Home » Public Forums » GMCnet » Confused about Tires
|
|
| Re: [GMCnet] Confused about Tires [message #74968 is a reply to message #74950] |
Thu, 25 February 2010 17:20   |
MikeT
Messages: 225
Registered: November 2009
Location: Marine City, Michigan
Karma: 0
|
Senior Member |
|
|
Mr Burton,
Sitting on the side lines I am very confused about tires now. I bought a 77 Eleganza last October. The coach sat for 5 years because the PO passed. I was excited because they had just purchased new Alcoa wheels and new Michelin tires. T 225 75R16 LRE XPS Rib Radial X. They only drove 5K mile on the tires and the coach has either been stored in the barn during the winter or on the grass in the summer for the last 5 years. The date codes on the tires read the 40th week of 2004. So they are going on 6 years old.
I don't want to buy new tires unless I have to. I sure don't want a blowout while traveling. Safety.
Your post says to replace Michelin tires in 10 years or when tread is gone. In your opinion you think it is safe to continue driving on these for the next few years? I could sure use the money on other things for the coach but I also don't want to put my family in harms way. To may horror stories regarding tires over 5 years old.
Thanks for your input.
Mike Thomas
Marine City, MI
77 ex Palm Beach
|
|
|
|
| Re: [GMCnet] Confused about Tires [message #74972 is a reply to message #74968] |
Thu, 25 February 2010 17:55 |
 |
USAussie
Messages: 15912
Registered: July 2007
Location: Sydney, Australia
Karma: 6
|
Senior Member |
|
|
Mike,
Here's a link to Michelin's Service Life for RV/Motorhome Tires brochure.
http://www.michelinrvtires.com/michelinrv/toolbox/reference-material.jsp
Regards,
Rob Mueller
Sydney, Australia
AUS '75 Avion-The Blue Streak TZE365V100428
USA '75 Avion-Double Trouble TZE365V100426
-----Original Message-----
From: gmclist-bounces@temp.gmcnet.org
[mailto:gmclist-bounces@temp.gmcnet.org] On Behalf Of Thomas Mike
Sent: Friday, 26 February 2010 10:20 AM
To: gmclist@temp.gmcnet.org
Subject: Re: [GMCnet] Confused about Tires
Mr Burton,
Sitting on the side lines I am very confused about tires now. I bought a 77
Eleganza last October. The coach sat for 5 years because the PO passed. I
was excited because they had just purchased new Alcoa wheels and new
Michelin tires. T 225 75R16 LRE XPS Rib Radial X. They only drove 5K mile on
the tires and the coach has either been stored in the barn during the winter
or on the grass in the summer for the last 5 years. The date codes on the
tires read the 40th week of 2004. So they are going on 6 years old.
I don't want to buy new tires unless I have to. I sure don't want a blowout
while traveling. Safety.
Your post says to replace Michelin tires in 10 years or when tread is gone.
In your opinion you think it is safe to continue driving on these for the
next few years? I could sure use the money on other things for the coach but
I also don't want to put my family in harms way. To may horror stories
regarding tires over 5 years old.
Thanks for your input.
--
Mike T
Troy, MI
77 Eleganza II
_______________________________________________
GMCnet mailing list
List Information and Subscription Options:
http://temp.gmcnet.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/gmclist
_______________________________________________
GMCnet mailing list
List Information and Subscription Options:
http://temp.gmcnet.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/gmclist
Regards,
Rob M. (USAussie)
The Pedantic Mechanic
Sydney, Australia
'75 Avion - AUS - The Blue Streak TZE365V100428
'75 Avion - USA - Double Trouble TZE365V100426
|
|
|
|
| Re: Confused about Tires [message #74973 is a reply to message #74726] |
Thu, 25 February 2010 18:29 |
Rick Williams
Messages: 256
Registered: July 2004
Karma: 0
|
Senior Member |
|
|
Mike T
Nothing causes more discussions on the net than tires. So I will throw in my 2 cents worth. I started out with tires with major cracks in the sidewalls to make the 120 mile trip from Green Bay Wisconsin to Gladstone Michigan when I bought the coach in 2001. I can not believe I made it now that I think back on it. Those tires were really bad. I knew little about the coaches and where to find information. So I relied on Cinnabar when they said to use Michelin XPS Ribs. I have one pair left on the coach that I will change this summer. They are 9 years old with 40k miles on them. I removed a pair last summer that were the same age. There was no sidewall cracking and the inside of the tires did not appear to have any problems. The coach has always been stored inside. I will be putting about 3k miles on this last pair this spring before changing them. Is this a mistake? Time will tell but I do not think so. The Michelins have been trouble free but I am changing to the BF Goodrich Commercial TA based on opinions from the Net. I watched the tire tech change out the Michelins and he really fought to get those off the wheel. They are extremely stiff tires with the steel sidewall. Many owners believe that these tires are too stiff for the coach and that they contribute to tracking problems especially on rutted roads. But I put 40k fun filled miles on mine so I have no complaints. But I also keep improving on the ride as I continue to make changes and upgrades.
Yes, I know, that was long winded but maybe it helped some. But in the end, only you can decide based on tire data, our experiences and your opinion about the condition of your tires.
Rick
Rick Williams
Bliss, Michigan
1978 Eleganza II
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Re: [GMCnet] Confused about Tires [message #74977 is a reply to message #74968] |
Thu, 25 February 2010 19:19 |
Charles
Messages: 455
Registered: January 2004
Karma: 0
|
Senior Member |
|
|
WHAT IS COVERED AND FOR HOW LONG -
CONSUMER USE
Workmanship and Materials
MICHELINŽ truck tires bearing the MICHELINŽ name and
complete serial and identification numbers, used in consumer
service, such as on a motorhome, according to the instructions
contained in this Operator's Manual, are covered by this limited
warranty against defects in workmanship and materials for the life of
the original tread, or five years from the date of purchase, whichever
occurs first. At that time, all warranties, expressed or implied, expire.
_______________________________________________
GMCnet mailing list
List Information and Subscription Options:
http://temp.gmcnet.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/gmclist
Charles Wersal
Duncanville, Texas
26 foot 1975 Glenbrook
Pandora's Box
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Re: [GMCnet] Confused about Tires [message #74996 is a reply to message #74978] |
Fri, 26 February 2010 07:56 |
Rick Williams
Messages: 256
Registered: July 2004
Karma: 0
|
Senior Member |
|
|
| jayrabe wrote on Thu, 25 February 2010 20:27 |
Rick,
You said, "... I also keep improving on the ride as I continue to make changes and upgrades."
What changes have made the most improvement for you?
Thanks,
J Rabe
76 Palm Beach
Portland, OR
_________________________________________________________________
Hotmail: Powerful Free email with security by Microsoft.
http://clk.atdmt.com/GBL/go/201469230/direct/01/
_______________________________________________
GMCnet mailing list
List Information and Subscription Options:
http://temp.gmcnet.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/gmclist
|
J Rabe
A big improvement came with the Quadra Bag 4 bag system from JimK and JimB. I have written about it before so I won't go into it again except to say that it is well worth the money. But this should not be first on your list. You need to take care of the basics first.
The BF Goodrich tires as mentioned earlier.
New shocks. I used Bilstein and they have been good. I may try something different next time based on some experiences shared by others on the Net.
Replaced the steering cv joint. This was replaced by Cinnabar when I first bought the coach. I have no idea how bad it was.
Last year I pulled the steering box and calibrated it. That made a big difference in the steering wheel play. I added a Dave Lenzi adjustable drag link to allow centering of the steering wheel.
I have also installed Dave's knuckles and hubs with zerk fittings. This does not improve handling but sure improves reliability.
The ride height adjustments were way out when I bought the coach. The right front weighed 700 lbs more than the left. The torsion bars were no where near adjusted correctly. If you have not weighed your coach, you need to. Weigh each wheel individually. You will learn a lot.
The ball joints were changed by the previous owner but I do not know when but they are still good. The rest of the steering parts are original. The coach handles very well with 95k miles so I am not going to tackle the control arm bushings, relay lever, etc for a while.
Those items will reach the top of the need/want list at some point.
I replaced the rubber body isolators. This does not improve the ride from a handling standpoint but it does reduce noise.
There is no shortage of ways to spend money on these coaches. But as I have said before, they are well worth it.
Rick
Rick Williams
Bliss, Michigan
1978 Eleganza II
|
|
|
|
| Re: [GMCnet] Confused about Tires [message #75017 is a reply to message #74996] |
Fri, 26 February 2010 13:38 |
jayrabe
Messages: 509
Registered: June 2009
Location: Portland, OR
Karma: 0
|
Senior Member |
|
|
Thanks Rick,
I'd already posted about the big mismatch in wheel weight side to side on my coach due no doubt to significant ride height mis-adjustment. It's on my list of things to fix, as well as now several more things, thanks to your info. :-)
J
76 Palm Beach
Portland, OR
--------------------------------
>
> A big improvement came with the Quadra Bag 4 bag system from JimK and JimB. I have written about it before so I won't go into it again except to say that it is well worth the money. But this should not be first on your list. You need to take care of the basics first.
> The BF Goodrich tires as mentioned earlier.
> New shocks. I used Bilstein and they have been good. I may try something different next time based on some experiences shared by others on the Net.
> Replaced the steering cv joint. This was replaced by Cinnabar when I first bought the coach. I have no idea how bad it was.
> Last year I pulled the steering box and calibrated it. That made a big difference in the steering wheel play. I added a Dave Lenzi adjustable drag link to allow centering of the steering wheel.
> I have also installed Dave's knuckles and hubs with zerk fittings. This does not improve handling but sure improves reliability.
> The ride height adjustments were way out when I bought the coach. The right front weighed 700 lbs more than the left. The torsion bars were no where near adjusted correctly. If you have not weighed your coach, you need to. Weigh each wheel individually. You will learn a lot.
> The ball joints were changed by the previous owner but I do not know when but they are still good. The rest of the steering parts are original. The coach handles very well with 95k miles so I am not going to tackle the control arm bushings, relay lever, etc for a while.
> Those items will reach the top of the need/want list at some point.
> I replaced the rubber body isolators. This does not improve the ride from a handling standpoint but it does reduce noise.
> There is no shortage of ways to spend money on these coaches. But as I have said before, they are well worth it.
>
> Rick
> --
> Rick Williams
> Gladstone, Michigan
> 1978 Eleganza II
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> List Information and Subscription Options:
> http://temp.gmcnet.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/gmclist
_________________________________________________________________
Your E-mail and More On-the-Go. Get Windows Live Hotmail Free.
http://clk.atdmt.com/GBL/go/201469229/direct/01/
_______________________________________________
GMCnet mailing list
List Information and Subscription Options:
http://temp.gmcnet.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/gmclist
|
|
|
|
| Re: [GMCnet] Confused about Tires [message #75019 is a reply to message #74996] |
Fri, 26 February 2010 14:16 |
MikeT
Messages: 225
Registered: November 2009
Location: Marine City, Michigan
Karma: 0
|
Senior Member |
|
|
Rick great advice.
When you swapped out tires by two's, What order did you do it in? Front, middle, rear, the other way? Also, what size BF Goodrich did you purchase, 225 or 245 for the Alcoa wheels.
I was hoping Gladstone was close to Detroit but I see you are way over on the west side of the UP.
Thanks
Mike Thomas
Marine City, MI
77 ex Palm Beach
|
|
|
|
| Re: [GMCnet] Confused about Tires [message #75022 is a reply to message #75019] |
Fri, 26 February 2010 15:18 |
Rick Williams
Messages: 256
Registered: July 2004
Karma: 0
|
Senior Member |
|
|
| MikeT wrote on Fri, 26 February 2010 15:16 |
Rick great advice.
When you swapped out tires by two's, What order did you do it in? Front, middle, rear, the other way? Also, what size BF Goodrich did you purchase, 225 or 245 for the Alcoa wheels.
I was hoping Gladstone was close to Detroit but I see you are way over on the west side of the UP.
Thanks
|
Mike
Size 225. I followed the conventional wisdom of putting the best tires on the front, followed by the rear for no particular reason and this summer will be the middle. Now after reading the Net with the theory that the middle tires take the most abuse and therefore should be changed first, I am considering not reading the Net anymore. Actually that seems to make some sense and if I had to do over would probably do it that way. But the wind is blowing, it is 25 degrees and my garage is unheated so I think I will just leave those Michelins in the middle as planned and change them this summer. But if I come limping into Bean Station on five wheels we will all know that it was a poor plan.
Yes, Gladstone is in the central UP on the shore of Lake Michigan. It is about 400 miles from Detroit. It is a great place for about 8 months out of the year. This is a good time for me to remind all of you that you are welcome here for a stopover. I have a new garage with a pit if repairs are needed. The best time to tour this area is July through mid October. Very mild summer temperatures with highs rarely hitting 90 and most of the time in the mid 70's. If you have never been here it is well worth seeing. I met GMCer Andre (Mangomushroom)and his girlfriend from San Francisco last summer and they said that they had thought up a slogan for Michigan. "Michigan it is not what you think it is". Yes Michigan is on very hard times right now and is not the greatest place to live if you are out of work. But for a retired bum, it has a lot to offer. So everyone, help out Michigan and come here for your summer vacation. I will even offer a free night or two with electric and water.
Rick
Rick Williams
Bliss, Michigan
1978 Eleganza II
|
|
|
|
| Re: [GMCnet] Confused about Tires [message #75062 is a reply to message #74996] |
Sat, 27 February 2010 07:27 |
Steven Ferguson
Messages: 3447
Registered: May 2006
Karma: 0
|
Senior Member |
|
|
Rick,
Take a darn good look at those ball joints. Out of the many dozens
of lowers that I have repaired, I have only seen a pair or two that
had been installed correctly. I usually end my seminars on this topic
with the impact statement that "I have never had to repair a lower
control arm with factory rivieted ball joints". I'm not saying that
there aren't some out there that have been done correctly, those
seldom make it to me. Take a good look at the bushings. If they show
cracking, they are probably original and I will guarantee they are
worn out, regardless of how well the coach seems to handle.
On Fri, Feb 26, 2010 at 5:56 AM, Rick Williams <rickw@mich.com> wrote:
>
>
> jayrabe wrote on Thu, 25 February 2010 20:27
>> Rick,
>>
>> You said, "... I also keep improving on the ride as I continue to make changes and upgrades."
>>
>> What changes have made the most improvement for you?
>>
>> Thanks,
>>
>> J Rabe
>> 76 Palm Beach
>> Portland, OR
>>
>>
>>
>> _________________________________________________________________
>> Hotmail: Powerful Free email with security by Microsoft.
>> http://clk.atdmt.com/GBL/go/201469230/direct/01/
>> _______________________________________________
>> GMCnet mailing list
>> List Information and Subscription Options:
>> http://temp.gmcnet.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/gmclist
>
>
> J Rabe
>
> A big improvement came with the Quadra Bag 4 bag system from JimK and JimB. I have written about it before so I won't go into it again except to say that it is well worth the money. But this should not be first on your list. You need to take care of the basics first.
> The BF Goodrich tires as mentioned earlier.
> New shocks. I used Bilstein and they have been good. I may try something different next time based on some experiences shared by others on the Net.
> Replaced the steering cv joint. This was replaced by Cinnabar when I first bought the coach. I have no idea how bad it was.
> Last year I pulled the steering box and calibrated it. That made a big difference in the steering wheel play. I added a Dave Lenzi adjustable drag link to allow centering of the steering wheel.
> I have also installed Dave's knuckles and hubs with zerk fittings. This does not improve handling but sure improves reliability.
> The ride height adjustments were way out when I bought the coach. The right front weighed 700 lbs more than the left. The torsion bars were no where near adjusted correctly. If you have not weighed your coach, you need to. Weigh each wheel individually. You will learn a lot.
> The ball joints were changed by the previous owner but I do not know when but they are still good. The rest of the steering parts are original. The coach handles very well with 95k miles so I am not going to tackle the control arm bushings, relay lever, etc for a while.
> Those items will reach the top of the need/want list at some point.
> I replaced the rubber body isolators. This does not improve the ride from a handling standpoint but it does reduce noise.
> There is no shortage of ways to spend money on these coaches. But as I have said before, they are well worth it.
>
> Rick
> --
> Rick Williams
> Gladstone, Michigan
> 1978 Eleganza II
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> List Information and Subscription Options:
> http://temp.gmcnet.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/gmclist
>
--
Steve Ferguson
'76 EII
Sierra Vista, AZ
Urethane bushing source
www.bdub.net/ferguson/
_______________________________________________
GMCnet mailing list
List Information and Subscription Options:
http://temp.gmcnet.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/gmclist
|
|
|
|
| Re: [GMCnet] Confused about Tires [message #75068 is a reply to message #75062] |
Sat, 27 February 2010 09:20 |
Rick Williams
Messages: 256
Registered: July 2004
Karma: 0
|
Senior Member |
|
|
Steve
I checked the play on the ball joints and that was ok but I did not check to see if they were 5/16 or 3/8 bolts. I will need to do that when it warms up a bit. And yes, the control arms should come off for bushing replacement but there is only so much time for coach projects.
You would think that being retired would afford unlimited time to the coach. But with Mary's passing in '08 and the subsequent reorganizing of my life, I have to allocate my time. At present I am building a staircase in my barn home. Just another one of the many projects to get it ready for sale. But I will get to the control arms one of these days. Thanks for your input, it is truely appreciated.
Rick
Rick Williams
Bliss, Michigan
1978 Eleganza II
|
|
|
|
| Re: [GMCnet] Confused about Tires [message #75069 is a reply to message #75062] |
Sat, 27 February 2010 09:37 |
MikeT
Messages: 225
Registered: November 2009
Location: Marine City, Michigan
Karma: 0
|
Senior Member |
|
|
Steve,
I am replacing the lower ball joints and bushings now. What can go wrong with the install of the lower ball joints? Looks simple, two bolts on the sides and the nut on the knuckle.
I purchased the Moog K-6215 ball joints. The only other advice I received was to destroy the threads after install to insure the nuts don't loosen.
Thanks
Mike Thomas
Marine City, MI
77 ex Palm Beach
|
|
|
|
| Re: [GMCnet] Confused about Tires [message #75073 is a reply to message #75069] |
Sat, 27 February 2010 11:04 |
Steven Ferguson
Messages: 3447
Registered: May 2006
Karma: 0
|
Senior Member |
|
|
On Sat, Feb 27, 2010 at 7:37 AM, Thomas Mike <mthomas@wideopenwest.com> wrote:
>
>
> Steve,
>
> I am replacing the lower ball joints and bushings now. What can go wrong with the install of the lower ball joints? Looks simple, two bolts on the sides and the nut on the knuckle.
>
> I purchased the Moog K-6215 ball joints. The only other advice I received was to destroy the threads after install to insure the nuts don't loosen.
>
> Thanks
> --
>
Mike,
That is exactly what is wrong. In my opinion, the 5/16 bolts are
not up to the job. Perhaps they work fine on an automobile
application but from my experience, they are inadequate for our
application. Here's my recommendation for proper ball joint
installation:
http://www.gmcws.org/Tech/Getting_Your_GMC_Under_Control.pdf
Pleae look at the photos and use the examples as a guide for
inspecting your control arms and replacing the bushings. Note that
the replacement 5/16 bolts require 25-30 ft lbs of torque to tighten.
More will snap them off. The 3/8 bolts can be torqued to 60-65 ft lbs
and literally pull the sides of the ball joint pocket in to match the
shape of the replacement ball joint. Always use thread lock.
> Troy, MI
> 77 Eleganza II
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> List Information and Subscription Options:
> http://temp.gmcnet.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/gmclist
>
--
Steve Ferguson
'76 EII
Sierra Vista, AZ
Urethane bushing source
www.bdub.net/ferguson/
_______________________________________________
GMCnet mailing list
List Information and Subscription Options:
http://temp.gmcnet.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/gmclist
|
|
|
|
Goto Forum:
Current Time: Sun Sep 29 18:03:09 CDT 2024
Total time taken to generate the page: 0.01461 seconds
|
GMCforum
Search
Help
Register
Login
Home
