Explain DOT Tire Certification

[thgoodman]

I'm researching tire prices for a set of 295/80R 22.5 tires. The prices vary "all over the place" from the "junk" Chinese brands to $800-$900 for American brands like Goodyear. When someone posts on here asking for tire recommendations, the responses are like wise "all over the place". Things like poor workmanship, cheap untrained labor, inferior materials are mentioned, especially for foreign brands. It's all very confusing to me.

How much latitude is there in the DOT tire spec? What is the difference in the $200.00 tire and the $900.00 tire if they are both certified under the same spec? There are LOTS of opinions posted on here. They vary wildly. Where can I get straight answers?

[PortWentworthSa]

Researching tires can drive anyone nuts that has an RV. I lucked out by getting into a long conversation with a heavy truck mechanic at a big rig service center about tires. He had been turning wrenches for 30+ years and knew his stuff.

Anyhow, I asked him about tires. He told me about a brand called LEAO that is used mostly on 18 wheelers. They are from China and exceed Dot certification. I looked them up on the net and sure enough they have been in business since the 60's dealing mostly in Europe and Eastern Countries. They just began to enter the US markets during the past 5 years or so.

Anyway, I found a truck tire shop locally that carried LEAO brand tires. I replaced all 6 tires with 14ply LEAO brand tires for just under $1,400.00 mounted and balanced.

[J-Rooster]

thgoodman wrote:
I'm researching tire prices for a set of 295/80R 22.5 tires. The prices vary "all over the place" from the "junk" Chinese brands to $800-$900 for American brands like Goodyear. When someone posts on here asking for tire recommendations, the responses are like wise "all over the place". Things like poor workmanship, cheap untrained labor, inferior materials are mentioned, especially for foreign brands. It's all very confusing to me.

How much latitude is there in the DOT tire spec? What is the difference in the $200.00 tire and the $900.00 tire if they are both certified under the same spec? There are LOTS of opinions posted on here. They vary wildly. Where can I get straight answers?

Tom, whatever you buy make sure the DOT Stamp is within 6 months of new (when they were made), and get the highest sidewall rating possible!

[aslakson]

I've become a big fan of Roger Marble's RV Tire info blog.

And for whatever it's worth, your tire size is under $680 (with FET) thru the FMCA's Michelin Advantage program. Might have to look around to actually find them - I understand Michelin isn't putting a lot of tires into the distribution channel right now.

al

[MountainAir05]

First they want be the same certified under the same spec. Each brand does there own test. I think it is what you feel comfort with anymore. I got good and bad tires from the same brand.

[Trackrig]

Any "spec" is usually a minimum specification that something has to meet. I don't think I've heard of a maximum specification - excluding something like size or weight when it matters.

Here's a example on tyraps and specifications. I used to work in the Telecom industry and we used an awful lot of tyraps. A vendor came to visit one day and wanted to know why I had stopped buying their brand of tyraps since their brand met the same mil specs as the two brands I would accept. I went out to the warehouse and got some of the small 4" ones we were buying. I took mine, and her samples, and fastened them into small circles. I then had her try to break / pull apart, the ones we switched to. She couldn't break them. Then I had her try to break hers, and she broke three of them in a row. I didn't doubt her that theirs met the same mil spec as what I had changed to, but the new ones far exceeded the mil spec. I never heard from that vendor again.

I suspect the DOT specs are the same - they are the minimums a tire must meet for such items as weight capacity, heat, tread wear, traction, sidewall strength, tread depth, etc. Some tires will just meet the specs and other tires will probably far exceed them.

Bill

[rgatijnet1]

All RV and truck tires have to be certified by the DOT but that does not mean they are all equal. On passenger car tires, information is molded on the side of the tires that give tread wear, speed rating, traction, and temperature rating so that you can tell the difference from one tire to another. For instance a tire that has a treadwear rating of 400 should last twice as long as a tire with a treadwear rating of 200, from the SAME manufacturer. A traction rating of AA should be better than a rating of A.
Unfortunately with RV tires, you get when they were made, the load rating, speed rating, the number of plies, and that is about it. So basically you are on your own to make a choice.
Keep this in mind, when replacing old tires on your coach. The old tires are worn and the rubber has hardened. ANY brand of new tires will immediately ride smoother because the rubber is softer and the tread is deeper. Only TIME will tell if it turns out to be a better tire than the one you just replaced. First ride impressions are not a valid indicator.