Alpine Hi Spec Failure

[CWtheMan]

Originally Posted by ChuckS

Just remember all the extra load capacity really means nothing as far as capacity.. The OEM wheels are rated at 3750 lbs and the stock Dexter 7K axle springs are rated at 3500 lbs ( 7K per set )

Does your TV "squat" a bit when supporting a 5th wheel? Maybe the squat is caused from the weight of the trailer's transfer of weight to the TV via the tongue weight of the trailer. Once a consumer purchases a trailer the tongue weight becomes the responsibility of the consumer.


Axle springs have nothing to do with tire size and capacity. The vehicle manufacturer has the responsibility for setting the trailers load capacity. They can use 7000# axles and derate them to something else (6800#). They MUST identify the change on the vehicle certification label.

There is no such thing as "dry pin weight". That figure found in brochures is a mandatory figure used by the vehicle manufacturer for vehicle certification purposes.

In theory it will work, in actuality, the consumer must verify their actual pin weight.

The RIVA 10% tire load capacity reserves recommendation matches up with the vehicle manufacturer's tire load capacity minimum needs. Look on your trailers certification label and find the vehicle manufacturer's GAWR values. Add 10% to meet the RIVA recommendation.

[dinmi]

On the hunt for new tires now. The horror stories are enough to convince us to get them changed NOW! We were pulling back home - 119 miles from the camp ground to the house and we watched one tire get up to 95 degrees and the rest vary from 86 to 89. Not worth the risk. Thanks again for the feed back.

[RickV]

I was one of the "Lucky" ones. I made it from North Florida to Kalispell Mt. and back with no problems. I knew I was playing Russian Roulette from past experiences with "Factory" installed tires trying to save few $$$$. Then on a local trip about 90 miles I got bit. https://www.keystoneforums.com/forum...t=50721&page=2

I had ran Saliun S637s on my previous 5th wheel after having similar issues and they never skipped a beat so I replaced the "Hi-Spec Tires" with the Saliuns. Sourdough suggested Mavis Tire and after looking around they had the best price by a lot.

[dinmi]

Originally Posted by flybouy

How far is it to a tire shop? Not that I would "trust" them but that would be my next "trip". On my second set of Carslise radial trail HD's and will likely replace them with the same tires. For the 255-75R15 E that I use I don't think the value can be beat. JMO, YMMV

It is 5 miles to the nearest shop that will be installing Carlisles on Friday the 21st. Ya'll scared me enough to start making phone calls and getting replacements scheduled. The shop had 4, we need 5 (spare) they won't have it until the 18th. We saw a unique anomaly on the pull up and back. On the way up (119 miles from house to camp ground) the passenger side tires read about 10 degrees warmer than the driver side tires. On the way back in overcast skies we noticed the passenger rear tire registered 95 degrees when the rest of the tires registered a temperature of 83 to 89. That is somewhat telling that we are playing Russian Roulette with the tires and I am not that big of a gambler! We are replacing with the same size and rating (the trailer has G rated on it)

[wiredgeorge]

The tires on the sun side will be a bit warmer and don't think any of the temps you mentioned are noteworthy. Just get that camper into the tire shop and get the Hi-Specs off asap. Good luck! At one time, a rep from the Hi-Spec company used to haunt this forum and tried to placate members who were having problems but the problems got so large and frequent, the user didn't come back.

[JRTJH]

As George posted, the tires on the sunny side will be warmer.... From your post, you stated, "On the way up (119 miles from house to camp ground) the passenger side tires read about 10 degrees warmer than the driver side tires."

UP typically means "north of" which if you were traveling north in the morning, would put the passenger side of the RV "facing the sun". That would account for the increased temperature on the tires on that side. "nothing to worry about if that is the situation"...

As for the passenger rear tire 5 degrees warmer on the trip home, that small of a difference is usually not significant and could be caused by any number of things (or a combination of several of them) ranging from the crown of the highway "tilting" the trailer to that side, increasing the weight on that side, a slightly "tighter" brake adjustment, dragging/tighter adjustment in bearings, possibly less grease in that bearing, or even a "difference in electronic variance on the TPMS transmitter installed on that tire"...

Most don't "become concerned about a potential TPMS reading variance" until there's a "clear difference in temperatures" and for many, maybe most, that temperature difference is in the 15-20 degree range.

If you still get that kind of 5 degree difference with your new tires and it bothers you, you might switch the TPMS sensors on the wheels on that side and see if the 5 degrees "follows the sensor" or "remains on the affected wheel when a different sensor is used".... That would help "narrow the cause of the 5 degree variance".....

[ChuckS]

Image of another Hispec tire failure.. 3300 miles.. No info on what the cold inflation psi was, if covered when not towing, towing speed.. Tire was discovered by OP when he went to hook up to his Alpine...

Have not yet seen anyone make the effort to file a NHTSA Safety Complaint Form on the Oracle Hispec ST tire failures..

Keystone Alpine division is aware of this.. personally by several Alpine owners and myself...

https://www.nhtsa.gov/report-a-safet...src=aw.ds#tire

[ChuckS]

Regarding tire inflation, tire temps, etc I have always run maximum cold psi inflation indicated on the tire sidewall.. for the last 44 years or so.

However.. and old dog can always learn new things... so last year when I installed my new Sailun ST 235/85x16 tires I dropped the cold inflation to 105 psi..

I am on my second season of use with these tires.. very pleased with the performance and wear pattern... all four tires are running smooth from edge to edge with no measurable tire wear yet...

Miles .. about 4500
Towing speed.. never above 62
Kept covered when not towing..

I have been monitoring the tire temps and inflation once I start towing and was curious so I contacted Sailun directly..

Super quick response to my questions..

Here is a partial exert from the email .. was given permission by the email author to share as I deemed.

Email response from Sailun:

Alan Eagleson <[email protected]>
Attachments
Jul 11, 2023, 10:54 AM (5 days ago)
to me

Hi Chuck, thank you for your email and for being a Sailun customer.

Appreciate the detailed information you have provided. I will start by providing you information on the load and inflation. I will try to give you as much information as I can so you can share.

I will assume you have a two-axle (4 tire unit). I tried to figure it out but the math didn’t work. 4 X 2,700 lb. = 10,800, 6 X 2,700 lbs. = 16,200. You said 13,500 is your weight. I am going to go with 13,500 and 4 tires for a weight/tire of 3,375. You also did not mention your size. I will assume ST235/80R16 which would be worst case scenario.

Based on this information (3,375/tire and ST235/80R16) and the attached chart. If you reference line 7 and round weight up, you will find that the minimum pressure you should run is 80 psi. You indicated 65 to 70 psi below which leads me to think you have the 85 series tires. When I make a recommendation, I usually say 10 psi more than the minimum so, 90 psi. 105 is not too bad but, definitely don’t need 110. If you are using ST235/85R16, pressure could be lower. Here is what happens when you over-inflate. It changes the footprint of the tire on the road. The shoulders do not make full contact. As a result you get tread squirm on the shoulder rib which can result in irregular wear over an extended time of running. The other thing you will find is that you will experience “trailer bounce” on rough roads with the extra pressure in your tires.



Now on to your question about pressure rise and temperature. What you are experiencing is normal. The tire is engineered for both pressure and temperature increases. Where you need to be concerned is if your temperature is rising and your pressure is dropping…you may have a tire running low on pressure. It is hard to nail the temp and pressure increases down because there are several factors. Generally pressure will increase 15-20%. Temperature is a little trickier. I would say to set your monitor at what you have seen as the limit. Then if it goes higher, you can adjust up by 5 degrees. The S673 is engineered just like a semi-truck tire. Those tires can run as high as 160-170 degrees depending on conditions and loads. So, 140 is not an issue.


For your truck tires you can try this link and it takes you to the LT tires. https://gosailun.com/en-us/plt/tires/#lt Terramax AT for traction. Terramax HLT for a more comfortable ride. Both available in E rating.


Safe travels.

Alan Eagleson | Segment Manager – TBR – North America

C: 416-315-9391

E: [email protected]

[wiredgeorge]

Just curious Chuck... you mentioned dropping PSI to 105. What is the max load PSI on the sidewall? (I have little campers with little tires LRE and always run at 80 PSI).

[dinmi]

HiSpecs are gone as of today. When we were pulling back from our first trip of 119 miles with the trailer the right rear tire was registering at least 10 degrees higher than any of the other tires and the right side was registering higher than the left (weird all the way around, no pun intended) When we were taking the trailer up to the tire shop to have the "china bombs" replaced I noticed that the trailer listed to the right. Odd that was the side where we had the issues (tire pressure was registering the same for all tires). Husband said it didn't pull like a pig. After putting the Carlisles on the unit I followed my husband home and the trailer was no longer listing to the right, the tire temperature was reading even all the way around and he said it pulled better. Pretty sure we dodged a bullet on the OEM tires. Thanks to all for the info! Oh for anyone that cares I think the HiSpec weighed in around 26lbs per tire....the Carlisle weighed in at 56lbs per tire....that tells me a lot.

[ChuckS]

Originally Posted by wiredgeorge

Just curious Chuck... you mentioned dropping PSI to 105. What is the max load PSI on the sidewall? (I have little campers with little tires LRE and always run at 80 PSI).

Cold psi on my Sailuns .. 110…:wheels rated at 110..

My next trip in I’m gonna drop from 105 to 100..at 100 psi cold the weight capacity load of the tire is still more than the wheel or 7K axles ..

I have always run max cold psi for decades but an old dog can try new things .. the TST will tell me what I want to know regarding psi and temps while towing

My tire size is ST235/85x16 which is larger than then OEM placard that it came with states (St235/80x16) E rated 80 psi tires from the factory that were junk..

The very next year all Alpines went from E rated 10 ply to G rated 14 ply..same wheels , springs and axles. So I don’t need to hear the “placard dissertation” …

After 9 years of using 14 ply G rated tires there will never be a tire installed that matches the placard.