Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×


Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 02-26-2015, 09:10 PM   #1
Member
 
Vallgrlx2's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2012
Posts: 59
Are these China Bomb tires

We recently purchased a Coachmen Catalina 243 RBS. The PDI went went smooth. Only 1-2 minor items to correct. However, after reading the FR forums, it appears the FR installs China Bomb tires on all units. If so, how do I identify a China Bomb tire, and what recourse do we have with the dealer or FR?









Ford 150 Eco Boost

2016 Coachmen Catalina 243 Banner Edition


Ford 150 Eco Boost
2016 Coachmen Catalina 243 Banner Edition
Attached Thumbnails
Click image for larger version

Name:	ImageUploadedByForest River Forums1425002999.878068.jpg
Views:	523
Size:	136.2 KB
ID:	70346  
Vallgrlx2 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-26-2015, 09:16 PM   #2
(Dry Huunday)
 
DreiHunde's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Eastern North Carolina
Posts: 2,298
Constancys are made in China....as far as what you can get FR or your dealer to do??? No clue...guess it depends on your dealer? You may be out of luck since you already accepted the trailer.
__________________

Beau & Sue
FurKid Express
2015 Coachmen Catalina 303RLS
2016 Chevy Silverado LT 2500HD Duramax
The more people I meet, the more I like my dogs!
DreiHunde is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-26-2015, 09:50 PM   #3
Phat Phrog Stunt Crew
 
elind's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Upper Penisula Michigan / Arizona
Posts: 2,767
Quote:
Originally Posted by DreiHunde View Post
Constancys are made in China....as far as what you can get FR or your dealer to do??? No clue...guess it depends on your dealer? You may be out of luck since you already accepted the trailer.
Most of the ST tires ARE made in China. Wildcat now has an optional tire that you can order when you spec out a unit. It's a Maxxis 8008 tire but it's pricey.
__________________
Ed & Ruthann / Toby and Tucker
2014 GMC Sierra Crewcab 2500 Duramax
2014 Wildcat 327ck
elind is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-26-2015, 10:05 PM   #4
Senior Member
 
Oaklevel's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Virginia
Posts: 9,739
China Bomb tires are those that blow out. Are all tires made in China.. Bombs? No...... Is there a particular brand.... No. Some of us have had tires made in China on trailers for years & never had an issue but you rarely hear that. But many feel better if they upgrade their tire to Maxxis or Goodyears etc........

__________________

2005 Dodge 3500 Cummins
2017 Wildwood Lodge 4092 BFL
1966 Mustang GT
1986 Mustang SVO
Lillie Spoiled Rotten Boxer Mix
Oaklevel is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-27-2015, 01:45 AM   #5
(Dry Huunday)
 
DreiHunde's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Eastern North Carolina
Posts: 2,298
Quote:
Originally Posted by Oaklevel View Post
China Bomb tires are those that blow out. Are all tires made in China.. Bombs? No...... Is there a particular brand.... No. Some of us have had tires made in China on trailers for years & never had an issue but you rarely hear that. But many feel better if they upgrade their tire to Maxxis or Goodyears etc........

I agree with everything you say here and even run the stock Constancys on my camper.

But what I think may be confusing to some is when we see statements on this forum (and others) stating things like "Had the dealer replace the China bombs before it left the lot" or "Don't trust the China Bombs to make it home" etc. Did any of those tires blow? No, they were fine so it kind of makes one think that there might be a particular brand or brands that are suspect and need to be changed, when in fact its all tires from China that some people mistrust..... but I could be wrong...its happened before, I think!
__________________

Beau & Sue
FurKid Express
2015 Coachmen Catalina 303RLS
2016 Chevy Silverado LT 2500HD Duramax
The more people I meet, the more I like my dogs!
DreiHunde is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-27-2015, 01:56 AM   #6
Senior Member
 
rattleNsmoke's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Western Connecticut
Posts: 1,587
Typically the heavier the trailer, the more likely the cheap Chinese will explode. At least that seems to have been the pattern.
__________________
2010 Cedar Creek 5th Wheel 34SATS "The Beast"
2006 Ford F350 Lariat 6.0L Diesel
2003 Harley Heritage Softail "Hogzilla"
1986 Marriage to "Wifey" (patience of a saint)
rattleNsmoke is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-27-2015, 07:59 AM   #7
Phat Phrog Stunt Crew
 
elind's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Upper Penisula Michigan / Arizona
Posts: 2,767
I believe that how these tires are used leads to trouble more than who made the tires. Just because they were made in China doesn't make them all equal. The same is how they are used on different RVs. Take a load range C tire on an average RV and the max load is 1,000 over dry weight. Add 1,800 pounds of cargo into it with something too heavy in the front or back. Now hookup your RV to your TV only to find out the hitch height was a little off and one set of axles is carrying too much weight. Oh yah, the tire pressure wasn't up to the max inflation. Oh well, time to head down the road and your doing 70-80 mph all day. When bam, the China bomb blew up!! What is the first thing to blame? Maybe all of the above. But a start to the problem would be upgrade to a load range D or E tire. Then figure out the rest.
__________________
Ed & Ruthann / Toby and Tucker
2014 GMC Sierra Crewcab 2500 Duramax
2014 Wildcat 327ck
elind is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-27-2015, 08:31 AM   #8
(Dry Huunday)
 
DreiHunde's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Eastern North Carolina
Posts: 2,298
Quote:
Originally Posted by elind View Post
I believe that how these tires are used leads to trouble more than who made the tires. Just because they were made in China doesn't make them all equal. The same is how they are used on different RVs. Take a load range C tire on an average RV and the max load is 1,000 over dry weight. Add 1,800 pounds of cargo into it with something too heavy in the front or back. Now hookup your RV to your TV only to find out the hitch height was a little off and one set of axles is carrying too much weight. Oh yah, the tire pressure wasn't up to the max inflation. Oh well, time to head down the road and your doing 70-80 mph all day. When bam, the China bomb blew up!! What is the first thing to blame? Maybe all of the above. But a start to the problem would be upgrade to a load range D or E tire. Then figure out the rest.
Well Said!
__________________

Beau & Sue
FurKid Express
2015 Coachmen Catalina 303RLS
2016 Chevy Silverado LT 2500HD Duramax
The more people I meet, the more I like my dogs!
DreiHunde is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-27-2015, 08:44 AM   #9
Moderator Emeritus
 
MtnGuy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Shenandoah Valley of Virginia
Posts: 9,280
Quote:
Originally Posted by Oaklevel View Post
China Bomb tires are those that blow out. Are all tires made in China.. Bombs? No...... Is there a particular brand.... No. Some of us have had tires made in China on trailers for years & never had an issue but you rarely hear that. But many feel better if they upgrade their tire to Maxxis or Goodyears etc........
Our OEM Goodyear Marathons and the replacement Goodyear Marathons were both made in China. But other than 1 of the OEMs being "buffed" by the factory sobad that they wouldn't even balance, both have been good sets of tires. I replaced the originals at 6 years old.

As a number member stated, running the tires near the maximum weight rating, over the speed rating, and not inflating the tires to maximum pressure could all contribute to problems. I have around a 500 lb. reserve weight on each of my tires, travel at 65 mph or under (with the occasional burst to 70 mph to get back into a lane), and keep the tires inflated to 50 lbs.

Another thing to consider is whether a tire actually blows out, or if it looses air and goes flat. By the time you recognize a flat on a trailer, that puppy looks like it blew out.......the tire shredded, with resulting damage to the trailer. That is where a TPMS could really be beneficial. Unless someone actually hears the "pow", the tire might have just gone flat. And the "pow" noise could have come from a flat tire shredding and take out a fender well. While traveling with my daughter and SIL and another couple, the couple in the rear saw my daughter's trailer start to lean. They pulled up beside of the trailer, saw the tire going flat, and notified the convoy via CB radio. By the time my SIL pulled over , the tire was shredded.....it did not blow out, but went flat. If someone had not actually witnessed the tire going down, then we would all presumed "blowout".

I am going to move this thread to "Tires", as it applies to all trailers, not just Coachman.
__________________

Chap , DW Joy, and Fur Baby Sango
2017 F350 Lariat CCSB, SRW, 4x4, 6.7 PS
2017 Grand Design Reflection 337RLS
MtnGuy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-27-2015, 08:49 AM   #10
Dazed & Confused
 
M&K Hoffman's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: NW PA
Posts: 380
A good article on tires from RV 101: Trailer Towing – ST Tires vs. LT Tires. There is a section on Chinese manufactured ST tires.
__________________
~Mike & Kim~
2014 Rockwood Windjammer 3008W Diamond Package
2020 Ram 2500 6.4L Crew cab 4WD, 4.10 Axel
M&K Hoffman is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-27-2015, 08:55 AM   #11
Moderator Emeritus
 
MtnGuy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Shenandoah Valley of Virginia
Posts: 9,280
Quote:
Originally Posted by M&K Hoffman View Post
A good article on tires from RV 101: Trailer Towing – ST Tires vs. LT Tires. There is a section on Chinese manufactured ST tires.
Interesting. He refers to "US brand tires", made in China as being OK. The problem might be in non-US or Canadian tire brands made in China.
__________________

Chap , DW Joy, and Fur Baby Sango
2017 F350 Lariat CCSB, SRW, 4x4, 6.7 PS
2017 Grand Design Reflection 337RLS
MtnGuy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-27-2015, 10:07 AM   #12
Senior Member
 
BamaBob's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: Whereever our Berkshire is Parked!
Posts: 7,082
Quote:
Originally Posted by Vallgrlx2 View Post
We recently purchased a Coachmen Catalina 243 RBS. The PDI went went smooth. Only 1-2 minor items to correct. However, after reading the FR forums, it appears the FR installs China Bomb tires on all units. If so, how do I identify a China Bomb tire, and what recourse do we have with the dealer or FR?
How "recent" is recent? It cost's nothing to call the dealer and ask if you can swap your trailer tires out for a set of Goodyear Marathons. Maybe they will give you credit on the tires...maybe not. Regardless, one of the first "upgrades" you should do is replace the stock tires with (IMO) Goodyears and, while you are at it go up a class (probably C to a D in your case). Have them mounted at a tire shop, have them install metal valve stems and spin balance to 65MPH and you are good to go!

Oh, and get a TPMS as soon as you can. A lot of us use this firm:
507 Starter System Kit |
__________________
Bob & Anne-Marie [BamaBob & 6 Actual]
| 2017 Berkshire XLT 43A with Ultrasteer Tag | Blue Ox Avail + KarGard II |
| SMI AF-1 Air Brake | 2016 Jeep Cherokee Overland TOAD | Pedego Bikes |
Nights Camped: 2013 - 242014 - 422015 - 56Jul 2016 - Fulltime
BamaBob is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-27-2015, 10:40 AM   #13
Senior Member
 
geotex1's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 735
Here's reality...

Yes, everyone keep buying those TPMS systems - thank you!

I try to stay out of tire debates because too many interject their opinions and, well, pass on the garbage they take on as gospel from the internet. However, I have a very different perspective than most any of you on the subject matter.

Regardless of that, take a look at these photos and see what can happen to your vacation home. For those who do not recognize the tread pattern, you are looking at the last ST tire that was designed and manufactured entirely in the US over its life. Yes, the manufacturer had operations in Mexico as well but this specific model was made in the US only. It was regarded as the best ST before the current "wonder brand." Manufacture date and install date were only 2 months different, and the failure occurred in season 4 of use at about 16K, always had correct pressure, rebalanced each year with bearing service, and never saw travel in excess of 65mph.

Not pretty is it? Fundamental problem is there is not enough pressure on manufacturers to put a quality, reliable, and well-built ST on the market.
Attached Thumbnails
Click image for larger version

Name:	IMAG1583.jpg
Views:	510
Size:	88.0 KB
ID:	70364   Click image for larger version

Name:	IMAG1584.jpg
Views:	288
Size:	90.1 KB
ID:	70365  
geotex1 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-27-2015, 12:24 PM   #14
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2013
Posts: 22
I have a 2014 5th when loaded weighs 14900 and it has China Bombs. I guess I can't believe I didn't look at them first thing. I'm not a seasoned camper I'm a boat guy. Boat company's don't use trash like this most all boat trailers are Goodyear or Carlile. If I would have known probably would not have purchased.
firstclark is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-27-2015, 01:01 PM   #15
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: oakdale, ca
Posts: 292
Dose not really matter if china bomb or American made or Canada made or japan made. Its a fact of life that tires blow. As said before RV tires get more notice because to fast, low pressure, wrong weight distribution, many many items can come in to effect. Including your RV it self if the axels are slightly off they will blow a tire. Alone with a fixed axel on tight turns put added stress on the side wall of the tires. All you can do is make sure you have proper air, weight distribution making sure your tt or 5er sits level from front to rear. And check the tires at every gas stop using a thumper.
j free is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-27-2015, 02:22 PM   #16
Senior Member
 
wingedone's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Charlotte, MI
Posts: 226
I have read and seen enough photo's from people who have been on forums for years and are methodical about their trailers only to have a bomb go off, to not trust any tires from China. How the hell am I supposed to know which ones are ok. I will just look at them with my x-ray eyes. Not going to chance it. Switched to G614's. I run about 12300k loaded on the 4 tires with the swivel attached (another 3300 on the pin).

Many say they never go above 65. But last fall I was passed on the highway by two pickups delivering trailers going at least 74 mph (I run about 71 with no load). Those tires could be toast before they even get to the dealer, even running as empty as they ever will be.
__________________
2011 Brookstone 354TS
2013 F350 SC 6.7 DRW
Swivelwheel 58DW
wingedone is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-27-2015, 02:39 PM   #17
Senior Member
 
John McClain's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Ventura
Posts: 166
ST tires vs. LT tires
mentioned earlier that lots of trailer owners made the decision to switch from ST tires to LT tires for use on their travel trailer or 5th wheel trailer. Two popular and well built LT tires that come up in discussions as replacement tires for ST tires are Goodyear G614 235/85R16 and Michelin XPS RIB LT235/85R16E tires. If you make the decision to switch to LT tires I caution you to make absolutely sure the tire you choose meets the application criteria required for use on your travel trailer or 5th wheel trailer.

Light Truck tires are not always the same size, and do not always have the same load carrying capacity as ST tires. Depending on your trailer’s axle weight rating the tire load capacity might be 3420# @ 80 psi for example. The Michelin XPS RIB LT235/85R16E tire load capacity is 3,042# @ 80 psi. If you switch to LT tires for trailer applications the tire inflation pressure and/or the size of the tires would need to be capable of matching the load capacities of the trailer. If the size of the tire is increased to compensate for load capacities there needs to be sufficient clearance for the larger tires. Cost can be prohibitive too when you not only consider purchasing new tires but larger wheels for the tires to go on.

There are other considerations as well. One is that ST tires are designed for a limited amount of rolling resistance, whereas LT tire construction must address the tire’s traction attributes which can increase the rolling resistance. Tires have other ratings too, like Mud & Snow, Summer Tire, All Season etc. For example, Michelin XPS RIB LT235/85R16E tires are rated as highway summer tires, meaning they won’t perform as well in colder winter climates.

It is my general consensus that brand name ST tires matched for the application and properly inflated, maintained and not overloaded are the right tire for the job. I personally only use Michelin tires on my automobiles and motorhome, but the tires are designed for the application. My point is if you are thinking about making the switch from ST to LT tires for use on your trailer don’t get caught up in marketing propaganda; look at the engineering and tire application facts before spending your money on the wrong tire for the job.
__________________
F-250 . stealth 3210 solar pannels, fantastic fans. and life line batteries
John McClain is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-27-2015, 03:07 PM   #18
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Orange Texas
Posts: 790
Send a message via MSN to Tiggerdad
Quote:
Originally Posted by elind View Post
I believe that how these tires are used leads to trouble more than who made the tires. Just because they were made in China doesn't make them all equal. The same is how they are used on different RVs. Take a load range C tire on an average RV and the max load is 1,000 over dry weight. Add 1,800 pounds of cargo into it with something too heavy in the front or back. Now hookup your RV to your TV only to find out the hitch height was a little off and one set of axles is carrying too much weight. Oh yah, the tire pressure wasn't up to the max inflation. Oh well, time to head down the road and your doing 70-80 mph all day. When bam, the China bomb blew up!! What is the first thing to blame? Maybe all of the above. But a start to the problem would be upgrade to a load range D or E tire. Then figure out the rest.
Perhaps you are using the 70-80 MPH as an example of how others drive but there are no ST tires rated for driving greater than 65 MPH. That being said, I have been passed many times while driving 62-63 MPH by others doing that 70-80 MPH. I have also passed some of those rigs sitting on the side of the road with destroyed tires. I have been through the St tires that included Denman and Goodyear Marathons. Marathons made is USA and that in my use no better than Chinese made tires.
__________________

2013 Crusader 330 MKS
2013 Chevrolet Silverado LT 2500 D/A
Tiggerdad is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-27-2015, 04:02 PM   #19
Moderator Emeritus
 
ColoradoRick's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 1,024
Yes, tires are a big issue in here...lots of opinions. (And it is a fact that between 2005-2008 chinese-made tires were very problematic.)

After discovering my chinese tires and talking to my dealer (who has sold a lot of Forest Rivers with them the past few years with not a single complaint about the tires), I've decided to keep my "china bombs" BUT I did purchase a portable 12-volt compressor (Viair) and a TPMS system (EEZTire) and will keep an eye on them.
__________________
Rick & Karen
(Retired USAF, MSgt)
Monument, Colorado
8-year Travel Trailer RVers
2013 Forest River Rockwood Ultra-Lite 2904SS
2014 Toyota Tundra Maxcrew SR-5 TRD 4x4 (with Firestone airbags in the rear)
ColoradoRick is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-27-2015, 07:35 PM   #20
Commercial Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Akron, Ohio
Posts: 1,889
Quote:
Originally Posted by elind View Post
I believe that how these tires are used leads to trouble more than who made the tires. Just because they were made in China doesn't make them all equal. The same is how they are used on different RVs. Take a load range C tire on an average RV and the max load is 1,000 over dry weight. Add 1,800 pounds of cargo into it with something too heavy in the front or back. Now hookup your RV to your TV only to find out the hitch height was a little off and one set of axles is carrying too much weight. Oh yah, the tire pressure wasn't up to the max inflation. Oh well, time to head down the road and your doing 70-80 mph all day. When bam, the China bomb blew up!! What is the first thing to blame? Maybe all of the above. But a start to the problem would be upgrade to a load range D or E tire. Then figure out the rest.
x2 from a retired Tire Engineer
__________________
.Write a blog on RV tire application RV Tire Safety. 48 years experience as tire design & forensic engineer. My RV Freelander 23QB on Chevy 4500 chassis. Giving seminars on RV Tire applications (not selling)@ FMCA Conventions. Mar 20-22 Tucson AZ
Tireman9 is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Tags
tire, tires

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Disclaimer:

This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by Forest River, Inc. or any of its affiliates. This is an independent, unofficial site.



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 02:52 AM.