Looking for new tires for my Berkshire

[tmmar]

Hi all,
I am starting to look for new tires for my Berkshire and was looking on the FMCA web site. I currently have Goodyear ties on my coach and want to go to[ Michelin's. The problem is that when I put in the 275/80 22.5 size this is what comes up.

MICHELIN 275/80R22.5 XZA3+ LRG D DTO XZA
MICHELIN 275/80R22.5 XZA3+ LRG D BL XZA 3+
MICHELIN 275/80R22.5 X LET LRG XLET 92052
MICHELIN 275/80R22.5 XZA3+ LRH BL XZA 3+
MICHELIN 275/80R22.5 XZA3+ LRH DTO XZA 3+
MICHELIN 275/80R22.5 XTE LRG XTE
MICHELIN 275/80R22.5 XDE M/S LRG XDE M/S
MICHELIN 275/80R22.5 XZA-1+ LRG XZA-1+
MICHELIN 275/80R22.5 XZE2 LRG XZE2
MICHELIN 275/80R22.5 X MEZ LRH D XMEZ
MICHELIN 275/80R22.5 XZE LRH XZE
MICHELIN 275/80R22.5 XDN2 LRG XDN2
MICHELIN 275/80R22.5 XMD LRG VQ XMD
MICHELIN 275/80R22.5 X MED LRG XMED
MICHELIN 275/80R22.5 X LED LRG XLED
MICHELIN 275/80R22.5 X LEZ LRG XLEZ
MICHELIN 275/80R22.5 XDA ENERGY+ LRGVB
MICHELIN 275/80R22.5 XZE2 LRG FORD V1 XZE2
MICHELIN 275/80R22.5 XDA5+ LRG XDA5+
MICHELIN 275/80R22.5 X LEZ LRH XLEZ
MICHELIN 275/80R22.5 XDE2+ LRH XDE2+
MICHELIN 275/80R22.5 XDA5 LRG XDA5
MICHELIN 275/80R22.5 XDA5+ LRG FORD V1

My question is- what does all this 'alphabet soup' after the tire size mean and which would be the best one to get for my Berkshire?
Any help that can be provided would be great.

[llr]

the LRx should be the load range, what dies the Berkshire need? It should be somewhere on or in the unit

[CRL1]

Originally Posted by tmmar

Hi all,

I am starting to look for new tires for my Berkshire and was looking on the FMCA web site. I currently have Goodyear ties on my coach and want to go to[ Michelin's. The problem is that when I put in the 275/80 22.5 size this is what comes up.



MICHELIN 275/80R22.5 XZA3+ LRG D DTOXZA

MICHELIN 275/80R22.5 XZA3+ LRG D BLXZA 3+

MICHELIN 275/80R22.5 X LET LRGXLET92052

MICHELIN 275/80R22.5 XZA3+ LRH BLXZA 3+

MICHELIN 275/80R22.5 XZA3+ LRH DTOXZA 3+

MICHELIN 275/80R22.5 XTE LRGXTE

MICHELIN 275/80R22.5 XDE M/S LRGXDE M/S

MICHELIN 275/80R22.5 XZA-1+ LRGXZA-1+

MICHELIN 275/80R22.5 XZE2 LRGXZE2

MICHELIN 275/80R22.5 X MEZ LRH DXMEZ

MICHELIN 275/80R22.5 XZE LRHXZE

MICHELIN 275/80R22.5 XDN2 LRGXDN2

MICHELIN 275/80R22.5 XMD LRG VQXMD

MICHELIN 275/80R22.5 X MED LRGXMED

MICHELIN 275/80R22.5 X LED LRGXLED

MICHELIN 275/80R22.5 X LEZ LRGXLEZ

MICHELIN 275/80R22.5 XDA ENERGY+ LRGVB

MICHELIN 275/80R22.5 XZE2 LRG FORD V1XZE2

MICHELIN 275/80R22.5 XDA5+ LRGXDA5+

MICHELIN 275/80R22.5 X LEZ LRHXLEZ

MICHELIN 275/80R22.5 XDE2+ LRHXDE2+

MICHELIN 275/80R22.5 XDA5 LRGXDA5

MICHELIN 275/80R22.5 XDA5+ LRG FORD V1



My question is- what does all this 'alphabet soup' after the tire size mean and which would be the best one to get for my Berkshire?

Any help that can be provided would be great.

Go to michelinrvtires.com

Good reference material on motor home tires. Read their RV tire guide.
Pick your tires from this info and then take the Michelin number to FMCA and get a quote for them.
Michelin X line Energy 275/80R22.5 load range H are on my 2019 Berkshire XLT.

[btritschler1437]

Tom, on the FMCA tire sheet look under the column MSPN# for the numbers 03885, 66205, 01637 and 55895. These tires should fit your coach. Go to the Michelin RV tire web site (Michelinrvtires.com), put in your tire size and you should come up with three models of tires. It will be for the above numbers, two are G rated and two H rated. MSPN # is the same as catalog number.

[CZNEDY]

If you look at the Forest River website, you can look at the Berkshire and the XL brochure. Both list Michelin X line Energy Z 275/80R22.5 Not sure if that helps or makes it more confusing

[Blazer]

Just got 2 new front tires on my Berkshire.tryed that discount thing from coach net and a few others waste of time .if your close to new jerse try Edward"s tire in farmingdale got two good year G 670 275/70 R 22.5 mounted balanced
Tire disposal of 2 old tires sales tax out. The door on the road $1,400.00
Also if you are in area and want a great. Wheel ailment go to Hackensack
Spring 301 river road Hackensack N.J. Lot of driving around but well worth it



PS camping world wanted $ 2,150.00 for the 2 tires

[twoclaws]

Made two phone calls for tires should have tried more but.....
Used the FMCA pricing for my Georgetown XL. It was only $15 difference from a tire shop down the road.
When you talk with an installer ask about the age/date of the tires they will install - mine were 2 months old. They used the term “fresh” when I asked meaning less than 6 months
Also have them specify the extended air valves used AND remove your air valve caps prior to going so you have them to reuse. If left on you may not get back Good Luck

[pmsherman]

A word of caution about using FMCA's tire discount program. I replaced the two front tires on my 2011 Georgetown using the FMCA purchase plan. Later that year, I needed to replace the four rear tires. The local Ford dealer that was doing the repair work to the chassis was able to get me four of the exact same tire for the same price as the two tires I purchased using the FMCA discount program!

When I was given the Ford dealer's price for the tires, I thought back to when I was writing the tire pricing software for a major tire manufacturer. I recalled that there can be vast differences in price for the same tire depending on factors that the consumer has no knowledge of or control over.

Always shop around for tires before buying. It's entirely possible for two dealers, located half a mile apart, to sell the same tire with a significant price difference between them.

Phil

[gordonsick]

My 2015 Berk 34QS came with Goodyear G670RV Unisteel tires 255/70 R22.5, Load Range H.

I had a problem with the front tires "rivering" whereby the second rib from outside wears heavily, and the tires also scalloped. This was at 21,753 miles. Goodyear gave me to replacement front tires at no cost. I paid for installation, balancing and alignment.

I’m up to 47,403 miles now and the front left tire is badly rivering and has an awful scallop that is causing a lot of vibration. I’m about 1500 miles from home, so I’ve swapped the front left with the outer left dual. Reversing the rim needed care with the valve stem, to avoid hitting the disc brakes. I did the swap myself, since I only need to get another 1500 miles out of it. (I’ve got two 20 ton jacks and an industrial 4X torque multiplier, so I’ve got the tools to do the job.)

I think I’ve had it with the Goodyears, so I’m going Michelin. The question is what Michelin tires to get, so I’m interested in the information from folks on this forum before I go to a Michelin dealer and get swamped with their information (which could be self-serving).

The 2020 Berk 34QS models are coming with X Line Energy Z tires, which are the steer axle tires for a Semi-trailer tractor. These tires seem to only come in the 275/80 R22.5 (Load Range H) size that FR is using on the Berks. That is a diameter of about 40", compared to about 36" for my 255/70 R22.5. That is a 10% larger diameter than I have.

I don’t see any problem fitting that in the front wheel well of my Berk, so I’m tempted to go with those for the front. If I put them on the rear, I think that the clearance is still fine, but the gearing is now 10% higher. Alternatively, I could go with Michelin’s drive axle tires (X Line Energy D), which are only available in the same size.

BTW, it does appear that Michelin still sells its line of 22.5" RV tires that are the same size as my Goodyears. They are XZE 255/70R22.5 Load Range H. They have the same load capacity at the same pressures as the Goodyears. I’m running 95 psi in my Goodyears, which more than the 85 psi that is required for my front corner weights. My Goodyears were wearing more on the sides than the centre, so it looks like the higher pressure was not causing my wear problems.

So, I’m wondering what people have done when switching from Goodyear to Michelin. Did you upsize? Did you do with the older XZE tires or the newer SLEnergy Z tires, which are larger? Did you go with the Drive Axle tires for the rear (XLEnergy D).

–Gordon

[dave-g]

Gordon-
My 2012 390bh came from the factory with 255/80r/22.5 tires- But the factory changed them to 275/80r/22.5 when it was found over weight.



They fit fine.Work was done before I owned the coach- So I could not say if there was a performance issue.

[uralman]

I have the original Goodyears on my 2015 34qs with about 30,000 miles. Had it weighed in Gaffney. The recommended 100 lbs. I use 110 and the tires have normal wear and will probably replace at some time for age not wear. I would buy Goodyear’s again.

[ernest917]

I’ve had really poor results with Michelins..... Had two sets exhibit serious sidewall cracks after only 4 yrs and low miles....

Considering what they cost, I expect much better....

Last July, I replaced my final set of Michelins with Falkens made by Dunlop.... Great price point, excellent reputation and super ride......

Picked them up from Dale’s Tire in Rapid City, SD... (great service)

[Igave]

30,000 miles and 4 years on my Michelins. 110 pounds which is more than I need but with the rough roads and potholes I’m running them as per the sticker. They look like new, and I’m sure they’ll time out long before the tread wear.

[Mmnsc]

Originally Posted by dave-g

Gordon-
My 2012 390bh came from the factory with 255/80r/22.5 tires- But the factory changed them to 275/80r/22.5 when it was found over weight.



They fit fine.Work was done before I owned the coach- So I could not say if there was a performance issue.

When Gaffney changed the tires, they reprogrammed the odometer to adjust for the larger diameter.

[gordonsick]

Originally Posted by uralman

I have the original Goodyears on my 2015 34qs with about 30,000 miles. Had it weighed in Gaffney. The recommended 100 lbs. I use 110 and the tires have normal wear and will probably replace at some time for age not wear. I would buy Goodyear’s again.

You make two points, and I have comments about both.

You're at about the same mileage as I was when Goodyear changed my fronts because of rivering. I would not have noticed the problem if it wasn't for the chance event that I had the wheels cocked sharply to the right after maneuvering into a propane fill station. This gave me a clear view of the front tire treads, and I could see the ribs all wearing to different depths.

I recommend that you run your hands around the front tires to feel for variations in the circumferential tread depth (scalloping) and cross-sectional variations in rib depth (rivering). You might be surprised.

I'm surprised that Gaffney recommended 100 psi in your front tires after weighing. Did they tell you the front weights? Our coaches should have almost identical dry weights, since FR didn't have many options in 2015 to change the weight of a 34QS. I do recall that my coach was delivered with a very high tire pressure, so I guess Gaffney ships the chassis with high pressure to cover potentially high weights after the coach builder is finished.

The Alberta Department of Transport gives free access to their many weigh scales, so I've done several 4-point weight checks as I head out of town or back into town. They have varied according to fuel and food load, and number of occupants. The LF has varied between 4255 and 4564 lbs. The RF has varied between 3902 and 4431 lbs. The higher of these weight pairs are with two occupants (under 200 lbs each) and full loads of fuel and propane, food for camping, but no water. Load Range H 255/70R22.5 tires (such as the Goodyears installed in the 2015 34QS) recommend 90 PSI for 4550 lbs and 95 psi for 4675 lbs. I run 95 psi cold.

BTW, my rear Goodyears are doing well, and I'll probably change them at 60K or 70K miles, or 7 years of service. My Goodyear problems are on the steer axle.

–Gordon

[uralman]

Gaffney gave me weights of LF 3620, RF 4200, LR 8180 and RR 8400. They recommended 100 lbs in all. I use 110. No strange wear on front or rear after 30000 miles. Maybe you’re running the tires low. Would explain the outer edge wear.

[MartyQ]

If you are looking for new tires, you might want to listen to the March RVNavigator podcast. Mentioned that the tires purchased thru the NTCS program were $125 per tire cheaper than the FMCA price. There is a one time fee of $90. They have served the trucking industry for over 10 years. Listen to the interview starting at the 50:00 mark. https://nationaltireconciergeservices.com/
http://rvnavigator.com/rvnav_ep179_3-20.mp3

[Kgaspari]

Those Michelins are 400-450 a piece all day long. Bridgestones about 350 and actually a better tire. Tires in NJ must have gold lettering!

[gordonsick]

Originally Posted by MartyQ

If you are looking for new tires, you might want to listen to the March RVNavigator podcast. Mentioned that the tires purchased thru the NTCS program were $125 per tire cheaper than the FMCA price. There is a one time fee of $90. They have served the trucking industry for over 10 years. Listen to the interview starting at the 50:00 mark. https://nationaltireconciergeservices.com/
http://rvnavigator.com/rvnav_ep179_3-20.mp3

I followed Marty's link to the David Ward's National Tire Concierge Services and had an email exchange. He doesn't have the service in Canada yet, but is trying to set it up, and having trouble contacting some of the vendors like Michelin during the Covid issues.

I would have to go to Boise Idaho to get the tire deal he has, which is out of the question right now.

So I contacted local tire dealers in Calgary, considering that they would be pricing out of current inventory that they bought before the Canadian dollar collapsed. In Calgary, I got the Michelin XZE 255/70R 22.5 tires for my steer axle, installed, balanced and all taxes paid for C$1477.88. The tires alone were C$589 each, which is $10 less than the Canadian price David Ward calculated if I drove to Boise to install them.

When I get to buying rear tires, I hope that David Ward has his system running in Canada, since it could be a good option.

For rear tires, I really want to get something with traction, rather than just a steer axle tire. I'm a snowbird and think of my Berk as a 3-season rig. But, you never know what happens with weather and two of the three seasons (Fall and Spring) often get snow on my routes between Calgary and southern locales. I've found that snow can be very localized to a mountain pass and I really want the extra peace of mind provided by a traction tire. Once the snow starts to fall while going uphill, there often is no place to stop until you get to the top, if you don't get stuck first. If I refuse to travel on any day that says "periods of snow" or "some snow", I'll often have to wait a week or two before I can travel. That wasn't possible with the recent Cover-19 Snowbird panic back to Canada this year.

For my drive axle, I like the look of the Michelin X Multi D tire, which is for Regional trucks. I don't need to replace the rear tires for another year or two. I've got 50,000 miles on my Berk. The rears are still fine, but I've gone through two sets of Goodyears on the front.

I notice that Michelin doesn't have a specific line of tires for motorhomes, but instead advertises their Regional truck tires (255/70R 22.5) or Line Haul tires (275/70R 22.5 and larger) for motorhomes. This gives Michelin the advantage of product availability, since the RV tire market is much smaller than the truck tire market. The local dealer had the tires I wanted in stock. When I got replacement Goodyears in my previous stint, they had to be shipped from Edmonton and their production date was about two years before my purchase date.

–Gordon

[gordonsick]

I finally got rear tires for my 2015 Berk 34QS coach, since one of the duals deflated itself while in storage. I thought I'd summarize my purchase decisions, and explain why I went for a Micheline M+S rather than a Michelin RV tire on the rear.

My coach came with 255/70R 22.5 Load Range H tires. I finally decided to stay with the same size and Load Range, avoiding problems with a change in gearing on the rear. Staying with this size reduces my range of options. If I went to 275/70R 22.5, there are more options to consider.

Michelin does a lot more with sipes than other manufacturers, which is good for wet traction, and might be one reason for their higher cost. The tire dealer I went to suggested considering BF Goodrich (made by Michelin, but less expensive) and Falken (made by Sumitomo and a lot less expensive). I wasn't impressed with the features of these tires, so I stuck with Michelin.

Front Tires: Michelin XZE, data page at https://www.michelinb2b.com/wps/b2bc...XZE_DataPg.pdf . It is a tire that Michelin recommends for Regional Trucks and Motorcoaches for front and rear axles. When I drive on new smooth pavement, they have a slight high-pitched singing note from the sipes. They ride smoothly.

Rear Tires: Michelin X Multi D, data page at https://www.michelinb2b.com/wps/b2bc...uctSheet_E.pdf . Michelin recommends these for Regional Trucks, with no mention of Motorcoaches. It is a traction tire with a Mud and Snow (M+S) rating. Michelin does not list any traction tires in its brochure for Recreational Vehicles at https://tiretraker.com/michelin.pdf . The tires run quietly and smoothly.

When I look at the tire choices of large trucks, tour buses and motorhomes, I see that trucks and tour buses often have traction tires on the drive axle, but motorhomes don't, which I find surprising. Many of us use our motorhomes in the Fall and Winter in northern or mountainous areas where a surprise snow storm can pop up. For example, snowbirds from the Western US and Canada often travel mountain interstates like I-15 and I-25 in October and March. The weather can change on these roads and snow can start to fall in places that are far from any safe pullover or rest stop. Having the M+S tires just gives me an extra degree of confidence that the drive will be safe. I don't intend to purposely drive on snow-covered roads, but I do want to be safe if there is a surprise snow storm.