| Author | Message | ||
| Peter River (Whitebus)
Registered Member Username: Whitebus Post Number: 31 Registered: 4-2009 Posted From: 208.54.14.16  Rating: N/A |
okay last question today, I promise. I have old tires. the Original tires the bus came with. I checked the date code, and it's manufactured on 3rd week of 1999, so that makes it older than 10 years. It's Michelin XZE Pilot series. It says regroovable, and lots of tread still left on it. however, all the outside facing sidewalls have tiny little cracks (ozone damage) all over, and some looks deep, although they are not leaking at all. Soon I guess I should at least replace the steering tires, but I got a shock when I checked the prices of these puppies. near 500 per tire/installation. I am considering 2 option. 2 inside tires from the dually rear to front (they are not weatherchecked) and get recaps/cheap tires on the rear axles, or buy some other brand that may be a little cheaper, and deal with the unmatching front and rear. Since I am legendarily cheap and chronically poor, I would like to spend as little as possible. is it okay to use different tires(maker) front and back? Any worthwhile maker I should consider? how old are your tires, and how much do you trust them? All the talks about tires blowing up in my other post got me concerned... (Message edited by WhiteBus on May 01, 2009) | ||
| Sean Welsh (Sean)
Registered Member Username: Sean Post Number: 838 Registered: 1-2003 Posted From: 72.171.0.140  Rating: |
Peter, Have you checked the archives? We've discussed this here many times -- lots of good advice in there. There are probably as many opinions on how to save money on tires (without killing yourself) as there are members of this board. Personally, I would not drive even a single mile on ten year old tires with visible checking. I might be persuaded to dive slowly on a back road to the nearest tire shop. -Sean http://OurOdyssey.BlogSpot.com | ||
| Peter River (Whitebus)
Registered Member Username: Whitebus Post Number: 32 Registered: 4-2009 Posted From: 208.54.14.16 Rating: N/A |
wow, and here I am with 15k + miles on them, and I am here to tell the tale  I tried searching through the archives... I guess I will go back to it for answers. okay, modify the question. is it okay to mix tires, like metric on back and 12R (?) in front? (Message edited by WhiteBus on May 01, 2009) | ||
| H3-40 (Ace)
Registered Member Username: Ace Post Number: 975 Registered: 10-2004 Posted From: 206.53.144.157  Rating: |
Food for thought... Do you think a pilot would go cheap on anything if he were transporting his family? What's the difference with you and your bus? Good deals, yes! Going cheap, hardly! Ace | ||
| Frank Radosti (Frank4104)
Registered Member Username: Frank4104 Post Number: 29 Registered: 8-2006 Posted From: 64.80.137.250  Rating: N/A |
be careful for saving 1000$ you could damage your bus and possibly damage yourself and passangers.new good tires should last 6-7 years then need replace weather you have thread left or not. | ||
| Jack Conrad (Jackconrad)
Registered Member Username: Jackconrad Post Number: 1035 Registered: 12-2000 Posted From: 71.3.157.139  Rating: N/A |
Yes, you can mix sizes on your coach, BUT, you cannot mix sizes on the same axle. Before changing sizes, make sure the new size is rated for the load it will be carrying. Changing size on the drive axle can effect top speed. Changing size on the speedometer pick-up axle, will cause your speedometer to be inaccurate. Like everything else, it's a matter of choices. Jack | ||
| Tim Brandt (Timb)
Registered Member Username: Timb Post Number: 304 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 66.165.176.62  Rating: N/A |
As everyone has said that much age is really pushing it. I had similar date stamp and blew one of my rears out on my way home from pickingup my bus. You should be able to do much better than 500 a tire on a 12R though. I bought 6 firestones and paid $340 a tire mounted | ||
| Grant Thiessen (Busshawg)
Registered Member Username: Busshawg Post Number: 138 Registered: 10-2007 Posted From: 206.45.93.160  Rating: N/A |
Good post Jack, I believe there's good chance of blowing a tire after you get them warmed up. | ||
| Patrick levenson (Zubzub)
Registered Member Username: Zubzub Post Number: 85 Registered: 5-2007 Posted From: 76.66.196.98  Rating: N/A |
I have only read that old tires that have never been mounted are the problem. I don't want to get flamed on this, but basically could someone show me a link or docs about any legislation stating that old tires are unsafe. I know it "makes sense" but is there actually any research into this? I'm talking 10-20 year old tires here. | ||
| John and Barb Tesser (Bigrigger)
Registered Member Username: Bigrigger Post Number: 165 Registered: 9-2007 Posted From: 24.179.147.233  Rating: N/A |
This came from a good article on tire safety on the fmca web site. http://www.fmca.com/index.php/motorhoming/basics/82-tire-safety "We can't tell you exactly how long a tire will last, because so many variables affect the aging of the tire casing, but we know from statistics that the average life expectancy of a tire in RV service is five to seven years. In fact, it's important to note that tires age more quickly when not used. Tires are designed to roll, heat up, and release anti-weathering chemicals that help to keep the tire supple and resist aging" | ||
| Keith Wood (Ft6)
Registered Member Username: Ft6 Post Number: 110 Registered: 8-2008 Posted From: 75.208.237.83 Rating: |
DO NOT DRIVE ON SUN-CHECKED TIRES! A tire is designed to distribute the load throughout the entire sidewall, but sun checking is the same thing as taking a knife and slicing the sidewall. The LAST axle to put aged tires on would be the steers! You have no redundancy -- failure of a dual is annoying, failure of a steer can be FATAL. Check around tire shops that deal with truck COMPANIES (which buy a LOT of tires). They usually have some half-worn steer tires that are fairly new, or which came off a tractor with poor alignment. You're probably never going to wear them out. | ||
| Clint Hunter (Truthhunter)
Registered Member Username: Truthhunter Post Number: 163 Registered: 1-2009 Posted From: 24.129.235.190  Rating: N/A |
If the cracking is minor & your not likely to put on many loaded miles before you undertake the conversion, rotate/re-grove what you have and do the expensive tires last. So many seem to do the tires & batteries first , only to have them sit for years until effort & budget get the conversion up to a usable state of "never-finished" and you actually get to the stage of $ I can afford to drive the thing$. By that time the tires & batteries need replacement again only have not been used at all. just my "cheap & un-effluent way"; "do it your FF-way" , satiate your beliefs, budget & level of safety reaserench as you will. Most jurisdiction have DOT specs for the permissible depth/degree of tire cracking before out of service is warranted (tow'N'fine) . All tires on the same axle must be the same type and very close in size (wear level specified); tires may be different between axles in most jurisdictions. That "all tires the same on the vehicle" is a cleaver sales gimmick, lossely based in fact, not law or liablity, regardless of the vehicle dynamics and control systems employed (aka... stabilitac, abs, traction control , or the plain old fashion system with "less shit to go wrong/less performance sytle of drivetrains) | ||
| Peter E (Sdibaja)
Registered Member Username: Sdibaja Post Number: 286 Registered: 5-2002 Posted From: 201.171.212.10  Rating: N/A |
a sane perspective Clint, and well stated those that do not keep an eye on wear patterns and inflation are much more prone to cause life threatening events Peter |
