Interesting Delima

[workinonit]

So my Alpine has China bombs and I want to get them replaced soon. Started getting serious about my choice recently and found that Lippert or Keystone or whomever put LT 275/70R18 tires on this camper. So I was simply going to switch to ST in the same size. WRONG. Can't get STs in 18" or get close to that size. In order to go to STs I have to go 16". I can get within an inch of the height by going ST 235/85R16 and I can get them in a 16 ply or 14 ply. Now I have to have new rims. I know I've seen tire/rim combos but those are typically in 10 ply max. I'm throwing this out there because I feel like I'm on an island making this decision and would really like to have some input from some of you. The LT tires I have have a 125/122S rating. Best I can tell that's around 3638 pounds at 112 mph. I didn't look up the 122 rating. What I'm seeing is that these tires shouldn't be on this unit at all.

 

[NH_Bulldog]

What does the tire/loading label on the driver's side front corner of your RV say? That will list the EXACT tire and wheel size as well as tire load range of your unit as factory built.

The picture below is mine as an example, showing ST 225/75R15 Load Range E.

The published specifications for your Alpine indicates that it "should" have ST 235/80R16 Load Range G. Given that you have a Covid-era build, they could have put whatever they could find laying around the manufacturing floor that day.

Regardless, go with what is listed on that decal on the front corner.

 

[workinonit]

The only thing I can figure is the dealer in Raleigh swapped those tires out at some point to put what should have been on mine on some other sale. That's on me for not catching it at the dealer. I located some tire/rim combos that look pretty good on Etrailer.

 

[workinonit]

Or what you said.

 

[Peto]

How long ago did you purchase it. Might be worth a call to see if the dealer will make it right with a set of correct sized rims.... You may have to buy the tires through them to get the rims replaced at no cost.

 

[workinonit]

We are headed to Raleigh Sunday for the week to camp. Nice CG near my daughter. I will go there in person and see if I can negotiate.

 

[chuckster57]

We are headed to Raleigh Sunday for the week to camp. Nice CG near my daughter. I will go there in person and see if I can negotiate.

Take a pic of the tires on the trailer and the placard with you.

 

[JRTJH]

Try the "with a bit of honey" approach first, but if you can PROVE that the wrong size tires were on the trailer when you bought it, then that is potentially a NHTSA violation. That "could" put the dealer or Keystone in a dilemma if the tires delivered to the purchaser were different from what was approved for installation on the documented trailer decal.

It might be worth your effort to call Keystone and simply ask if there were any deviations from the decal data when your trailer was built and if they made the change at the factory. With that information, you can then inform the dealer what the factory shipped to them and help narrow down "when it might have happened"....

Get as much information as you can BEFORE you talk to the dealer. That way you can help avoid any "he said, she said, see it wasn't us" type statements....

This is the first Keystone trailer in at least 10 years that I've heard shipped with LT tires. Since about 2012 or so, as best as I can tell, every Keystone trailer has been equipped with ST tires which are cheaper for the factory to buy making a bigger profit for them. So, Keystone's motivation would be the opposite of installing LT's. They'd push to install cheaper tires on everything they ship. Plus, with everything else shipping with ST's, they'd have to make a "huge effort" to locate 4 18" rims and LT tires just to put on one trailer.....

Keystone Customer Service should be able to pull the build sheet and tell you by size and tire lot number/serial number what the trailer had on it when it left the assembly line.....

 

[NH_Bulldog]

Along the lines of what John was referring to, I seem to recall that any time I bought tires, there was a DOT record associated with the vehicle so that in the event of a recall there would be a document trail. I could be wrong, but having been through a few tire recalls, someone has always been able to reach me and tell me that my particular tires were in the recall pool. Taking that a step further, Keystone should have a record for the DOT for what was on the trailer when it left the factory.

 

[jasin1]

i’d look through your phone and see if you have any pictures of the rig at the dealer at the time of purchase with those wheels and tires in the picture…should be able to tell if they are the same wheels that were on it.

I’d look at the date codes on the tires also out of curiosity….im thinking the dealer swapped them because of a damaged wheel or to make a sale on another used unit go through…then they forgot to replace them

 

[workinonit]

I'll be nice. LOL.

What is the number for Keystone CS if anyone has it handy?

 

[RollaMo]

I'll be nice. LOL.

What is the number for Keystone CS if anyone has it handy?

Well, it listed right on their website.
https://www.keystonerv.com/customer-service

 

[sourdough]

I'm with the comments above. Those tires/wheels should not be on that trailer and I'd bet the dealer swapped them out for one of the reasons listed above...none of which are acceptable. Research what was sent to the dealer, document what you have, take a pic of the placard (all of which has been suggested) then speak to whoever runs the place about it. I would just tell them I would like a set of tires and wheels that came on the trailer. If they don't want to then you can go into the weeds with them (nicely at first) telling them it's a no no for a dealer to replace tires and wheels called for on the placard etc. They will hopefully come around. Go ahead and tell them to put Sailuns on there while they're at it....free of course.

 

[ChuckS]

Original wheel would have been a 16 inch rated at 110 psi cold (3750 load rating) ,, tires on every 2022 Alpine made were Oracle Hispec ST 235/80x16 14 ply G rated

The Hispec tires were junk and there have been dozens of posts with pics of the damage incurred

Most Alpine owners .. including myself switched to ST235/85x16 H rated 14 ply tires .
Note.. older Alpines like mine came with E rated trailer king tires.l dumped those a week after buying and upsized to current size as listed above.

I’ve been running that size tire for 11 years .. ram first set for 7 years and on second set now

 

[workinonit]

I called Keystone yesterday. She told me that my unit came with the Oracle or Dexter tires but she couldn't tell exactly which ones. She said it was likely Oracle. But she said they were definitely ST 235/80 R18 G tires. Mine does have the HiSpec tires but in the size and ratings I stated before. I'm going to call this morning and get the managers email and communicate that way so I have a paper trail. I'll give him a chance to get tires so they can replace them next week when I'm up there. I'll let y'all know how it shakes out.

 

[PolarisCobra]

What is the spare? I'm thinking that if the tires were swapped out for some reason, they would have left the spare that was shipped with the trailer where it was. That is probably a good indication of what was shipped with the trailer.

 

[ChuckS]

There are some nice previous posts regarding the OEM Hispec tires that were used on 2022 Alpines.. You would be way ahead to just buy a set of ST tires .. Sailun S637 series or Hercules H901 series would be my top two in the choice and be done with it

https://www.keystoneforums.com/forums/search.php?searchid=19436718

 

[Notanlines]

What ChuckS said^^^^. Then you’re done with it!

 

[JRTJH]

... You would be way ahead to just buy a set of ST tires .. .

What ChuckS said^^^^. Then you’re done with it!

The problem for the OP is that he also has to buy new wheels. What is on his trailer is 18" LT tires on 18" wheels... ST tires are not available in 18" size. Sailun is a great choice for ST replacements, but buying tires AND wheels gets expensive, especially if the dealer (or someone else) swapped the 16" OEM wtih 18" "somebody else's problem" .....

Unfortunately, it's been 3 or so years since he bought the trailer, so he's dealing not only with "ancient history" with the dealer, but very likely a significant "memory loss/personnel change since his purchase.

That's why he is trying to explore all his options and so far the "saga continues"

 

[jasin1]

So my Alpine has China bombs and I want to get them replaced soon. Started getting serious about my choice recently and found that Lippert or Keystone or whomever put LT 275/70R18 tires on this camper. So I was simply going to switch to ST in the same size. WRONG. Can't get STs in 18" or get close to that size. In order to go to STs I have to go 16". I can get within an inch of the height by going ST 235/85R16 and I can get them in a 16 ply or 14 ply. Now I have to have new rims. I know I've seen tire/rim combos but those are typically in 10 ply max. I'm throwing this out there because I feel like I'm on an island making this decision and would really like to have some input from some of you. The LT tires I have have a 125/122S rating. Best I can tell that's around 3638 pounds at 112 mph. I didn't look up the 122 rating. What I'm seeing is that these tires shouldn't be on this unit at all.

The problem for the OP is that he also has to buy new wheels. What is on his trailer is 18" LT tires on 18" wheels... ST tires are not available in 18" size. Sailun is a great choice for ST replacements, but buying tires AND wheels gets expensive, especially if the dealer (or someone else) swapped the 16" OEM wtih 18" "somebody else's problem" .....

Unfortunately, it's been 3 or so years since he bought the trailer, so he's dealing not only with "ancient history" with the dealer, but very likely a significant "memory loss/personnel change since his purchase.

That's why he is trying to explore all his options and so far the "saga continues"

It will probably change the dynamics on the fifth wheel at this point as far as towing…
the oem tires are about 1.5 inches shorter and a somewhat skinnier…..the fifth wheel will sit a little lower then it currently does which may require a hitch adjustment….all of this may change how it “feels” when towing.

Tiresize.com is a great resource to compare tire and wheel sizes

again i’d try and find a picture you may have taken at the dealer at the time of sale with those wheels on it