Good Sam's RV Doctor Says ........

[Festus2]

Came across an interesting article on towing and tow vehicles today in the latest edition of Good Sam's Highways magazine. I thought this section was of particular interest and worth sharing:

"RV dealers are obligated by NHTSA to edit or otherwise modify the CCC (Cargo Carrying Capacity) number if they install heavy accessories such as generators, A/C's, etc., before delivering the RV to you. Typically, they will simply add another label next to the NHSTA label, signifying how much weight must further be deducted from the original CCC.

Note that water is considered an "off-loadable" or "consumable" commodity, and is not included in the published CCC since it is not really a requirement to travel with water. Propane is, since it is presumed to be a necessity in order to use the RV for heating, refrigeration, cooking, hot water, etc. So if you do travel with potable water aboard, it is up to you to subtract the weight of the water from your available CCC. Don't forget to include the HW tank in your calculations!"

Further on in the article it went on to say "It may shock you to know that the data actually reveals that over 50% of existing RV's exceed at least one safety weight rating, typically due to owner overload and mishandling of stowed cargo. Factor in under-inflated tires (the number one cause of tire failure) and the results can be catastrophic."

On another popular, recent forum topic in this same issue, it was mentioned that 40% of all auto and RV disablements reported to Good Sam Roadside Assistance are tire related.

Food for thought.

[chuck&gail]

Not surprising since most new TT's come with Chinese junk tires. Isn't that redundant?

Nobody makes us use Chinese tires. In fact on last two TT's we purchased the dealers agreed they would not be delivered with Chinese tires as part of sales negotiation.

Over 200,000 miles so far on non-Chinese tires with only issues being a few repairable nail punctures.

[Festus2]

In view of the problems people are having with off-shore tires, having them swapped out for a superior tire as part of the sales deal is a great idea. I wish I had thought of that when we bought ours! Part of the difficulty of doing that is many RV buyers are not aware of the tire problems that lie ahead so they drive away thinking that the tires are new, shiny, and black so they must be ok. And we all know that RV manufacturers will put on the cheapest "approved" tires they can find. Unfortunately, it is another case of "buyer beware".

[RogerM]

So what would be a good tire to have installed on a travel trailer, generally in the 8000-9000# weight range?

[JRTJH]

I "USED TO HAVE" good experience with Goodyear Marathon tires, but they are being made offshore now, so I'd lump them in the "Chinese maypop" category at this point. As for "trailer tires" I've had excellent luck with Maxxis. In fact, I just bought a new utility trailer to replace my older, lighter one and as a part of the negotiations, I wanted the Loadstar tires removed and Maxxis tires installed. I had them on the old trailer for a at least 3 years with zero problems. Maxxis is my suggested solution to trailer tires for most of us, but the real "heavy tow-ers" won't be able to use that option.

[allentx1]

I see that Maxxis tires are made overseas as well. Man, my head hurts just thinking about all the issues. Is there no tire brand that has a good reputation?

[outbackmac]

I agree with MAXXIS i had them on my 28 ft TT and had no problems. as for heavier 5vers what is the go to tire/

[Exsailor]

Can somebody tell me what trailer tires are American made?