Tire prices?

[Texasjack]

Anyone bought tires recently? Going to need tires on my model 10, 24.5's. What are good brands and prices?

[Ace]

I found road master to be the best deal dollar wise and surprisingly rode better than the good years I once had! I'd buy them again!

[white-eagle]

i put 6 11r24.5 goodyears on about year or 2 ago.  left the 8 yr old michelin's on the bogies.  all 6 were about $2500, mounted, balanced and taxes.

Load range G.  Not sure i like them as well as the michelin, but i sure liked the cost.

[luvrbus]

A decent 16ply 11R/24 will cost you around 600 bucks out the door I have a friend that paid that much for the RoadMaster at Cosco and was thrilled at the price tire prices have gone through the roof lately along with other things   

[belfert]

I really hope I don't have to pay $600 a tire to replace my 11R24.5 steer tires.  I budgeted $500 a tire for this, but if I have to pay $600 a tire it won't kill me.

I've been looking at tires a little bit, but I haven't gotten serious yet.  I've seen some prices for Firestones in the low $400s, but tax, mounting, and other costs not included.

[chev49]

cheapest tires i have found in portland, ore for 11x22.5's is around 350

[luvrbus]

 Prices all depends on the rating know your bus weight don't use a G rated where a H rated is needed same applies if you are running H rated and the G rated will work save some big bucks and use the G's fwiw I always ran the 12R/22.5 H rated on the Eagle

[Hi yo silver]

I'm happy with the four Kumhos I bought two years ago, and the price was considerably better than Bridgestones.
Dennis

[TomC]

Once again-tires are more then big round rubber things your bus sits on.  Michelin makes over 50 different types of truck tires-each for a specific purpose.  Several no no's-
-You shouldn't run a drive tire in front-although in a pinch if you have to single one of your duals out to get to the tire shop.  Drive tires don't have the directional stability the steer tires do.
-You can run steer tires in any position on the bus.
-Regional tires are usually the better tire to run since they have reinforced side walls.  These tires will run about 60-80,000 miles then start to cup out in the front.  If you run them all around, rotate from the back every 20,000 miles.
-Line haul steer tires with the decoupler groove is the best for steer tires.  Many can get over 120,000 miles on a set.  Run these in front, and regional tires in back.
-Most buses are just plainly too under powered to take advantage of drive tires. Open shoulder means the lugs are visible from the side, closed shoulder have solid shoulders-smooth viewed from the side.  Open shoulder will typically create tire noise at highway speeds.
-Even though you don't run 75mph, make sure the tire is rated for that speed-then it is a highway tire rather then a construction tire.
-Most importantly-have your bus weighed at a truck scale to find out exactly what you weigh on the front axle, rear axle and, if you have it, tag axle.  Then you can go to the manufactures inflation tables to run the exact pressure-which means best tire wear, best traction, best ride.  Good Luck, TomC

[Sean]

I'm going to second everything Tom said, and add a comment:

When shopping, make sure you are comparing apples to apples.  Looking at brand X in a load range G and brand Y in a load range H makes no sense.  For one thing, even if those tires were exactly the same price, you will pay more for the brand Y because FET is assessed based on the load rating of the tire.  Also, some dealers give you an out-the-door price, and others will give you a price less FET, state tax, and other fees which can add up quickly such as disposal of your old tires, extra charge for valve stems, etc.

Let me also say that we have beat the subject of tires to death right here on the board already.  There is mostly nothing left to say that hasn't already been said about sizes, load ratings, brands, tread patterns, sidewalls, rotation, etc. etc. etc., so make liberal use of the search function, as you will learn a lot.  Sometimes searching with Google is easier or more effective than the board's built-in search; to search the board with Google, enter your search terms followed by "site:busconversions.com" (without quotes).  So, for example, if you wanted to read discussions regarding the 315/80R22.5 vs. 12R22.5, you might type this into Google (quotes included this time):

"315/80R22.5" "12R22.5" site:busconversions.com


-Sean
http://OurOdyssey.BlogSpot.com