Mark Krol from Keystone....Tires... - Montana Owners Club

Ozz · 11-08-2012, 02:57 PM

Hi Mark,

Thanks for getting back to me, I know your in-box must look like a New York City phone book

Yes, we got a nice reply from Jennifer, but her answers just did not ring true for our unique set of problems with the Goodyear tires. A great number of us are having the edge wear on our tires with low mileage. No such wear was experienced with the old Mission "bombs" as we call them. No premature wear, but of course, they had other serious problems.

I think she hit the nail on the head when she mentioned 'Unique' shoulders on the G614's Unique=bad design?

It is a serious problem, many of us bought the Goodyear tires, and had to get the new wheels as well, for the high pressure tires. There are a bunch of us that are unhappy.

At this point, we don't really know what to do. 4500 miles on new tires, and they are shredding on the outside of the tire..

There has to be something better for our Montana's and Keystone products.

We can't have potential buyers not buy Keystone because of weak tires, and the potential buyers do monitor the MOC Forum.

Thanks, Jim

From: Mark Krol
To: 'Jim Osbern'
Sent: Thursday, November 8, 2012 12:07 PM
Subject: RE: Montana Owners Club tire concerns

Mr. Osbern:

Has anyone from Tredit contacted you regarding this email you sent to me on 10-13-12? I’ve been on the road for a few weeks and want to make sure this has been addressed.

Please contact me at this e-mail address or one of the phone numbers listed below.

Thank you,

Mark Krol

District Sales Manager

Montana Division

Keystone RV Company

(574) 535-2124 (Office)

(574) 596-7138 (Cell)

(574) 535-2174 (Fax

**DQDick** · 11-08-2012, 02:59 PM

Right on Ozz! The manufacturer should at least provide an option that we can rely on.

HamRad · 11-08-2012, 05:42 PM

Ozz,
You have me completely confused. This, of course, is easy to do. So you are trashing ALL tires!? The Missions and Marathons were no good so you went with the (golden tire)G614s and they went bad on you too?! And all these tires going bad is the fault of Keystone?! There are still tens or maybe even hundreds of more tire brands that Keystone can put on the trailers. Is that what you are suggesting?

Help an old country boy to understand. Thanks, Dennis

richfaa · 11-09-2012, 01:28 AM

We are watching closely as we have about 4K miles on our G614's and are not having a problem.

Ozz · 11-09-2012, 01:41 AM

Hi Dennis, I am confused about the tires as well, I guess. The Missions I had on my Keystone Sprinter were bad. They bubbled up on me on the way to Texas in Oklahoma, one blew, wiping out my brake lines on that side.
When I got the Montana 3400RL, I tried to get different tires with no luck because of the 80# wheels, I just went with the Missions, kept the speed down, checked the air in them all the time. They bubbled up on me ...on the way back from South Padre in Austin. They: Tredit, sent me new ?? brand tires. That is when I bought new wheels and the Goodyear's. After 4500 miles, the edges of all the tires shredded. I just didn't trust the tires they sent, more risk I didn't want to take, not knowing anyone who had them on their rigs. I haven't seen any of that brand since.
That experience would confuse a guy wouldn't you think?
I am still looking for a tire that will just be a tire, not self-shred, or bubble up.
I don't think that is too much to ask.
My weight per tire is within the allowed weight per tire, as a matter of fact, it is below, right in the 100# pressure, but I have had the max # in the tires for their first 3500 miles.
I am not alone in this want, there are many out there that are having the same outer-edge shredding and wear as I do.
Does that clear up things a little?

1retired06 · 11-09-2012, 01:53 AM

For what it is worth, we have been using on all three of our Montanas, Firestone TransForce LT E load tires, and have had zero issues. No flats, no blowouts, no unusual tread wear. Significantly cheaper than the G614 tire. Have 15.3K miles on the current set, and they look excellent.

Alwims · 11-09-2012, 02:09 AM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by 1retired06

For what it is worth, we have been using on all three of our Montanas, Firestone TransForce LT E load tires, and have had zero issues. No flats, no blowouts, no unusual tread wear. Significantly cheaper than the G614 tire. Have 15.3K miles on the current set, and they look excellent.

I was wondering if we were the only ones running the Firestone Transforce. We've been running them for around 2 years and as 1retired06 says, no problems of any kind. As a mater of fact, we run them on our pickup too.

Montana3800RE · 11-09-2012, 03:32 AM

As mentioned before on another thread im bought the Geostar 574 for our Montana and have only about 3000 miles on them and really can not say much about them yet. I know they are made over the pond but at $100.00 less than the Goodyear 614, why not. Seems to built like the Goodyear 614 and weighs 57 lbs. After comparing the Geostar to the Goodyear that I had on previous equiptment trailers, sure looks like they will give me the same service at less cost............Ron

HamRad · 11-09-2012, 06:39 AM

Ozz,
Thanks for clarification. I hope you find an answer to your tire edge shredding problem. Hopefully this will benefit us all. Just sorry that you have to be the focus of this learning curve.

Dennis

Ozz · 11-09-2012, 07:25 AM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by HamRad

Ozz,
Thanks for clarification. I hope you find an answer to your tire edge shredding problem. Hopefully this will benefit us all. Just sorry that you have to be the focus of this learning curve.

Dennis

Actually, there have been over a dozen folks with the same problem on the same tires contact me, or post on the Forum.
I am wondering, and lean toward the addition of the 'X-Factor' brace as to a contributor. That is the only thing I have added (that might cause a problem) since the other tires: the Missions, showed no edge wear.
I don't know if the folks that have the edge wear have the 'X-Factor'
brace. The brace would limit the wheel camber, putting more stress on the tire.. Don't know Dennis, I am stumped.
I have new tires now, and as long as I don't drive the 5er anywhere, they will look super!

**DQDick** · 11-09-2012, 01:00 PM

That's an interesting idea. We need a way to find out if the other folks having this problem have the X factor.

mlh · 11-09-2012, 01:44 PM

Ozz being in business for your self for a number of years you are used to solving problems so why do you think the X factor might be a problem?
Lynwood

Gkerlin · 11-10-2012, 01:21 AM

I haven't been able to find out positively if mine has the x-factor since it is still (over a month and counting) at CW waiting to get my hydraulic piston replaced and my tire wear problem addressed.

That said however I do have the MorRyde SRE4000 suspension. The MorRyde website says that it comes with the X-Factor and the SRE4000 warranty is void without it so I'm sure I have it.

It does seem that many folks are having no wear issues with the 614's and that makes me lean towards a coach related problem and not a problem with the tire construction.

What we really need is a survey to find out from anyone who has G614's

1 Are you having edge wear?
2 Both Edges? If not - which edge
3 All tires? If not - which tires (DS-F DS-R PS-F PS-R)
4 What Suspension system do you have?
5 Was the suspension Factory installed or aftermartket.
6 Do you have the x-factor cross member?
7 How many miles on the tires when wear was first noticed
8 What pressure do you normally run?
9 Approximate weight on each tire do you normally run?
10 Did you notice the wear start after any changes were made to the unit

Any other notes that would be helpful

Can anyone think of any other items that might be useful?

If there was some way we could get a forum started, or a mass email sent out to members, I'd be happy to subscribe to the topic follow it and get all the results into a database, sorted and analyzed for any common threads.

Theres enough of these tires out there on our rigs.

Ozz · 11-10-2012, 02:10 AM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by mlh

Ozz being in business for your self for a number of years you are used to solving problems so why do you think the X factor might be a problem?
Lynwood

Well, I didn't have that wear problem with the Missions with 3x the miles, that is the only change I made when the new tires went on.
If the Goodyear tires aren't the problem, that is the only mod I did that could account for the wear on the edges of the tire.
I beefed up my suspension, added 4,000# springs to the drivers side, 3500# springs to the passenger side, welded gussets/supports to the frame by the hanger supports to make it stronger, added wet-bolts, new wheels and new G614 tires.
The X-factor.. brace between suspension area, limits the bending of the tires on a turn, something has to give..
We have established that the Goodyear tires have a weak edge, not a heavy rubber edge. Some folks don't have the wear, or is is slight.

Ozz · 11-10-2012, 02:27 AM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by Gkerlin

I haven't been able to find out positively if mine has the x-factor since it is still (over a month and counting) at CW waiting to get my hydraulic piston replaced and my tire wear problem addressed.

That said however I do have the MorRyde SRE4000 suspension. The MorRyde website says that it comes with the X-Factor and the SRE4000 warranty is void without it so I'm sure I have it.

It does seem that many folks are having no wear issues with the 614's and that makes me lean towards a coach related problem and not a problem with the tire construction.

What we really need is a survey to find out from anyone who has G614's

1 Are you having edge wear?
2 Both Edges? If not - which edge
3 All tires? If not - which tires (DS-F DS-R PS-F PS-R)
All tires, both edges

4 What Suspension system do you have?
Springs, 4,000 and 3500#

5 Was the suspension Factory installed or aftermartket.
I added the heavy springs myself.

6 Do you have the x-factor cross member?
Yes, I made it and installed it.

7 How many miles on the tires when wear was first noticed
About 4,000

8 What pressure do you normally run?
108# hot then at 4,000 miles, 110# 4500 miles when I took them off.

9 Approximate weight on each tire do you normally run?
3445#, on the Goodyear inflation chart, 100# reccomended cold. Max weight for tire is 3750#

10 Did you notice the wear start after any changes were made to the unit
New tires and wheels, X-factor added, and H.D. springs.

Any other notes that would be helpful
Can anyone think of any other items that might be useful?

If there was some way we could get a forum started, or a mass email sent out to members, I'd be happy to subscribe to the topic follow it and get all the results into a database, sorted and analyzed for any common threads.

Theres enough of these tires out there on our rigs.

Great idea, this should help all of us.

sreigle · 11-25-2012, 10:30 AM

Ozz, maybe the X-factor contributes but it's not the sole cause. We do not have x-factor and do have the "odd" wear pattern. The pattern is both inside and outside outer edges show "darker" than the rest of the tread and are slightly more worn. These tires have been on this Montana for 2 1/2 years.

Looking at these tires today (all four have the same wear) I thought maybe it has to do with turning into our site. The scrubbing that takes place when you turn the rig. Tomorrow we'll be on the road so on one of our stops I'll check to see if there is still a color difference.

To be honest, I'm not sure it's a big deal. The additional wear, if that's what it is, is rather minimal for the length of time and miles the tires have been in use. Still, I'd like to know if there's something wrong. But I have to wonder if the extra wide and flat outer ribs is part of the cause. In other words, I don't have a clue.

Here's what the wear looks like. Pardon the mud and mud streaks (from washing the rig).

moutard2 · 11-25-2012, 12:33 PM

I've said this so many times, I know the story line by heart. IF you want to go to an 80lb. LT tire rather than the 110lb. G614 consider the Goodyear G949! It's built like a brick sh**house! I've been using them since I dumped the bombs shortly after I got the trailer in January 2011. They have 10K miles on them now and haven't missed a beat. As a matter of fact, they still look new ... except of course for the odd little curb scuff. IMHO they're the next thing to bulletproof folks. I'm surprised nobody has followed up with at least a comparison. When you're in the market for replacement tires for your rig, do yourself a favor and compare and consider them at the very least. Oh ... and no signs of any unusual wear including the odd wear pattern mentioned above.

kenandjudy · 11-26-2012, 02:25 AM

Having all 4 G614 tires replaced by GY as I write this for $68 apiece. I have 13,000 miles on mine with the same wear pattern. I noticed the wear from the start. I had the IS installed at 8,000 miles and I am hoping that the new ones will wear better (thinking the wear had already started with the original suspension).GY would have replaced free if they were not 2 yrs. old. I will keep a close watch on the new ones.
Ken

Ozz · 11-26-2012, 02:33 AM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by moutard2

I've said this so many times, I know the story line by heart. IF you want to go to an 80lb. LT tire rather than the 110lb. G614 consider the Goodyear G949! It's built like a brick sh**house! I've been using them since I dumped the bombs shortly after I got the trailer in January 2011. They have 10K miles on them now and haven't missed a beat. As a matter of fact, they still look new ... except of course for the odd little curb scuff. IMHO they're the next thing to bulletproof folks. I'm surprised nobody has followed up with at least a comparison. When you're in the market for replacement tires for your rig, do yourself a favor and compare and consider them at the very least. Oh ... and no signs of any unusual wear including the odd wear pattern mentioned above.

I think most of us have so little actual tire knowledge that we are hesitant to try a new tire, some tire not too many folks have, the G614 was talked about so much, and so many people went with them, it seemed to be the tire to go to.
What did your tires cost? More than the expensive G614? How are they different? Are they taller, fatter, ????

Ozz · 11-26-2012, 02:34 AM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by kenandjudy

Having all 4 G614 tires replaced by GY as I write this for $68 apiece. I have 13,000 miles on mine with the same wear pattern. I noticed the wear from the start. I had the IS installed at 8,000 miles and I am hoping that the new ones will wear better (thinking the wear had already started with the original suspension).GY would have replaced free if they were not 2 yrs. old. I will keep a close watch on the new ones.
Ken

I'm glad they stepped up for you. I am just wary that they will just wear again the same way. I wish I would have been able to go to another tire, but I didn't want to muddy the water at the time.

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