New Steer Tires & Something Interesting

[blakeloke]

Replaced steer tires last week ahead of the current trip we are on.  Long story short and after contacting several dealers in our area, we finally found a pair of BF Goodrich tires to replace the XZE Michelins.  The Michelins were 295/80r/22.5.  The Goodrich's are 315/80r/22.5 (ST230).  Some points to note:

The BFGs were covered through the FMCA Advantage Program (Michelin Company).  Discount was about 10%.  I found the tires through Snider Fleet Service in Houston.

Was worried about degradation in ride quality but was pleasantly surprised.  Straight line ride was about the same but maybe a bit stiffer due to higher load rating.  Cornering and cross wind ride seems to be better.  I think due to stronger sidewalls.

Here's the interesting thing:  As we were sitting in the office, and watching the service tech install the tires, the service manager said these tires, and most all, would "move on the rim" for up to 5,000 miles.  Brother and I looked at each other and thought Baloney!  So, before heading back home I took a Sharpie marker and marked the tire where the valve stem was on the rim.  Lo and behold, by the time we got back home the tires had moved about 70 degrees from original location!  Tire pressure had not changed at all.

We are about 1,000 miles into this trip and it seems the tires have settled in with minimal movement.  I've been marking and noting every evening we stop.

I haven't noticed an imbalance since the tires have moved but will have them rebalanced once we get back home.

Safe Travels and "Go Harvick!!"

Blake

 

[jleamont]

Blake, I put Six BFG ST230's on our coach this year, took the 295/80R22.5's off and replaced them with 12R22.5's. I don't notice any ride difference, we have around 6000 miles on them. Funny my Michelin rep and one of their engineers were here at work for a meeting, they recommended I look that direction. I went with the 12R to keep the same load range and weight of the tire as close as possible, they are a little taller but look great.

[tireman9]

IMO that amount of "rim slip" is excessive. Wonder what they are using for tire mounting lube. The good stuff is designed to be slipery when wet but to actually be sticky when dry

[blakeloke]

Joe.....used your queue on the BFGs.  Next year we will replace the tags.

Tireman.....was hoping you would chime in.  I thought interesting that we had that much slippage but honestly didn't know if that was normal.  Then on to Lebanon for the eclipse.

Blake 

[manholt]

Blake.  There are a lot of Lebanon's...what State?

[wildebill308]

9 hours ago, tireman9 said:

IMO that amount of "rim slip" is excessive. Wonder what they are using for tire mounting lube. The good stuff is designed to be slipery when wet but to actually be sticky when dry

Well I hope they used the right grease on my new Continental's. I will have to mark them and see if they move.

Bill

[blakeloke]

Carl,

We are in Tennessee.

Blake

[hermanmullins]

On Purpose??? 

Herman

[jleamont]

43 minutes ago, hermanmullins said:

On Purpose??? 

Herman

[blakeloke]

Hahaha.....yeah!  Actually in Bristol, TN for the races this week.  Then back to Lebanon for the solar eclipse!

Blake

[tireman9]

13 hours ago, WILDEBILL308 said:

Well I hope they used the right grease on my new Continental's. I will have to mark them and see if they move.

Bill

I know that many call it "grease" but it is definitely NOT stuff like axle grease. I have seen some folks suggest WD-40, Pledge Windex etc but some of these alternatives in addition to not "sticking" the tire to the wheel can actually damage the tire.

"Murphy's oil soap" is a vegetable based lubricant. It is available in a thick past in a bucket (probably where some thought it was grease). It is water soluble. It is also available in a lighter liquid form in many grocery stores for cleaning wood floors etc.

There are a number of similar products sold specifically for mounting tires at NAPA, AutoZone, O"rilly;s etc.

I have seen some independent tire stores trying to cut corners that use non-tire specific lubricants. A number of years ago I even recall a tire & wheel assy factory letting the bean counters select a lower cost and soap option that ended up with a recall as tires would go out of balance.

 

If you seem to have a vibration issue that keeps re-occurring marking your tire and checking for slip is a good way to check. Zero slip is what you should see. You might get a bit more if you jam on brakes when tires are first mounted but normally I would expect less than 1/2" at most.

[wildebill308]

I did not catch the name on the tub. They also used a liquid that was some kind of lubricant when breaking the tires down. It could have been the Murphys. Today I wiped off any remaining on the ones I could get to and wiped them down with 303. I didn't like the foot prints on the sides of my new tires.

Bill

[manholt]

WBill.  Kicking your tires, is a bit "old fashioned" !  

[wildebill308]

That's me. They change tires the old fashioned way with a sledgehammer and tire irons. They stood on the tires to get them over the rim.  

Bill

[desertdeals69]

I change my own tires.  I bought professional tools from Ken Tool, made for changing 22.5 tires.  A little more sophisticated than tire irons and a little easier.

[wildebill308]

1 hour ago, desertdeals69 said:

I change my own tires.  I bought professional tools from Ken Tool, made for changing 22.5 tires.  A little more sophisticated than tire irons and a little easier.

Trust me these guys had the most sophisticated tire irons you can get. The neatest tool was the Tire Bead Seater Inflator tool. I have seen people struggle to get a tire bead to seal. This was the best tool for that since sliced bread.

https://www.walmart.com/ip/5Gal-Tire-Bead-Seater-Inflator-Blaster-Seating-Tool-ATV-165PSI-Pneumatic/181292029?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=529&adid=22222222227045037069&wl0=&wl1=g&wl2=c&wl3=94062870770&wl4=aud-261800281660:pla-216317209730&wl5=9027284&wl6=&wl7=&wl8=&wl9=pla&wl10=112354406&wl11=online&wl12=181292029&wl13=&veh=sem

Yes I probbabley could change my tires, but for the few times I have needed it done it is cheaper and easier to let the pros do it. Especially on days like yesterday when it was 100+ and hi humidity in the bay and the fans didn't seem to move any air.

Bill

[jleamont]

6 hours ago, WILDEBILL308 said:

The neatest tool was the Tire Bead Seater Inflator tool. I have seen people struggle to get a tire bead to seal. This was the best tool for that since sliced bread.

Almost identical to the one I have, http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200451163_200451163?cm_mmc=Google-pla&utm_source=Google_PLA&utm_medium=Automotive > Tire Equipment > Bead Seaters&utm_campaign=TSI&utm_content=121488&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIvaPlz8bc1QIVmbfACh3-NwMnEAQYAyABEgJsXfD_BwE

Did they have one of these for the removal and installation? I love this tool;

https://www.imperialsupplies.com/item/9118154?service=Search

 

[wildebill308]

They had a couple different ones. The inflater at Waley World is $68.00 but the same one from Northern is $225.

Bill

[manholt]

The cheap one is made in the USA ! 

The heat is terrible, 102+, is like a sauna....we are heading for Ruidoso tomorrow! 78/55, I can handle that for a week..

[bm02tj]

I made mine out of an old propane tank

a couple 1in Nipples and a ball valve 

I cut the top metal off to make it easier 

[jleamont]

9 hours ago, manholt said:

102+, is like a sauna

102 muggy or dry?

[five]

On 8/15/2017 at 7:06 PM, WILDEBILL308 said:

That's me. They change tires the old fashioned way with a sledgehammer and tire irons. They stood on the tires to get them over the rim.  

Bill

In May 2015, we had a RF blow out.  It was a very small shoulder, and by the time I got off the road as far as I could, the side of the destroyed tire was right on the edge of a 45 degree embankment.  When road service showed up with a new tire, was curious as to how he was going to change it.  He jacked up the coach, had the D/W put her foot on the brake pedal, and worked the shredded tire off the rim.  To put the new one on, D/W's foot on the brake, a pair of vice grips (padded) on the rim, and he worked the new tire on the rim with a tire iron...the vice grips prohibited the tire from slipping off.  All this with the rim still on the coach.

[jleamont]

1 hour ago, FIVE said:

In May 2015, we had a RF blow out.  It was a very small shoulder, and by the time I got off the road as far as I could, the side of the destroyed tire was right on the edge of a 45 degree embankment.  When road service showed up with a new tire, was curious as to how he was going to change it.  He jacked up the coach, had the D/W put her foot on the brake pedal, and worked the shredded tire off the rim.  To put the new one on, D/W's foot on the brake, a pair of vice grips (padded) on the rim, and he worked the new tire on the rim with a tire iron...the vice grips prohibited the tire from slipping off.  All this with the rim still on the coach.

Well that's one way of getting out of torqueing the wheels properly .

[obedb]

Knew an eccentric local small truck fleet owner that always changed steer tires in his shop that way. Swore by it.

The method I have seen many times in fleet tire shops, that always kept me at a distance,  was getting the tire in place, air chuck on the stem with air pressure wide open, ether (yes explosive ether) sprayed into and around the tire, and a brave mechanic lighting it with his cigarette lighter. Worked every time it was tried. Cheaper than all of that expensive equipment. 😄😳

[tireman9]

This is why you should not inflate large tires from 0 psi.  I would not consider any of these folks true "professionals"