Power King Towmax tires on 2014 Bighorn

bevorlee · Sep 21, 2013

Hello. I am new to this forum AND Hartland products. I just completed our first long trip in our 2014 Bighorn 3260EL and right now, I AM NOT A HAPPY CAMPER!

Don't get me wrong...it is a beautiful coach and has some great features. What makes me unhappy is to find out that Heartland uses Chinese manufactured tires on its luxury units! And apparantly, from what I've read so far, they are inferior in quality and MANY have failed putting customer property and lives in jeopardy!! In my opinion, two of the most important safety factors on any vehicle are its tires and its brakes. I have owned many RV in my lifetime and generated many thousands of miles on the road and I have learned the importance of good, properly maintained tires. I check my tires' condition and pressure on all my vehicles frequently and ALWAYS before moving my RVs any distance at all. As I did recently when I started on our 2nd trip north on Highway 17. We didn't get 50 miles from home and POW!...That dreaded sound of an explosion and ripping metal. My RR tire with less than 5000 miles on it blew out and destroyed the whole side of my kitchen slide-out. After a 4 hour wait on the side of the highway waiting for help, we hobbled to the nearest RV park so as to tie things together well enough to get us back home. Since then, with our trip aborded, we have been hastling with insurance companies, tire companies and repair facilities. We won't be traveling for a while. Incidently, we had our remaining tires checked by an expert and found another one defective and ready to blow!

I just wanted to share this experience with other Hartland owners and warn you of pending danger. Together, maybe we can convince Hartland Corporation to reconsider its choices of tire manufactures and maybe even save some lives in the process.

Grey Ghost · Sep 21, 2013

Well, I'm dealing with Dynamic Tire Company right now regarding a blown out Power King Towmax tire and $1400 worth of damage to my %ver. They (Dynamic) paid to have the tires sent to there distributor ship in Canada and they have had the tires for three weeks now. I was told it would take two to three weeks to work things out and let me know what they are going to do, if anything! I'm not to hopeful, but maybe just maybe they will do the right thing once. I agree we need to get on Heartland about putting such low rent tires on our expensive rigs. Just not right as far as I'm concerned. We spend good money for these rigs and they put shoddy rubber under them, just not right! Anyhow, I suggest calling Heartland, I did and they filed the claim for me, you might get better results going through them, just a thought. Let me know how you come out and I will let you know if I get any response from Dynamic. Lgubbels@cox.net

bevorlee said:
Hello. I am new to this forum AND Hartland products. I just completed our first long trip in our 2014 Bighorn 3260EL and right now, I AM NOT A HAPPY CAMPER! Don't get me wrong...it is a beautiful coach and has some great features. What makes me unhappy is to find out that Heartland uses Chinese manufactured tires on its luxury units! And apparantly, from what I've read so far, they are inferior in quality and MANY have failed putting customer property and lives in jeopardy!! In my opinion, two of the most important safety factors on any vehicle are its tires and its brakes. I have owned many RV in my lifetime and generated many thousands of miles on the road and I have learned the importance of good, properly maintained tires. I check my tires' condition and pressure on all my vehicles frequently and ALWAYS before moving my RVs any distance at all. As I did recently when I started on our 2nd trip north on Highway 17. We didn't get 50 miles from home and POW!...That dreaded sound of an explosion and ripping metal. My RR tire with less than 5000 miles on it blew out and destroyed the whole side of my kitchen slide-out. After a 4 hour wait on the side of the highway waiting for help, we hobbled to the nearest RV park so as to tie things together well enough to get us back home. Since then, with our trip aborded, we have been hastling with insurance companies, tire companies and repair facilities. We won't be traveling for a while. Incidently, we had our remaining tires checked by an expert and found another one defective and ready to blow!

I just wanted to share this experience with other Hartland owners and warn you of pending danger. Together, maybe we can convince Hartland Corporation to reconsider its choices of tire manufactures and maybe even save some lives in the process.

GOTTOYS · Sep 21, 2013

If you're "lucky" they will send you another set of the same tires and you can do this all over again a few months down the road...Just put on a set of good old American made 235/85/16 LT tires and live happily ever after, in spite of what the ST tire fans try to tell you...Don

westxsrt10 · Sep 21, 2013

bevorlee said:
Hello. I am new to this forum AND Hartland products. I just completed our first long trip in our 2014 Bighorn 3260EL and right now, I AM NOT A HAPPY CAMPER! Don't get me wrong...it is a beautiful coach and has some great features. What makes me unhappy is to find out that Heartland uses Chinese manufactured tires on its luxury units! And apparantly, from what I've read so far, they are inferior in quality and MANY have failed putting customer property and lives in jeopardy!! In my opinion, two of the most important safety factors on any vehicle are its tires and its brakes. I have owned many RV in my lifetime and generated many thousands of miles on the road and I have learned the importance of good, properly maintained tires. I check my tires' condition and pressure on all my vehicles frequently and ALWAYS before moving my RVs any distance at all. As I did recently when I started on our 2nd trip north on Highway 17. We didn't get 50 miles from home and POW!...That dreaded sound of an explosion and ripping metal. My RR tire with less than 5000 miles on it blew out and destroyed the whole side of my kitchen slide-out. After a 4 hour wait on the side of the highway waiting for help, we hobbled to the nearest RV park so as to tie things together well enough to get us back home. Since then, with our trip aborded, we have been hastling with insurance companies, tire companies and repair facilities. We won't be traveling for a while. Incidently, we had our remaining tires checked by an expert and found another one defective and ready to blow!

I just wanted to share this experience with other Hartland owners and warn you of pending danger. Together, maybe we can convince Hartland Corporation to reconsider its choices of tire manufactures and maybe even save some lives in the process.

Sorry for your new OEM cheaper tire problems.
This subject has been brought up here many times...like beating a dead horse. Most/many RV's come from the factory with this low quality oem junk. I have got chastised by the mods for warning new Heartland owners to remove the oem lower quality tires right away!

You may be ok with the E rated Maxxis ST, or you can upgrade to 17.5 wheels and use G or F rated tires. (search the forum as other have done this)

Kbvols · Sep 21, 2013

Hate to hear of your tire issue..has to suck. I just replaced my blow max this morning 1 yr 1 day and 3000 miles. Just so glad I had no problems.

bevorlee · Sep 21, 2013

Thanks Don. That is exactly what I was thinking of doing. I got a price on some high quality Michelins HOWEVER, when I contacted Heartland, they warned me that truck tires should not be used on trailers. My dealer told me the same thing. Now I'm not sure WHAT to do. Incidently, no one would tell me where my tires were manufactured but I found a chart on line that interpreted the DOT codes. Sure enough, they were made in SHANDONG, CHINA in October of last year! Lee

danemayer · Sep 21, 2013

bevorlee said:
Thanks Don. That is exactly what I was thinking of doing. I got a price on some high quality Michelins HOWEVER, when I contacted Heartland, they warned me that truck tires should not be used on trailers. My dealer told me the same thing. Now I'm not sure WHAT to do. Incidently, no one would tell me where my tires were manufactured but I found a chart on line that interpreted the DOT codes. Sure enough, they were made in SHANDONG, CHINA in October of last year! Lee

Lee, just about every trailer tire is made in China now.

dbbls59 · Sep 21, 2013

I don't know why Heartland is discouraging LT tires. Perhaps to defend their choice of installing the junk tires they use. Many SOB trailers come from the factory with LT tires. I replaced my junk tires with Sailun LT tires that were made for trailer use only. I called Heartland before I did this and was told they did not recommend this. Must be their lawyers advice.

scottyb · Sep 21, 2013

bevorlee said:
Thanks Don. That is exactly what I was thinking of doing. I got a price on some high quality Michelins HOWEVER, when I contacted Heartland, they warned me that truck tires should not be used on trailers. My dealer told me the same thing. Now I'm not sure WHAT to do. Incidently, no one would tell me where my tires were manufactured but I found a chart on line that interpreted the DOT codes. Sure enough, they were made in SHANDONG, CHINA in October of last year! Lee

It's just CYA because they endorse them. Get rid of them and feel good about the Michelins. You can listen to the ST crap and suffer the consequences or you can be proactive and take the bull by the horns.

Birchwood · Sep 22, 2013

I am not sure if Heartland are balancing tires these days.When I purchased my Landmark the tires were not balanced and when I did finally realize it one of the Good Year 614's had to be replaced because it was so far out of balance.Seems the only way to detect a bad tire is have it balanced.

donr827 · Sep 22, 2013

When I ordered our Bighorn one of the upgrades I paid for was Goodyear G614 tires. I do not believe that any trailer manufacturer balances the tires before they leave the factory. What I was told from the dealer is that the trailer needs to loaded with the items you normally carry before balancing the tires. Not a tire expert so do not know if this is correct.
Don

Eddhuy · Sep 22, 2013

I am not a tire expert either, but I don't think the load on the trailer has anything to do with the tires being balanced. I don't believe I have ever seen the tire balanced while on a vehicle either. Now I did balance after having the TPMS sensors and metal stem valves added.

codycarver · Sep 22, 2013

dbbls59 said:
I don't know why Heartland is discouraging LT tires. Perhaps to defend their choice of installing the junk tires they use. Many SOB trailers come from the factory with LT tires. I replaced my junk tires with Sailun LT tires that were made for trailer use only. I called Heartland before I did this and was told they did not recommend this. Must be their lawyers advice.

Our Bighorn came with Sailun LT's from the factory. Monday morning I had them replaced with the exact same tire. I'm Very happy I was able to find them. BTW they are made in China.

dave10a · Sep 22, 2013

Maybe Heartland is trying to make max profit by cutting every corner they can get away with. After owning my trailer for a year now I think they cut way too many corners on the tires, electrical, plumbing, frame and basic construction. The sad thing is Heartland does not seem to be much different than other manufacturers that answer to large corporations. Glitz and glammer rules over basic construction materials and details. I know many people who are brand loyalist do not like to read this, but "them's the facts." Sorry about that. Maybe they should offer an option to upgrade the materials used in the electrical, plumping, tires, frame and etc.

Grey Ghost · Sep 22, 2013

Maybe the dealers are getting a better margin of profit from the Chinese made tires, however just trust the thousands of us that have put LT tires on our trailers. I now have a set of Michelin M/T S2's on mine and feel much better.

bevorlee said:
Thanks Don. That is exactly what I was thinking of doing. I got a price on some high quality Michelins HOWEVER, when I contacted Heartland, they warned me that truck tires should not be used on trailers. My dealer told me the same thing. Now I'm not sure WHAT to do. Incidently, no one would tell me where my tires were manufactured but I found a chart on line that interpreted the DOT codes. Sure enough, they were made in SHANDONG, CHINA in October of last year! Lee

Tigersden · Sep 22, 2013

One thing for sure - the LT vs ST discussion is in no danger of ever going away or being "resolved" on this forum.

My perspective is that tires are less likely to fail when:

1. The margin percentage of tire rating to rig load rating is as great as possible (basically meaning you should get the highest load rating possible)
2. You drive at or (preferably below) the speeds recommended for the tires you have
3. You are diligent to the extreme to ensure tire pressures are within specs.
4. You pray before each trip (this should actually be #1 on this list).

I could not afford to move up the 17" wheel solution but I did replace my Towmax tires with load rated F ST235/85/16's - 12 ply Carlisle tires. Tire failure is my worst nightmare when towing and I think the F load rating gives me a little more protection against that possibility.

As to brand selection, decide what brand you want (Towmax excluded) and then search this forum --- you will be able find posts that will confirm you did indeed make a good choice. It is highly likely that there are members who have had good experiences with every tire you may be considering.

BobnBet · Sep 25, 2013

We have a 2013 Bighorn and just today had our first tire blow. Thank God we weren't injured and our Rv only has minor damage. We are going to buy all new tires to replace the junk that Heartland puts on them. We only have less than 2000 miles on our RV and are not overloaded...and only travel at 60-65 mph.

bevorlee · Sep 27, 2013

A curious discovery...After discussions with representatives from Heartland and listening to the NEVER USE LT TIRES ON A TRAILER, I discovered that Heartland offers LT235/85/R16G tires as an option and are STANDARD on the new Landmarks! Keystone does the same thing with their Montanas and those same LT tires are standard with the Montana Package option. In both cases, the tires they offer (LT235/85/R16, otherwise identified as G614RST) are from Goodyear and are made in the USA (unlike the Marathon ST which is made in China). I called Goodyear and had a long discussion with a representative who obviously, didn't have a clue. My question now is, if it's OK to use Goodyear LT tires why not Michelin LT tires? By the way, I have upgraded 7000 lb axles on my 3260EL, the same axle as used on the Landmark. Something just doesn't smell right about this whole controversy!!!!! And, I'd love to get to the bottom of it by the time I get my damaged Bighorn repaired on back on the road.

danemayer · Sep 27, 2013

Hi Bevorlee,

The Goodyear G614 meets the more stringent testing requirements of LT tires, BUT is specifically designed and marketed by Goodyear for trailer usage and is specifically shown as a trailer tire in their tire application book. I believe it has bead-to-bead steel belts, whereas most steel-belted tires have the steel just underneath the tread. Having steel belts extend around the sidewalls helps protect the sidewalls from some interactions with curbs.

You can search for and read many threads arguing that it's OK to use LT tires that are designed for light truck use. Whatever tire you get, LT or ST, I'd suggest you check the sidewall to make sure it's rated for the right weight, and that it matches the capacity of the wheels.

scottyb · Sep 27, 2013

Bevorlee, Michelin XPS Ribs and one of the BF Goodrich commercial LT's have full steel casings. Look at the weights of the tires and you will see a huge difference. The XPS Ribs weigh almost 50% more than the Towmax ST's. However, speaking for the Michelins, they are larger (1.2") in diameter and may make the tires closer together than you may like. I have gotten over that after over 8K miles on mine.

Power King Towmax tires on 2014 Bighorn

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