| [GMCnet] Tires [message #95469] |
Thu, 12 August 2010 08:54  |
Lloyd Russell
Messages: 1
Registered: December 2006
Karma: 0
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Junior Member |
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It is time, not mileage, for me to replace six tires, the 16.5's, and I haven't seen any discussion lately. Who has current advice for me in lower Alabama going West in October for Fall and Winter on the Coast, mainly. '78 Royale 405. LWR
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| Re: [GMCnet] Tires [message #95477 is a reply to message #95469] |
Thu, 12 August 2010 09:29  |
gmcrv1
Messages: 839
Registered: August 2007
Location: Memphis
Karma: -1
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Senior Member |
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Lloyd,
I hope this helps.
Here is an excerpt from an email I sent awhile back:
About a year ago I stopped by an in dependant tire shop in northern
Mississippi. I talked to the owner about 16.5" tires. He had 5 in stock
and would order the sixth one. When he went online, he searched for a
couple of minutes and said he finally found one. I asked the date code on
the ones in stock and found out they were 3 years old. He recommended going
with 16" tires based on finding replacements while traveling.
I called Jim K. and decided on the Eagle non-hub centered wheels and found
new E rated tires at Tire Easy.com.
Tom Eckert
N2VWN
73 Glacier
Oakl\and, TN
On Thu, Aug 12, 2010 at 8:54 AM, Lloyd Russell <russ5000@mchsi.com> wrote:
> It is time, not mileage, for me to replace six tires, the 16.5's, and I
> haven't seen any discussion lately. Who has current advice for me in lower
> Alabama going West in October for Fall and Winter on the Coast, mainly.
> '78 Royale 405. LWR
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> List Information and Subscription Options:
> http://temp.gmcnet.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/gmclist
>
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| Re: [GMCnet] Tires [message #95496 is a reply to message #95469] |
Thu, 12 August 2010 10:44 |
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mike miller
Messages: 3576
Registered: February 2004
Location: Hillsboro, Oregon
Karma: 0
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| Lloyd Russell wrote on Thu, 12 August 2010 06:54 |
It is time, not mileage, for me to replace six tires, the 16.5's, ...
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If you plan on keeping the coach for long enough to replace the tires again, it is a "no brainer" to get 16 inch wheels. ie: In five, six or even seven years you'll have an even harder time finding 16.5's. (Much less have any selection!)
The less your planned time with your coach the harder "the call" will be. ie: if you plan on selling your coach in a year, does it make sense to spend $1200 (or more) on wheels... on top of the price of the tires? (It COULD raise the selling price of the coach, but I wouldn't count on it.)
When selecting tires:
1. Go with load range D or E, what ever costs less. (Go with E's if your coach is on the heavy side.) Even saying this, I would spend a little more for E's anyway.
2. Stay away from steel sidewalls.
3. Look at the date codes. You should be able to get tires LESS than six months old. If not, go somewhere else. (I have seen them on the rack at the local store only two weeks old!)
Mike Miller -- Hillsboro, OR -- on the Black list
(#2)`78 23' Birchaven Rear Bath -- (#3)`77 23' Birchaven Side Bath
More Sidekicks than GMC's and a late model Malibu called 'Boo'
http://m000035.blogspot.com
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| Re: [GMCnet] Tires [message #95505 is a reply to message #95477] |
Thu, 12 August 2010 10:38 |
Ken Henderson
Messages: 8726
Registered: March 2004
Location: Americus, GA
Karma: 9
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Senior Member |
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From sad experience this week, let me remind everyone to be careful of
replacement tire sizes!
Stick was on his way to visit me in his new Royale. At the end of my street
there is a deep depression in the intersection. He got hung up there with
the trailer hitch, tail pipe, and frame all firmly grounded on the pavement.
After we tried two bottles of air, followed by a portable 120 vac
compressor, to provide enough air to raise the back end, we gave up and I
drove it through the depression despite the sounds and sparks.
Parked in my yard, we finally were able to jack the back end up and do more
troubleshooting. The reason we couldn't get the back end up was that one of
the air bags, almost new, had a 1/4"x3/4" hole worn in it. By the left
middle tire!
Apparently what happened is that the rear ride height was too low, either
because of a leak or other malfunction, or novice operation of the
suspension system. With the bag fully deflated, the big old 215-85R16 tire
(1-1/2" larger in diameter than a 225-75R16) mounted there rubbed the hole
in the air bag. :-(
Not only did the oversized tires cause that catastrophic failure, when the
ride height was low, and during normal suspension movement, the tires hit
the added flares and damaged them. Furthermore, with the wheels jacked up
using a bar under the suspension arms, the tires can hardly be installed or
removed because of interference with the flares (which are far from the
largest I've seen).
We didn't check it, but I'll bet those large tires would touch the wheel
wells in that '78 a la the earlier coaches. :-(
Bottom line: Be very careful if you install tires larger than 225-75R16.
There may be unexpected effects. 1-1/2" diameter, only 3/4" radius change
may not sound like much, but in this case it was TOO much.
Ken H.
Americus, GA
'76 X-Birchaven w/Cad500/Howell EFI+ & EBL
www.gmcwipersetc.com
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Ken Henderson
Americus, GA
www.gmcwipersetc.com
Large Wiring Diagrams
76 X-Birchaven
76 X-Palm Beach
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