Tires

[Busted Knuckle]

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
 BK  

[belfert]

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.

[artvonne]

  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.

[TomC]

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

[bottomacher]

I was told once that 315/80's won't fit on an older 22.5 rim. Anynoe know more about that?

[robertglines1]

315 rim width width suggested size is 9 inches wide. only reason I know of

[luvrbus]

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

[TomC]

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