Stay away from BFG Commercial T/A Tires

[Endricken]

In years past and sometimes recently these tires were recommended.
I now believe that's bad advice!
I ended up with 4 eventually. My 2411 BFG Commercial T/A Tire was recalled two years ago (Aug 2012).
My two 0909 BFG Commercial T/A 235/85R16 tires failed within a month of each other in Nov 2012 with one having a non catastrophic sidewall delamination (Tire held) air, and its mate blowing its tread completely in Dec 2012 (one hour after checking tire pressure). Filed a claim with BFG, not their fault...
BTW, I always check air pressure when departing.

My remaining/last 3209 BFG Commercial T/A tire failed this week (total tread delamination). I was going to replace it in August, but it beat me to the punch. It was fully aired up 2 hours before failing.
Wow, 3 tire failures (two premature, one at almost 5 years) and one Recall - "Mothers, don't let your children do what I have done..." 🙂

I sure hope the replacement Michelin LTX MS 2 tires hold up better and last more than 3-4 years...

[Endricken]

Thanks for all the input!
I just think so many failures is more than a coincidence given the recall.

I actually went to the CAT Scale just before this week's failure, but for some reason two attempts could not weigh the trailer. It used to weigh 12,700, but that was before a second AC and my wife "moving in" (Kitchenaid Mixer, shoe collection, mega wardrobe), albeit our basement and cupboards are not full, and only the Black tank had very little water in it (all other tanks are always empty) Maybe I'm pushing the 14,180K GVWR. Will visit another CAT scale soon.
My Big Sky has 8K axles, and no visible wear ever seen on the tires.

I don't hit curbs, but recent journey on badly busted up I-65 northbound from the southern border of IN to Lafayette was maybe worse!

I also keep the tires covered when in storage on or long stays, otherwise the slideouts over both axles shade the tires fairly well.

On the failure claim to BFG (and this was the rear trailer tire behind my dually, and only an hour after leaving the campground on good roads)they said it lost air and was not their fault. Since this second tire failure was also a total tread delamination and all I had left was once again a carcass, I did not bother to keep it and frustrate myself with BFG once again. And it was on a fairly smooth road/journey. Though I will probably send a letter to BFG complaining about 3 failures and one recall out of 4 tires with less than 5 years or 20K miles on them!

I'm glad so many have had better luck and not had to change tires on the shoulder or see their trailer damaged. My experience is just one of several datapoints. Obviously there was a recall for a reason (and maybe should have covered more of my tires...), and maybe I got randomly unlucky.

Possibly a TPMS is in my future, but I'm not sure how much good a warning would do...

But with that many failures and the inconvenience/fact of a Recall prompt me to share this for whatever it may be worth to anyone.
Since we haven't towed/traveled that much, I didn't think I needed the most expensive/best tires. From now on I'll try to get Michelin XPS/Ribs as the current "best" $$$ tire.

[Allworth]

I don't know why the Tire Gods hate you; but that is certainly not the experience we have had with TA's on two different heavy trailers over several years.

[Francesca_Knowl]

Endricken wrote:
In years past and sometimes recently these tires were recommended.
I now believe that's bad advice!
I ended up with 4 eventually. My 2411 BFG Commercial T/A Tire was recalled two years ago (Aug 2012).
My two 0909 BFG Commercial T/A 235/85R16 tires failed within a month of each other in Nov 2012 with one having a non catastrophic sidewall delamination (Tire held) air, and its mate blowing its tread completely in Dec 2012 (one hour after checking tire pressure). Filed a claim with BFG, not their fault...
BTW, I always check air pressure when departing.

My remaining/last 3209 BFG Commercial T/A tire failed this week (total tread delamination). I was going to replace it in August, but it beat me to the punch. It was fully aired up 2 hours before failing.
Wow, 3 tire failures (two premature, one at almost 5 years) and one Recall - "Mothers, don't let your children do what I have done..." 🙂

I sure hope the replacement Michelin LTX MS 2 tires hold up better and last more than 3-4 years...

You mention making a warranty claim on the first two baddies- did they say exactly WHY they denied responsibility?

And did you file on this latest one, and if so what did they say?

[FlatBroke]

If I stayed away from every post that warned me too I would be standing naked in an empty garage.
My BFGs are doing well.

[SkiSmuggs]

Several comments on "showing no wear" prompts me to say that, unless there is an alignment problem, or the amount of towing miles is extraordinary, it should be unlikely that you would see any wear in the 5 years (from manufacture date) of a trailer tire life. They usually wear out from age or damage.

[2hams]

We just had a blowout with a 225/75R16 Commercial T/A 1510 with about 24K miles on it. Certainly looked like total tread delamination. Tires were date but not size of the delamination recall. We too will avoid the Commerical T/A -- even the counter person at the local tire store said they tended to delaminate (and they sell them).

We just replaced them all with the Duravis R250.

(FWIW, we have 5200# axles and placard for ST225/75R15 LRD.)

[rhochnadel]

I installed BFGoodrich Commercial T/A tires on our 5er soon after purchasing it.. After 6 years and approximately 30k miles tires show little wear, will replace them with the same without reservations!

[tvman44]

I have had mine almost 5 years and love them. Either you got a bad batch (could happen with any tires) or something is wrong. 🙂

[boogie_4wheel]

donn0128 wrote:
Have you ever weighed your trailer? How many curbs and big pot holes have you hit? Not trying to deminish your tire problems, but there is often more to a story than what is initially told.

Wondering this as well.

We've had very good luck with the same tire on trucks and trailers. 2 horse trailers, 1 flat bed, and 1 dually currently running 16" BFG-Commercial treads. So that equals 21 tires (truck spare is not matching), and had another dually at one time running these tires as well (up to 27 on the tire count in possession at one time).

Have had the occasional loss of air or pitched a tread, but I wouldn't say that they are a poor tire for a truck or trailer.

[Sandia_Man]

Sorry to hear about your tire issues, a couple sizes were affected by the recall and our BFG tires were not among them. We have had great service over the last 5 years from our set of BFG Commercial A/S highway tires and with over 30K miles they exhibit very little wear, I expect they'll last a few more years and at this time have no problems purchasing another set when the time comes for replacement. A set of XPS Rib tires from BFG's parent company Michelin would work well and provide the reliability you seek. Happy Camping!!!

[Hunter11]

We had those tires on our previous trailer for 5 years and probably 20k miles with no issues. Always ran them at 80 psi and right at 65 mph.

[dano73]

x2-Me Again- My 40ft open Road would eat tires and it wasn't coincidental that 3 of them happened within hrs of jumping a curb, which I hated to do but sometimes ya cant help it. I put goodyear G rated tires on it and done. But I recently purchased a 2002 HR Presidential came with GY wrangler HTs, rated at 3095 per tire 2500 hitch wt, UVW 11,500, gvw 15,000 These numbers don't add up folks!! And that's why u need G rated tires or an extra axle. Wiggle room!!!

[donn0128]

Have you ever weighed your trailer? How many curbs and big pot holes have you hit? Not trying to deminish your tire problems, but there is often more to a story than what is initially told.

[Me_Again]

They(BFG) just need to add a Nylon Cap and they will be good to go!

There are only two LRE 16" tires I would put under that trailer. R250s or XPS RIBs. You have a large trailer with 6k axles that should have had 7K axles and LRG tires. Chris