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guidry's avatar
guidry
Explorer
Oct 22, 2014

Manufacturers making defective tires

I have owned several trailers throughout the years and always got at least 3 years out of the tires. I keep them covered, properly inflated, balanced and check them frequently. My new 2013 trailer came with Akuret tires from Lions Head Tire and Wheel from Goshen, In.

After only one and a half years and 12,000 miles I had three out of four tires separate 200 miles from home. Luckily my TPMS saved me from any real damage (other than my wallet for new tires). Lions Head Tire and Wheel only warranty their tires for one year and emailed me that trailer tires should only last between 5,000 to 12,000 miles.

My reason for posting this is that after doing research (see link below) I found many others who had similar issues with stock tires. We, as consumers, can do something about the cheap tires RV manufacturers put on our rigs. Upon purchase we must demand, at NO extra cost, quality tires and not accept these cheaply made tires.

I realize it is in the RV industry to put these cheap tires on our rigs; money saved for them and repairs done from the damages, but it needs to be unacceptable for us to accept these tires for safety reasons alone!

Thank you for letting me vent and hopefully this story will reach a new trailer buyer who will use this information or at least get us, as a group of consumers, make RV and tire manufacturers do a little more quality control.


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  • coolbreeze01's avatar
    coolbreeze01
    Explorer
    Oct 26, 2014
    In the last 8,000 road miles, I've seen one trailer parked on the shoulder with a tire problem. Not bad IMO.
  • Jarlaxle's avatar
    Jarlaxle
    Explorer II
    Oct 26, 2014
    My uncle had a tire peel on his way back from ND a couple weeks ago...18 months old, I think a Carlisle. The problem is: in the size he (and many others) need, there is NO OTHER CHOICE aside from China bombs! There is just nothing else available.
  • super_camper's avatar
    super_camper
    Explorer
    Oct 26, 2014
    atreis wrote:
    The usual questions to ask before blaming the tire:

    1. Have you ever run with the tire overloaded at any time? (Keep in mind that tire loading is not simply the total weight divided by 4 - if the trailer loading is unbalanced one side could be heavier than the other, and if the trailer isn't being pulled level the front or rear tires could be taking more weight than the other two.)

    2. Have you ever run with the tire underinflated at any time?

    3. Have you ever exceeded the maximum speed that the tire is rated for? (For most stock tires, and many replacement tires, this is 65 mph.)

    If the answer is yes to any of these, then the fault doesn't necessarily lay with the tire or its manufacturer.

    Also, keep in mind that if you've had a tire fail, the other tire on that side of the trailer also needs to be replaced. It was almost certainly overloaded (possibly severely overloaded) during the time of the failure as it had to take all of the weight for that side of the trailer.

    Anyone regularly driving the highways today will know that speed is an issue where tires are concerned. I couldn't count the number of trailers I see traveling well beyond the capacity of the tire.
  • LarryJM's avatar
    LarryJM
    Explorer II
    Oct 25, 2014
    JIMNLIN wrote:
    Also, keep in mind that if you've had a tire fail, the other tire on that side of the trailer also needs to be replaced. It was almost certainly overloaded (possibly severely overloaded) during the time of the failure as it had to take all of the weight for that side of the trailer.

    The flat tire on a multiaxle trailer is still carrying a majority its load through the equalizer bar.
    IMO your thinking a trailer without the equalizer bar that the flat tire can place all the load on the tire next to it.
    The rim will cut/shread a flat tire on a trailer in a few miles at interstate speeds and eventually start wearing the rims on the wheel. And even then its still carrying a good portion of its load.
    Remember some folks report ramping the good tire to raise the flat tire still doesn't raise the flat tire. The equalizer bar at work.

    I've unknowingly ran lots of flat tires on my road trailers when hauling and always inspect the tire next to the flat for cut/impact marks. For those folks that don't know what to look for I would have the tire removed from the wheel and inspected outside and inside.


    I too believe that having a tire fail on a tandem axle trailer strongly suggests that the apparently good tire also be replaced since IMO the probability is "EXCEEDINGLY HIGH" that you have overloaded the non failed tire on that side of the trailer. This sort of damage just like hitting a pothole, and other non visible damages are a "MAJOR CAUSE" of many ST tire failures again IMO.

    Also just as important is trying to equate one's experience with the more typical cargo, utility, work type trailers is dangerous since those most often are not subjected to the high speed, sustained, and loaded close to the tires capacity that we see with RV/TT usage.

    I always replace both tires on the side where I might have a flat and will put the tire of unknown reliability (i.e. the tire that didn't go flat) as the spare to be used only as a temporary fix. Generally with the first flat I will just leave the spare on the axle that had the flat, and buy one new tire to replace the other tire on the other axle on that side and move the tire that was on that axle to use as a temporary spare the next time. The second flat will require the replacement of both tires on that side of the trailer since the spare used was already in the "QUESTIONABLE" reliability category.

    Larry
  • ol_Bombero-JC's avatar
    ol_Bombero-JC
    Explorer
    Oct 25, 2014
    Campfire Time wrote:
    Perhaps file a complaint with the NTSB. I keep reading about problems with these tires, but I have yet to see statistics and/or recalls or at least NTSB investigations into the cheap tires. Is no one filing complaints?

    azdryheat wrote:
    Every trailer tire made in China is a recipe for disaster and most all of the trailer tires come from China. I put Michelin truck tires on my 5th wheels and have never had a tire issue.


    Is it really a recipe for disaster? Many thousands of trailers come with these tires. Why don't we see people on the sides of the road with blown tires? I haven't. If it's such a problem we all should be seeing at least one or two of these every season. I'm not suggesting that it doesn't happen. I'm questioning the perceived scale of the issue. You for example, did you change your out because of previous bad experiences or out of fear based on a few threads on the Internet?


    Got your head in the sand!..:R

    ST tires meet the required specs - for ST tires.

    Because trailer tires are a "niche market", most if not all ST tires are mfg in China.
    New brand names on a regular basis.
    No major mfgr wants their name on 'em!

    Awww - but wait, what about Goodyear Marathons?

    SP Times: "Goodyear Kept Tire Problems Quiet" - (Which includes GY Marathon trailer tires).


    It's *NOT* the tires' fault - it's *YOUR* fault!..:S

    GY Rep Chuck Sinclair:
    In every case customers were at fault!
    "The tires failed Sinclair said because they were run with too little air, too heavy a load, too fast, too hot, or too seldom; they were punctured and poorly repaired or they were driven over sharp objects."

    Most of these cases are never reported in the media.
    Ever wonder why GY will pay for damage done to your trailer by their tires?

    *You* may not see them on the side of the road (but others do - and still others report their first-hand experiences) - but since the OP was asking about Trailer Tires - a visit to the 5th wheel forum will yield continuous threads of 'woe' due to OEM ST tires.

    But - they probably do OK on Travel Trailers, right?.:?
    Not as heavy, etc.

    On these forums - tire threads get closed and fade away.
    Not so on other forums!

    Airstream forums: "Goodyear Marathon Failures"

    Started 11-29-06 - and still going!..;)

    ~
  • down_home's avatar
    down_home
    Explorer II
    Oct 24, 2014
    Changing to a higher rated tire and better mfg may have to to an aluminum wheel since steel wheels are not rated for as much pressure as the larger size in G H and so on tires.
  • JIMNLIN's avatar
    JIMNLIN
    Explorer III
    Oct 24, 2014
    Also, keep in mind that if you've had a tire fail, the other tire on that side of the trailer also needs to be replaced. It was almost certainly overloaded (possibly severely overloaded) during the time of the failure as it had to take all of the weight for that side of the trailer.

    The flat tire on a multiaxle trailer is still carrying a majority its load through the equalizer bar.
    IMO your thinking a trailer without the equalizer bar that the flat tire can place all the load on the tire next to it.
    The rim will cut/shread a flat tire on a trailer in a few miles at interstate speeds and eventually start wearing the rims on the wheel. And even then its still carrying a good portion of its load.
    Remember some folks report ramping the good tire to raise the flat tire still doesn't raise the flat tire. The equalizer bar at work.

    I've unknowingly ran lots of flat tires on my road trailers when hauling and always inspect the tire next to the flat for cut/impact marks. For those folks that don't know what to look for I would have the tire removed from the wheel and inspected outside and inside.
  • atreis's avatar
    atreis
    Explorer
    Oct 24, 2014
    The usual questions to ask before blaming the tire:

    1. Have you ever run with the tire overloaded at any time? (Keep in mind that tire loading is not simply the total weight divided by 4 - if the trailer loading is unbalanced one side could be heavier than the other, and if the trailer isn't being pulled level the front or rear tires could be taking more weight than the other two.)

    2. Have you ever run with the tire underinflated at any time?

    3. Have you ever exceeded the maximum speed that the tire is rated for? (For most stock tires, and many replacement tires, this is 65 mph.)

    If the answer is yes to any of these, then the fault doesn't necessarily lay with the tire or its manufacturer.

    Also, keep in mind that if you've had a tire fail, the other tire on that side of the trailer also needs to be replaced. It was almost certainly overloaded (possibly severely overloaded) during the time of the failure as it had to take all of the weight for that side of the trailer.
  • slarsen's avatar
    slarsen
    Explorer
    Oct 23, 2014
    No, Allworth, no one put a gun to my head. But when you are stuck with no (second) spare, hundreds of miles from home, in an area with few alternatives and minimal phone service, with plans and schedules and people counting on you . . . sometimes you need to take the expedient route.

    Edited name
  • Jagtech's avatar
    Jagtech
    Explorer
    Oct 23, 2014
    I agree that China Bombs are a poor choice of tire, but there are two things that will cause any brand of tire to fail prematurely on an RV - incorrect pressure (too low), and driving above the speed rating of the tire. Do you know what the speed rating of your tires is? Might surprise you.

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