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wildebill308

Make it easier to use and understand the tire charts

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I posted this in the little pop up window but am repeating it here.

The Hankook listing is next to useless. There is no way to tell what the load range is on the different tires. 
Maybe you can add a link to that tire on the company's website.
That wouldn't hurt for all the tires. Right now there are several people on the forums that are confused about the tire information. If there are 2 posting I bet there are 200 who don't post. These are people we may lose because they are unhappy with the service.

Bill

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Michelin and Hankook most likely have different inflation's for their tires. May be close, but no cigar.

It would be interesting to compare tables.

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3 minutes ago, wayne77590 said:

Michelin and Hankook most likely have different inflation's for their tires. May be close, but no cigar.

It would be interesting to compare tables.

I noticed that compare the Michelin to the G670 RV Badyears, I end up running lower inflation without uneven wear.  Equals to softer ride also.  

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I think that something making some of these charts even more confusing is how the data is displayed differently depending on the target audience.

Some charts list weight per axle end, some list the weight per tire. It's important to read all the fine print on the charts. The chart linked to above is targeted at the RV audience, and appears to include weight per axle end, not per tire. The same size tires in another manufacturer's chart (or the non-RV version of this same chart) will most likely show different numbers since it's per wheel/tire.

If anyone is at all confused when reading the charts then it's probably a good idea to consult a qualified tire dealer for help. Nothing to be embarrassed about.

When I first got the inflation charts for my Firestone tires, there were so many lines and details that I had to use a highlighter to be sure that I was always looking at the proper information and not distracted by the lines for kg and other non-relevant data.

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31 minutes ago, richard5933 said:

If anyone is at all confused when reading the charts then it's probably a good idea to consult a qualified tire dealer for help. Nothing to be embarrassed about.

So can you please tell us how do we know if the "qualified tire dealer" knows what they are talking about? So can you please tell us how do we know if the "qualified tire dealer" isn't just trying to make the sale and move us down the road? 

I think you have a much better chance if you are a informed consumer. 

What I am talking about is linking the tire on the FMCA list to that tire on the manufacturers website. Look at the Hankook list of tires. They don't tell you what load range the tire is. I think they could have someone buy the wrong tiers because they are looking at price only and go to " a qualified tire dealer" and he sells them what customer ask for.

Bill

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How do you know if the tire dealer is qualified? What I did was basically 'interview' a couple of local shops after talking with others to get suggestions. One was clearly trying to fulfill his agenda, the other was clearly trying to help me get the right tire to meet my needs. He also was willing to do the research necessary to answer questions, and spent the time to help me understand the options. He seemed knowledgeable and to have the experience to find the correct information.

Of course you have to be as informed as possible as a consumer, but for someone new to the game my point is that it's helpful to have the assistance of someone in the field. The reason I use the term 'qualified' is to differentiate between someone who happens to be standing behind a sales counter from someone that actually knows his business and has the training necessary. Shouldn't be hard to tell after just a few minutes of conversation.

I agree with you about the lack of information on the Hankook site. Not at all easy to navigate through and not at all easy to find what's needed to make a decision. Contrast that with the Tire Data Book that Firestone puts out - theirs is full of information and is pretty easy to use. Links from the FMCA site to the manufacturer's site would be helpful, but only if the manufacturer's site actually has the correct information.

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I believe the real issue is most people aren’t tech savvy. The person on the other side of the counter is in sales, that’s the foremost qualification. Knowledge of tires is most likely what pays the most. Shop personnel, they might be trained how to install tires safely, but do you think they know where or how to determine my axle weight ratings?

 If that person is good at sales and the end user is not tech savvy you could walk away with the incorrect product. 

Take my coach as an example, the National tire distributor (big company, they even have a wheel refurbishment plant) sold the dealership and installed the wrong load range tires on our coach. The dealer took it to a State Certified inspection shop afterwards, a Certified PA state inspection technician missed it. Me, the end user caught it and forced everyone’s hand to make it right. load range is a safety issue and was still missed.

Where am I going with this :), in today’s world the end user unfortunately must become a subject matter expert. Luckily for my family I am also a PA State certified inspection, emissions and emissions repair technician, that actually follows the letter of the law. Had I not caught it I would have most likely lost a steer tire as they were underrated for the axle and actually over loaded. 

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IMHO.  If I, as a consumer, was a expert on tires and all other components of a coach, I would not need the middle man, just go on the internet and order direct.  In regards to tires, my concern is load rated and ride, in that order!  Since I buy new ones, every 6 years on avg., I know what works for me, so I don't go different brand hunting, I just stay with the same!  :)  

If I was a newbie, with my first "new to me" coach...when it comes to these charts, I would be very confused, especially when a company, that FMCA promotes, only gives me 60% information!  That's pathetic!

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Thank you all for your feedback.  It is greatly appreciated as we continually look to improve our benefits and the user experience.  If you have questions regarding a specific tire or manufacturer, each participant has contact info listed, which can be viewed if logged in at FMCA.com.

Sincerely,

Dan Ball

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3 hours ago, dball said:

Thank you all for your feedback.  It is greatly appreciated as we continually look to improve our benefits and the user experience.  If you have questions regarding a specific tire or manufacturer, each participant has contact info listed, which can be viewed if logged in at FMCA.com.

Sincerely,

Dan Ball

Well thank you Dan Ball, for what? This is absolutely positively one of the best examples  as to why FMCA is having a hard time growing and maintaining/retaining members. 

Bill 

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Mr. Dan Ball, regrettably Bill is correct, your statement IMO, is a classic example of passing the buck. The tire program is your responsibility or FMCA would not support the  webpage, this means it is also your responsibility to provide adequate information on the webpage for members to make an informed decision.  I would never consider telling members they are on their own when looking at tires on my webpage.

I bought a different brand tire for our MH simply because the FMCA webpage did not contain adequate information for me to make a decision. Michelins are waay overpriced, and the Hankook lack of information problem is the  source of this thread. Compare the Continental tire information to Hankook and you see the problem.

EDIT: Just tried to use the Michelin tire program again and it will not display tire sizes.

I write this, not to be contentious, but rather to point out that service is the foundation of any business.

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My apologies.  My response was not intended to be a "brush off", but rather an acknowledgement of your feedback.  In my haste to respond I now realize much detail was left out - hindsight is always 20/20.  I'm responsible for around 30 or so benefits that may need my attention on any given day, and often times any changes or additions require our third-party partners to provide content and/or approval, which doesn't always come in a timely manner as they too are busy.

I am aware and understand your frustrations with our tire program and have been in contact with all 3 partners this morning to discuss ways we can help our members in their search for tires.  Your continued patience is greatly appreciated.

As several of you have pointed out, any information (or lack thereof) on the website is my responsibility.  If ever you feel something is not getting the attention it deserves I urge you to give me a call.  I can be reached at 800-543-3622 and just ask for me by name.

Dan Ball

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Ok, the last post was March 4th. Today is  07/12/2019 and still no improvement or change in the  Hankook tire charts. Still no way to tell what the load range is. 

Why is that? I realey don't want to hear anouther blow you off excuse. If you can't do the job find someone that can.

Bill

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I'm not sure why the beef is with FMCA. It took me all of about 15 seconds on Google to find the Hankook technical data book. It has all the specs on the tires, including load & inflation charts.

https://hankooktire.com/us/files/technical-manual/HK_TBR_2019_Catalog_3rd_Quarter.pdf

I see the situation as FMCA providing a member benefit with the discount program, but I don't expect them to be my tire dealer or technical support for the tires. That's the job of the tire manufacturers and their dealers.

Or am I missing something here?

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Thank you Richard.

1 hour ago, richard5933 said:

I'm not sure why the beef is with FMCA. It took me all of about 15 seconds on Google to find the Hankook technical data book. It has all the specs on the tires, including load & inflation charts.

Thank you Richard,

Herman

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As long as we are on this subject, has anybody locate an inflation chart for Continentals?

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14 hours ago, richard5933 said:

Or am I missing something here?

Well yes you are. 

 

14 hours ago, richard5933 said:

I see the situation as FMCA providing a member benefit with the discount program, but I don't expect them to be my tire dealer or technical support for the tires. That's the job of the tire manufacturers and their dealers.

FMCA is and should be responsible for having accurate information on their website. If the outher brands have the load range listed why should I be required to click away from the Hankook site to get information?

14 hours ago, richard5933 said:

Or am I missing something here?

One outher thing you are apparently missing is the fact that Dan Ball they were fixing the problem March 4. Wait I will quote it hear so you won't have to search the internet to find it.

 

On 3/4/2019 at 1:33 PM, dball said:

I am aware and understand your frustrations with our tire program and have been in contact with all 3 partners this morning to discuss ways we can help our members in their search for tires.  Your continued patience is greatly appreciated.

We are still geting post about how hard it is to use the tire program/find information on the FMCA site. I will say it again, This is absolutely positively one of the best examples  as to why FMCA is having a hard time growing and maintaining/retaining members. 

Bill

 

 

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If you look at the number of posts there are about tires in general you'll see that many people are confused about tires. In many ways. It's not limited to the discount program. Just the three data books I linked to have more information than FMCA could ever put in the pages about the discount program.

The way the discount program runs is complicated, but the information you need is there. Will you need to do some research on your own? Yes, of course. It took about 30 seconds on Google for me to find what you needed. I, for onr, think that the only obligation FMCA has is to publish information about the discounts themselves. The specs on the tires changes often, and the only accurate information is that which is provided by the manufacturer.

I get that you're frustrated. I understand that you don't agree with how this program is being run. But the snarky tone in a public forum is not helping, in my opinion. If you have a beef with Dan, then pick up the phone and call him directly. Certainly doesn't help build membership having private spats conducted on a public forum.

About your last point... Just my opinion, but if someone is joining FMCA just to get a tire discount they are joining for the wrong reasons. This is not a discount club, it is a community of people sharing a common interest. Yes, the discounts are a great benefit, but nowhere near as important to me as the connections made with other members. If we were to make that a larger focus instead of pushing discounts members use once in a few years, I think we would be better off.

 

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