Buying A Used RV With Original Tires

[rockinron46]

I bought a used 2007 Pace Arrow last year with the original tires Michelin XRV's.

Because of the low mileage the dealer boasted how the tires looked like brand new, although at purchase they were 7-8 years old.

I, not knowing that RV tires have an age factor, thought I was getting a great deal. That was until I had several people tell me that the tires need to be replaced.

This became more evident when upon inspection after a road trip a few weeks ago I found a front tire with a bulge which meant a belt had broken, this could have been more disastrous if I didn't do my regular inspections after each trip.

I replaced both tires.

My question is, does not the dealer have some responsibility to at least warn the buyer of the hazards of these tires.

[kaypsmith]

Welcome to the forum, and to answer your question. Ethically yes, but legally I doubt it. Although I would call the dealer and complain, he may just be ignorant to the facts. I would also complain to the district attorney in the state of purchase, if there are no laws against this practice, it could be a stepping stone to get laws enacted.

All tires, especially when speed and weight related have an age factor, but how they are treated come into play, Tireman9 has some very good points on this. The big

problem is, you nor the dealer really have any idea if they had good treatment or not.

Good luck with your project, and happy motoring, Kay

[gbrinck]

There is no industry consensus that a tire is unsafe at 7 years, so there are no grounds to fault the dealer. Michelin says to replace at 10 even if appearance is OK, but to physically inspect every year after age 5 (see Michelin RV Tire Guide).

A knowledgeable RV person would warn that tires do age and that the risk of a blow-out increases dramatically as the age approaches 10 years, but expecting a sales person to warn of a potential deal-breaker like that is expecting a lot. As long as there is no superficial problem (bulge, deep cracks, etc.), they are under no obligation to warn of things that are considered normal wear & tear. The product is used, and wear & tear commensurate with the age and mileage if to be expected.

[rockinron46]

Thank you for the comments,

I am up in Quebec Canada and the dealer told me that the vehicle passed the government inspection and that he was going by that, but I will push based on some articles that I have accumulated on the net, I will let you know, it will probably take a while though.

Ron

[tireman9]

I guess all you can do is point out to the dealer that he needs to get his salesmen educated on RV tires. You also now have some knowledge that you can share with friends or others that talk with you about buying a used RV.

[obedb]

The damage that a steel belted radial can do during a blowout is substantial. I have seen steer blown tires knock off part of a fiberglass hood on an 18 wheeler. Look at all of the stuff near your tires and consider what could happen. A used unit could have been abused and you would not know it.

[Walt2137]

Guys watch this on a RV that had a left front blow out as it was passing a 18 wheeler, the steel cable barrier that they have along I-10 looks like it helped with the roll over.

It is super important to know your weight and inflate at or a little above spec, TPS are a wonderful safety tool especially on a RV.

https://www.facebook.com/LouisianaStatePolice/videos/1097741173575805/

[jleamont]

I saw this earlier today, just glad they walked away, hard to believe when you see the video.

[tireman9]

RE video. Yes they were lucky. Have to wonder if we will ever hear more facts such as Was there a TPMS? Had the owner confirmed front axle load and tire pressure? Was his gauge accurate?

When a tire chucks a piece out there clearly was something wrong just before the failure. The problem IMO is that few every do proper investigation once they see a failed tire.

Simply saying the accident was "caused" by a tire failure is not much different than saying the person's injury was "caused" by flying in an airplane.

Leaving out the information that the person was a soldier and the plane took him to Syria/ Iraq/ Afghanistan etc.

[jleamont]

I would love to hear the root cause of the tire failure, as we all know that type of news doesn’t sell very well so we will most likely never know.

[obedb]

My 2003 Phaeton was built on a 2002 chassis. When we agreed to buy it from the original owner last May I confirmed the mfg date on the sidewall of a steer tire. He admitted that five of the tires were original, and he had blown one inside dual. 12 year old tires that looked to be in excellent shape, But! The unit was gorgeous. Garaged its entire life, low miles, and almost perfect inside. Couldn't wait to get new rubber on it. I remember reading somewhere that tires need to be driven regularly to keep some of the "chemicals" used in the tire build properly distributed through out the tire. Something that does not happen with many RVs. Don't know if that is accurate re the regular use.

I have seen Motorhomes setting upright in medians over the years. Sometimes a blown steer. Sometimes weather. The steel posts and cable probably were a factor as was mentioned earlier. Bet they had their seat belts on.

[obedb]

Notice! The trucker pulled over to offer help no doubt. A lot of professional truckers are running dash cams now. Probably a good idea.

[jleamont]

Today on GMA they reported that the accident was caused by a Dry rotted tire.

ObedB we are also running a dash cam in the RV. Mostly to capture the scenic views.

[tireman9]

Today on GMA they reported that the accident was caused by a Dry rotted tire.

ObedB we are also running a dash cam in the RV. Mostly to capture the scenic views.

I would doubt that you would ever hear a real tire engineer use the term "Dry Rot" in a report on the reason for a tire failure.

The American Trucking Association has a Technology & Maintenance Council that publishes a guide "Radial Tire Conditions Analysis Guide" and the term DRY Rot does not appear in the 146 pg guide.

Sidewall cracking is an "Indicting Symptom" not a root cause of tire failure much as when you run a temperature. That is just an indicator to a Medical Professional that there is most likely an infection. Sidewall cracking is an indicator of the tires exposure to general use, heat, UV and Ozone.

Michelin even has a guide and clearly simply having some smaller cracks does not indicate the tire has failed. Note if you print off the guide it is important to have the correct scale. The total height of the guide is 5-3/4" from top of top image to bottom of bottom image.

[montie]

I am not sure this is where I need to ask this question but I cannot find the exact place for an answer to my question, so here goes.

I have an 09 DP, with a tag. I bought the coach used and it has the original tires. The date on the tires is late 08, so that makes it the seventh year. If you did not know the date you would think by looking at the sidewalls they look new, not one crack, the rubber feels soft and fresh. I have inspected the tires with a glass and a light and have not found any deterioration what so ever.

I talked to my Michelin dealer and he said that he would feel better if I replaced them this year, they have been inside my garage when not on the road and for the most part covered when outside, while inside I park them on a piece of plywood so they do not set on concrete. I clean them with the recommended cleaner and dress them with tire protectant and no harsh cleaners they are immaculate.

My question, is the seven year rule always right? I thought about buying two new tires for the front and getting another year out of the duels and tag. They have pressure sensors and have never had to have nitrogen added. They have always had nitrogen which I am told allows the tires to run cooler.

This weekend I drove about 200 miles and the temp never got over 90 degrees and they have never been run low or anything that would cause a internal breakdown.

I did drive across NY last year on Hwy 90 which is the worst road in the USA when it comes to being rough. These tires have never been scrubbed on the sidewalls and have no excessive wear because of alignment and have 43,000 miles.

I feel safe this year being the seventh year so maybe try the two tires after inspection next year.

Some input please and thanks again, does my two new tires on the front make sense and by the way I usually drive 60 to 62 MPH.

315-80-22.5

[wolfe10]

Montie,

Sounds like you are taking good care of the tires. BUT, you said you bought it used.

Do you know how the original owner cared for them???

[tireman9]

If you can't handle replacing all the tires with an unknown history changing the two fronts is a reasonable alternative plan.

I have a post on my blog on how to do a "rolling change" to soften the blow on your wallet.

[hermanmullins]

Montie,

I too had tires that had aged out but had sidewalls that looked brand new. After the tires were off the rims I inspected them and found that there were very large and deep cracking down between the tread all the way around.

I always err on the side of Safety.

Herman

[Cookie]

This refers to the video that was linked. After reading the comments under the video and here I have a thought. Yes, the secret is to stay off the brake and do your best to keep it under control. Many years ago I had a blowout on the right front tire on a 80,000 pound (40 ton) semi without power steering, towing two trailers. I was doing the speed limit, which was 55 miles an hour. I was able to get it off to the side of the road safely. The secret was not hitting the brakes, even though that is the natural reaction, and holding on tightly as I slowed down. It was scary, especially since I had only been driving semi about two years.

Tire care is important, but tire problems can occur with perfectly good tires that have had 'perfect' care. It is possible to run over something that will cause you to have a flat, even a 'blow out', so the secret is to be aware of what to do when it happens to you. The cause of mine was not discovered. There is a saying in the trucking world, that you are not a real truck driver until you have had a blow out on the front. I became a 'real' truck driver early in my career, and didn't have another one in the next 2.75 million miles, and boy am I glad.