Strange advice

[agesilaus]

I finally got around to looking at the latest Escapee magazine. They have a help columnist in it and he was asked this question(paraphrased):
"We have a giant fiver with four slideouts. We drive six hours a day at 70 mph on the Interstates on GY Marathon tires. We had two blowouts in one day! What is our problem??"
Now looking at this I see two glaring issues myself but the help guy saw another third issue: get your fiver weighed. Now I admit that is general good advice but the fact that the Escapees seem to run a weighing operation may have crept into his thoughts.
What do you guys think, good advice or not.

[Edd505]

Grit dog wrote:
What is even strange-er is the 3 pages of speculation about some random 4th hand info, situation or question that no one has a clue about in the first place....

4th hand info: Goodyear Marathon

[agesilaus]

I drive 63-64mph because my fuel costs ramp up rapidly after that and I stay in the right lane except for very rare passing. If someone doesn't like it then there are the other lanes.

[down_home]

Jacking them refers to backing the RV into tight spots, and the two or more axles make the sidewalls and..the threads really squirm sideways. On concrete you can often see the black marks and hear them. It can an does make the belts slip. Heavier constructed and larger tires resist the damage better.

[valhalla360]

jdc1 wrote:
Those triple axle trailers do a lot of "skidding" on the back two sets of tires. Imagine how much those very rear tires are flexing in a tight turn.Those sidewalls must be feeling some awful pain, being maxed out like that...over and over.

Going down the road, it's rare to have them "skidding" sideways. Turns at speed are rarely that sharp and any flex is almost immediately released as the tire keeps rolling.

Low speed parking lot work, it's really not stressing them very much relative to hitting a pot hole at 70mph.

[Lynnmor]

down home wrote:
Those Marathon and other ST tires are only rated to 65 mph? I do not wish to drive a rolling obstacle down the road.

Did you know that many trucks are governed to 65 MPH or slower? I have no problem staying below 65.

[Grit_dog]

What is even strange-er is the 3 pages of speculation about some random 4th hand info, situation or question that no one has a clue about in the first place....

[agesilaus]

I don't know how many blowouts/shredded tires we have had over the years, many tho. Especially during our popup years with those 13 inch wheels. But generally we would have one every long trip.
I had to laugh when I read about the "five year warranty" on the Marathons, has anyone ever received a warranty replacement on a shredded tire?
On that subject tho, I have to give Discount tires a high rating for their tire warranty. I resisted for years but finally gave in when we went to GR Commercial T/A 16in LT tires on our TT. A tire eating cattle guard ripped the sidewall on one of the tires and they replaced it without even asking what happened. Tires bought in FL and the Discount Tire in MT replaced it. It did cost $25 for the tire warranty on the replaced tire tho.

[down_home]

how many reports of blowouts on Towables have we seen on the forums or experience ourselves and..Marathon tires was featured a lot more than once.
As in our Holiday Rambler they used older light truck tires not up to the weight of a loaded or even empty unit. Plus...tire squirm when jacking them around to park or even on really curvy roads, with two axles or more. We lost two and the other two were getting ready to shed their threads and the Fifth Wheel wasn't even
two years old. They put what ever tires and wheel they can get at the best price, read cheapest to get them out the door, on most of the units.
I changed our tires from a G to an H rating LT truck tire and a better grade of tire also and next larger size and from 16 to 17 inch and to aluminum rims from steel. Those Marathon and other ST tires are only rated to 65 mph? I do not wish to drive a rolling obstacle down the road. After so many reports over the years I believe ST tires should be relabeled to RTB ready to blow or shed threads. Apparently their essential criteria is how cheap can we make them to attract RV mfgs. Marathon tires should read out of breath and will self destruct before the marathon is over, IMO.

[Edd505]

GY Marathons says it all, Google law suits. Escapees mag does not always give great advise.

Several issue back some one asked about using drain cleaner on a clogged sink. Advised no. The plumbing in the RV is just like a house, PVC, ABS & PEX. Do you used drain clearer at home? The differance is the RV has a plastic holding tank, homes have septic or sewer, the tank dumps to either.

[StirCrazy]

C Schomer wrote:
Age has been the biggest factor for my ST tires. I had a triple axle cargo trailer and the tires were two years and two months old and all six of them shredded within a 30 mile stretch. I never got more than four years and two months out of ST tires on my fifth wheels. All of those trailers had either 5200 pound or 6000 pound axles and 16 inch wheels so I switched all of them to LT tires and no more problems. The current Cooper’s on my fifth wheel are seven years old and they Still look like new. Craig

at two years that has nothing to do with age. that has to do with weight, speed, inflation and road conditions.

Steve

[agesilaus]

bobsallyh wrote:
agesilus, you can get your rig weighed at most any truck stop with scales anywhere across the USA. The Escapees weigh program doesn't even show on the radar! And since you frequent the SKP forum, you know I am a member.

It's still weird advice to completely ignore the bad reputation of the marathons and the fact that the fellow was exceeding the rated speed.

[bobsallyh]

agesilus, you can get your rig weighed at most any truck stop with scales anywhere across the USA. The Escapees weigh program doesn't even show on the radar! And since you frequent the SKP forum, you know I am a member.

[Super_Dave]

I think that trailer tires are a lot like booze. Get sick on a particular one and it leaves you not wanting to drink it again. My bad tire experience has been with Carlise tires and shudder at having them on anything that I own. Just guessing but figure that everyone with much experience has a tire that they don't like.

[jdc1]

Those triple axle trailers do a lot of "skidding" on the back two sets of tires. Imagine how much those very rear tires are flexing in a tight turn.Those sidewalls must be feeling some awful pain, being maxed out like that...over and over.