[busterbrown]

The biggest influence on the "China Bomb" dialogue and culture that we see in the recreational vehicle arena is multifactorial.

First, there are definitely quality control disparities between manufacturers, especially when the product originates in Asia. This is more true now than ever before as RV makers are relentless in building business models that prioritize margins over quality. Tire technology has advanced so much in the last 20 years that I feel the rubber under an RV chassis should be just as competent as what's under an automotive vehicle. Again, tire components are picked exclusively by RV designers without much thought to the quality that may or may not be there.

This leads to my second point, lack of effective governance and guidelines with RV tire fitments (up until recently at least). RV manufacturers have only been required to assemble an RV with tires that match the trailer's gross vehicle weight or the combined weight of the axle ratings underneath. As a result, many tire fitments are only supportive of the trailer's GVWR MINUS the tow vehicles's tongue/pin weight.

The trailer I own is a perfect example of an inadequate tire fitment as the GVWR is 7600# and the OEM Trailer Kings were 14" load range C tires rated for 1760# each. Axles were 3500# each.

The tires provided a total capacity of 7040#. If an owner had 10% tongue weight fully loaded, that would require the tires to provide 6896# of weight carrying capacity. The math after this is simple. The total reserve capacity of all 4 tires was only 144# after day 1 of their "born on" DOT build date. By the time those tires were mated to the axles of these Bullet trailers, how much of that reserve capacity was lost? Furthermore, by the time those trailers were delivered to the customer, how much more did the reserve capacity decline? And did a reserve capacity even exist at delivery? Is there such a thing as "negative reserve capacity".

I believe that last year, RVIA manufacturing guidelines changed in a positive direction for all owners in that RV tire fitments are now required to provide 10% reserve capacity of the trailer's GVW. The same 308BHS trailer is sold today with load range D tires, rated at 2040# each. The tires now provide 1320# of reserve capacity assuming a 10% tongue weight.

With the addition of a US made ST radial tire by Goodyear and an ongoing recognition of substandard RV tire fitments, I think the "China Bomb" nomenclature of recent past will be a historical reference in a maturing RV industry. Lessons learned boys and girls.