Goodyear G614's - LT235/85/R16

[fauch]

Gladiator has a good price on a G rated 14 ply tire:
http://www.petestirestore.com/Traile...ire-p2781.html

[bncinwv]

Gladiator = Made in China
Bingo

[bwc1950]

As I read and learn, my curiosity is why stay with Goodyear at all, whether Marathon or G614? Just my humble opinion, but if my Goodyear tires failed, I wouldn't trust Goodyear anything! Aren't there other quality tires out there for a reasonable price that get much better user reviews than Goodyear?

[bncinwv]

Goodyear Marathon = Made in China
Goodyear G614 RST = Made in USA
Bingo

[fauch]

Gladiator has a good price on a G rated 14 ply tire:
http://www.petestirestore.com/Traile...ire-p2781.html

[oldgeezor]

Good price for 'Gladiators' but any experiences with these tires?

[bncinwv]

See previous post:
Gladiator = Made in China
That says enough for me!
Bingo

[Recumbent]

Our G614s cost $334 each in October 2011 at Camping World. That's way to high but we now travel without no tire worries. Put in 105 lbs. on December 29, 2011 and have checked often without airing and on February 29 had 102 lbs. New Ford truck tires also holds air well with very small amount of reduction over same period. No TPMS needed.

[fauch]

Marathons = Load range E---BINGO!
China is a problem
but China is not the problem causing tire failures on these trailers
If you equip your trailer with tires rated for static (parked) load minus pin weight, you are asking for trouble..
axle-to-truck loading is not static. humps, hops, bumps, holes, dips .. changes the load
Tires rated for GVWR provide capacity needed for the dynamic load changes on the road

I keep repeating myself in these tire threads, and still keep seeing the same dangerous discussion about tires.
I would like to see more discussion about load range vs trailer weight on all tire failures.

All DOT labeled tires are tested to the same standards
Gladiator brand tires have also been proven beyond DOT standards with millions of miles on tractor-trailer rigs. OTR trucking is their main business.
Just seems strange that when we have a tire blowout, it's more important that it was made in China, than the fact that it is under-rated

I hate to say it, but there are many many far better values out there than G614s.

[8.1al]

I would like to see more discussion about load range vs trailer weight on all tire failures.
Tires rated for GVWR provide capacity needed for the dynamic load changes on the road

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Where shall we start? The GVWR for my trailer is 14,040 lbs. Are you saying that saying that my tires should be rated for 3500 lbs. each? I was under the impression that when a tire rated for say 3000 lbs. that the dynamic loads are taken into consideration, am I wrong?
I think we all agree that having tires with a rating higher than GVWR minus pin weight is a good thing, that is why so many are putting G614's on. Gladiator may make a fine tire but I think I will stick with a brand that I can easily replace as we travel around.

[fauch]

My reference to the Gladiator was in response to the discussion about the price of G614s
If we detach emotionally from the 'Chinafication' defect theory and focus more on the fact that Keystone, until 2012 did not offer G rated tires on any of the Montanas. E rated tires were standard. I think load changes on dual axle exceeds the normal. Any brand, no matter where it is manufactured will continue to fail if E rated tires are installed on (most) of these trailers.
I personally, will be open to purchasing Asian tires that match GVWR of my trailer.

[bncinwv]

quote:Originally posted by fauch


If we detach emotionally from the 'Chinafication' defect theory .....
I personally, will be open to purchasing Asian tires that match GVWR of my trailer.

Obviously, we will have to agree to disagree. As a part of a company that purchases millions of dollars worth of tires (some of which cost more than $40,000 each), we are constantly aware and diligently seek opportunities for cost savings. We are currently entering another period where we are seeing a severe shortage of tires (which may have something to do with escalating prices), and actually have no choice but to look at China as a source. What our company has found after in-depth research is that there is one Chinese tire factory (in which Michelin is a part-owner) that has been deemed to produce acceptable quality tires, all other manufacturing locations have been determined to have extremely deficient quality control programs, and have been "blacklisted" from our purchases. Having personally had "made in China" tires including Missions (three failures), Free Star (failure), and Marathons (got rid of them before they had a chance at failure), I am to this day comfortable with my selection of an American made tire. As Charlie said, I find it extremely difficult to believe that the tire manufacturers do not take dynamic load changes into consideration as part of their rated capacities, but I do not have personal knowledge to that effect. With all that said, tire selection will always be a personal decision with personal factors and personal experiences making up a large part of the decision making process. And to repeat, I am still very comfortable with the decision I made, but I do believe that it is beneficial that all available alternatives are presented to the forum, discussed, bashed, praised, questioned, etc. so that each individual has the most information they can possibly have to allow them to make a decision that they are hopefully comfortable with. That's my story and I am sticking to it.
Bingo

[8.1al]

I do believe that it is beneficial that all available alternatives are presented to the forum, discussed, bashed, praised, questioned, etc. so that each individual has the most information they can possibly have to allow them to make a decision that they are hopefully comfortable with.
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Well said Bingo

[DQDick]

quote:Originally posted by 8.1al

I do believe that it is beneficial that all available alternatives are presented to the forum, discussed, bashed, praised, questioned, etc. so that each individual has the most information they can possibly have to allow them to make a decision that they are hopefully comfortable with.
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Well said Bingo

X2. One of the great benefits of this forum is that we can get each others opinions and then make our own without folks getting on each others cases.

[richfaa]

Even when most tires were made in USA there was a wide range of Price and quality. USA made cheap lower quality tires back in the day.

[southern thunder]

quote:Originally posted by richfaa

Even when most tires were made in USA there was a wide range of Price and quality. USA made cheap lower quality tires back in the day.

Very true. I remember the Firestone law suits. There is some of this in every industry. "You always pay for what you get, but, you don't always get what you pay for."

[fauch]

I dont really think we are disagreeing.. we probably all realize that a fifth wheel with more than two conventional slides is safest with G rated tires. There is a huge difference in weight where cable and winch slides are used vs hydraulic/rack. A 37 foot High Country with four slides, just weighs what my 34 foot 2955RL weighs with two slides. So that said, I still think its important to include in any statement about failed Missions, Marathons, etc, that these were E rated tires. I am only concerned about this from a safety education standpoint. Even now, G rated tires are only installed with the Big Sky package. So for folks that are rolling around on E rated tires because they cant afford G614s, there are cheaper safer alternatives AND these SAFER alternatives are of Asian manufacture. American Pacific Industries brands, has a long history of providing the tires that cost what I paid for my truck, to the mining and earth moving business.American Pacific Industries is the managing, engineering, marketing and shipping conglomerate of several brands that have been popular in the trucking, mining, and agricultural industries, and also offer light truck and trailer tires.

http://www.apitire.com/#/about_us

So when we say Mission, Marathon, tomato or tomahto, I will always want to know trailer weight vs DOT tire rating!

The Montana Fuzion 375 comes with E rated tires. The GVWR in my opinion would require not just Gs but probably H rated tires!
I am not sure about this but I would wage a substantial bet, that legally they are only required to supply tires rated for the static, unloaded weight.... or as it's called in RV manufacturing, "shipping weight" . they are only required to supply tires that meet "Shipping Weight". Their liability is covered. The liability transfers to the customer when he adds weight beyond Shipping weight. If you purchase a Montana with E rated tires, what you are getting is tires that meet shipping requirements. THIS is pretty darn SCARY! The 'shipping weight tires' are sort of like unpacking a new piece of equipment and throwing away the pallet. The pallet makes good firewood and the shipping tires make good tree swings for the grandkids.

If my ranting helps to get us to the point that we can all end up with tires that meet GVWR load requirements, even if they are made in China, we will all be safer when we meet on the highway at 65mph!