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Old 03-02-2012, 09:09 PM   #1
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Anyone having tire problems?

I think 2 of the 4 tires on out LaCrosse have a slow leak. This is a real problem for us, because we keep the trailer in storage and they move it on/off site, so we cannot make sure the tires are fully inflated when it is moved. We filled them onsite, but after a week of camping two were low, again.

Of course, getting new tires is going to be a real logistic issue.

We got the trailer in June. I doubt they have 100 miles on them.

Crappy tires? bad luck?
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Old 03-03-2012, 06:58 PM   #2
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Quote:
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I think 2 of the 4 tires on out LaCrosse have a slow leak. This is a real problem for us, because we keep the trailer in storage and they move it on/off site, so we cannot make sure the tires are fully inflated when it is moved. We filled them onsite, but after a week of camping two were low, again.

Of course, getting new tires is going to be a real logistic issue.

We got the trailer in June. I doubt they have 100 miles on them.

Crappy tires? bad luck?
How low do they go after a week ???
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Old 03-03-2012, 07:15 PM   #3
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Old 03-03-2012, 08:19 PM   #4
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When my husband checked them after the trailer was put on site, the front two tires were about 40lbs. After a week (he had already gone home, taking the pump with him) they were probably back down to 40. I could feel the one of them was pretty soft. There wasn't much I could do, and it is only going a couple of miles. We probably need to make arrangements for the service dept to fix or replace those tires before we go back :-(
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Old 03-03-2012, 11:18 PM   #5
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I haven't had any problems with mine. Most pressure changes coincide with air temps.
Hopefully it's something as simple as the valve stems.
Let us know what you find out.
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Old 03-03-2012, 11:50 PM   #6
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The only way to know for sure what is leaking is to do a water check. First thing I would suspect is bad valve stems or even loose Schrade valves. Next would be bad tires or nails in them. Last thing I would suspect is bad rims.
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Old 03-03-2012, 11:51 PM   #7
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If they are Chinese tires, I would replace them. It simply isn't worth the risk of having a tire failure.
We replaced ours with Maxxis tires, and upgraded to a higher load rating while we were at it. The Chinese junk the factory put on were minimal at best.
It may seem expensive, but the alternative is far worse.
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Old 03-04-2012, 12:08 AM   #8
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The only way to check tires, and know for sure is with a gauge. Also you have to check, with the same outside temperature. A tire inflated to 50 psi on a 80 degree day, will read 45 psi on a 40 degree morning. Also, if the tire had 40 psi, I doubt you could feel it was soft. Please don't be offended, but after being a mechanic for many years, it is hard to look at a tire and see 10 psi difference, much less be able to feel it. Also, since you are not towing it, a low tire won't hurt much, as long as it is not flat.

I said all this because the dealer is not going to help you with tires, neither is Forrest River. You will be on your own. Just like the car makers, tire warranty falls to the tire manufacturer. Sorry for your troubles, and good luck.
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Old 03-04-2012, 03:05 AM   #9
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My suggestion is to take it to a tire dealer. At times the seal can be leaking and just a dismount and remount can correct the problem.

Also while they have the tires off the trailer they will inspect for nails, valve stems etc.

Most likely it has nothing to do with the quality of the tire itself, even though it is an easy excuse.

Think about the variables, confirm or correct them, after that is completed and the tires still leak, you can then blame the tires.
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Old 03-04-2012, 01:43 PM   #10
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It cannot be stressed enough the importance of air temp. I drive over 50K miles a year and my vehicle's have tire pressure monitors, I can have the tires at proper PSI at 80 degrees and my warning lights will be on the next morning if it falls below 40, it can literally happen in hours if driving from a warm climate to a cold climate.

If that is not the problem than I agree completely with flyrotor, take it to a dealer.
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Old 03-04-2012, 02:26 PM   #11
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My suggestion is to take it to a tire dealer. At times the seal can be leaking and just a dismount and remount can correct the problem.
Yep! Had that happen on a car once. They had some "rim sealer goop" that they put on the rims. Remounted the tires. End of problem.

But I would suspect valve stems or even a loose valve in the stem that might just need to be tightened or replaced. You would lose all of the air pressure in the tire but you can replace the actual valve without replacing the stem. I had a bad valve on one of my tractor tires; so replacing it fixed the problem. You don't want any weight on the tire if you try this so that you don't lose the rim seal. And of course you would want compressed air available to re-inflate.
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Old 03-04-2012, 02:46 PM   #12
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Thanks all. Definitely not temp related, since it was sitting in on site on site in a central coast California RV park :-) Lovely, temperate climate. Freezing? never happens :-)
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Old 03-04-2012, 04:00 PM   #13
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Thanks all. Definitely not temp related, since it was sitting in on site on site in a central coast California RV park :-) Lovely, temperate climate. Freezing? never happens :-)
Yah, we only have freezing here between Oct 15 and May 15; the rest is good!
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Old 03-06-2012, 11:01 AM   #14
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We had a split in the side of on of ours, PT took care of it no problem. There may be a problem on the back side you cant see. Blown tires while towing cause a lot of damage to the trailer so be sure to have it checked out thoroughly. My first big purchase is to replace the factory installed tires.
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Old 03-06-2012, 04:11 PM   #15
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We had a similar problem with our tires. We had bad valves replacing the stems didn't work. The trailer was less than a week old so we took it to the dealer and they replaced the valves under warranty. So far all is well.
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Old 03-06-2012, 05:09 PM   #16
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You can diagnosis the tire your self, get a spray bottle and fill it with 5% dish soap and 95% water, spray the entire tire and wait for bubbles. A slow leak will have very fine bubbles almost like shaving cream. If it appears on the side wall or thread with no apparent damage then your tire is not repairable. If however there's a leak around the stem or rim then the tire may be repairable. Bead sealer and a new stem should take care of it.
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Old 03-07-2012, 08:24 AM   #17
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Check the rims... could be defective. If that's the case make dealer or factory replace them. Don't take the chance with sealant... IMHO not worth it.
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Old 03-07-2012, 08:48 AM   #18
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If they are Chinese tires, I would replace them. It simply isn't worth the risk of having a tire failure.
We replaced ours with Maxxis tires, and upgraded to a higher load rating while we were at it. The Chinese junk the factory put on were minimal at best.
It may seem expensive, but the alternative is far worse.
Hate to break this to you but those Maxxis tires you strapped on are not made here . By no means am I saying it's not better quality than some of the true no frills Chinese slave labor units out there.
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Old 03-07-2012, 09:50 AM   #19
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I get this all the time. Every manufacturer has some or all tires made from countries around the world. The only way to tell is to LOOK at your tire's DoT code molded into the tire.

Here is some help figuring it all out.

http://www.tire-information-world.com/dot-location.html

Here is by Company

http://www.tire-information-world.com/dot-company.html

Note: Maxxis are made in China. LOL Even Pirelli has a Chinese plant.
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Old 03-07-2012, 09:53 AM   #20
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Before upgrading to my 16" tires, my tires would not maintain pressure over time, especially while parked.
I installed steel valve stems which seemed to have corrected the problem.
While the tires were off, I also balanced them. I know it doesn't effect the air leakage, but they roll much smoother.
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