Nightmare trip

[RickV]

On Monday morning I headed out on a 5 day trip to White Oak Creek Campground in Eufaula, Al. from North Central Florida. I got about 5 miles from home and one of my tire's tread separated. So I put on my spare (it was one of the tires from my original set) to get somewhere to get another tire. The pressure was only 70 psi so I took it easy until I could get to some air. When I stopped to get air it was starting to separate. So by now I am pretty frustrated and I just called roadside assistance and told them I needed 2 tires. I had upgraded from the Towmax 235/80 16r's load range E that came on my 5ver after a few issues with them almost two years ago to Hercules 235/85 16r load range F (I have had no problems with these tires until Monday). So the roadside guy shows up 3 hours after I first contacted assistance and has two new tires with him. They are a brand I never heard of TransEagle and they are 235/85 16r load range G and speed rated L, he says they are full steel belted sidewalls and all and are $159. So I tell him go ahead and install em. Now he tells me he can only install one on the steel spare and will have to take the other one to his shop 45 mins away because it is an aluminum wheel and because of the steel sidewall he needs a tire machine. I say just install the one then so I can get on my way and I'll deal with other tire later. So I get to the campground with no issues. On Wednesday the group of people we are camping with decides to go out to dinner in town and as I am driving back from dinner the steering in my Dually starts acting up, I make it back to the campground and pop the hood and PS fluid is all over the place I decide I'll deal with in the morning figuring it is a hose and I got enough tools with me to replace it. I get up out and discover it is the seal on the Pump, I call around and find a small shop that could get to it right away as we were leaving Friday. I fill the reservoir and take it to the shop. Guy calls me about two hours later and says the pulley was wallowed out and needed to be replace too but, couldn't get one until Friday morning. So i get the truck back around noon and by the time I hit the road it is about 2pm. I drive for about 3 hours and boom another tire explodes the tread is wrapped around the rear axle and it knock the jack pad off the rear jack, so I put the used spare I had picked up on and I am on my way. About 20 minute later my TPMS starts beeping and the tire is down to 72 psi. I stop at a truck stop and put air in it and off I go about 30 minutes later I am scrolling through the TPMS monitor and it is losing air. So about every 30 minutes I have to stop somewhere to get air in the tire just to get home. The Joys of Camping

I have a few questions as I decide what tires to get as I am going to replace em all and add a second spare too.

Has anyone ever heard of Trans Eagle tires and if so are they a reliable tire?

My 5ver originally came with 235/80 16's should I go back to that size from the 85s?

I liking the all steel belt construction but, my issues were all tread related so is it really that much of an advantage?

I want to pick up another 8 lug steel rim for the extra spare any advice on where I can pick one up reasonably?

Again Thanks in Advance
Rick

[TitanMike]

Regardless of what tire you settle on, may I suggest you also invest in a good 12V air compressor. One capable of hooking direct to a battery and able to produce the pressure your tires require.

Driving on an under-inflated tire until you can get to a truck stop or "air station" is a good way to destroy a tire. Even if you have to stop every 5 miles to pump a tire up until you can get it repaired will more likely than not save the tire unless the puncture is too large in diameter. Separations are often caused by running underinflated as well as tire defects. A small separation can often be kept from getting larger if you can at least keep the tire from overheating.

As for the Compressor, I picked one up off the shelf at O'Reilly Auto Parts that works great and was less than $100. Goes up to 120 PSI which is adequate for most tires.



Online price is $89.99 and usually stocked in stores or can be delivered to one near you.

[JohnD10]

Originally Posted by TitanMike

Regardless of what tire you settle on, may I suggest you also invest in a good 12V air compressor. One capable of hooking direct to a battery and able to produce the pressure your tires require.

Driving on an under-inflated tire until you can get to a truck stop or "air station" is a good way to destroy a tire. Even if you have to stop every 5 miles to pump a tire up until you can get it repaired will more likely than not save the tire unless the puncture is too large in diameter. Separations are often caused by running underinflated as well as tire defects. A small separation can often be kept from getting larger if you can at least keep the tire from overheating.

As for the Compressor, I picked one up off the shelf at O'Reilly Auto Parts that works great and was less than $100. Goes up to 120 PSI which is adequate for most tires.



Online price is $89.99 and usually stocked in stores or can be delivered to one near you.

Have you actually tried it on a huge heavy RV, topping off a tire up to 120 PSI yet?

The big issue here is that many of us have tried so many different air pumps that should, in theory, fill our RV tires while the tires are on the ground under our RV's...but they just can't do it.

That is what many of us are looking for...

[jvalich]

For a cheap steel rim I would hunt the used stuff sites such as craigslist. As to the tire brand, not heard of them. Regarding tire size, 80 is just less than an inch in diameter from the 85, sidewall height its about 1/2" shorter. Can't see 1/2" being an issue.

[RickV]

Ok, so I ordered a new spare rim off Amazon for $43.

Dexter Axles says that a minimum of 1" required between tires and I am at 2.5".After reading here and other places I decided to go with The Sailun S637 235/85 16s. I ordered 5 of them earlier today and will get em mounted and balanced locally.

[RACarvalho]

I would check the axles alignement too.