Wow! Tires...

[pconroy328]

A little searching shows just how controversial this topic can be.

So I need *one* for sure, and may buy two to keep the same tread depth on the fronts. Going on a Class C Motorhome, but a small one - 21'.


I'm struggling to understand that if I match the size, and load range (LT225/75-16 "E") from a tire vendor, is that good enough?

Commercial rated tires seem to be much different from non-commercial ones, is that right?

I know I could just cheese out and re-buy whatever was on there (Uniroyal Laredos) but I'd like to learn more about motorhome tires. Besides, what if the guy before me, who bought the tires, bought the wrong ones? 🙂

I suppose I could just put my faith in the guys at Discount Tire...

[DaHose]

You got it right jnorton. Only OLD, heavy duty vehicles still have 16.5" tires and Firestone is the only company that seems to make that tire anymore.

Chinook - Let me tell ya ...... there are an awful lot of screwy sounding things I have learned about on these forums. RV's really are a world unto themselves and you have to look around and compare answers. A lot of stuff is anecdotal or "I heard about this one guy ..." type of stuff.

Go look at the web sites of Michelin, Firestone and GoodYear. They all have slightly different statements about replacement on commercial tires, but talk about time frames between 5 - 10 year service lives. Then lookup safety standards through the IIHS and European safety organizations. You come up with maximum service life recommendations of 5-6 years for car or light truck tires.

That is why I said "in a nutshell".

Do your own research, but I have seen several manufacturers (Michelin, Good Year, Firestone) state that they use different emmolients in the rubber of RV tires. RV tires sit for long periods of time and that is a bad thing, so they have different chemistry to help extend tire life. The best thing would be to do something like put a hundred miles on your RV each month. Regular use keeps sidewalls healthy and extends service life.

Jose

[JNorton]

chinook440 wrote:

JNorton wrote:
I didn't read it like you did. I read it as in the 16.5" size you have one option Firestone and that they are a true motorhome rated tire. Not that they are the only rated tire just in that size. I have had Michelin, Firestone and BF Goodrich and any new tire beats an old tire. 🙂

Sorry...just to clarify ........I,m not trying to be a stickler or trouble maker ... but it was the 5 year vs. 7 year life span comments that provoked me to question his opinion ?

I,m going back under my rock now . 🙂

Hey ouch move your elbow I'm under here too.

[chinook440]

JNorton wrote:
I didn't read it like you did. I read it as in the 16.5" size you have one option Firestone and that they are a true motorhome rated tire. Not that they are the only rated tire just in that size. I have had Michelin, Firestone and BF Goodrich and any new tire beats an old tire. 🙂

Sorry...just to clarify ........I,m not trying to be a stickler or trouble maker ... but it was the 5 year vs. 7 year life span comments that provoked me to question his opinion ?

I,m going back under my rock now . 🙂

[j-d]

TransForce - When I was shopping, I liked the tire, the price, the ratings I could find on the web, plus positive comments (not just Jose!) here. I heard more good (and less bad) about TF's than a couple other major brands.

Michelin - Needs no introduction, anywhere in the world. That LTX series is a great tire. The XPS Rib, even greater, but not a traction tire. Our MH is just plain heavy. Not particularly butt-heavy, the wheelbase is enough to carry the weight without overloading the rear axle. But there are many where the rear axle is at, or even over, its load rating (GAWR). For those, I'd suggest the XPS Rib...

Duravis R250, that Goodyear, or something a little more robust.

Duravis R500HD - I've lost track of what Bridgestone did. R250 is a beefed-up tire. At least awhile ago, they had a Traction version, same enhanced carcass design as R250, just M/S, A/S, whatever they called Traction. I don't know if they still offer that, or their traction tire is now more equivalent to a Michelin LTX.

EVERY LT225R16E is "motorhome rated," but you get what you pay for. Materials, mode of construction, etc. determine the actual durability. Some of it is in the "Brand" but there's a little more to it than that.

Again, 21-ft Class C? Any Name Brand, your pick. Even Kuhmo (if I spelled that right).

Another thing I consider is: "Where can I get an exact replacement if one fails on a trip?" That leaves some of the off-brands out.

[JNorton]

I didn't read it like you did. I read it as in the 16.5" size you have one option Firestone and that they are a true motorhome rated tire. Not that they are the only rated tire just in that size. I have had Michelin, Firestone and BF Goodrich and any new tire beats an old tire. 🙂

[chinook440]

DaHose wrote:
In a nutshell.

If you have true 16" wheels, you can buy light truck tires in the right load rating. They will have a recommended replacement life of 5 years.

If you have 16.5" wheels, then you will probably only have one choice of tire (Firestone TransForce), but it will be a true motorhome rated tire with a life of 7 years.


Jose

Wow you sound like a really good Firestone salesperson !!! LoL


Please tell ....what makes You think the firestone transforce line of LT tires are "TRUE MOTORHOME RATED " more so than any of the other brands of LT tires in the same load range and size ???

I,m not knocking those tires at all ....but there is nothing about them that makes them " true motorhome rated " whatever that means ???... any more than their comparetively priced competition in the same load range ....... They are ALL LT tires !!!!

Those maybe the only option in the 16.5" size these days ,but they are no better or worse , or last longer than other makes of LT TIRES.

There are some ALL STEEL lines of 16" tires out there like the

Michelin Xps rib

Goodyear gs series

Bridgestone duravis etc. that one might consider "true mh tires" but those are in another league & price range entirely .....

[Kit_Carson]

pnichols wrote:
Just put LT225/75-16 "E" Michelin LTX M&S2 tires on your Class C and be done with it.

Don't price shop tires if there's any way you can work it out, budget-wise. Those M&S2 Michelin's are outstanding tires in every sense of the word and are on many Class C motorhomes. Ours came from Winnebago that way and we are on our second set.

I agree. Just put the second set of Michelin's on MH.

[AndyW]

j-d wrote:
Our 31-ft runs very close to its max weight rating. For that reason I went with what I'll call "upgraded" and you call "commercial" tires. The Michelin XPS Rib is one, another is Bridgestone Duravis R250. We chose the R250. Your 21-ft should be much lighter. You STILL need "LT" (Light Truck) tires and the numbers you posted are what you should be getting.
I got ours from Discount Tire and was very pleased with their professionalism and the price.
The Michelin LTX MS/2 is standard from Ford on motorhome chassis, and it's a good tire.
In my opinion, the Firestone TransForce is a very good choice. When I was shopping, it was my top choice, and best price, among the standard tires I'd actually consider running. You CAN find that tire size in off brands around $100 each. Personally, I'd avoid those.

I looked at the XPS Rib and R250, but those are clearly highway-only tires. I wanted at least a little bit of tread for getting into and out of sites - getting stuck and spinning your tires going up a small hill on wet grass is embarrassing. Not to mention occasional winter driving.

I ended up with a set of Bridgestone Duravis R500 HDs and couldn't be happier.

[midnightsadie]

find the date code on your tires IF there over 6yrs old they all need changed EVEN IF THERES A LOT OF TREAD, tires rot and you don,t want a flat on a RV, the michilins are great the M,S 2. stle.

[j-d]

Our 31-ft runs very close to its max weight rating. For that reason I went with what I'll call "upgraded" and you call "commercial" tires. The Michelin XPS Rib is one, another is Bridgestone Duravis R250. We chose the R250. Your 21-ft should be much lighter. You STILL need "LT" (Light Truck) tires and the numbers you posted are what you should be getting.
I got ours from Discount Tire and was very pleased with their professionalism and the price.
The Michelin LTX MS/2 is standard from Ford on motorhome chassis, and it's a good tire.
In my opinion, the Firestone TransForce is a very good choice. When I was shopping, it was my top choice, and best price, among the standard tires I'd actually consider running. You CAN find that tire size in off brands around $100 each. Personally, I'd avoid those.

[pnichols]

Just put LT225/75-16 "E" Michelin LTX M&S2 tires on your Class C and be done with it.

Don't price shop tires if there's any way you can work it out, budget-wise. Those M&S2 Michelin's are outstanding tires in every sense of the word and are on many Class C motorhomes. Ours came from Winnebago that way and we are on our second set.

[PatrickA51]

Tiger4x4RV wrote:
Discount Tire does it for me. A variety of tires, good service.

You should think of your small C as a truck when buying tires. When I talk about driving mine, I call it The Truck. When I talk about the living quarters, it is The Camper. 🙂

I buy all of my tires from Discount Tire. I don't care where you are in the United States, they stand behind them.
My Pick-Up My RV, and SWMbO's aka "She Who Must be Obeyed" Van all tires were bought at the same Discount Tire Store. Last year we were on a trip and had an inside dual go flat. When we got home I went to the shop I use, I replaced all 7 of my tires. I paid for 6 tires and they replace the 7h Tire for no charge.

[rvten]

I put FireStone Trans Force on my E450. Replaced the Michelin's that were on there.

[pauldub]

As a minimum, you want to have a similar pair for the front and a similar pair for each dually pair. Similar front tires will help you go straight down the road, and similar dually pairs will help them both carry the same load.