps it was something else but I wasn't there and will not question his opinion

[Weldon]

Are some Michelin tires now made in China?

[Cummins12V98]

gitane59 wrote:

SeniorGNC wrote:
Well, I never expected to be writing this but I had a blowout on my second set of Michelin 16” LT load range E tires. They were only a year old.

Maybe it is time for RIBs on the trailer and a tire pressure monitoring system.

Oh well, time to go fix the damage to the trailer…

Wait a cotton-pickin minute. :S

Did nobody notice that he said , and I quote "Maybe it is time for RIB's on the trailer?"

I am very curious what type of Michelin he was running with. Michelin makes several models of LT tires some suitable for trailers, some not.

Before everyone goes running off like Chicken Little screaming about Michelin's blowing out maybe the poster will tell us what type of Michelin he was using since it was not a RIB.

Before all you ST lovers jump on this runaway bandnwagon maybe you should find out which way it's head'in.

Good call.

[Cummins12V98]

Charlie D. wrote:
Op does not have a TPMS. I have had 3 blowouts, all ST tires. Never heard any of them. Last 2 had TPMS and I was alerted before damage. Not unusual to have blowouts and not hear them.

In my book a "Blowout" will be heard.

[Road_Ruler]

SeniorGNC wrote:
Well, I never expected to be writing this but I had a blowout on my second set of Michelin 16” LT load range E tires. They were only a year old.

For every 1 Michelin blowing there are 100's of ST's popping.

Replace it and carry on. NBD

[gitane59]

SeniorGNC wrote:
Well, I never expected to be writing this but I had a blowout on my second set of Michelin 16” LT load range E tires. They were only a year old.

Maybe it is time for RIBs on the trailer and a tire pressure monitoring system.

Oh well, time to go fix the damage to the trailer…

Wait a cotton-pickin minute. :S

Did nobody notice that he said , and I quote "Maybe it is time for RIB's on the trailer?"

I am very curious what type of Michelin he was running with. Michelin makes several models of LT tires some suitable for trailers, some not.

Before everyone goes running off like Chicken Little screaming about Michelin's blowing out maybe the poster will tell us what type of Michelin he was using since it was not a RIB.

Before all you ST lovers jump on this runaway bandnwagon maybe you should find out which way it's head'in.

[Me_Again]

SeniorGNC wrote:
Well, I never expected to be writing this but I had a blowout on my second set of Michelin 16” LT load range E tires. They were only a year old.

Maybe it is time for RIBs on the trailer and a tire pressure monitoring system.

So a friend lost a three year old BFG Commercial TA on I-10 in Arizona this spring and it was outside of the recall range. BFG/Michelin paid for his trailer damage and new tire.

Most LT tires are poly ply carcass offerings! Then there is a class of commercial grade LT tires with steel ply carcasses, like the RIBs you reference and Bridgestone Duravis R250 and M895. Despite the "commercial" in the name the TA is a poly carcass tire. I assume you had one of the LTX family of Michelin tires?u

I ran the Michelin XPS RIBs for years and now the R250s.

We tend to do long days in our migration to and from Arizona, one 500+ day, 2 400+ days and one shorter day. It is nice to know I have the best tires available back there on the trailer. I spend little time worrying about tire failures.

You will find that the R250's are about 50 dollars less per tire verses the Ribs.

Chris