Considering buying new Michelin tires for the drives on a Prevost that we bought recently. The tires are 2005's and have some slight hair line cracks. Want to be safe. Tires are $865 each but can buy other brands cheaper.
My question is that I have heard over the years that Michelin's make a Prevost handle better. True or false????
Mich is supposed to be top of the line, best tire you can buy for any coach...... also the most $. I had goodyear and now have firestone....... quite honestly, I enjoyed the ride the same on both. I have never riden a coach with Mich on it, so I cant really compare. But I bet there isnt a bus driver around (even with Mich) who enjoys his ride more then I enjoy mine! I love it!
I would feel a little uncomfortable buying 6 year old tires with some "hair line cracks"
If you are going to drive a lot in the next few years then it might be OK, you could get a lot of miles out of them. But if you use your bus like most do then it will be sitting for most of the time and the cracks will only get worse before you get your usefulness out of the tires.
You want to get the most years of use on a set of tires because most conversion buses don't travel enough miles to wear them out.
Just my .02
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Zimtok,
I think he meant that the current tires are the old ones. Eagle 10, where are you located? If it's near Michigan, I might want your cast offs! ::)
Glenn
Zimtok.
I am not buying tires 6 years old with hair line cracks. I plan to take these 6 year old tires off my coach and buy new ones. I can see how my post mislead you into thinking I was buying 6 year old tires.
Tenor,
We live in Maine. When we had the Eagle 10 and bought some new tires recently, the tire company gave me $70 trade ins for each of the old casings that were on the Eagle. (24.4) They now tell me that they don't but the 22.5's coming off the Prevost because they are low profile. They have no call for them used. Interesting!!!
I wouldn't spend that much more money for Michelins. I don't think they are any better than the average tire. You would just be paying extra for the name.
JC
My mistake.... ::)
Maybe some day I'll learn to read between the lines better... ;D
.
Michelin tires are at the fore front of tire design. When Michelin brings out a tire, other tire manufacturers sit back to see if it works then copies their design and brings out their own.
Michelin makes around 50 different tire designs (proof that tires are much more then big round rubber things that hold air) for truck and bus use. What tire size is yours and what model of Michelin are you thinking of buying?
I use nothing but Michelin on my cars, bus, truck. I know I have averted many a car collision because of Michelin's excellent traction over a cheaper tire. A mere few inches can make the difference between stopping or running into something. Good Luck, TomC
Our Eagle has always wondered when going down the road and the front is a little heavy. I ran fierstones for 7 years and was happy with them. They road a little ruff because of the pressure I have to run in the front tires. I but michelins on all positions 2 years ago. The ride got softer and the bus does not wonder as much. As far as wondering I am always twicking the frontend and It might not be all the tires that helped that problem but the ride is noticeably better. Also I do not keep good track of fuel milage but I think I am getting a little better fuel milage ( and maybe it is my old brain playing tricks on me).
Good Luck Wayne
My bus doesn't wander but I wonder when my 12 year old tires are going to give out! 50,000 miles on some Firrestone HP-300 315-80r-22.5's ann no cracking anywhere-- sidewalls or tread. I just keep crossing my fingers and carry a spare. New tires are not in the budget, I can barely afford fuel!
I Have Firestones on our Eagle and there going on 10 years old as well and no signs of any cracking I also keep them off the ground on and they are only uncovered when Iam useing the Bus
I have Michelins on the bus and love the ride. I had Michelins on my truck before the bus and had to replace them right before I sold the truck. Hated the tires I replaced them with. It rode like a tank after the change. Unfortunately, the Michelins on the bus are about to be replaced and I can't justify the cost of new Michelins. I'm going to try Toyo's this time. Most of the loggers around here seem to run Toyo's and Hankooks. If the ride is harsh, so be it :(
Best of luck in your decision, Will
BTW-when I took my truck into the tire shop to replace the Michelins, the tire buster took out a pen knife and poked it into the weather cracks in the sidewall on one of the drives and it hit metal wire. He just shook his head in disbelief.
Quote from: eagle10 on April 21, 2011, 05:54:07 AM
Tires are $865 each but can buy other brands cheaper.
My question is that I have heard over the years that Michelin's make a Prevost handle better. True or false????
None of my biz, but you asked. You can buy BRAND NEW Michelin's cheaper than $865 each, I would rethink this deal. I had Mich. and the ride was superior, but the price was way too much when it came time to replace them, I went with Firestones' this time. Reasoning? Mileage is way down because of the fuel issue, and the Mich. were twice the price of the Firestone tires.
I would look somewhere else.
BCO
Replaced 6 low profile Mich. with 6 11.00x24.5 Hancooks. Drives better,runs better down the road and only cost 2,300$ About one half what the wanted for mich.
uncle ned
Cracking is the problem with Michelin tires,I have better luck with the Toyo's but not much difference in price on 315's between the 2 but never had a sidewall blow out on Toyo like the Michelin and forget about Michelin and a warranty it will all ways be your fault lol
good luck
Thinking about getting a set of these michelin's for mine.... :D ;D Billy
http://www.ebaumsworld.com/pictures/view/80500555/ (http://www.ebaumsworld.com/pictures/view/80500555/)
I have heard what Clifford mentioned from many different sources, that Michelin are great in some respects but are prone to early cracking. That makes them quite an expensive luxury.
We have six new Kumho's on our girl. They have less than 3000 miles on them and so far have been great. Someone will get the whole set when we sell the coach.
Just a couple weeks ago I purchased eight new Toyo tires for my Eagle at a price of $3400 - mounted, balanced and installed. That seemed like a high price, considering that the same tire sold for almost $100 less just thirty days prior.
Since, I have taken the bus on a forty mile tire ride test. Everything seems normal, which is to say that the bus rides as good or better than it did before and, I had no complaints then.
My travel plans call for approximately 4,000 miles within the next few weeks so, I can tell you more after the trips.
However, I can tell you today that $7,080 is, IMO, a ridiculously outrageous price for eight tires on a bus that travels considerably less than its commercial counterpart. Sorry Michelin, I just didn't have an extra $3,600 to give you.
You are not going to get super buys on the 12r/22.5 or the 315/80/22.5 that Prevost uses those things are expensive in the major brands.
I was told by a large truck tire shop in Phoenix (he sells all brands) that Goodyear has the best 315/80/22.5 on the market now but the kicker is they cost more than Michelin's or Toyo's
good luck
One of the ways to save on tires is to weigh your bus by axle to see if in fact you really need to use the 12R-22.5 or 315/80R-22.5's. I know many have switched to the much easier to get 11R-22.5. I run 11R-24.5 since they are the tallest tire. But-I could run a much smaller tire since I only weigh 10,500lbs front and 20,500lb rear. Consequently I run just 90psi (which is still higher than necessary) in the tires all around. Good Luck, TomC
Trust Prevost you do need the 12/r or 315's as they are border line on the front end for weight before the conversion work
good luck
I weighed 11,800 on front axle 89 prevost converted
You are doing something right Bob I never saw one that lite on the all my friends with factory conversions on that year model are at the 13,000 lb limit one is 600 lbs over on his Marathon 1990 model the 8-8d Lifeline batteries are his problem in the front bay heavy suckers lol
good luck
That's with 2 slides and granite floors. weighed road ready fuel full-Indivual axle scaled and combined. Steel wheels. How much do your friends weigh? ;D Just kidding. Included 400 lbs for driver and co pilot. Total scale weight 36100lbs Bob
They are a lot more than that with no slides they do have granite floors and counter tops both weigh around 34,000 just on the drivers and front I forget what was on the tag I am thinking some where around 8 to 10,000 lbs.
The Country Coach is heavier than the Marathon by 1500 lbs it has a 200 gal fuel tank
good luck
I think that Michelin's are over rated. I've had the sidewalls blow out while they were setting and yes it was my fault.
I run Hercules on my dump and service truck. I don't care about ride but I sure get the service out of them. They have the deepest tread depth when they are new of any tire I've seen. 11R 24.5 14 ply, highway tread, priced today from my tire guy was $380.00 mounted, but he is a Distributor as well.
As for the Eagle out of 8 tires I've got three different brands. LOL
Used to have a Native fellow that worked for me and he asked if I knew how to tell a rez (reservation) truck? He'd laugh and say...It's got four different brands of tires on it!
I guess I've got a rez bus.
On the way to Tuba City, AZ right now.
LJ
I just want to reiterate what's already been mentioned here. From personal experience, I have found that nothing will extend the life of a tire more than keeping them covered when they're not going down the road. My wife sewed up a set of wheel covers for the bus about three years ago from a UV treated ground cloth material. Since then, both the covers and the tires still look like new. Anytime we're going to be sitting for more than 2 days, the covers go on. It only takes a minute and even without any ties, they've stayed on in winds above 70MPH. My 2 centavos, Will
Quote from: PP on April 24, 2011, 09:36:09 AM
I just want to reiterate what's already been mentioned here. From personal experience, I have found that nothing will extend the life of a tire more than keeping them covered when they're not going down the road. My wife sewed up a set of wheel covers for the bus about three years ago from a UV treated ground cloth material. Since then, both the covers and the tires still look like new. Anytime we're going to be sitting for more than 2 days, the covers go on. It only takes a minute and even without any ties, they've stayed on in winds above 70MPH. My 2 centavos, Will
I wish I had that ... "
A wife that would pitch in from time to time and help out" .... (don't send me any letters!) My bride, bless her heart, would fit right in here.
She is real quick to tell me when she doesn't like something and why it won't work.
Sounds like a good idea, never considered it for our bus, I had some covers on our travel trailer way back when and they seem to work, sunlight cracks 'em pretty fast, eh?
I've had Michelin's both on trucks and buses and in my opinion they sucked!
Tread life was the lowest of any brand I've ever had and don't even get me started on Michelin's warranty policy or lack of! (just because they claim to have a good warranty doesn't mean squat if they won't honor it and find ways to blame it on the owner or the vehicle!)
I've had good luck with Kumho's and up until recently was all I was running. But when we moved last yr the new tire shop we use can't get me as good of deal as I used to on the Kumho's but for $50-75 more I get Firestone's and have had great results with them wear & fuel mileage wise!
Now as far as warranty goes the best warranty results I ever got was with Bridgestone but I had to buy a tire and leave the old one to be "looked at by the factory rep" but got 95% back! (had same issue with a Goodyear and it took a year and only got 25% back both "new" tires with less than 10,000 miles on them! And don't even try to get Michelin to warranty one!)
FWIW
;D BK ;D
I have Firestones FS590s on my bus. I have never had another tire to compare. They are not the cheapest, but not the most expensive either.
I am going to be making a few calls this week to see what tire prices are running these days. If I could sell my current tires for a decent price I might change them out this year instead of another year or two down the road.
Theres a local tire guy back in Mn I frequented, he used to be a big Michelin dealer, said they were still one of the highest rated tires. But, he said some years ago they just stopped warranteeing them for every reason they could come up with. And not just his but every dealer he knew was saying the same thing. He had many long time customers pretty upset and finally told Michelin he was done. The last few years ive heard and read simular, and this thread now too, and on big OTR semi truck tires no less.
Last week when I picked up the Bus, I was talking to a trucker. He said he had heard a lot of Michelins were zippering open in the sidewalls.
Its one thing for a tire to fail, but its another thing altogether when they wont stand behind them. And then another thing yet again to charge more than anyone else. Spread the word, tell your friends, and let Michelin know the only way big companies today learn anything. When their sales drop. They sure wont read letters customers send them, they dont care.
It seems there is just no integrity anymore. Companies grow through good products and good service, then get greedy, sometimes when Jr takes over and think screwing people willmake more profit. They start over charging, cutting corners, and stop standing behind their product. Even mighty Mercedes Benz has done it.
With a 11R-22.5 16 ply, you can run up to 13,200lb in the front. My 11R-24.5's 16ply are rated at 14,200lbs in the front. If that's not enough then go with the 295/80R-22.5 that is rated to 15,500lbs. Course the next step is the 315/80R-22.5 up to 18,000lbs (they do have a 20,000lb version, but only to 65mph). Good Luck, TomC
I was told once that 315/80's won't fit on an older 22.5 rim. Anynoe know more about that?
315 rim width width suggested size is 9 inches wide. only reason I know of
315/80/22.5 most major brands require a 9 inch wide rim they will work on the 8.5 but you give up the max carrying capability of the tire,there are brands out there that work fine on a 8.5 wheel so the tire guys say and I believe Toyo is one that works on both
good luck
The popular 22.5 wheel widths are 7.5" (for 10" and smaller tires), 8.25" (for 11", 275, 295, and 315 at lowered poundage), 9" (for 12, 315), 12.25" (for the big 385, 425, 445, 455 tires).
You can run 315's on a 8.25" rim, but most 8.25" rims are only rated to 6,600lbs. And since the 315 is rated to 9,000lbs at 75mph, and the 20 ply 315 at 10,000lbs at 65mph, the 9" rim is made to take that kind of weight. Good Luck, TomC