315/80 vs 12R - was Overweight

[Don Bradner]

Got my new steer tires today, 315/80R Michelin XZA-2 Energies. Moved my 2+
year-old 12R XZE* to the tag.

Really happy to have the tires down near 100 lbs fully capable of handling the
weight that took near 120 lbs on the 12Rs!

The price of the tires though is one of those "gulp" items.

A footnote: When I bought Blue Thunder I rather immediately had to replace the
left front wheel because it had a severe crack that was intolerable for a steer
wheel. Today it was pointed out that the left tag wheel had multiple cracks -
some horseshoe from outer hole to inner back to outer. Not good. The local tire
place had a lot of excellent used ones, so I replaced that wheel. Going to have
a lot of work to get it looking as good as the other ones
Don Bradner
90 PT40 "Blue Thunder"
My location: http://www.bbirdmaps.com/user2.cfm?user=1

[Don Bradner]

Got my new steer tires today, 315/80R Michelin XZA-2 Energies. Moved my 2+
year-old 12R XZE* to the tag.

Really happy to have the tires down near 100 lbs fully capable of handling the
weight that took near 120 lbs on the 12Rs!

The price of the tires though is one of those "gulp" items.

A footnote: When I bought Blue Thunder I rather immediately had to replace the
left front wheel because it had a severe crack that was intolerable for a steer
wheel. Today it was pointed out that the left tag wheel had multiple cracks -
some horseshoe from outer hole to inner back to outer. Not good. The local tire
place had a lot of excellent used ones, so I replaced that wheel. Going to have
a lot of work to get it looking as good as the other ones
Don Bradner
90 PT40 "Blue Thunder"
My location: http://www.bbirdmaps.com/user2.cfm?user=1

[Fred Hulse]

Don

"Gulp" is very true

Last summer we put 8 of those on the coach.

Hopefully we won't have to worry about tires for a long while.

Fred & Jeanne Hulse
Morristown Arizona
1997 Wanderlodge WLWB41

[Fred Hulse]

Don

An issue I have with my tires and maybe you should check your coach.

Uponturning the wheel to the extreme right and backing up,there is a possibility that the tire will hit the baseplate of the right jack and put the baseplate on a severe angle,so much so it may knock the baseplate offthe jack.

This problem may be onlymine considering my wheels are 9 inch. But you probably should check it anyhow.

Fred & Jeanne Hulse
Morristown Arizona
1997 Wanderlodge WLWB41

[Don Bradner]

Thanks, I'll check it tomorrow. I think my jacks are well back, though.

On 3/24/2009 at 9:41 PM Fred Hulse wrote:

>Don
>An issue I have with my tires and maybe you should check your coach.
>Upon turning the wheel to the extreme right and backing up,there is a
>possibility that the tire will hit the baseplate of the right jack and put
>the baseplate on a severe angle,so much so it may knock the baseplate off
>the jack.
>This problem may be only mine considering my wheels are 9 inch. But you
>probably should check it anyhow.
>Fred & Jeanne Hulse
>Morristown Arizona
>1997 Wanderlodge WLWB41

[Don Bradner]

Besides the single purchase wallet-breaker, I like the idea of keeping the steer
tires "fresher" than everything else. My intent is to keep them at 3 years or
less, using the following:

Year 1 Steers to tag, new steers
Year 2 None
Year 3 Steers to tag, new steers
Year 4 New drivers
Year 5 None
Year 6 Repeat year one

Year 1, January of 2007 at purchase, was determined by 2003 tires on steers,
2004 on drivers, and 1997 on tag.

On 3/24/2009 at 8:47 PM Fred Hulse wrote:

>Don
>
>"Gulp" is very true
>Last summer we put 8 of those on the coach.
>Hopefully we won't have to worry about tires for a long while.
>
>Fred & Jeanne Hulse
>Morristown Arizona
>1997 Wanderlodge WLWB41

[davisgr]

I like the idea of having fresh steers and averaging out the tire budget out
over the long haul. But, how do I start the "rotation purchase" if I am buying
different tires? I assume I can not mix Michelin 315s and my Toyo 12Rx22.5s on
an axle, but can I mix tire brands/sizes between the axles?

Rick Davis
1993-FreeNezi
Tennessee, and Houston



--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "Don Bradner" wrote:
>
> Besides the single purchase wallet-breaker, I like the idea of keeping the
steer tires "fresher" than everything else. My intent is to keep them at 3 years
or less, using the following:
>
> Year 1 Steers to tag, new steers
> Year 2 None
> Year 3 Steers to tag, new steers
> Year 4 New drivers
> Year 5 None
> Year 6 Repeat year one
>
> Year 1, January of 2007 at purchase, was determined by 2003 tires on steers,
2004 on drivers, and 1997 on tag.
>
> On 3/24/2009 at 8:47 PM Fred Hulse wrote:
>
> >Don
> >
> >"Gulp" is very true
> >Last summer we put 8 of those on the coach.
> >Hopefully we won't have to worry about tires for a long while.
> >
> >Fred & Jeanne Hulse
> >Morristown Arizona
> >1997 Wanderlodge WLWB41
>

[Don Bradner]

No problem mixing on different axles. Until yesterday mine had Michelin
(steers), Goodyear (drivers), and Goodrich (tags).

I expect to always have mixed sizes, as I am not going to put 315s on the
drivers. While it might be possible (Shane is doing it) with 8.25-inch rims you
have to over-inflate to keep adequate clearance between them. The 315 is an inch
wider than the 12R. It is also 0.3 inches smaller in diameter, but that won't be
obvious on either steer or tag.

Fred, my tires don't come anywhere near the jack pad, so they must be
differently positioned on the 90 compared to the 97.

On 3/25/2009 at 4:59 PM davisgr wrote:

>I like the idea of having fresh steers and averaging out the tire budget
>out over the long haul. But, how do I start the "rotation purchase" if I
>am buying different tires? I assume I can not mix Michelin 315s and my
>Toyo 12Rx22.5s on an axle, but can I mix tire brands/sizes between the
>axles?
>
>Rick Davis
>1993-FreeNezi
>Tennessee, and Houston
>
>
>
>--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "Don Bradner"
>wrote:
>>
>> Besides the single purchase wallet-breaker, I like the idea of keeping
>the steer tires "fresher" than everything else. My intent is to keep them
>at 3 years or less, using the following:
>>
>> Year 1 Steers to tag, new steers
>> Year 2 None
>> Year 3 Steers to tag, new steers
>> Year 4 New drivers
>> Year 5 None
>> Year 6 Repeat year one
>>
>> Year 1, January of 2007 at purchase, was determined by 2003 tires on
>steers, 2004 on drivers, and 1997 on tag.
>>
>> On 3/24/2009 at 8:47 PM Fred Hulse wrote:
>>
>> >Don
>> >
>> >"Gulp" is very true
>> >Last summer we put 8 of those on the coach.
>> >Hopefully we won't have to worry about tires for a long while.
>> >
>> >Fred & Jeanne Hulse
>> >Morristown Arizona
>> >1997 Wanderlodge WLWB41
>>
>
>
>
>
>------------------------------------
>
>Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>

[Fred Hulse]

Don

That's good that you don't have a clearence problem.

It gave me some grief for awhile until I figured out the problem.

Tha fact that I know now, I don't allow the tire to contact the foot of the jack.

Now we are ok.And so are you !!

Fred & Jeanne Hulse
Morristown Arizona
1997 Wanderlodge WLWB41

[Bob Lawrence]

Hi Don,
What did you have to pay for the steer tires?
Next month I want to get new steers.
I see Michelin has new X Coach XZ bus tires on their website.
Trying to figure what way to go.
My front end is 13,800 lbs. now.
Bob Lawrence
84 PT36
Laguna Atascosa NWR, Los Fresnos, Texas (Where a guy shot himself to death
today)

> Got my new steer tires today, 315/80R Michelin XZA-2 Energies. Moved my 2+
year-old 12R XZE* to the tag.
>
> Really happy to have the tires down near 100 lbs fully capable of handling the
weight that took near 120 lbs on the 12Rs!
>
> The price of the tires though is one of those "gulp" items.
>
> A footnote: When I bought Blue Thunder I rather immediately had to replace the
left front wheel because it had a severe crack that was intolerable for a steer
wheel. Today it was pointed out that the left tag wheel had multiple cracks -
some horseshoe from outer hole to inner back to outer. Not good. The local tire
place had a lot of excellent used ones, so I replaced that wheel. Going to have
a lot of work to get it looking as good as the other ones
> Don Bradner
> 90 PT40 "Blue Thunder"
> My location: http://www.bbirdmaps.com/user2.cfm?user=1
>