Date: Thu, 7 Dec 2006 19:22:34 +0000
Reply-To: dhaynes@OPTONLINE.NET
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Dennis Haynes <dhaynes@OPTONLINE.NET>
Subject: Michelin Tire Experiences
In-Reply-To: <000601c71a1c$20383730$6500a8c0@notebook>
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December 1992- FUN BUS Driving Down to Florida. Just passed Jacksonville, Wife driving, me sleeping in back. What the heck is all that noise and why are we jumping of the road? Original MXL 205-70-14 reinforced tires, ~ 55k. Right rear tire thread separation- Flapping. Tire blew out while getting onto shoulder. No warranty adjustment or acceptance.
Spring 1997- Purchase a 1992 motor home, Tioga Arrow 27" class C. 36K miles. Driving day after purchase, inner tire has zipper failure on sidewall. No warranty
acceptance. But one tire, rotate to place unused spare and new tire on front. Forgot tire ID but 225/75-16 load range D.
Winter 1997- Driving to Florida. Driving through Virginia, lots of steady vibration. At first suspected road. After noticing vibration same regardless of road surface, pulled over to investigate. 3 out of 4
rear tires had bubbles in thread and side walls. Called information and found a Goodyear dealer. 4 near rear tires. Also upgraded to load range E.
Current
motor home- tires Are Michelin XRV- 255/80-22.5 load range G. Tires will not stay round-balanced. Michelin does not warranty adjust tires for "Ride Disturbance". Using "Equal" tire balance powder to control the shimmies. So far working.
My point! Michelin does not readily acknowledge tire failures or problems. That must be why they can publish such good ratings. Goodyear has given me excellent warranty coverage for tire problems including cracking side walls, (ozone damage). Just had a warranty adjustment for a thread bubble, (partial separation) last week. The gave a 40 % credit for a tire with ~45K miles on it. Tire was manufactured 35th week of 02. Tire was Wrangler HP- 215/65-16 (Fun Bus). My last motor home had warranty adjustments for a blow out and 3 out of round tires. No Goodyear tires are not perfect, but they appear to standby their products. Most of these adjustments have been done on the spot or next day. I even had a set of tires replaced after flat spotting on a car that was not used for 3 years. They gave 90% credit for those.
Dennis
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