ATF: Big Country - the right tires & axles

kiwinraz

Member
I just took my new 3650rl home and as I was looking it over I notice that the tires are( e) rated instead of (g) as stated in the spec's ,asked the dealer but he does not have an answer. So why (E), and how do I know that I have 7000lb axles as stated.
 

Ray LeTourneau

Senior Member - Past Moderator
Kiwinraz, Welcome to the Heartland Forum & Family. I've heard of this on an earlier thread and can't give you an answer that makes any sense. Firts, check your VIN label on the off door side of the trailer under the bedroom slide out. This will tell you the tire and axle rating information. Your axles also should each have a label on the axle beam with it's rating and serial number.
I feel the 36ft 5th wheels should have minimum 7K axles and "G" rated tires.
 
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bwwalczak

Guest
You are correct, the 3650RL Big Country does have 2 7,000lbs rated axles. All Heartland 5th wheels are built with E rated tires for 2012 model year. This includes Big Country, Bighorn.
 

Ray LeTourneau

Senior Member - Past Moderator
After thinking about Bryan's reply I started to wonder. We really haven't heard of many tire issues in the last year or so. At least not to the extent that we were reading about a year or so back.

Bryan, what brand of tires is Heartland using on the current BC's and BH's? Are the "E" rated tires you're currently using rated higher than the tires of a couple years ago? Thanks!
 

SJH

Past Washington Chapter Leaders
So...if I understand this correctly, the 2012 Heartlands come with E tires (3420 lb WR) for 16,000 GVWR rigs. Axles are rated to 14,000lb, tires to 13,680. I guess if you have only 15% on the pin you will be at max rating for the tires. Is my thinking correct?
 

Ray LeTourneau

Senior Member - Past Moderator
So...if I understand this correctly, the 2012 Heartlands come with E tires (3420 lb WR) for 16,000 GVWR rigs. Axles are rated to 14,000lb, tires to 13,680. I guess if you have only 15% on the pin you will be at max rating for the tires. Is my thinking correct?
I believe your thinking is correct. As Bryan said though, Big Country and Bighorn. Landmarks are getting "G"'s.
I'm guessing a "G" rated set of tires is an option but if it's not listed, most buyers would be uninformed and have "E" rated tires.
 

kiwinraz

Member
First i like to thank Ray for the welcome. Now to Bryan, thanks for the quick reply, but why then are you advertising that i should have g rated in all your 2012 brochures and on your site ? If I had known that this would of been an option I would have orderd them as part of the sale. Here in B.C they do like to inspect our rv's at the weight scales and if I load my rv full I'll be over the limit of the e tires .
 
but why then are you advertising that i should have g rated in all your 2012 brochures and on your site ? If I had known that this would of been an option I would have orderd them as part of the sale.

This was one the reasons why I bought the 3650rl, and looking at my brochure, it clearly states load range "G". Looking at my tires, they are load range "E". This really upsets me as I am right at the load rating of these tires and still have stuff to load. I am wondering how many of these small things that are supposed to set heartland above and beyond actually put them at or sub par?

Thanks kiwinraz. I would have never know or thought to check if you had not mentioned it. I assumed since it's specified, it would have came with it...
 

kiwinraz

Member
Hi wondermutt, I'm in the same boat as you are,now don't get me wrong the wife and I love our b/c. After looking at rvs for the last year, and knowing that we are going to rv full time we beleave the 3650 is the best choice . I figure by the time we are rolling down the road we'll be 13700 to 14300+ most of the time so the g tires are a must,like you i'm upset to think that I did not get what I payed for.
 

tcfake613

Active Member
I've been noticing that as I've been looking at 3650RLs on the internet that some were listed with G rated and some with E rated. This confirms my suspicion that the specified tires have changed... backwards as far as I'm concerned. I will try to confirm more of this at the Hershey show on Wednesday. Hopefully some factory reps will be available.

Add my vote to the list that this is a step backwards. C'mon Heartland... you guys are making one of the "best" trailers on the market... let's not begin to cut corners... especially now that I'm a gearing up to buy!

I've had a lot of problems with axles and tires on my Cedar Creek and I don't want to go there again.
 

cookie

Administrator
Staff member
Tcfake, when you order a new 3650RL, be sure to go with the Goodyear G-614 option. It will be money well spent.

Peace
Dave
 

Bob&Patty

Founders of SoCal Chapter
Has anyone called HL about the "E" rated tires instead of "G" rated on their coach?? The brochure states what models come with 7K axles and "G" rated tires. Maybe there was a screw up at the plant and you got "E"'s instead of "G"'s. HL has a build sheet on every coach and you should have one also. Call HL with your VIN# and ask the question. Most of the aluminum wheels are rated for the "G" tires. IF there is a mistake on the tires and you will get new tires....ask if you could pay the difference between the OEM tires and the GY614's. Just thinking out loud.
 
Don't get me wrong, I don't expect to get something for nothing. If the production line changed the tire set up and the G range are an option, I would pay the difference, had I known. No big deal.

Since I had to replace a entire kitchen due to a faulty tire on on of the coaches we had, I am a little passionate about this.

Again, I should have checked when we PDI'ed the unit, but I did not. Shame on me.

Heartland. With a rig that has about 50 miles after being towed from the dealership, would you be willing to offer any trade in deal for my E range to G range?

Thanks
 

Nabo

Southeast Region Director-Retired
When we ordered our 3650, we ordered it with the upgrade to the Goodyear G614 tires at the suggestion of our dealership. They told us that the coach comes standard with Marathon E rated tires which we have had on other coaches and were not impressed with. It was expensive but cheaper than getting the coach home and then getting the tires exchanged out (or buying the G614) at the local tire store. As mentioned above, it's well worth the $$.
 

tcfake613

Active Member
Tcfake, when you order a new 3650RL, be sure to go with the Goodyear G-614 option. It will be money well spent.

Peace
Dave

Agree Dave. My Cedar Creek had no name tires and they started to de-lam. Before I ripped the side of the trailer off I requested Forest River replace them with G614s. They did and I am very happy with them. When my father bought his BH3055 last year he requested G614s. I intend to do the same! As far as I know it's the only G rated that's any good. Anyone else have success with anything else?
 

leftyf

SSG Stumpy-VA Terrorist
I think your "G" rated tires and wheels got swapped out at the dealership to and old customer...or to sweeten another sale.
 

Ray LeTourneau

Senior Member - Past Moderator
I looked at a brand spankin new 2012 Bighorn 3670 today. It has LR "E" tires. The thing I noticed as well was the GVWR was dropped from 16,000# to 15,500# This may be the answer to our concern. The end result is probably less carrying capacity.
The question now becomes, if a buyer orders the tire upgrade, does it automatically change the GVRW on the VIN sticker to 16K?
 
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bwwalczak

Guest
WOW, everyone has a lot of theories out there. 15,500lbs will be the GVWR on all 7,000 axles.
 

kiwinraz

Member
Hello, Bryan it's good to see that you are watching this thread.but what is your answer to the problem for the customers who payed for what we thought were (g's) and ended up with (e's) .I just finished seeing if the dealer was finished fixing the list of problems, but it will be next week some time.Ask if he looked in to it but said no, so I thought I would phone a few other dealers and ask if I ordered a rv what was the option for upgrading the tires to g's and most off them said it all ready came with them . ????? Seems to be a lack of knowleged here .
 
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bwwalczak

Guest
You are correct, many folks INCLUDING dealers, do not use the up to date information regarding product.

First, tires are all about weight rating. Standard Big Country tires have a weight rating of 3,580lbs, when properly inflated. Yes, there is a difference in the amount of tire PLYS, however, the weight rating is something else entirely. Using the current tires, we are well within the 14,000 axles rating. GVWR or gross vehicle weight rating includes axles weight rating and hitch pin weight. TECHNICALLY, if you add up the twin 7,000 lbs axles AND the hitch weight, you will see that we are usually in the 16,000 + range. We underate our GVWRs to 15,500, due to the pin box weight ratings.

Goodyear LT235/85R16 ‘G’…..14 Ply
Towmax ST235/80R16 ‘E’…....10 Ply
Ply Rating and Load Range
//heartlandowners.org/image001.jpg@01CC7125.FE0BDA20 alt="Sidewall Labels">
Ply ratings identify the load carrying capabilities of a tire in terms of plies. Ply rating originally referred to the number of cotton layers used to strengthen a tire’s casing. Today, when tires are labeled 10-ply, they are not actually constructed of 10 individual layers of cotton but offer the equivalent strength. Passenger tires are currently constructed from one or two body plies, while light truck tires consist of two to three, or one steel ply. Over time, steel ply and radial construction replaced cotton leading to a new distinction, load range.
Load range identifies the maximum amount of weight that can be placed on a tire horizontally, which varies depending on tire size and inflation limits.
 
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