Tire concern with new Sundance

Netem

Well-known member
If these Made in China tires are so unsafe how is Heartland getting by with putting them on their trailers. I've got a new Sundance, 2900MK and you guys have me afraid to pull it.



Admin: Moved post to its own thread on the Sundance Tires forum. Netem, Heartland is not going to answer this question as it is written. Rather than not approve it for viewing, I elected to approve it and move it here for discussion among members. Jim
 
Last edited by a moderator:

sailorand

Past British Columbia Chapter Leader
Netem
I have over 10,000 miles on my Mission china bombs. Don't overload the trailer, keep the pressure up where it is supposed to be and check the tires before you go anywhere. Even with "good" tires you would do the same thing.
Remember when you check the tires there are 3 sides to them The outsidethe other side, so you have to get down and have a look at the inside and of course the tread.
Not saying that you won't have a blowout, but at least you are proactive. Even Goodyears bllow out.
Rand
 

billd

Well-known member
Check the tires everytime before starting to tow, this includes checking for punctures, cracks in tread and sidewalls. Also check the air pressure when cold if possible for correct pressure. One other area is speed, a lot of the trailer tires are only rated for 55 to 65 MPH.

Bill
 

osims

bsims
I had Chinese tires on my Bighorn for over a year (about 15000 miles) and never a problem. I decided to put the Michelins on, but I still inspect them before I leave just like I did with the others. Speed is important as Rand said, I dont tow over 63 MPH. By the way I put the china bombs on my lowboy trailer and pulled some heavy loads , still no problems.
 

Netem

Well-known member
Thanks guys for your post. I always checked my tires on the old trailers and kept them aired up but reading about these guys taking brand new tires off has me concerned. Its also not much help when every night there's something on the news about another problem with a product from China.
 

nhunter

Well-known member
I amsame as everyone. Check tire condition and pressure. Mine are two years old with around 13000miles and haven't even had to add air to them. Mine are G rated Trail Americas' that are rated for 110lbs and have been at 80lbs since new.
 

fishn2dmax

Well-known member
I have an 08 2900MK that came with China bombs. I put a few thousand miles on the tires before I could afford to replace them.

As others have stated, I would not be afraid to tow with chinese made tires as long as they're inflated to specifications of the tire (80 lbs cold) and you inspect the tires before and after each trip. I avoided a blow out by noticing a buldge/ bubble one of my "unicorn Express tires" during a post trip inspection.

As some point in the future ( even if it is a year or more down the road) I do recommend you replace the china bomb tires. Until then, don't worry, just keep inspecting the tires and monitor air pressure.
 

DougLynne

retired Alberta Chapter Leaders
We have an 07 with 6500 miles and the Pressure Pro monitoring system. Haven't had to adjust air as yet. Did notice a bulge on our spare that had never been used and had it replaced. The tire dealer told me he has clients that have switched their fleets to Chinese tires because they have had good luck. There you go, lots of opinions.../Doug
 
After having 3 Mission tires on a 2900RK go bad within 10M miles Tireco (supplier) offered replacement. But not before one blew out on the interstate. Damage included tearing out wiring for slideout, side paneling and wheel. Insurance may cover, but with deductible, not to mention costs of roadside repairs, loss of use and other hassles of arranging for estimates and hopefully repair at some point. Only good news is the damage was not extensive, according to service people. If it had been a substantial tire it would have done some real damage. And yes, I checked the tires at a rest stop 25 miles before the blowout.

So if your question is whether to get Mission tires off your rig, my answer is most definitely yes!!! Unless you like playing russian roulette. Check RV net. Mission tires have blown out while mounted as a spare.

My question is with all the reports of problems with Mission is why Heartland is setting us up for failure along the road?
 

slmayor

Founding California Northern Chapter Leader
August 2006 on our class A, a Michelin XPS Rib blew and caused almost $5000 in damage. Because the sidewall stayed intact almost no damage to the outside, but it ripped an entire wiring loom out, inside the walls and all, destroyed the inverter and two lower compartments. Our feeling is it can happen no matter what. We could have ran over something, but who knows? The important thing is, we're OK and we didn't hurt anyone else. The rest is just time and "stuff".
We don't have the Missions, but another Chinese tire. We're very careful with how we load the trailer, drive just a hair over the speed limit (we're camping, not racing) and monitor the tires. I think it's all you can do.
By the way, our insurance covered the repair under comprehensive. $100 deductible.
 

FennerJ

Heartland Dealer Service
Tires

Tires, as in working on the manufacturing side of the industry I have had a lot of experience with tires. Mainly when it gets to me it is in the negative form, but I would like to state my feelings on tires. They blow out, just that simple it happens on every vehicle on the road and the brand of the tire is irrelevant. I have had Goodyear, Michelin, Trail America's, Mission, and every other brand out there blow out. The reason that they blow out is what we have to focus on.

There have been defects in the tires that have caused some of the blow outs, sure. There has also been road debris, potholes, and tire inflation that have all played roles in the blow outs as well. So I would like to explain a point, Heartland does not choose the tires to put on the units because we feel they are inferior to others or we want our customers to undergo blow outs and hardship. For example: it is impossible for Heartland to specify only Michelin XPS Ribs for 15" tires, as this sort of capacity does not exist in the market place. At the rate we need tires, combined with the tires used by the rest of the industry, no one brand and model could be supplied in sufficient quantities. It is for this reason that you have tires supplied to you that meet a specification and not a brand/model.

We choose the tire because we feel they are good quality tires no different than any other, as long as they are taken care of appropriately. You will get stories as we have in this post on both sides of the spectrum, that should prove the point that it doesn't happen all the time, but when it does happen then we need to figure out why and correct it so it does not occur again.

James Fenner
Heartland Customer Service
 

fishn2dmax

Well-known member
James,

Thank you for your behind the scenes insight and expertise on the tire issue! You and Heartland team do a great job and make fine coaches. I for one really appreciate your willingness to come onto the owners forum and share your perspective and wisdom. That said, the tire issue is very complex and cuts very deep ( emotionally and financailly) with all RV owners / customers.

While I think everyone understands that is very difficult maintain a consistent source and supply of tires, no one can deny there isn't a growing trend of owners reporting tire failures and resultant severe damage trends with a few very specific brands of ST tires - that just so happen to made in mainland China.

There are many RV / travel trailer/ boat trailer owners reporting ST tire failures on all the National RV and boats forums and to the NHSTA, with properly inflated NEW ST OEM tires. A higher than expected failure trend has clearly emerged with a few specific brands of ST tires produced in mainland China - statistical failure rates validate the failures are beyond the average road hazards or improper maintenance failure expectancy.

Let's hope for the sake of public safety, the RV owners, and the RV industry, the RV tire makers will come to recognize (or be forced to recognize) the need for quality ST tires. Poor quality or inferior ST Tires not only pose safety risk, it dimishes overall owner confidence and satisfaction in RV's- including Heartland products. I don't know of anyone that would knowingly risk their family or their own safety to save a few 100 dollars, so why should the RV industry customers accept an increased tire/ safety risk without voice and / or choice ? Hopefully the tire manufacturers and the DOT will finally be held accountable for allowing inferior ST tire products to enter our country with full DOT authorization.

The ST tire failure issue is not a Heartland issue or an RV industry issue, but rather an economic issue. The reason the majority of ST tires are now made in China is due to cost pressures. At some point in the near future, the lower off shore production cost will be offset with higher legal cost, along with the cost of quality, e.g. lead in childrens toys made in China. Since it is almost impossible today to source onlyl domestically manufactured, high quality ST tires, the RV industry (like it's customers) are stuck with very limited options.

No one can fault a New RV owner for being very frustrated with the RV industry and tire industry after spending 10's of thousands of dollars for a new coach only to have to spend another $1000 for "quality" tires or roll the dice with unknown quality OEM Chinese made tires. As owners, we have the right to accept or reject the OEM tires that came with our coach. We have a right to express tire concerns and take precautions ( by replacing OEM china tires) to ensure and protect our saftey and to gain piece of mind.

Keep up the great customer service at Heartland and thanks for all you do!!!

G.S. :)
 

Netem

Well-known member
Well said Fishin, I would have paid extra for tires that made me feel safer pulling my trailer.
 

jmgratz

Original Owners Club Member
China Tires

If these Made in China tires are so unsafe how is Heartland getting by with putting them on their trailers. I've got a new Sundance, 2900MK and you guys have me afraid to pull it.



Admin: Moved post to its own thread on the Sundance Tires forum. Netem, Heartland is not going to answer this question as it is written. Rather than not approve it for viewing, I elected to approve it and move it here for discussion among members. Jim


You may have real good luck with your tires. I will say this: The tires that came with my new 2007 Landmark were Winguard brand (made in China at the Chinese Goodyear plant). These tires were G rated20. They were properly inflated and showed no signs of were. I weighed the coach and was not overloaded. After about 2500 miles the front left tires blew. I was travelling 65 mph in I80 in Wyoming. The tread came off the tire at the time it blew. It did $4800 damage to the coach. At 3200 miles the left rear tire on the coach blew. When this tire blew it disintegrated. This blowout did $4300 damage to the coach. It redamaged the same area that had just been fixed. When inspecting both tires it appeared as though the steel belts were rusty. The distributor in Houston Tx, Super Tire, reimbursed me for the wholesale value of the two tires ($70 per tire). My insurance paid for the damage to the coach. After the second blowout I replaced all tires, including the spare with Goodyear G614.

Your tires may be okay but I will not trust the China made tires again. Give me the American made Goodyear tires. Good luck and I would not wish my "China tire luck" on anyone.

Jim Gratz
2007 Landmark Golden Gate - Mor-Ryde hitch
99 Ford F350 with Banks Power Pak and airbags on rear
 

cdbMidland

Past Michigan Chapter Leader
After about 2500 miles the front left tires blew. I was travelling 65 mph in I80 in Wyoming. The tread came off the tire at the time it blew. It did $4800 damage to the coach. At 3200 miles the left rear tire on the coach blew. When this tire blew it disintegrated. This blowout did $4300 damage to the coach.
Jim Gratz

Jim, when you blew the left front, you placed the entire left side of the coach on the left rear tire, exceeding its rating by almost twice.

When this happened to us, I would have replaced both tires on the left side, but I was paranoid about the TrailAmerica tires and DW told me to replace them all. I asked if she meant four or five and she emphatically said five. We got Goodyear 614SRTs (made in USA and only one month old). Glad we did as we had an overrnight leak in one of the aluminum wheels and had to run several hundred miles on the spare.
 
New Sundance owner with concerns about the tires as well.

My first post, but not exactly new here. I have been prowling the forum for a couple of months now and I just brought home a new Sundance Ultralite 285BH Thursday. I looked at some of the "bigger standard" Sundance models, like the 2997 BHS and 2998 BH, but my wife and I decided on the the Ultralite for a couple of reasons, mostly size, as we like to camp in smaller out of the way campgrounds and not your off the highway KOA etc. I also have a 16 boat I intend to pull behind the 5er as well as a couple of 4 wheelers from time to time, so the logical choice was to go for the lighter and slightly shorter unit......

Now with that said, I have not seen any posts or comments on the new Ultralite units yet and I will say from the get go, that these units from our inspection and comparison with the regular line is that they lack some of the more "high end" features and options of the regular line. I won't go into details here, but if someone has questions, let me know. Finally to the point and that is the tires are obviously Chinese made and I have really been wondering about replacing them NOW rather than later. I figured I could make a few trips with them as they should be good for a while, but after reading the post by jmgratz, I am having second thoughts!! Especially if I am going to be pulling my boat behind the 5er. Last thing I need is a blow out with my boat behind the 5er that could possibly send the whole train off the road if you know what I mean.

So when any of you have replaced your tires, has the tire dealer/store given you any trade in on your Chinese tires and what approximately are you looking at cost wise for a set of 15" tires on one of these units? As a side note, I bought a set of tires for my truck a couple of weeks ago and I have to say my local Big O dealer gave an unbelievable deal. I have a 2005 F350 and for those of you that dont know, these 350s have 18" wheels and it has been hard to find tires for these trucks. I was quoted $1300-1500 for a set of tires from Les Schwab. When I went to Big O, I got a set of Big O AT tires with a pretty aggressive tread for $900. The truck had the original cheap General tires on it and the tires had about 18.5K on them and believe it or not, the dealer gave me $50/tire trade in. I walked away with a new set of tires for $705!!! Unfortunately, I doubt I am going to get much trade in for new Chinese trailer tires, but I am hoping!!

Thanks for any advise in advance
Shane
 

fishn2dmax

Well-known member
Shane,

Your situation is / was similar to mine. We looked for a shorter 5'er due to pulling 4 wheelers or a 17' alum boat. We usually camp in unimproved and State and or federal camp ground and had to limit our total length. When we purchased ( last Summer), the Sundance XLT line was not available then. Regardless, I wanted a 10 inch frame and 16" tires/ shocks in my next coach, so the Sundance 2900 MK with the 6000' axle upgrade was one of the main reasons I opted for a slightly larger coach. I have never trusted 15" tires on my previous 5'ers due to not being able to find a large enough rated load capacity with 15" tires that gave me enough carry capacity margin of comfort with pulling double. I couldn't be more please with how the full size Sundance 2900 MK tows and the much higher margin of carry capacity margin with the 16" tires. If I had to stay with 15" tires, I would have Maxxis D or E rated tires. Maxxis makes one of if not the best 15" ST trailer tires. If you go with the "E" rated, make sure your rims are rated for 80 PSI. If it were me, I wouldn't have anything less than Load range "E" trailer tires when pulling doubles. To your point, you can NOT afford a blow out when pulling doubles - Buy the highest rated and the best trailer tires you can afford!!!

I changed out my OEM 16" mainland China bomb "Unicorns" to Maxxis. I couldn't find a new tire dealer willing to give me anything for them since no one ever heard of "unicorn" tires. I finally found a used tire dealer willing to take my NEW tires off my hands for almost nothing. I did keep one of the Unicorn tires as a back-up spare.

Good Luck and enjoy that new Sundance.
 

Goldenwingers

goldenwingers
I swapped out the tires on our 2008 Mt. Rushmore about 5 miles down the road from the RV lot where we purchased the trailer and put Goodyear G614 tires on it.
they charged me $800.00 and kept my China bombs, as best I can tell they allowed me about $25.00 per tire trade in. They said they sell them to local farmers for farm implements. Another $800.00 in the trailer but I have more peace of mind. Still have the China bomb for a spare but hopefully won't need it or if I do it will only be for a short distance.

Don
 
After trolling this forum and RVnet more today regarding the tires issues, I have decided to do some upgrading. When I was getting ready to purchase the 5er, I asked the dealer if the Ultralites had the optional upgrade to the 6000lb axles and 16" tires and the called the factory and that is not an option on the Ultralite series. After reading this post I see no reason why I cannot change out the wheels as well so I can put on 16" tires. I would like the trailer to sit just a bit higher to see if I can lower the kingpin one more notch for even more clearance of the truck bed as well.

Thanks again for the responses
 
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