Tire Problems

[Luckysilverado]

I saw two Blowmax tires from 2014 5th Wheel, a Heartland like mine. One Blow out the other grew lumps. I cant believe this junk was installed on my 5th wheel there should be a **********. Has anyone been injured or Killed due to these Tires is there any recourse for having to spend so much on replacement Tires after a purchase of this size ? Someone should be held responsible before Death or Injury. How am I to take my Partner across country on Junk Tires ? Will we be the first Deaths ?

 

[DocFather]

Lucky

That is the exact reason I am a captive to my tires. Until I come up with enough $$ to replace 7 tires, I am stuck here on the farm.

 

[GOTTOYS]

I saw two Blowmax tires from 2014 5th Wheel, a Heartland like mine. One Blow out the other grew lumps. I cant believe this junk was installed on my 5th wheel there should be a **********. Has anyone been injured or Killed due to these Tires is there any recourse for having to spend so much on replacement Tires after a purchase of this size ? Someone should be held responsible before Death or Injury. How am I to take my Partner across country on Junk Tires ? Will we be the first Deaths ?

I can't imagine how anyone can be killed or injured if a tire blows out on a trailer. I've never heard of it happening. You are towing the trailer. A tires blows out. It has nothing to do with steering or transmitting power. In reality it just goes flat. How can this cause a loss of control? Consider them delivery and display tires. Lots of people use them and have no problems. Were the tires you saw always properly inflated and never driven over the limit for the tires of 65mph? I admit they are junk but they don't all explode. I replaced mine but I never had any trouble with them before I replaced them....Don

 

[justafordguy]

I know it sucks but please replace them ASAP.

 

[Lynn1130]

I've never heard of it happening

I have, several times (in 35 years of LE). A tire goes for one reason or another and the trailer begins a "fish tail" which cannot be stopped. The trailer goes over taking the tow vehicle with it.

 

[Gary521]

Get a TPMS. It will not stop tire failure but it will let you know when one goes.

 

[JohnD]

Just replaced all five of our BlowMax tires last weekend . . .

Bumped up to a larger size and load range (which meant new wheels as well)!

Here are the old BlowMax's on the bike rack hiding behind the new spare and the street side with the new tires and wheels:

 

[avvidclif]

I have, several times (in 35 years of LE). A tire goes for one reason or another and the trailer begins a "fish tail" which cannot be stopped. The trailer goes over taking the tow vehicle with it.

Only 20 yrs in the game but seen the same thing several times, not only RV's but other trailers also.

 

[HarleyCowboy]

Just replaced all five of our BlowMax tires last weekend . . .

Bumped up to a larger size and load range (which meant new wheels as well)!

Here are the old BlowMax's on the bike rack hiding behind the new spare and the street side with the new tires and wheels:

View attachment 36878 View attachment 36879

What tire did you go with JohnD?

 

[Sniper]

This is just my 2 cents, but I have Tow Max tires on all kinds of trailers over the years and have never had a tire failure due to a bad tire. Sure I've had flats like everybody else. Maybe I've just been lucky. Now I would never suggest that there are not bad tires out there brand new from the factory, but I will share some knowledge I have and mistakes I've seen being made when it comes to trailer tires, and trust me when I say that I am "anal" when it comes to vehicle maintenance: 1.) Set air pressure to the max load cold P.S.I. (for example ours is 80# cold) I've had pro tire installers argue with me that it should be set @ 70# cold to allow for expansion, but that is wrong! They need to be set at the max load pressure. Period. 2.) Always check tire pressure when tires are cold, and not after they have been setting in direct sunlight for hours. Morning is the best time. 3.) Use a GOOD tire pressure gauge not the buck 99 ones from your local auto parts store, but a good one. (I use Miltons) 4.) DO NOT exceed the speed rating of your tire! Most trailer tires are speed rated at 65 MPH. I know, I know, I know nobody ever drives faster than that, however I set my cruise control on 62 MPH and have had countless trailers blow by me, and so have you. 5.) check the tire build date. Just because the tire is new to you don't mean the tire is new. It could have been setting in a warehouse for years. The date is in code and sometimes only on one side of the tire usually between the DOT code and the DY (date year) its a four digit number. The last two numbers are the year they were made. I won't buy a tire thats more than 2 years old. 6.) RV tires sit in one place for extended periods of time under the weight of the vehicle so the side walls wear out much faster than say normal car tires. We put new tires on our Toy Hauler every 4 years regardless of mileage.

Lastly if you have had one tire go flat or run at very low on pressure for any distance that tire and the other tire on that side is probably damaged because one is overheating because its low, and the other is carry all the weight on that side and more than likely overheated as well.

Again I'm not doubting anyone having tire issues, I'm just trying to help get the most of what we got. Stay safe everyone.

 

[kowAlski631]

All we can say is that we had 3 Towmax tires blow and one develop a softball sized "bubble" on the sidewall which popped. Tires were not old nor were they sitting for periods of time as we were full-time and traveling. We inspected the tires before travel each day, stayed under 65, and insured they were inflated properly.

As you said, you were lucky. Many people have not been.

 

[Lynn1130]

Sniper, no offense but I think you are preaching to the choir here. Most people on here are anal about their rigs. You are right, you were lucky, and there are some like that here. They have gone thousands of miles with no TowMax tire problems. And it is also to be said that those that have had problems will post them here so you see those more often, but I recommend that you search the posts to see how many there are and how many had failures with tire pressure where it should be, at 60-65 mph and on cool surfaces. The tires seem to have a very high rate of failure under normal use conditions. When they do fail they do a fair amount of damage to the trailer (ask me, I will provide photos). For that reason alone those of us who have had failures are the people making a strong recommendation to change them out before they leave an owner with $2K or more damage, in the middle of no where with no cell phone coverage.

 

[Sniper]

No offense taken. Was just sharing some information on trailer tires in general, and like most, I rarely ever share a good experience (but do share great ones), but do share bad ones often. Safe travels everyone! (I still have problems with run on sentences. My 8th grade English teacher would be having a fit right now)

 

[TireHobby]

Have you had your trailer weighed? You may be in for a big surprise.