Yahoo Message Number: 73596 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/73596)
I'm going to replace my 12R22.5 Toyo's after nearly eight years of good service. I am interested in your views on which of the following options I should select. What's shown is tire price only before excise/sales taxes, disposal, mounting and balancing.
Toyo M111Z - $610
Michelin XZE - $705
Bridgestone R250F - $550
Ohtsu RI1200 - $440
These are all available in my area with recent DOT dates. Thanks in advance for any comments.
Nate Richards
04 Allure 31043
Yahoo Message Number: 73597 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/73597)
Nate
I have had Michelin 12R22.5's on my coach now for about 4 years and have been very pleased with the ride and durability of the tires.
Fred Compton
2002 Intrigue #11407
Yahoo Message Number: 73598 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/73598)
$610 for the TOYOs sounds very high. I recently purchased M140Zs (one size smaller) for $405 each mounted (no sales tax here in Delaware).
George
'04 Inspire 51061
Yahoo Message Number: 73599 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/73599)
Sorry, I forgot, you say you got almost eight years out of your previous TOYOs, why change brands now?
George
Yahoo Message Number: 73600 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/73600)
I like my new Toyo M111z, no experience with the others.
2003 Intrigue 11527
Yahoo Message Number: 73601 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/73601)
George,
Yes, Toyo's are certainly fine - I've had no troubles or complaints. It is more a cost issue since I only drive the coach about 8k miles per year, so I will never wear this next set out. Since my coach is relatively light I only need to inflate to 90 lbs so I expect most any tire will feel ok on the road - the Toyo's certainly do. My dilemma is are they worth spending an additional $1,100 for a set vs. the Ohtsu's.
Nate
Yahoo Message Number: 73603 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/73603)
I've had good experiences with Hankook tires. I've put about 11k miles with Hankook tires on the rear. They are wearing perfectly. I put 4 on the rear for half the price of Michelins or any of the other name brand tires. I firmly believe that you pay more for name recognition and their advertising budget.
Steve & Jane
1998 Intrigue
#10557
Yahoo Message Number: 73604 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/73604)
you are a lucky guy. One of my Toyos failed at just over 6 years. Not in a gentle way either.............
Dave
aka Billy Byte (trusty hound)
2000 Allure #30443
Yahoo Message Number: 73605 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/73605)
I agree
center
Walt
2004 Inspire #51010
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From: Country-Coach-Owners@yahoogroups.com [mailto: Country-Coach-Owners@yahoogroups.com ]
On Behalf Of David Tuttle
Sent: Friday, August 12, 2011 3:48 PM
To: Country-Coach-Owners@yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: [Country-Coach-Owners] Options for new tires
you are a lucky guy. One of my Toyos failed at just over 6 years. Not in a gentle way either.............
Dave
aka Billy Byte (trusty hound)
2000 Allure #30443
center
From: George Klima
To: Country-Coach-Owners@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Friday, August 12, 2011 2:48 PM
Subject: Re: [Country-Coach-Owners] Options for new tires
Sorry, I forgot, you say you got almost eight years out of your previous TOYOs, why change brands now?
George
Yahoo Message Number: 73606 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/73606)
Nate,
I got over 6 years and 90,000 miles from my Toyos. So, I bought M111Zs last early spring. I also installed centramatic blancers. We now have 108,000 on the coach and 18,000 on the new Toyo. I am still very happy with Toyo tires.
Good luck with your choice.
George in Santa Fe
'04 Allure 31038
Yahoo Message Number: 73607 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/73607)
Not to sound too critical of anyone but can any of us really tell the difference between tires? If so tell me how you do it.
My point being that I hear this and that about different brands and how they ride and feel. But the typical motorhome travels on different roads under different conditions all the time. We only replace tires every 5 - 8 years. So how is is possible to tell one from another? If you were a commercial trucker driving the same road every day then yes I guess you can tell the difference. But look at any 200 miles of Interstate and count the changes in surface conditions. Then add to that weather conditions.
Me? I buy on price and safety. Then look after them. So I guess anything that is black and round is ok by me. (As a side note I looked at a relatively new Newel recently and it had commercial Firestone's on it).
I'm happy with my new Toyos but then I've only ever had Toyos to compare them to. I hope I live and drive long enough to try them all out!
Bruce
2001 Intrigue #11278
Yahoo Message Number: 73617 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/73617)
Nate,
OHTSU, FALKEN and Sumitomo are all from the same company in Japan. From what I understand, they are a quality commercial truck, bus, rv tire selling in the US since the early 70's. I would go with the OHTSU at that price.
OHTSU---- http://www.ohtsutires.com/about (http://www.ohtsutires.com/about)
Tim
98 Allure 32'
Yahoo Message Number: 73630 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/73630)
I must have been living under a rock- I've never heard of OHTSU tires. They sound too good to be true. Is there anybody else out there with experience with that brand? Jim Biestek
'04 Intrigue 11783
Nate,
OHTSU, FALKEN and Sumitomo are all from the same company in Japan. From what I understand, they are a quality commercial truck, bus, rv tire selling in the US since the early 70's. I would go with the OHTSU at that price.
OHTSU---- http://www.ohtsutires.com/about (http://www.ohtsutires.com/about)
Tim
98 Allure 32'
I'm going to replace my 12R22.5 Toyo's after nearly eight years of good service. I am interested in your views on which of the following options I should select. What's shown is tire price only before excise/sales taxes, disposal, mounting and balancing.
Toyo M111Z - $610
Michelin XZE - $705
Bridgestone R250F - $550
Ohtsu RI1200 - $440
These are all available in my area with recent DOT dates. Thanks in advance for any comments.
Nate Richards
04 Allure 31043
Yahoo Message Number: 73633 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/73633)
I went with the Bridgestones
Yahoo Message Number: 73636 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/73636)
Believe it or not but in the last month, I have run into two Country Coaches with the Ohtsu tires. One coach has had them for 3 years and no problems. The other coach just put them on so no real feedback from that one. The guy with the 3 year old tires said they are fine and that they didn't ride hard and they weren't noisey.
Don
'02 Intrigue #11427
Yahoo Message Number: 73642 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/73642)
I have the OHTSU tires on our 97' Magna. Nice riding, quite. Not sure what more one could ask out of tires. They are very highly respected in the construction etc, trucking.
Leonard
97' Magna
5418
Yahoo Message Number: 73643 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/73643)
As third owner of our 97' Magna and no record of work, had Kaiser check the front end alignment. They had to align the front axle with the coach, set castor on the right side and while test driving they found the wheel hop that I thought was the unbalanced rear wheels. It was not. It was the front wheels. They trued and balanced the wheels on the coach. Wow! What difference it made in the handling. Like a sports car around curves I use to fight just a bit.
Interesting on the wheel hop. Friend has a 99' Magna with different brand of tires and he had the same wheel hop. We were on the Interstate just a few days and compared notes over the CB. Comes at a certain speed and stops at a slower or faster speed. Mine had been getting worse over time.
Kaiser says they are one of the few who can still true and balance tires on the coach. Made a believer out of me. Always very satisfied with there work.
Leonard
97' Magna 5418
Yahoo Message Number: 73656 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/73656)
Thanks to all those who responded with tire suggestions. I am inclined to go with Ohtsu's given their cost and favorable comments from you all.
The dealer who offered them at that price said the only way he could balance them was to put sand inside - he doesn't have a high speed device. I am not familiar with that technique. Have any of you had sand inside your tires? How does it work? Are there any collateral effects?
Nate Richards
04 Allure 31043
Yahoo Message Number: 73657 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/73657)
I would not recommend it. We had it done and if you try and check the tires for air the sand gets caught in the valve and lets air out and not in. You have to blow the valve with air to get the sand back. We just had this done this year to our two front tires, my husband hates to test them for the right amount of air. They told us to make sure the vavles are at 12:00 to test still does not work. Just our experience....
1998 Intrigue #10646
Yahoo Message Number: 73661 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/73661)
Good information, Nancy. Thank you.
Yahoo Message Number: 73664 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/73664)
If by sand you are referring to a product known as equal, the dealer should install special valves which do not get clogged. I've always had new RV front tires balanced with Equal and have not yet had any problems.
George
'04 Inspire 51061
Yahoo Message Number: 73668 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/73668)
George,
I had never heard of Equal 'till now, but I just looked it up and it sounds very interesting. The dealer I spoke with just said "sand" so I will question him further to see what he was thinking. It looks like the Equal compound costs about $10 per tire but lasts for the life of the tire. Thanks.
Nate
Yahoo Message Number: 73670 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/73670)
More expensive, but Centramatics (SP?) and I think it is Ring Masters (Or maybe Balance Masters) are a one time coach purchase, and if you buy a different coach with the same size wheels, they can move along with you.
In order of preference I would recommend:
1) Centramatics and or Ring/Balance Masters
2) Liquid balancing (adds some protection to seal small puncture leaks, as well as balancing)
3) Equal/Golf Balls/Pellets
4) Nothing at all
We had Park House Tire in San Diego do:
1)Balance each tire (Front/Duals/Tag) (Though most will tell you not to bother on the Duals)
2) Install the Centramatics on Front/Dual/Tag sections) (Just one on the Dual)
3) I got the gent installing our tire off to side, and tipped him $10 per tire up front, with a promise of another $40 if I felt he had accomplished what I had asked. What did I ask? To take extra time on these big heavy PITA to mount tires, and make extra sure they were well centered on the rims. You can balance all day, but if a tire is mounted off round on the rim - you have minor to severe egg rolling ahead.
The Manager agreed to one other item, actually was interested himself. We mounted all of the new balanced well centered (the gent showed me each tire with a small metal ruler at four sections around the wheel - got his extra tip) tires. Went for a drive on my normal route, one that had (brace yourself) a newly refinished tar section of Interstate 8, in the Mission Valley area (smooth section of about 1 mile). We placed a large bowl of water, 1/2 full on the bathroom tile, just over the drive axle. My wife and the Manager both watched the water in the bowl. Observing jitter as we drove over the smooth section. Back to the Tire Shop, Centramatics added to all axles, and then repeated the test drive.
Now guys, the difference of the tires was already something I could feel in the driver seat. Probably a 75% improvement over the OEM Toyo's. The drive with Centrmatics, improved the ride just that much more. The observed 'jitter' of the water by my wife and the Manger, was over 75% better, in their combined opinion.
The other thing I like about the Centramatics, and I assume the Liquid or Equal or other internal tire balancing would do the same - is that they adapt over the years as the tires wear some.
That's my story:)!
Best of luck on your decision, and hope you enjoy your ride down the road! Smitty
04 Allure 31017
Yahoo Message Number: 73673 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/73673)
Smitty,
There is one additional means for balancing tires that has found much favor in the MH world. Visit www.innovativebalancing.com for a description of these ceramic beads (called Dynabeads). On another Yahoo Group for SOB, a number of members have reported that these beads have several advantages. I used them when I replaced all six tires on my coach three years ago and am completely satisfied.
Specifically stay away from "equal" as there are numerous reports of this material clogging valve stems (even the filtered stems) and producing longer term damage in the tires due to clumping.
In at least two cases that I am aware of, coach owners have replaced "Centramatic" type balancers with the Dynabeads and reported observing no degradation of balance. And they reported they don't have to go to the effort to service the "Centramatic" type balancers to remove dirt accumulation.
The Dynabeads can be moved from tire to tire at replacement also.
Add usual disclaimer that I am just a satisfied customer with no other connection to Innovative Balancing.
Jim M.
SOB