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| [GMCnet] Jaunt to Alaska - the first 600 miles [message #300263] |
Sat, 07 May 2016 23:30 |
fbhtxak
Messages: 191
Registered: April 2006
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Jerry,
Had two "near misses" with BFG Commercial TAs (load range "E") enroute to
GMCMI/Dothan, Al from Tyler, TX, 29Mar -01Apr'16. Sharon and I are part of
the "early arrival" teams that "stage" GMCMI conventions.
"Limped" into Dothan at about 50MPH on Friday, 01Apr because of heavy
vibration above that speed. 'Was in torrential rain all day on IH10 and
could not drive safely above 50MPH anyway. Upon arrival/Dothan, I inspected
all six tires on Saturday, 02Apr'16. 'Found passenger side trailing rear
wheel with 1/4" out-of-round section over about 30% of tire circumference
and driver-side front wheel with a small bulge on inside sidewall of tire.
The vibration of the latter was difficult to locate as it was not evident
through the steering wheel. Thanks to Alex Ferarra, we were able to quickly
and precisely locate the problem by removing the engine cover with him then
getting into position over the engine where he could see the drive axles and
front wheels. As I approached 50MPH, he found no evidence of vibration in
the drive axles and RF wheel. As I increased the speed above 50 MPH, he
could see a bulge/inside sidewall of LF tire increasing in size and motioned
me to quickly cut the speed. After parking the coach for the Dothan
convention, I removed the wheels with pending tire failures and took them to
a local Dothan tire store for replacement with new BFG Commercial TAs, being
sure to get tires with a 2016 date code. The faulty tires had a Jan. 2011
date code and had gone 41500 miles. I installed six BFG Commercial TA tires
with that date code on 14Feb'11. I replaced the remaining four tires with
the same BFG Commercial TAs on Wednesday, 04May'16, again being sure to get
"fresh" tires with 2016 date codes.
Upon comparing notes with other owners at Dothan and doing some Internet
"due diligence", I found numerous accounts of failures at about five years,
regardless of brand, for tires with non-steel sidewalls in motorhome use.
The all-steel tires did not have this problem but the harsh ride and premium
cost of up to $150/tire are negatives for use on GMC motorhomes. I had,
prior to the BFG Commercial TAs, used Goodyear G159 "all steel" tires for
almost 80K miles and no problems of any kind over the ten years they were on
the coach. Because of the harsh ride and $200 premium cost for replacement
"G159s", I opted to go with the BFG Commercial TAs in Feb.'11.
I, too, had diligently rotated the wheels at approximate 6K mile intervals
and had equal tire wear at all six wheels. I also do a quick visual check of
tires and temperature reading with a laser thermometer at each stop for
fuel.
Lesson learned: change all tires with "steel" treads and non-steel sidewalls
at five years latest, regardless of remaining tread life.
If you have not done so already, Google the AK Hwy. road closure north of
Fort St. John, BC. Watch alerts also for fires between Tok and Northway, AK
and the "Tok Cut-off" (between Tok and Glen Allen, AK) - all fairly common
during mid-May to end-June in AK.
We are at Cooper Landing/Princess Cruise Lines Wilderness Lodge/RV Park,
Site 39 each summer. 'Expect to arrive there about 29June this summer after
arrival by air in Anchorage, 23June. We are at the Golden Nugget RV Park
while In ANC. If you/Sharon are nearby at either the ANC or Cooper Landing
location, we welcome you to stop by... 'Recommend you email or text/call
first (nine zero 3, three 1 two, nine 1 zero nine).
Fred
Fred Hudspeth
1978 Royale (TZE 368V101335) - Tyler, TX
1982 Airstream Excella (motorhome) - Cooper Landing, Alaska
Date: Sat, 07 May 2016 08:45:04 -0700
From: Gerald Work
To: gmclist@list.gmcnet.org
Subject: [GMCnet] Jaunt to Alaska - the first 600 miles
Message-ID:
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
After a fun sorority reunion for Sharon in Portland, OR, we are now in
Spokane, WA, visiting for a few days before heading for Jasper, AB, and then
north to AK. The Royale is loaded to the gunnels and ran like a champ,
except for not liking winter gas going up hill in warm to hot weather. A
few vapor lock symptoms that the electric fuel pump fixed. The last big
outing in the Royale took place in Feb so the fuel in the tank when we left
was winter blend fuel. It took a couple of 250 mile fill ups to dilute that
with summer blend so I don't expect much issue from here.
Before we left I did my normal every two year replacement of two tires, all
16" load range E BFG Commercial TAs. About 50 miles out from Spokane we
could feel a bit of a vibration that was speed related. I stopped and ran
my hands over all six tires. None were hotter than the others and all six
felt the same with no apparent bumps or bulges so I thought maybe we had
tossed a wheel weight. Nope. A loud bang followed by lots of flailing
against the side of the coach shortly after exiting off the freeway let us
know in no uncertain way that a tire had blown. When we got safely to the
side of the road and surveyed the damage we found bad news and good news.
The good news was the Alcoa rim still appeared to be undamaged. The bad
news was the whole tread had separated, zipping almost all the way off like
an old retread. What was left of the tread strip knocked the step off, beat
up the paint, picked out both bogie greasers, tore the T skirt loose and
didn't help the plastic chrome trim around the wheel openings on the T
skirt. Nothing that will hamper our continuing adventure, but enough to
require some time in dock to effect repairs.
An interesting side note. We choose the BFG tires because they are
available nearly everywhere. Well they are available here but the well
known western tire company that came out to do the wheel change doesn't
carry them and now claims the price for that one tire will be $100 more than
we paid our local gas station in rural So. OR! But, they were Johnny on
the spot and got to us within a few minutes of our call so I guess I can't
complain too much in the grand scheme of things.
The tire that blew had a 2011 date code, had lots of tread left, and had
been rotated every 5000 to 6000 miles. It was the forward PS bogie. That
is the only spot where we have ever had tire issues on either of the
coaches. That is the same spot where we lost a tire on this coach in the
middle of no where Iowa on our way to the Maritime Provinces in 2010.
Interesting as that wheel measures frame parallel, the tread showed no
unusual wear and that tire was the same temp as all the others.
Hopefully, that will be the only unwanted adventure on this journey!
Jerry
Jerry Work
The Dovetail Joint
Fine furniture designed & hand crafted
in the 1907 former Masonic Temple building in historic Kerby, OR
http://jerrywork.com
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