New Front Steer Tires

[Glennman]

Now that I've replaced my front brakes, drums and shocks, I plan to get new 315 80R 22.5 steer tires as well.

Anyone have any recommendations?

[luvrbus]

I never ran Ironman tires but I see a lot of the brand on tour buses and RV's now with the 315's, Van used the Ironman 315's on his H 3 Prevost Gary Hatt just installed a set on his H-45 Prevost I forgot if they were Toyos or Ironman. I never had much luck the Michelins, but you see a lot of those on the front axle of some buses, me I always ran Toyo for the past 30+ years with no trouble. I think you are ok with any brand if they have the DOT specs for steer tires

[Gary Hatt - Publisher BCM]

I never ran Ironman tires but I see a lot of the brand on tour buses and RV's now with the 315's, Van used the Ironman 315's on his H 3 Prevost Gary Hatt just installed a set on his H-45 Prevost I forgot if they were Toyos or Ironman. I never had much luck the Michelins, but you see a lot of those on the front axle of some buses, me I always ran Toyo for the past 30+ years with no trouble. I think you are ok with any brand if they have the DOT specs for steer tires

The tires I bought were Ironman's.  The price for six 315 80R22.5 tires was $3,400 out the door. The quote for Toyo's was over $6,000. I had already had the front tires replaced with Michelin tires, which cost me $1,200 each at Prevost in Florida. FWIW, I walked around the Prevost parking lot, and every bus there had Michelin tires, except for one, which had Toyo tires. Most were passenger buses, but there were a few motorhomes there.  I suspect some people always have their Prevost buses serviced at a Prevost service center, as some (unlike me) can afford to have everything done first class. Prevost only seems to carry Michelin tires.

[Utahclaimjumper]

My brother just bought two Mich. steers at $1400 per in southern Or. >>>Dan

[Glennman]

I think I like the Ironman's prices. I could buy them twice and not spend as much as some of the more popular name brands. I'll be looking into those. Thanks for the advice!

[luvrbus]

The Ironman brand is owned by Hercules Tires that has been around for many years Fwiw I noticed Friday looking at some on a bus the tires have a balancing dot for mounting that takes the cost of balancing out of the final price

[DoubleEagle]

I have Hercules radials on some of my trailers, and they have performed well. They were made in Thailand. Hercules has been associated with Cooper Tires for decades, and Cooper is now owned by Goodyear. I wonder where the Ironman tires were made and are they are a model of Hercules Tires, or a separate brand? If the price is really good, they might be Chinese.

[silversport]

I purchased two Ironman's for the steer tire's three years ago. They have been satisfactory. Just purchased two more from Walmart, best price delivered to my door. I put new steer tire's on every three years the old ones go on the rear duels driver side then passenger side.

[windtrader]

I've been on Sumitomo tires since owning the bus 8 years and having all new tread on them now. They are very affordable and one of the few actually made in Japan. Highly recommended. I just looked on Amazon and they are 664.

[luvrbus]

I've been on Sumitomo tires since owning the bus 8 years and having all new tread on them now. They are very affordable and one of the few actually made in Japan. Highly recommended. I just looked on Amazon and they are 664.

Don, Sumitomo is Japan tire manufacture, but they are made all over world even here in the US, I think they 12 or 13 plants there are 2 letters and 6 numbers that will tell where they were made, like Turkey, China and other countries. There is a bus here now that has 12Rx22.5 with 8 made in China Sumitomo tires. Same goes for Michelins most of the 315/80/22.5 are made in Brazil or another country seldom do see one made in USA ,so don't bank on the Sumitomo being made in Japan   

[Dave5Cs]

Just read a piece that the original company in France bought them back Michelins.
WE WE

[Iceni John]

When I was at ABC Bus a few years ago I was amused to see that the Van Hools there operated by the Chinese bus lines in SoCal had generic Chinese tires like Hu Flung Dung or Long Dong or whatever on the rear, but every bus had Michelins on the front.   I guess even Chinese bus owners don't trust Chinese tires on the front!

I bought Yokohamas (actually Made In Japan) for my bus, and I think they ride and handle better than the previous Michelins  -  they seem to tramline less and track better.

John

[luvrbus]

Bus owners on this board don't have the front axle weight to worry about like a loaded tour bus operator, I have to use a air pressure multiplier, amplifier, booster on my compressor to inflate the Michelin 315/80/22.5 to the 130 PSI or wait till the compressor kicks off and that gets old waiting for it to click off and, on my compressor is set at 130 psi max, I see the boosters on new RV's built on the Spartan chassis come with the 2:1 boosters now for airing up tires using the engine compressor   

[windtrader]

real deal - made in Japan. most tires are made in plants all round the world. one guess is they will keep a production line going where it makes the most financial sense based on production and other operational factors. no. matter, these are made there and have been for the past 8 years. The oldest still look new. Going to the ten year rule.

[luvrbus]

real deal - made in Japan. most tires are made in plants all round the world. one guess is they will keep a production line going where it makes the most financial sense based on production and other operational factors. no. matter, these are made there and have been for the past 8 years. The oldest still look new. Going to the ten year rule.

Our Lexus came with Bridgestone's made in Japan, the next set I bought where made in USA you never know with tires, I don't worry much about where tires are made now as long as they have the same load range, ply's and the DOT number. You never where the compound came from to make the tire anyways