27 HFS Flat tire

MotoCrazy808 · 06-03-2016, 01:52 PM

so i havent seen the camper since i parked it 2.5 months ago after our disney trip. i decided to bring it home and park it in the driveway since i wanted to fix the fresh water tank leak that developed leaving Disney, and other Mx things like lubing, washing, etc. well when i went to pick it up i saw the right rear tire was flat (5.5 psi). i didnt have anything and i only had 2 miles to the house, so i decided to limp it home.

i filled the tire with my compressor, which seems to have more water in the line then id like (another project in the works). since it was 9 at night i could hear a hissing in the tread of where my new found leak was. NOw, i measured the other 3 tires and they were perfect, 64-65 psi.

so the question is, should i just get the tire patched and call it a day, or replace the tire? idk how long it sat on the tire like that. i got the camper brand new labor day weekend and have only used it a handful of times since then, so the tire has plenty of tread on it still, but after hearing about camper tires not nesscarilly being the best from the factory im not sure if a patch job should do it.

**Tireman9** · 06-03-2016, 03:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MotoCrazy808

so i havent seen the camper since i parked it 2.5 months ago after our disney trip. i decided to bring it home and park it in the driveway since i wanted to fix the fresh water tank leak that developed leaving Disney, and other Mx things like lubing, washing, etc. well when i went to pick it up i saw the right rear tire was flat (5.5 psi). i didnt have anything and i only had 2 miles to the house, so i decided to limp it home.

i filled the tire with my compressor, which seems to have more water in the line then id like (another project in the works). since it was 9 at night i could hear a hissing in the tread of where my new found leak was. NOw, i measured the other 3 tires and they were perfect, 64-65 psi.

so the question is, should i just get the tire patched and call it a day, or replace the tire? idk how long it sat on the tire like that. i got the camper brand new labor day weekend and have only used it a handful of times since then, so the tire has plenty of tread on it still, but after hearing about camper tires not nesscarilly being the best from the factory im not sure if a patch job should do it.

Here is what a tire with only about half your load looks like after 3.9 mi with 5 psi at 15 mph looks like inside.

That nice circumferential line is the permanent damage to the tire structure is.

Observation it probably did not get the puncture while parked so you drove it to parking lot after being punctured and loosing air. How many miles with how much loss of air at what speed?

IMO your tire should be scrap.

MotoCrazy808 · 06-03-2016, 04:01 PM

any suggestion as to what tire would be good to get?

**Tireman9** · 06-03-2016, 04:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MotoCrazy808

any suggestion as to what tire would be good to get?

Since any tire can get a puncture you need to set that issue aside.

Before you change tires you need to identify what you like and do not like about your current tires (brand, design, size and Load Range) unless you want to change for the sake of changing.

MotoCrazy808 · 06-03-2016, 10:48 PM

I wasnt going to change because of the puncture itself. i just have the stock tires that came with the camper, and so far i havent had any complaints? they seemed to have done the job so far without a hickup?

**Tireman9** · 06-04-2016, 09:44 AM

OK. If you are happy with performance of current tires and you have had them inspected by tire dealer after 3 years service and all, except the one that went flat appear Ok then all should be good.

RE the tire that went flat.
IMO it should be replaced rather than just repaired and re-applied as a primary tire.

From my picture you can see that driving on a tire with only 5 psi can do damage in just a few miles, even at very low speeds. If the tire is inspected and if the puncture is repaired with a patch and plug it might be acceptable as a spare but I would not be comfortable with having it as a primary tire on the ground.

Obviously this is your decision so I am just offering my opinion as an experienced tire engineer.

MotoCrazy808 · 06-04-2016, 09:50 AM

Thanks for the insight

northstar1960 · 06-04-2016, 05:26 PM

think you ruined the tire by limping it home .

Play Harder · 06-04-2016, 10:54 PM

I would get a new tire - not worth the risk

MotoCrazy808 · 06-05-2016, 10:07 AM

found the culprit...pretty go0d sized nail, something like 3-4" pretty easily on the inside. the rest of the tire inside and out didnt see any kinda stress cracks or anything. But, GreasePro wouldnt patch or plug the hole due to location anyway.

So for now, the spare was a match and had that swapped to the main wheel. which i would hope seeming how i bought this new labor day weekend last year. so it looks to be that i will buy a new spare tire.

I wana replace it with an "E" load tire. which to me just makes sense. the current tires are WEST LAKE STZ load "D," anyone have any opinions as to which brand they like or recommend? Depending on where i get stationed next year, im most likely going to replace the main 4 tires to whatever i get as the spare, and definitely an E load tire.

WolfWhistle · 06-06-2016, 10:28 AM

Lots of opinions on D or E... ST vs LT And brands. I'd order a D westlake like what you have and run it. If going to E I'd switch to Maxxis and replace the other on same axle or replace all 4. Westlakes are doing great for me. WW

WolfWhistle · 06-06-2016, 10:36 AM

About 8500 miles on original westies.

MotoCrazy808 · 06-06-2016, 04:13 PM

i was going to slap the new tire on the spare, as i took the spare tire and put it onto the main rim for now. any reason y if going to E to go to Maxxis as opposed to westie again?

WolfWhistle · 06-06-2016, 08:33 PM

I don't see anything wrong with Westie E's... If I was swapping all ; for no particular reason think Maxxis is better and i know the local dealer. Plus you can get 15" E Maxxis. I'm not a fan of the ST marathons. I see Westie E on eBay for a deal. But if you have trouble it would be a royal pain.
WW

Taranwanderer · 06-06-2016, 08:37 PM

I have no complaints about the factory Westlakes either. A few thoughts however:

If you're jumping up from D to E, you might also have to bump up a size as well. Do you have the room between the tires to run a bigger size? Also, "E's" run at 80 PSI. Are your rims up to the higher pressure? If it's a stock Forest River rim, it should be, as I remember one of the factory guys saying in one of the tire threads from way back that they use the same PSI-rated rims on everything. But still worth checking.

If you want to jump from "ST" to "LT," again probably a size change. You gain speed rating with LT tires but lose load rating. It's up to you what's important to you.

But I agree with the previous posts--scrap that tire yesterday.

MotoCrazy808 · 06-07-2016, 12:13 AM

well i pulled the trigger on a Maxxis M8008 ST Radial Tire and stuck with the stock size of 225/75r15 since i wasnt buying all new tires as of yet. this way if one decides to go i will have at least a matching sized tire. I did go with the E load though. according to Their website it has a 300 lb increase vs the D load. as far as the wheel, this tire will be put on the steel spare rim so i hope it holds up lol, and i would hope the stock alloy rims would as well. I may have to look into that though just in case for later.

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