Bought a 4905 (BCM ad) in Sept and I'm getting ready to head out, so while checking the 'new looking' tires air, I notice the date stamp 4704, meaning they are 12 years and change old and I don't think I want to trust them. They are 12R22.5 0n 8.25 wheels. Questions are (1) do they still get classified drivers (rear) and steerers (front)? (2) Are the Asian tires any good? (3) Is the 315/70R22.5 tire OK to run? (4) any positive experiences with certain brands (I know I'm not supposed to ask negative)? I would rather not listen to a salesman's hype but would rather listen to you guys ideas and experiences.
First off, weigh your bus in full ready condition with water and fuel tanks full. I'm guessing you could easily go to 11R-22.5 tires which are suitable for 8.25 wide wheels. 11R-22.5 will loose just a few Revs per mile compared to the 12R's and be about a half inch lower. (12R=485rpm, 11R=500rpm). 11R's are very common and much cheaper than the less popular 12R and a whole bunch cheaper than 315-80R's. Good Luck, TomC
Good for you. You learned to read the date code on tires, a lot of folks don't know
this. Just to share, I put 315/80 22.5 tires on my coach a year ago. They work fine
and I know they are a lot more tire than I need, but if you look at the tires that are
on newer coaches, they have the same size. I figure they now something that
I don't. Besides that size is easier to find than 12r 22.5. To cut costs, I put used
tires on the rear and new on the front. That is something to consider.
Good luck, Merle. ;)
I just put 4-11-22.5 drives on for $1600
I would also look at the 11R's
and I wouldn't sneer or sneeze at Samson or Toyo or a few other not so elite brands...
you will never wear them out... unless you are under 50 :)
Toyo's (China)11x22.5's all position tires. Nice and smooth running. 26,500 lb MC5C. Had 12Rx22.5's when we bought her. Have not noticed any difference. Run 85 in the front and 80 in the rear....
Quote from: ol713 on April 17, 2017, 10:54:31 AM
Good for you. You learned to read the date code on tires, a lot of folks don't know
this. Just to share, I put 315/80 22.5 tires on my coach a year ago. They work fine
and I know they are a lot more tire than I need, but if you look at the tires that are
on newer coaches, they have the same size. I figure they now something that
I don't. Besides that size is easier to find than 12r 22.5. To cut costs, I put used
tires on the rear and new on the front. That is something to consider.
Good luck, Merle. ;)
And those coaches weigh 50,000 lbs too
Weigh your coach ! It matters.
Consult the tire manufacturers load/inflation charts to verify you are getting enough tire.
I don't see much benefit for getting excessively higher load capacity tires than you need.
your mileage may vary ;D
I put Ohtsu 12R-22.5 on my coach a little more than 3 years ago. I had Michelins of the same size before that. I can't tell the difference and am very happy with them. I put the same tires all around and I run 100PSI all around. I also keep them covered when parked-it makes a difference.
HTH
Will
I too have Ohtsu, on drive wheels, good results for 4 years, Michelins on front, which are very good in every way but dry rot cracking. The bus is always in the desert and they Crack earliest of all the brands, lvmci...
Quote from: lvmci on April 18, 2017, 09:00:29 AM
I too have Ohtsu, on drive wheels, good results for 4 years, Michelins on front, which are very good in every way but dry rot cracking. The bus is always in the desert and they Crack earliest of all the brands, lvmci...
I noticed the same thing with every set of Michelins I've ever owned-bus and pickup trucks, and we don't live in the desert. Just good old sunshine. ;D
I just put 4 brand new Chinese tires on my drive and tags for $1050 out the door installed in Houston. (https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170421/4c71a3f234c5e8adda20321529ffc5b1.jpg)(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170421/666aca9d7f71316367b229e5849de268.jpg)
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Quote from: eagle19952 on April 17, 2017, 01:22:02 PM
I would also look at the 11R's
and I wouldn't sneer or sneeze at Samson or Toyo or a few other not so elite brands...
you will never wear them out... unless you are under 50 :)
https://youtu.be/HoUbkyLEO_Y
Quote from: Dreadnought on April 21, 2017, 05:53:05 AM
https://youtu.be/HoUbkyLEO_Y
;D ;D ;D ;D ha...most guys over 50 have gotten that out of their system ;D ;D ;D ;D
I have new Dayton tires (USA) on my drives. These tires really improved ride quality, I had some very old michelins on the drives before. I would like to have these tires all the way around, however I did not pay for any of my tires directly. I have a friend that wanted my old truck so I traded for parts for the bus. He is gathering a set of aluminum wheels for me now as well. Also if you notice all of my wheels were sandblasted and painted before the new tires were mounted, and actually the drives are brand new steel wheels painted gray to match my others.
(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170423/2d5e28bd0bc3153c8191d6311dac6a9c.jpg)
These are take offs for the tags.
(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170423/a5da8a4584d573a6cff31b16d611fd77.jpg)
New Firestone tires (USA) on the steer.
(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170423/60fbdcf66d27a967b18ba50c4fe267ce.jpg)
Jeff LoGiudice
Tampa, Fl.
1986 TMC 102A3
1999 Reliabilt 6V92TA
Allison HT740
As I've said before-tires are much more than big, round rubber things that hold air. While Chinese tires look good from the outside (those with Chinese names, not big name tires made in China), what you don't see is the rubber compound, steel belts, fabric belts, tread pattern. There is a good reason Michelin makes over 50 different bus and truck tire models-a different tire for a specific use. The wrong tire can mean a loss of fuel mileage, bad handling, bad ride, poor traction (braking distance).
When I bought my Mercedes 300 Turbodiesel, it had some cheap Chinese tires on it. I could skid the tires on hard braking. Switched to Michelins and can just about put me through the windshield on braking.
A Chinese tire with a major name brand will be over seen by the parent company. If I were choosing a tire, I'd start with a major brand made in USA (tire says on the side where it is made), then made in Europe or Japan, then a major brand made in China-would not consider a non familiar brand from China or Russia or any other Eastern country. Good Luck, TomC
Quote from: TomC on April 23, 2017, 08:21:32 AM
As I've said before-tires are much more than big, round rubber things that hold air. While Chinese tires look good from the outside (those with Chinese names, not big name tires made in China), what you don't see is the rubber compound, steel belts, fabric belts, tread pattern. There is a good reason Michelin makes over 50 different bus and truck tire models-a different tire for a specific use. The wrong tire can mean a loss of fuel mileage, bad handling, bad ride, poor traction (braking distance).
When I bought my Mercedes 300 Turbodiesel, it had some cheap Chinese tires on it. I could skid the tires on hard braking. Switched to Michelins and can just about put me through the windshield on braking.
A Chinese tire with a major name brand will be over seen by the parent company. If I were choosing a tire, I'd start with a major brand made in USA (tire says on the side where it is made), then made in Europe or Japan, then a major brand made in China-would not consider a non familiar brand from China or Russia or any other Eastern country. Good Luck, TomC
That pretty well sums up my opinion of new tires as well. Putting on mystery tires from China and other distant places is gambling with safety. If the the re-treaders won't accept them, we shouldn't either when they are new.
Michelin brand owned by French company, it also owns the BFGoodrich, Kleber, Tigar, Riken, Kormoran and Uniroyal (in North America) tire brands.
To add to confusion Uniroyal is Continental owned in Europe and Michelin owned in USA
http://www.tyrereviews.co.uk/Article/who-owns-what-tyre-brands.htm (http://www.tyrereviews.co.uk/Article/who-owns-what-tyre-brands.htm)
Korean tires are good tires Kumho has had DOT certification since 1960 I ran those for years on concrete mixer trucks and I also ran the Japan made Toyo tires with good results.
I think Chinese made tires with the same load rating and plys would work if they have the DOT marking on the sidewall,the DOT does not just hand out a certification number without some kind of testing and manufactures data.
Michelin is a good tire but I think they overpriced for our use and I don't see the Casinos buses here using a Michelin most use the Double Coin 315/80/22.5 a Chinese tire or the Hankooks they handle the heat better.Tires are like ice cream pick your flavor and be happy I have a new set of Michelins 315/80/22.5 and still pissed about paying the high dollar amount for a tire made Brazil
Here we go again!
I believe any tire sold in the US legally must have a DOT stamp.
That means the tire was manufactured to meet US standards.
I was friends with the General Manager of Firestone Kenya (maybe Africa). Kenyans would not buy Firestones stamped "Made in Kenya" because they thought they were inferior. He swore to me that any tire Firestone manufactured the world over was made exactly the same. Same compounds, same processes. I believe him.
I used Michelins most of my life. (A considerable amount of time, but not as long as Clifford!).
I had OK experiences on Cars, Pickups, Horse trailers, and other types of trailers.
I went through three sets on my Eagle before I stopped using them. They cupped terrible. Michelin made them good sometimes. Denali Bandag (Michelin, in Anchorage) finally told me the type I was using were not very good tires and they had to replace a lot of them. I stopped using them. I probably have put more miles on my Eagle than most of you in the last 21 years.
I have a set of Chinese tires on now and due to not using the coach much, they are over 12 years old. They look like the day they were installed. They ride and steer great! I will replace them later this year when I start using the coach again simply because of the age. I hope I can find the same tires. I will install Chinese tires.
But, ain't that why we don't all drive Volkswagons?
I have been using the Double Coin 315/80/22.5's on the bus and have found them to ride/handle quite nice. We have used them in our trailer fleet for a good 5-6 years and so far we have experianced the same level of wear and longevity as the far more expensive brand name tires.
Ryan.
Here's the list...IIRC Samson are made in Isreal.
My Michelein steers are coded Nova Scotia.
We used a bunch of Kumho and Hancooks on Hvy Trucks.
So looky here then go look at your tires, they might say BridgeFireGoodMichYo but not made in America.
http://www.tiresafetygroup.com/tire-dot-plant-codes-sorted-country/ (http://www.tiresafetygroup.com/tire-dot-plant-codes-sorted-country/)
Firestone moved the tire industry to Brazil 100 years ago..maybe they still know what they are doing...:)
My back tyres are 11 R 22.5 and are old remolds slightly past their usable age. My fronts are 10 r 22.5 with no visible date codes.
Eventually, I'll probably replace with 255 80 r 22.5 or something similar. The bus was built originally for 9 r 20 F tyres. I'm going to have to go on a run and see what the speedo says vs my gps speedo.
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk