Michelin Advantage Program Date Stamp

[johnp8n]

How do I get tires with a date stamp of less than 3 months old when I use the FMCA Michelin Advantage Program? The man (ED) with the Michelin Advantage Program, 888 532 6435, told me there are no provisions for me to request a low time date stamp when I order the tires. He also told me the time on a RV tire starts when the tire is installed because the tires are stored in a controlled environment at their warehouse. Has anyone had this concern?

[CarlAda]

The program doesn't order the tires. The tire dealer orders them. The time stamp is the time stamp when it was manufactured and has nothing to do with when it is installed. Regardless of whether you use the Michelin Advantage Program or not, insist on recent DOT stamped tires when you work with the tire dealer.

[wayne77590]

I have always insisted on tires within 6 month of manufacture. i have never had a dealer problem filling that request.

[uechiyondan]

We recently had to replace two tires on our coach. We were able to use the Michelin program and it saved us a considerable amount of money. We used the tire dealer recommended by the Monaco repair facility in Oregon, They do a lot of tire work on all types of motorhomes, thus they were familiar with the program, but more importantly, they had the tires in stock and the tires were new - recent date codes, if memory serves, I think they were only a month or two old.

My recommendation is to find a dealer near you who is well versed in motorhome tires and then work with them to get the date codes you can live with.

Hope this helps

[tireman9]

Something to clarify is that for some companies the warranty clock starts ticking on the date the tires are applied. If you don't have the sales receipt then the warranty date reverts to tire MFG date as molded on tire sidewall.

This policy may not be universal so you need to confirm from your tire dealer or the tire company warranty booklet you should get. It does make keeping that sales receipt (with the individual tire DOT serial on it) a very important document.

[wildebill308]

Something to clarify is that for some companies the warranty clock starts ticking on the date the tires are applied. If you don't have the sales receipt then the warranty date reverts to tire MFG date as molded on tire sidewall.

This policy may not be universal so you need to confirm from your tire dealer or the tire company warranty booklet you should get. It does make keeping that sales receipt (with the individual tire DOT serial on it) a very important document.

Also as you posted to register your warranty so you can be contacted if there is a problem. That is so important it should be repeated often.

Bill

[GeorgeP]

We recently had to replace two tires on our coach. We were able to use the Michelin program and it saved us a considerable amount of money. We used the tire dealer recommended by the Monaco repair facility in Oregon, They do a lot of tire work on all types of motorhomes, thus they were familiar with the program, but more importantly, they had the tires in stock and the tires were new - recent date codes, if memory serves, I think they were only a month or two old.

My recommendation is to find a dealer near you who is well versed in motorhome tires and then work with them to get the date codes you can live with.

Hope this helps

What was the name of the dealer you used and where are they located?

[boatracer]

The dealer I used in Anna TX told me the advantage program requires date stamps no older than 6 months.

[hermanmullins]

boatracer,

Help me out, the only dealer in Anna, Texas is at the Pilot/Flying J, Graham International. I didn't think they were participating in the Michelin Program.

Herman

[tilldee]

If your tire dealer does not participate in the program and you have to get tires, can you get any type of rebate/return?  Wishful thinking?

[manholt]

No and Yes!

[tilldee]

26 minutes ago, Manholt said:

No and Yes!

[manholt]

OK.  If he (local dealer) does not do fleet discounts, the NO....Wishful thinking?  YES. 

[tbutler]

Getting fresh tires is a negotiation.  In March 2016 I called the dealer I wanted to get the tires from.  I asked him to get me four tires that were less than 3 months past their manufacture date.  He called back and said he had to get the tires from his supplier.  He called several days later saying that he could get four tires with the date 0316, the third week of 2016, e.g. about January 20.  I told him this was acceptable and asked him to go ahead and order them.  I picked them up in early April and because his shop turned out to be ill equipped to handle the installation (no balancing equipment!), I took them to a shop with the proper equipment for the installation.  This is the second time I've had to do this.  I had been assured that they had the equipment but it wasn't the case.  As you might guess, I don't have "a" dealer.  We travel all summer and I find dealers where I can conveniently schedule the work to be done.  The previous tires came from a very large dealer in the Sacramento, CA area.  The most recent was in Austin, TX.  Several years ago, I needed two tires while on the road and had to call three dealers along our intended route of travel before I found one that had current tires in stock.  I went to that dealer and had the tires installed there. 

In short, if you've got the tires I want, I'll buy them.  If you don't have them or can't get them, I'll go to someone else.  There is no commitment on my part until I know what I'm getting.  It works for me.

As a sidelight, I ran Goodyear tires for years.  I found their shops the best equipped and the techs the most knowledgeable in the business.  Since I've switched to Michelin tires, I like the tires better but the shops that I've dealt with, two so far, have been totally inadequate.  The tires are better but the shops have been horrible.  So I buy the tires and if the shop can't handle the mounting, I'll have them delivered to a nearby dealer who can do a proper installation.

[jleamont]

Tom, do you have wheel weights hanging on your wheels?

[tilldee]

Our dealer has to order the tires.  I called them back and gave them all the info on Michelin-Advantage program and two #'s to call, along with my FMCA member number.  He is suppose to call and then call me back today.  Sure hoping we can take advantage of this program as it is supposed to save quite a bit of money per tire.  I will also tell him that I want recent tire stamps when he calls back.  

How often is recommended to replace tires?  Depending on mileage on them, or age of tire/wear?  

We bought our 2007 coach in 2014 with 2,100 miles.  The tires looked great when we bought it, but after two trips to LA/FL we started noticing outside wear and the coach was towing in.  We had it aligned  yesterday and that's when they told us our tires were 11 years old (which we knew) and in bad need of being replaced due to wear and flat spots.  

[hermanmullins]

Tilldee,

Motor Home tire don't, in most cases, wear out. They age out. I always examine my tire on a regular basic. However at around 5 years I become more aware of cracking and crazing. Many times you will see a great amount of tread left and think you are good to go. The side walls may look fine, but look between the treads. 

Most folks will change out their tires around the 7 year mark.

Be sure and check the Mfg. date code on any tires your dealer wants to put on your vehicle. (aka 22-16 = tires made in the 22nd week of 2016). And it wouldn't hurt to record the date code and location of each tire you have. 

Herman

[tilldee]

Thanks Herman.   Good advice, I'll do that.

 

[manholt]

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I do mine every 6 years, have 4 years left !  Blow out in a 25,000 pound coach is one thing, on one my size and weight?  I won't even go there!

[tilldee]

So while we have the coach in the shop getting new shoes, is there anything you can tell me to have done that will help with the sway or air pull when driving on the interstates and the big rigs go around us.  I've heard comments on the different types of shocks, but have no idea what to do, or if there is anything at all we can do besides purchase a DP?

 

[wolfe10]

While in the shop, have them check for worn components before spending money on upgrading.  Things like sway bar bushings are pretty high failure rate items and not that expensive to replace.

For being pushed around in the wind/by 18 wheelers, with a gas chassis, first thing I would add would  be a rear track bar/panhard rod.

And, yes both Bilstein and Koni have better shocks than the OE which were speced on COST, not necessarily quality.

[manholt]

Since your getting new tires have them check front alignment and rear if they have the equipment, caster and toe.

Carl

[tbutler]

17 hours ago, jleamont said:

Tom, do you have wheel weights hanging on your wheels?

Yes, all six of them have weights, I can't see any of them!  It does help them ride smoothly. 

 

16 hours ago, Tilldee said:

We had it aligned  yesterday and that's when they told us our tires were 11 years old (which we knew) and in bad need of being replaced due to wear and flat spots.  

In dog years, your tires are 77 years old!   I would never run tires older than 7 years old.  I've put mine on a rotating replacement plan.  Rather than pay for six tires all at once, I replace two each year.  The new tires go on the front and are there for two years.  At the end of two years that pair of tires goes on either the left or right rear and two new tires go on the front.  After another two years, the front tires are moved to the other rear position and two new tires go on the front.  The tires on the rig are then 2 years old on the front, four years old on one rear and six years old on the other rear at the end of the six year cycle.  At this point it all starts over.  I've had a flat on the front which means two new front tires.  I had a flat on the rear and that meant two new front tires and the old front tires go to the rear position that had the flat.  It takes some time to get this system set up but once done, it is nice to get just two tires at once.  The downside is that every time I purchase two new tires I'm dismounting and mounting four tires.  The upside is that my steer tires are always less than two years old.  I never want to have another steer tire blow out!

[manholt]

Tom. I totally agree with you on front tire blow out...ones is one to many!  I do look at my front tires more often than the other 6.

Carl