Tires

[TomC]

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

[DoubleEagle]

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.

[Dave5Cs]

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

[luvrbus]

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             

[akroyaleagle]

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?

[MB LeMirage]

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.

[eagle19952]

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/
Firestone moved the tire industry to Brazil 100 years ago..maybe they still know what they are doing...

[Zephod]

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.


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