Re: 12R/80/22.5 or 295/80/22.5 tires
Reply #1 –
Yahoo Message Number: 111762
04 Allure 40' with tag.
First set of tire's when we first purchased the coach used, were the 12R's XZE*'s. For sure, a rather 'robust' tire. The story I heard, is the "*" indicated were for the XZE's targeting school busses. (Of course, if I had gone in another time. The story could have been they were for 'slalom racing semi's, or perhaps dump trucks:)!). I always felt safe on these tires. I chose them for the extra meat on the sidewalls, because we were new to 40', and suspected I could kiss a few curbs along the way. (Grazed a few, but never 'smacked them'....). I also feel that a lesser tire, could have ruptured, when we had no where to go - and hit a deep pot hole with sharp edge, on I99. Front right outside dual, and tag, both ended up being damaged. (Broken cord on one, and sipped cord on the other.)
That being said, they road hard, not a problem on the rears. But the stiff sidewalls transferred quite a bit of road imperfections into the front of the cab from the Steers.
(I did replace the two damaged tires, and due to a tire shortage at that time, ended up with the FMCA BG Goodrich priced 12R's in the ST230 model. As those were new, I put them on the Steers, where they remained for 14 months until I bought 6 new tires. Moved the ST230's to the Tag at that time. The ST230's also handled well, a bit less road noise, and a lessoning of road imperfections into the cab.)
At replacement time for the 6 tires. I went with the 295's XZA2's. (No problem having the 12R's ST230s on the Tag, and 295's elsewhere.). The tires ride nice, handle well, are quieter then either of the other two. And, even less road transfer of road imperfections into the cab.
I do not really check our MPG al that often. And have made other mods to our coach in this timeframe, so no opinion on if the better Rolling Resistance of the XZA2's (Better then both XZE*'s or ST230's.) yielded improvement in MPG. Very possibly they did, but if so, I'm sure it is minimal.
About 14 months on these tires now, and zero complaints with them at this time.
All that being said. I believe if shopping today. I'd probably put the 295's XZA2's on the Steers, and Hankook AH11 or AH12 (Forget which size is in the 295's or 12R's.) on the Duals and Tag. Save some money, and still have well regarded tires on the rear of the coach... And stay with the XZA2's that I know improved ride quality in the front.
Opinions vary on tires, but that's my $.02:)! Best of luck to you,
Smitty
04 Allure 31017