Towmax Tire Warranty???

Huey

Member
I had two Towmax tires fail on my less than a year old 3010, on my second outing. I contacted Heartland. They provided information to contact Towmax. I did. Towmax asked me to ship the tire that lost its entire tread so they could determine if it was a manufacturing defect. I did. They determined, surprise, that it was not a manufacturing defect.
Heartland did provide me with the plastic tire fender. I repaired the panel damage by replacing the same with aluminum diamond plate. Much better.
ASAP I replaced all the Towmax tires with Goodyear G-614s.
I would NOT recommend any Towmax tires or any ST tires for the Heartlan toyhaulers. They need the beefier LT tires because of the unit's weight.
I have yet to see a Heartland toy hauler with Towmax tires that is over a year old.
 

gebills

Well-known member
Hi Huey: I believe you will find that you are singing to the choir in regard to TowMax tires. There are a few on this forum that seem to get along with the TowMax's, but I would estimate the majority of RV'ers have, or are planning on replacing them with an upgrade soon. After reading so many horror stories resulting from TowMax tire failures, I switched out the TowMax's on our BH with around 11,000 to 12,000 miles on them. The TowMax's looked fine, but the stories finally scared me enough to change them out.

I looked at the Goodyears, but finally ended up with Maxxis tires from Discount Tire. I would have gone with the Goodyears, but found them more than twice the price of the Maxxis tires. I figure in about 4 years, or 15-20k miles, I'll switch them out for another set and still have less than the price of one set of Goodyears. Hope that was the right decision.

I found that the Goodyears came in both a G-614 LT and a G-614 RST. The following is a "reprint from Discount Tire's" web site, applicable to ST and LT tires. Might be worth considering.
[h=5]Why Use An "ST" Tire[/h]
  • "ST" tires feature materials and construction to meet the higher load requirements and demands of trailering.
  • The polyester cords are bigger than they would be for a comparable "P" or "LT" tire.
  • The steel cords have a larger diameter and greater tensile strength to meet the additional load requirements.
  • "ST" tire rubber compounds contain more chemicals to resist weather and ozone cracking.
 

Huey

Member
Hi Glenn
I wish you all the best with the Maxxis.
I did find what you have posted. However, when I compared an ST with an LT, the thickness of the LT sidewall was more than twice that of the ST. The weight of the LT is more. I didn't weigh them, but you could easily tell the difference by lifting them.
I did check with a friend that owns a trucking business and ask about the tires on his cargo trailers. They were all 17.5" tires and all were LT. Many have posted that they have gone to 17.5" tires.
So far I haven't had any issue with the Goodyears. Sure hope it continues.
One more thing, when my toy hauiler is parked at the house, I jack each wheel up so that the tires are not supporting any weight. I have been told by two tire dealers that this would improve the life of the tires. They told me that this or increasing the air pressure while not in use would greatly extend the life of the tires.
Safe traveling.
 

JanAndBill

Well-known member
I have followed all the post regarding ST tires, because at some point I too will have to make a decision as to replacements. I've read all the pros and cons, and still remain undecided. ST tires are basically a tire that combines passenger car tire construction techniques, with heavy duty truck tire fabric and cord materials. This results in an ST tire having a high LT type load rating with the lower air pressure requirements and soft, shock absorbing sidewalls of a passenger tire. There is also extra UV inhibitors and oils added to the rubber to help in storage. This is much easier on the suspension and other components of the trailer on bumpy roads than the stiff sidewalls and higher air pressure of the LT tires. I also believe that most rv trailer suspensions nowdays are pretty much at the limit of their weight, meaning any additional strain caused by improperly matched tires could lead to damage to the suspension or the trailer itself. I'm not saying the ones who have made the switch are wrong, I'm just not convinced yet.
 

gebills

Well-known member
These are all valid points; one in particular that I haven't been paying much attention to is the weight of the RV setting on tires while the RV is idle for months at a time. I'm out of country for several months in the summer and the old BH sets in the same place on it's wheels. I'll have to give this some thought before i'm gone for the summeer. Thanx Huey.

Reading all of the entries on forums one can, prior to pulling a trigger on a tire/wheel purchase is to gain as much knowledge from others experiences as possible. There came a point prior to my tire purchase earlier this spring, where my eyes were going cross-eyed from all the research. But better that than setting along side the road, absolutely fuming from the destruction of a tire(s) and doing multi-thousands of $$ in damage to the RV.

Still hope I've made a sound decision with the new ST tires. I suppose, time will tell. The thought that the sidewalls may be thicker on a LT tire poses some mental conflict with me, but my thought process still returns to the need to have a tire desined to run straight down the road and support it's weight; not particularly designed for cornering. I'll simply have to watch my weights closely not allowing the unneeded weight to creep aboard over the coarse of time. thanx all.... gebills
 

GOTTOYS

Well-known member
I have followed all the post regarding ST tires, because at some point I too will have to make a decision as to replacements. I've read all the pros and cons, and still remain undecided. ST tires are basically a tire that combines passenger car tire construction techniques, with heavy duty truck tire fabric and cord materials. This results in an ST tire having a high LT type load rating with the lower air pressure requirements and soft, shock absorbing sidewalls of a passenger tire. There is also extra UV inhibitors and oils added to the rubber to help in storage. This is much easier on the suspension and other components of the trailer on bumpy roads than the stiff sidewalls and higher air pressure of the LT tires. I also believe that most rv trailer suspensions nowdays are pretty much at the limit of their weight, meaning any additional strain caused by improperly matched tires could lead to damage to the suspension or the trailer itself. I'm not saying the ones who have made the switch are wrong, I'm just not convinced yet.
You can believe all that ST tire hype if you want to..after one or more blow outs take part of the side of your trailer with it you'll quickly change your mind. The ONLY reason they're on your trailer is they are the cheapest thing the manufacturers can find that will make it from the factory to the dealers lots...I'm at around 20,000 miles on my LT tires and don't even worry about tire problems anymore...My old ST tires are now serving on someones' manure spreader if they haven't blown out...Don
 

JanAndBill

Well-known member
Don, it's not that I believe the "hype", it's that I tend to be methodical in my decisions. Tires are but one part of the package. Miles driven, speed, time sitting, etc. are all considerations. One point of concern for me are the rims. I've seen a lot of posting where people have switched to LT tires with higher air pressure, but have they also switched the rims??? If the rim is stamped 80#, then you have an unsafe condition which could destroy a lot more than a little fiberglass trim.
 
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I have read a lot complaints about the Towmax tire, and seen pictures posted on here of the tire failures, thinks to all who posted this information it helped me identify tire failure, We left out on our first long trip in our new 2013 Cyclone 3110, from Chattanooga to Destin Fl, stopped just below Birmingham Al to get fuel and rest, walked around the trailer checking the tires, remembering a picture posted of belt separation I noticed one tire looked stretched in the middle and round across the center of the tire, lucky a tire store right across the street, put my spare on and headed on down the road, made it to Destin, nice week of camping, on the way home about one mile down the road running about 30 mph I hear a noise, look in my mirror and see something on the rear trailer tire, stop on the side of the road, a bubble about the size of a base ball on the side wall. So I called a local Goodyear store to get 4 new tires, no way I was going to drive home, with the other 2 tires, got 4 new G614 RST $1400.00 Tredit warranted the 4 tires at 80% of $120.00 Heartland you save a lot of money putting these tire on your units, but your customers are the ones paying the price. I don’t post a lot but this is one thing I have experienced firsthand.
 

Sumo

Well-known member
My weekend experience with TowMax tires. These tires are less than a year old with about 2000 miles. They are 225/75/R15 E rated with 80 psi. I replaced this tire with a Gladiator from Les Swab. Hoping for better luck.

2013-07-01 08.12.03.jpg
 

GOTTOYS

Well-known member
Don, it's not that I believe the "hype", it's that I tend to be methodical in my decisions. Tires are but one part of the package. Miles driven, speed, time sitting, etc. are all considerations. One point of concern for me are the rims. I've seen a lot of posting where people have switched to LT tires with higher air pressure, but have they also switched the rims??? If the rim is stamped 80#, then you have an unsafe condition which could destroy a lot more than a little fiberglass trim.
Load range E LT tires carry 80PSI max the same as an ST tire. If you were to compare the sidewall thickness between a ST tire (I have) and a quality LT tire, you will find the ST tire is like a bicycle tire in comparison...Yes I believe it is hype..Don
 

gpshemi

Well-known member
Same thing happen to me at 600miles Sumo. They never looked right from the start honestly. I used the spare and bought a new spare in Gatlinburg, but after the second season the tires were all weather checked and cracking all the way around. Towmax was contacted, and with some efforts, they covered all the tires based on wear (very little). I think I got $120 a tire. They would not cover the one I lost earlier.

I bought Bridgestone Duravis R250's and couldn't be happier. They literally weight half again as much (36lbs vs 58lbs I think). They don't deform, and they ride a 1000x better. ST's are all china junk anymore or a variant made to try and compete. Don't believe the hype. Buy a good tire.
 

nesport

Member
1 year and 2100 miles into our Sundance Fifth Wheel ownership, I had my first tire blow out ever. I've meticulous around tire pressures, weights and such and have never had a problem. No reason for the blow out whatsoever other than tire failure. Now reading all of these posts, I'm concerned about the other Towmaxs left on my rig. $1900 in damage to the trailer due to the blow out. Seems ridiculous for 2100 miles on it.
 

scottyb

Well-known member
nesport, sorry about the damage you have suffered. I would think you already know the answer to your question, as to what to do about the other Towmax. I was fortunate to have read all the post prior to my taking delivery. This is not new and has been going on for a while already. It's an unnecessary expense that we must endure, for the safety of our rigs.
 

JanAndBill

Well-known member
Same thing happen to me at 600miles Sumo. They never looked right from the start honestly. I used the spare and bought a new spare in Gatlinburg, but after the second season the tires were all weather checked and cracking all the way around. Towmax was contacted, and with some efforts, they covered all the tires based on wear (very little). I think I got $120 a tire. They would not cover the one I lost earlier.

I bought Bridgestone Duravis R250's and couldn't be happier. They literally weight half again as much (36lbs vs 58lbs I think). They don't deform, and they ride a 1000x better. ST's are all china junk anymore or a variant made to try and compete. Don't believe the hype. Buy a good tire.

In your case the Bridgestone was a good choice. However, you have 6 tires to share the weight vs the 4 tires I have on the ground, and our gross weight is the same. You might want to recheck that weight though, because depending on the size you're looking at 58-59# per tire on the Bridgestone.

It's not a one tire fits all type of problem. Nor, as someone suggested earlier is it a problem that can be solved simply by increasing the sidewall section. Tire manufacturers design their tires for a maximum weight, speed and inflation, taking into consideration side wall flex and the heat caused by same. Exceeding the weight limit or running the tire under the recommended inflation will result in excessive heat and sidewall failure. I have a little over 7,000 miles on the ST's that came on my rig, with no problems, but they still make me nervous. This fall I will in all likelyhood change them out. I will not exchange one potential problem for another, in that "rims and tires" will be matched to my specific load and speed requirements, with a little margin thrown in for safety.
 

gpshemi

Well-known member
In your case the Bridgestone was a good choice. However, you have 6 tires to share the weight vs the 4 tires I have on the ground, and our gross weight is the same.

I assume you mean the gross load per tire because our actually our weights aren't even close. The 3260ELite looks to have a dry weight of 11,180lbs with a gross of 14k. My Cyclone has a dry weight of 13,530 lbs with a gross of 18k. The Duravis (and XP Rib) is rated for 3042 per tire. So thats 12,168 on a double axle, or 18,252 on triple. So I agree with you, your mileage may vary depending on your rig. However, with that said, after running these and running the other ST tires, I'd still take a set of Duravis (or XP Ribs) on my double any day of the week and twice on Sunday over TowMax. That's just me though.

You might want to recheck that weight though, because depending on the size you're looking at 58-59# per tire on the Bridgestone..

Bridgestone Duravis is 57lbs. I don't recall what the TowMax tires weighed, but I seem to recall it being roughly 36lbs.
Bottom line is it's a heavier built tire and it shows.

I know any ST tire I've had on my trailers have bulged out when on the ground, but the Duravis hold they're shape and sit prouder. The side walls are every bit as strong as the TowMax tires and then some. So I don't agree with the ST side wall agruement at all. They don't roll on the rim like the ST's do. In fact, the trailer rides better on them. At first I thought the trailer pulled easier as well, and I mentioned it on the forum. I was followed up with others that thought the same thing after they switched.

YMMV for sure.


It's not a one tire fits all type of problem. Nor, as someone suggested earlier is it a problem that can be solved simply by increasing the sidewall section. Tire manufacturers design their tires for a maximum weight, speed and inflation, taking into consideration side wall flex and the heat caused by same. Exceeding the weight limit or running the tire under the recommended inflation will result in excessive heat and sidewall failure. I have a little over 7,000 miles on the ST's that came on my rig, with no problems, but they still make me nervous. This fall I will in all likelyhood change them out. I will not exchange one potential problem for another, in that "rims and tires" will be matched to my specific load and speed requirements, with a little margin thrown in for safety.[/QUOTE]
 

tammyinwv

Member
Our Powerking Towmax also failed after a couple of trips. No warranty coverage here either Huey. My husband also mentioned the weight of these tires are half that of a Good year. With all the failures they have to be over stating a max weight load on these things. They just do not hold up on our trailers. When we were in the dealers to buy our trailer last yr, a new one was being driven in, and the driver stated he had to change a tire on this NEW trailer coming from the factory. *********************************************
 
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gpshemi

Well-known member
This came up at the Goshen Rally questions and answers period, and I gotta say I was a little stunned with Heartland standing behind theae tires and basically saying the were a quality tire in their opinion. I didn't argue, but given any kind of reading on the net or even this forum, I'm not sure how you could say that with a straight face. Heartlands a good company, but TowMax are junk period.
 

mattpopp

Trouble Maker
There is a reason that ST tires carry a warning label "Not for Use on Passenger Vehicles". All ST tires carry that warning. It's because they do not meet the same safety and construction standards as passenger tires. All of the "special" reasons given why ST tires are the correct solution for your trailer is marketing BS.


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caissiel

Senior Member
I agree with this argument. On previous unit I had to use LT tires due constant ST tire failures. It was end of problems. LT tires were rated at 1900lbs on 5000lbs axles. And kept 60 psi in 50 psi rated tires. My resoning was that on trailer use, my LT had plenty of build in marginal safe capacity.


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