User Cooper's Blowout - 2006-October

[papa&chris]

I too belong to the blow-out club. The first one was in Wyoming at about 60-65 mph. It mangled the left rear quarter panel, scattered itself all over the freeway and scared the bejabbers out of me with the gunshot report noise that it made. Three days ago the second tire blew as I was turning into the campground here at Wilderness Lakes in Menifee. This time the explosion shared itself with others at the gate. Watching three senior gentlemen jump straight up in the air without flexing their knees was almost worth watching another cheap tire destroy itself.

 

[cdbMidland]

papa&chris

What tires were on your unit (name and size) and what psi were you carrying at the time? What is the cold psi on the side of your tire?

 

[papa&chris]

tires

cdbMidland......The tires were both filled at 110# as posted on the side of the Trail America tires. The first blew at 60 - 65 mph at the end of a long day on the road. The second blew after about a ten mile run, never over 50 mph.....................Papa

 

[cdbMidland]

Ouch, those are the same ones that I am running on and the same psi. Doesn't make one feel comfortable, does it?

 

[papa&chris]

tires

cdbMidland.....I have been towing trailers of all types for almost 40 years. I have never had a blow out on any of them. Now I've had two. Heartland should have gotten rid of these a long time ago..........Papa

 

[cdbMidland]

I've been towing TTs and 5ers since 1975 and never had a blow-out either. I did have one flat in NY State towing my Coachmen TT, but it did not blow and caused no damage to the TT, only the tire had to be replaced.

Hate to tow a ticking time bomb down to Florida next month. Scott tried to assure us all that Trail America tires were good tires. Based on users like you and Cooper, I'm not sure of Scott's response.

 

[billd]

Out of curiosity what the the tire tag say on the side of the trailer for tire pressure? On my Bighorn it says 80 lbs for the G rated tires. I need to look at the tires next time, but I use the printed tire pressure reccomended by the vechicle manufacture.

Bill

 

[sailorand]

my tires say 80 lbs so I run with 80. Any less air pressure will have less carrying capacity. The tires are marginal so I will not take a chance.
My rims say 3042 lbs and the tires say 3800 lbs. I will not exceed the rim capacity

 

[ct0218]

I'm surprised that the Bighorns came with LR G tires. I thought they were delivered with E's. The G's are fine, but like Sailorand said you just reduce the pressure because of the lighter load. I don't think they're are a lot of blowouts with the Trail America tires, but when they blow, they blow big time.

 

[phranc]

Some units have 'E's ' and some of the longer one's have 'G's "..

 

[sailorand]

do not reduce your pressure on your tire, please!! These are margenel tires that are supplied so every little bit helps

 

[ct0218]

Well, inflation has to be based on both load and wheel rating. Hopefully the wheels match the tires, as far as capacity, since they are from the factory, but labels placed by a worker at Heartland could be in error. The tire and wheel manufacturers have their capacities molded in their products and are most likely correct. As the trailers move down the line it would be very easy for the wrong label to be placed on it, so if you use the Goodyear load and inflation table you should be OK. You may not need 110 PSI if it is a lightly loaded trailer, but you have to know the actual weight to be sure. Chances are you should be near maximum inflation because far more trailers are near the GVWR than way under it. Each trailer will be different, everyone carries a different amount of "stuff", and in my case I inflate to 110 PSI because I am at maximum GVWR.

 

[Cooper]

I went to pick up my trailer yesterday day and it was not done correctly. So now they will have to redo the painting and reseal around some components they missed.

My insurance is with GMAC and they paid the bodyshop up front. Thats fine but I do not have any leverage over them when they get paid before work is completed.

 

[cdbMidland]

My BH has two 7,000# axles, hence the G-rated tires. When I had my unit weighed at the rally last year, the total weight of the loaded trailer was 14,875# with a pin weight of 2,700# leaving 12,175# on the axles. The weight was +/- 200# between the heaviest (3,125#) and the lightest wheel (2,925#), so the unit is pretty well balanced. Tires are rated for 3,415# at 110 psi.

My sticker on the pin box does say 80 psi, but I believe that the 110 psi is the correct pressure to carry, based upon Weigh-It's seminar and the Discount Tire link.

 

[ct0218]

I think the 3415 rating is for a dual tire installation, and 3750 for a single. Based on your weights you could reduce pressure, just depends on the safety margin you want. Supposedly 85 PSI will carry a 3170 lb load with a few pounds to spare. I prefer a little more margin than that myself, I just don't like being close to maxing out. The tire will run cooler at higher pressures also.

 

[Cooper]

The rating I am concerned about the wheel rating and where its made.
Most RV wheels are made in China and tires.
I have G614 Goodyears to put on my RV but I refuse to put good tires on cheap foreign wheels.
I talked to my Goodyear rep and he said that the max for my tires is 110 psi cold you do not have to run them at that pressure.

 

[trdeal]

Go for them! At least they're made here, and you can talk to someone in the US if you have a problem. I'm soon replacing my Trail America chinese tires with Goodyear G614 RST tires, the same ones Jim B put on a couple of months ago. I don't want to experience what Cooper just went through.

just checked my the tires on our Mt Rushmore, and it came from the factory with the Goodyear G614 on it.Had never paid any attention to the manufactorer until I started reading all these posts. Maybe I missed it ,but has anyone had problems with the Goodyear?

 

[ct0218]

Terry
That is a good deal! Not sure how you ended up with them, I haven't heard of anyone getting those OEM. Since there are only two tires that will work you are already upgraded. I have heard nothing negative but the price.

 

[jbeletti]

Great deal Terry. First I have heard of anyone getting that Goodyear tire on their Heartland from the factory. There you saved a grand!

Clark, certain Double Tree Mobile Suites come from the factory with the same Goodyears. Some of their models have 17.5" tires. Not sure what tires they use for those.

Jim

 

[trdeal]

Terry
That is a good deal! Not sure how you ended up with them, I haven't heard of anyone getting those OEM. Since there are only two tires that will work you are already upgraded. I have heard nothing negative but the price.

Thanks for the reply Clark.That,s good to know. I had not looked to see what brand I had until today.