RV Tires.

Thanks for all the info you folks have offered and I have read. I'm gonna get some tires and when I do I will post.

I have to admit, they were very good about it. I recall talk about air getting into the system because they let fluid run out of the reservoir or master, something like that. I don't know the first thing about car repair, but I think it was something simple that they just screwed up. Back in those days you didn't sue for every stupid mistake.

Somebody forgot to bleed your brake lines?

CKNSLS wrote:

cekkk wrote:
I seem to remember a Firestone 721 debacle even before the huge problem with the tires it sold Ford. Maybe I'm having a brain fart, but seems like it was in the 60s or 70s. Anyway, there are way too many decent tires out there to gamble with their products.

It wasn't the tires that were blame per se-it was the very low tire pressure published by Ford to make the Ford Explorer ride smooth. Then the tires would seep air over time (like all tires do) and the pressure would become very low (and the owners would never check pressure) and the tire would overheat and then blow. When the tire blew the drivers would hit the brakes instead of steering on to the shoulder. When the driver hit the brakes the vehicle would turn over or roll on it's side.

Google it.

I did. You refreshed my recollection on the 521s. I couldn't find any mention of the now ancient 521 story, But 521 searches always referred to the 721, and I found this. NHTSA denied Firestone's request that it investigate the Explorer.

"Some outside observers have speculated about the blame worthiness of both parties; Firestone's tires being prone to tread separation and failure, and the SUVs being especially prone to rolling over if a tire fails at speed compared to other vehicles. A subsequent NHTSA investigation of real world accident data showed that the SUVs in question were no more likely to roll over than any other SUV, after a tread separation."

As you say, many people never check tire pressure, and as they do lose pressure over time, I would expect all tires would have a similar tread separation rate as the 721s, albeit later in life if they began with the proper pressure. Yet, they didn't.

I declared no war on Firestone, I just choose not to purchase their tires. But since you bring it up, let me tell about an experience I had way, way back.

The last time I was in a Firestone shop they had done a routine brake job on my '70 Newport. The garage door opened, I pulled forward to cross the sidewalk and enter the street and had NO brakes. The bus that T-boned me had just left the curb, so damage was limited to my Chrysler, not me.

Now, I know that no Firestone tire plant was involved, but would you urge me to blow that off and go to a Firestone T&R shop for my next set of boots? How does that go? First time, your fault. Second time, my fault. :D

I have Firestone Transforce on the F-250 Ford and our 5th wheel, have put many, many miles on them and love them. We recently traded the 5th wheel in on a Class A and I will consider Firestones for the motor home.

The OP asked about real truck tires. Take a look at truck stops at what some of the fleets are running. :)

The sad part with me is they only have 15,000 miles on them. Dw and I bought this Revolution and made about three trips to FL and then the DR visits and surgery things set in. We have not used the RV for three years but hope to get things back together soon. That's why I am looking for tires. I appreciat the feed back and think I will at least look at the firestone tires.

Just because Bridgestone and Firestone are the same company does not mean the tires are at all related.
I do not like Firestone at all. Had a set Of Destination AT's rubber was a very hard compound. Even with religious rotation they wore unevenly and scalloped First 20k was good, then they got so noisy and rough riding that I had to get rid of them long before the 50k projected tread life was near.

Which Firestone tire VS which Goodyear tire?

Both Bridgestone (owner of the Firestone brand) and Goodyear make truck tires in several different model lines with a wide range of price points. You can likely find Bridgestone tires equivalent to, and as expensive as, the Goodyear tires. You also might find tires as cheap as the Firestones you are pricing in one of Goodyear's secondary brands, like Dunlop, Kelly or Lee. Bridgestone doesn't sell their best tires under the Firestone name, but the Firestone tire models are as competent as any one else's tires made to the same price point.

Yet other brands might save you even more money.

cekkk wrote:
I seem to remember a Firestone 721 debacle even before the huge problem with the tires it sold Ford. Maybe I'm having a brain fart, but seems like it was in the 60s or 70s. Anyway, there are way too many decent tires out there to gamble with their products.

It wasn't the tires that were blame per se-it was the very low tire pressure published by Ford to make the Ford Explorer ride smooth. Then the tires would seep air over time (like all tires do) and the pressure would become very low (and the owners would never check pressure) and the tire would overheat and then blow. When the tire blew the drivers would hit the brakes instead of steering on to the shoulder. When the driver hit the brakes the vehicle would turn over or roll on it's side.

Google it.