North America made tires

[Quiroule]

I now have about 14,000 miles on my China bombs, so I plan on replacing them in the spring.

What I get from this forum is that Maxxis tires would be the way to go, but there is no dealer around here. Sure wish there was..

I believed that Carlisle tires were made in US, bout on their site they mentioned: ‘In 1994, Carlisle expanded manufacturing operations into the Asia Pacific region, acquiring a tire factory in Buji, China.’. Now I am wondering…

Do you know of any North America made tires which would cut it.

Thanks

[Bushman512000]

I had them for 5er new in 1999 all blew apart run run run junk junk junk Bushman :eek:

[hankpage]

Quiroule, As far as I have seen all ST tires are made in Asia. There was some talk that Goodyear was bringing their Marathons back but I think that it was just that "TALK". When I bought my '07 Cougar there was a tire recall on it and the Duro Bias ply tires were replaced with Marathons. Since I had run Marathons on my old 5er I was happy until one started to bubble and show signs of tread separation after only a few thousand miles. When I replaced that tire I found out they were made in China. Next trip I replaced them all with LT tires with higher load ratings have had zero problems since. From what I have read and seen, if I were to go back to ST tires I would consider Maxis. You have the option to order them on-line and shipped to a local garage to be installed. JM2¢, Hank

[Quiroule]

Thanks Hankpage, I will try to get some Maxxis.

Bushman512000, thanks for the info. I don’t get what you mean with your title: 'carlie spelling is wrong for reason ok '

[Bushman512000]

Thanks Hankpage, I will try to get some Maxxis.

Bushman512000, thanks for the info. I don’t get what you mean with your title: 'carlie spelling is wrong for reason ok '

not wanting to Quote a name may get in a war with company You understand now...You have the name in Your post Bushman;)

[Quiroule]

Thanks Bushman512000, I am not used to these web subtlety

[B&T]

Trivia: My last TT had 15" Goodyear Marathons that were made at a plant in Alabama, tires were dated middle of 2009.

[Festus2]

Bushman52100 -

I highly doubt that you need to be worried about "getting into a war with company" simply because you have used their name in a post and have spelled it correctly. References to specific brands are made all the time on the forum. Some of them are complimentary - some are not. Why not simply spell the name of the company correctly and avoid the confusion and misunderstanding it causes by trying to disguise it by not spelling it the way it should be spelled?

[2011 keystone]

If I get 14,000 miles out of my ''china bombs'' I will replace mine with the same '' China Bombs''

[fla-gypsy]

I use Maxxis with good results.

[tanman32225]

Bushman52100 -

I highly doubt that you need to be worried about "getting into a war with company" simply because you have used their name in a post and have spelled it correctly. References to specific brands are made all the time on the forum. Some of them are complimentary - some are not. Why not simply spell the name of the company correctly and avoid the confusion and misunderstanding it causes by trying to disguise it by not spelling it the way it should be spelled?

I agree. If the company makes china bombs that is categorized as junk tell it like it is. If its a carlisle , maxis or goodyear,,, junk is junk. No need to be shy here everyone calls the tires by name and china bombs

[Bushman512000]

Bushman52100 -

I highly doubt that you need to be worried about "getting into a war with company" simply because you have used their name in a post and have spelled it correctly. References to specific brands are made all the time on the forum. Some of them are complimentary - some are not. Why not simply spell the name of the company correctly and avoid the confusion and misunderstanding it causes by trying to disguise it by not spelling it the way it should be spelled?

I will spell it My way thank you.Reason said end of story..Bushman

[hankpage]

I will spell it My way thank you.Reason said end of story..Bushman

I think Bushman's emphasis is on the LIE part of his spelling, but then I have been known to be wrong before. :D

[Quiroule]

To get back to the subject.

Are there any tires made in North America, if so, which one?

[smiller]

I don't think a tire being made in North America necessary signifies anything other than that the tire was made in North America. Maxxis are pretty much a known quantity and seem to be the best (perhaps only) choice for a quality ST tire. As far as there not being a dealer nearby, Discount Tire will have a set of Maxxis to you anywhere in the US in a day or two and at a good price. I don't know if they ship to Canada but surely there is some equivalent vendor.

[LittleJoe]

Quiroule:

You might want to check out Hercules Tires. They are made in N . America and have comparable weight ratings to Maxxis.

They have proven to stand up the best to our ERS trailers and we have tried several different brands including UHAUL branded bias tires (these did not last a month ALL 4 !!)

[hankpage]

Quiroule:

You might want to check out Hercules Tires. They are made in N . America and have comparable weight ratings to Maxxis.

They have proven to stand up the best to our ERS trailers and we have tried several different brands including UHAUL branded bias tires (these did not last a month ALL 4 !!)

LittleJoe, Have you actually seen "Made in Canada" or "USA" on their ST tires. The only info I can find on-line is this : Hercules operates on an international basis, in over 90 countries, from warehouses in the USA, Canada,
and China under the name Hercules Tire International. They do not show country of origin on-line. I would be very happy to see that one company has decided to make their ST tires here where it is easier to control quality standards.

[B&T]

Just trivia:

In addition to date codes, tires have plant codes stamped on the sidewall, on one side or the other, decode here:

http://www.harriger.com/tires.htm

[Festus2]

Little Joe & Hankpage -
I just spoke to Hercules Customer Service and was told that all of their RV trailer and light truck tires are made in China and carry the Hercules name They do make some of their passenger and other vehicle tires in North America but not trailer tires. So........back to square one.

[LittleJoe]

I will have a look on tires . I was under impression made in USA.
No Matter, though as they have proven to be far superior to any we have used to date.
The tires are 205/75/15 on 16x7 cargo trailers. These trailers see 40-60 K miles per year,and are loaded to the max 100% of the time. The Hercules tires last pretty much 3 times the life of most of the others we have used. Carlisles are mostly bald at 20K if they hold air for that long.
We have to rotate tires as the right rear always wears out first because of many sharp turns in parking lots getting into position beside broken down trucks.
Maxxis tires at our tire store is not a stock/dealer item and are 50% more than the Herc. Until the Herc quality gives a reason to look elsewhere , we are finally happy the quality/life span that they provide.

[davidjsimons]

Little Joe & Hankpage -
I just spoke to Hercules Customer Service and was told that all of their RV trailer and light truck tires are made in China and carry the Hercules name They do make some of their passenger and other vehicle tires in North America but not trailer tires. So........back to square one.

Well, that's depressing.


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[LittleJoe]

Still haven't had a look at actual tire for where its made (keep forgetting :eek:).

Regardless of where they are made, I still stand by the fact that these are the best of many brands we have tried, and we have had zero issues with them. They are however in the 205/75/15 size which is not a first hand experience to the larger sizes on our RV's.

[smiller]

Sorry, they are made in China and therefore by definition must be China bombs. Any other real-world experience doesn't matter.



;)

[therink]

I replaced my Towmax 15" junk D's with 15" Maxxi E's. Best hing I could have done. I bought mine at "Pep Boys" (if you have one in your area) . They didnt stock them, they were special order tire.
Good luck.
Steve

[Quiroule]

Thanks everyone.

Therink, how much did-you pay? That's exactly what I need.

[kenn209]

You can get Maxxis tires from Discount Tire Direct.

http://www.discounttiredirect.com/direct/findTireDetail.do?ra=filterTireProducts.do&pc=46119&counter=1&ar=75&rd=15&sw=false&cs=225

But I believe these are made in Thailand, Planning on replacing all the Towmax tires next year. No blowouts with the Towmax or anything.

[Jim W]

You can get Maxxis tires from Discount Tire Direct.

http://www.discounttiredirect.com/direct/findTireDetail.do?ra=filterTireProducts.do&pc=46119&counter=1&ar=75&rd=15&sw=false&cs=225

But I believe these are made in Thailand, Planning on replacing all the Towmax tires next year. No blowouts with the Towmax or anything.

When I replaced my Towmax tires this year I installed Michelin XPS RIBS on my 318SAB. I bought them from Discount tires paying a little over $1400 for 4 of them. The spare is a Power King bought new in 11 and never used so I kept it as a spare tire.
XPS Ribs are an all position tire and the size is LT245/75R/16E which fits in the tire opening with no clearance issues. Just a thought for another tire that can be used for your Cougar 318SAB trailer safely.

Jim W.

[therink]

Thanks everyone.

Therink, how much did-you pay? That's exactly what I need.

I believe I paid $180/tire with tax mounted, balanced, installed.

[hankpage]

When I replaced my Towmax tires this year I installed Michelin XPS RIBS on my 318SAB. I bought them from Discount tires paying a little over $1400 for 4 of them. The spare is a Power King bought new in 11 and never used so I kept it as a spare tire.
XPS Ribs are an all position tire and the size is LT245/75R/16E which fits in the tire opening with no clearance issues. Just a thought for another tire that can be used for your Cougar 318SAB trailer safely.

Jim W.

Jim, Was $1400 a typo??? I replaced all 5 of mine with new rims for less. LT215/85R16 XPS RIBS at Costco $201 ea. - $70 promotion and steel wheels $50 ea. from local trailer parts supply + 100psi metal stems around $50. :confused: I wouldn't think that a few sizes larger would be that much more.

[LittleJoe]

I will be replacing my TowMax with XPS ribs in 235/80/16 when the time comes. The Towmax have been fine so far (hope I didn;t just jinx myself)

I don't generally tow in really hot weather as it works out.

[Jim W]

Jim, Was $1400 a typo??? I replaced all 5 of mine with new rims for less. LT215/85R16 XPS RIBS at Costco $201 ea. - $70 promotion and steel wheels $50 ea. from local trailer parts supply + 100psi metal stems around $50. :confused: I wouldn't think that a few sizes larger would be that much more.

No, the real price was $1444.58; that included disposal fees, sales tax, mounting and balancing the tires from Discount tires. Sam’s wanted $1420 for four tires mounted and balance +taxes along with the disposal fee. I even tired Tire Rack along with Just tires they were all about the same price. Since I have dealt with the Discount tire store in Oswego all the time before I went back to them for the XPS Ribs again.
Jim W.

[kenn209]

No, the real price was $1444.58; that included disposal fees, sales tax, mounting and balancing the tires from Discount tires. Sam’s wanted $1420 for four tires mounted and balance +taxes along with the disposal fee. I even tired Tire Rack along with Just tires they were all about the same price. Since I have dealt with the Discount tire store in Oswego all the time before I went back to them for the XPS Ribs again.
Jim W.
Plus the cost of 4 new wheels. We have 15's on ours.....

[CWtheMan]

I will be replacing my TowMax with XPS ribs in 235/80/16 when the time comes. The Towmax have been fine so far (hope I didn;t just jinx myself)

I don't generally tow in really hot weather as it works out.

Michelin considers replacing ST tires with their XPS Rib to be a misapplication. Their newest warranty for that tire also disallows fitment on your axles because of the disparity in load capacity between the XPS Rib and OEM tires.

There is a long thread currently running it’s course about this very subject on RV.net. You can get more particulars there.

CW

[Festus2]

Why then are a lot of people rushing out to buy and install these Michelin XPS Rib tires on their RV's? Not that long ago, they were being touted as the greatest thing since sliced bread and were - and still are- being highly touted and recommended here on this forum.

To someone like myself who is looking at replacing my 15" "China bombs" as they are affectionately referred to, I find this really quite confusing!

[jsmith948]

Michelin considers replacing ST tires with their XPS Rib to be a misapplication. Their newest warranty for that tire also disallows fitment on your axles because of the disparity in load capacity between the XPS Rib and OEM tires.

There is a long thread currently running it’s course about this very subject on RV.net. You can get more particulars there.

CW

If the XPS Rib tire has a higher load capacity than the OEM tires, how can that be a problem? We have read here that the XPS Ribs are considered an all position tire, even though they have LT on their sidewalls.
Don't know about the reluctance to use LT tires on a trailer. Drove and owned tractor trailer for years. Always bought new tires for the steering axle then moved them to the drivers or the trailer as they wore.:confused:

[hankpage]

Michelin considers replacing ST tires with their XPS Rib to be a misapplication. Their newest warranty for that tire also disallows fitment on your axles because of the disparity in load capacity between the XPS Rib and OEM tires.

There is a long thread currently running it’s course about this very subject on RV.net. You can get more particulars there.

CW

The disparity in load capacity is between ST and LT tires of the same size. Even though their load rating may be the same the capacity of the LT will be slightly lower. (This also may be because of more responsible testing from the manufacturer) XPS RIBS do not come in 15" so if you are replacing 15" C or D rated tires with 16" E rated tires and wheels you are definitely increasing your safety margin as far as tire capacity goes. This safety margin is the only thing that is increased due to the limits of the axles and other components. (Peace of mind of having a QUALITY tire aside) If I had to stay with ST tires and 15" I would have upgraded rims and went with Maxis, but since I was not my choice was Michelin. Again .. JM2¢, Hank

[CWtheMan]

In truck tire terminology there are two distinct axel design elements, “drive & steer“. The “all position” designation refers to a tire that fit’s the requirements of both the “drive & steer” axles. The trailer axle tire is just called “trailer tire”. Those terms can be found in any of the major tire manufacturers truck tire data books which can be accessed on the internet.

The three paragraphs below are verbatim statements from the current Michelin warranty that would be issued for tires covered on their limited mileage warranty.

– Misapplication, improper maintenance, racing, underinflation, overinflation or other abuse;

– Use of MICHELIN® tires that is inconsistent with the safety information provided in your owner’s manual.

– Use of MICHELIN® tires that is inconsistent with the maintenance information provided in your owner’s manual.

Someone emailed Michelin to verify if their LT tires could be used to replace OEM ST tires and the answer was no, because it would be considered a misapplication.


CW

[mhs4771]

I think it's becoming a CYA by some of the LT Tire folks and their Dealers. If a Dealer knowingly installs tires with a lesser rating than the OEM Mfr recommendations and you drive off and have an accident because of the newly installed tires, Could you then sue the Dealer and Tire Mfr for damages?????????? Something to think about.
All the RV forums are full of Tire info and if you read enough you will come across posts where some Tire Dealers have refused to install LT tires on RVs. We ordered the optional G614s on our new unit and plan to change them out for 17.5 G114s and new rims.

[Jim W]

In truck tire terminology there are two distinct axel design elements, “drive & steer“. The “all position” designation refers to a tire that fit’s the requirements of both the “drive & steer” axles. The trailer axle tire is just called “trailer tire”. Those terms can be found in any of the major tire manufacturers truck tire data books which can be accessed on the internet.

The three paragraphs below are verbatim statements from the current Michelin warranty that would be issued for tires covered on their limited mileage warranty.

– Misapplication, improper maintenance, racing, underinflation, overinflation or other abuse;

– Use of MICHELIN® tires that is inconsistent with the safety information provided in your owner’s manual.

– Use of MICHELIN® tires that is inconsistent with the maintenance information provided in your owner’s manual.

Someone emailed Michelin to verify if their LT tires could be used to replace OEM ST tires and the answer was no, because it would be considered a misapplication.


CW

CW, what owner’s manual would that be? The O&M guide for my Keystone 318SAB Cougar does not specify any tire in the booklet. The only thing that is specified is the lug not torque for the lug nuts and this is a general statement. This in its self is incorrect since the booklet does not specify dynamic and static checking torques for the lug not application.

As far as someone e-mailing Michelin and they have this letter stating misapplication from Michelin. Will that to me is like saying my brother second wife’s cousin third sister said this…….
Just another internet rumor, just like the State Farm ad on TV; you can't say any that's not true on the internet.
Jim W.

[mhs4771]

Tire info is generally not in the RV manual, but you should have a placard on the Left (drivers side or road side) front corner that will show the tire size, load range, and max pressure. No one cares what brand you put on, just that it meets or exceeds those numbers for the OEM tires.

[CWtheMan]

CW, what owner’s manual would that be?

See page 15 in the reference below. Key word tire size.

http://www.keystonerv.com/media/161426/Owners_Manual_2013_E.pdf

CW

[LittleJoe]

Still haven't had a look at actual tire for where its made (keep forgetting ).

Checked out the tires and are stamped "made in USA" this the 205/75/15 size in a "D" rating.

The Micheline tire is rated as an all position tire so, cannot see why it would not suit the bill.

Yes the weight rating is lower than the ST but the ST 235/85/16 is IIRC a 3500lb tire. The axles are only 5000lb axles , so the XP Rib still has a good weight safety factor and is not going to blow at 70mph.

[Festus2]

(OP) Quiroule -
Has your initial question, Do you know of any North American-made tires that would cut it?" been satisfactorily answered yet? The thread seems to be somewhat out of alignment.

If so, let us know as we seem to be spinning our tires here. :dizzy:

[hankpage]

"To maintain tire safety, purchase new tires that are the same size as the vehicle’s original tires".

I'm guessing this means that if Keystone puts tires on a trailer that are barely able to carry the trailers weight and of poor quality. You should continue to pay for trailer damage from their failures and not replace them with superior tires with better weight capacity. It should read " To maintain profits, we have used the minimum tire to meet government standards. We have not tested better tires on our trailers so we can not legally recommend them.

That's My opinion only and everyone should do what they see fit for the safety of their families and trailers. I was concerned with the capacity and quality of the tires on my trailer so I upgraded them. I no longer tow with white knuckles and sleep like a baby at night. Hope you all travel safely and have a great holiday season, Hank http://www.keystonerv.org/forums/picture.php?albumid=299&pictureid=1408

[jsmith948]

Well stated, Hank. I had not been concerned with our Towmax tires (225-75-15D) Kept the pressure at 65psi and always towed below 65mph. The DW was helping with maintenance by applying some 303 to the tires when she noticed some significant checking on the sidewall of one tire. All the tires are date coded within two months in early 2011. We have put approx. 3500 miles on the trailer (add to that the trip from Oregon to the So. Cal. dealer. Our 15in wheels are designated 2830 lbs. Given that there aren't many tires available in our size we will probably have to settle for the ST maxxis. I would like to put michelins on but they unavailable in our size and E rated.

[therink]

Well stated, Hank. I had not been concerned with our Towmax tires (225-75-15D) Kept the pressure at 65psi and always towed below 65mph. The DW was helping with maintenance by applying some 303 to the tires when she noticed some significant checking on the sidewall of one tire. All the tires are date coded within two months in early 2011. We have put approx. 3500 miles on the trailer (add to that the trip from Oregon to the So. Cal. dealer. Our 15in wheels are designated 2830 lbs. Given that there aren't many tires available in our size we will probably have to settle for the ST maxxis. I would like to put michelins on but they unavailable in our size and E rated.

I upgraded my 22575R15 Towmax Ds on my 2830 rated keystone factory wheels to Maxxi 22575r15 Es. I am running the new Maxxis at 80psi with no problem and have much more confidence with this set up.

[kenn209]

I upgraded my 22575R15 Towmax Ds on my 2830 rated keystone factory wheels to Maxxi 22575r15 Es. I am running the new Maxxis at 80psi with no problem and have much more confidence with this set up.
Probably will do the same at the start of next camping season.

Was looking on discount tire direct tire direct and they have a taskmaster tire,never heard of it.

[davidjsimons]

Probably will do the same at the start of next camping season.

Was looking on discount tire direct tire direct and they have a taskmaster tire,never heard of it.
I have a set of Taskmasters on a small flat bed and they have been the trailer for over two years now and show no signs of dry rot in the sidewalls.



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[jsmith948]

I upgraded my 22575R15 Towmax Ds on my 2830 rated keystone factory wheels to Maxxi 22575r15 Es. I am running the new Maxxis at 80psi with no problem and have much more confidence with this set up.

Thanks for the info. Our rims are also rated at 2830. Maxxis load range E before our next long trip(tx)

[jsmith948]

Some additional tire info. During my recent tire research efforts, I visited the Carlisle website. They are advertising an ST225-75R-15E tire. The lower left hand corner of the ad states "made in the U.S.A."
I have read in numerous posts on this and other forums that Carlisle ST tires are built in China. Carlisle's website, in fact, shows 2 or 3 plants in China.:confused:
I guess this tire company can do this because they do, in fact, manufacture tires in the U.S. - just not all of their tires?
I guess I will have to agree with the other posts calling for the DOT or the NHTSA to get involved. Without the sharing of knowledge and experience on this forum, I would have thought that these tires were US made!
Thanks to all who contribute to the flow of info:)

[CWtheMan]

"To maintain tire safety, purchase new tires that are the same size as the vehicle’s original tires".



That goes on to say: "or another size recommended by the manufacturer".

CW