New tires for smoother/quieter ride?

[vacationlovers]

I was wondering if anyone has replaced the stock tires on their FR3 with something that gave a smoother or quieter ride?

[leisurelarry]

Michelin XZE Commercial Truck Tire - 225/70-19.5 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N2H6ITV..._IAFyDbM525SCW
I have Michelin on all of my vehicles including my FR3 and find them smoother and quieter.

[vacationlovers]

Hi Larry,

Thanks for your reply.

I thought that all FR3's came with 245/70R19.5 tires. Did you replace yours with 225's? Any particular reason for that?

[leisurelarry]

Originally Posted by vacationlovers

Hi Larry,

Thanks for your reply.

I thought that all FR3's came with 245/70R19.5 tires. Did you replace yours with 225's? Any particular reason for that?

Michelin XZE Commercial Truck Tire - 245/70-19.5 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N0E413W..._VbWyDb5H03CNX
Sorry I posted wrong size shown on Amazon.

[vacationlovers]

Thanks again!

[leisurelarry]

Originally Posted by vacationlovers

Thanks again!

Your welcome!

[FORKLIFMAN]

Glad the tire question has come up again! I am a Michelin man as well. I was wondering if, the heavy duty sizes, would actually help with the ride. The tires you show on Amazon, look very similar in tread as the Continental tires, which is a hard riding tire. I have the Good Years on there now, and they are not smooth, enough riding for me, and I think the original tires. We are Leaving end of Sept for 6 weeks and I do not want any problems with older tires. So getting all 6 new tires. Don't mind paying extra for a good ride!

Also contemplating new shocks . Bilstiens shocks are amazing, just put all new on my 07 Dodge Durango, better than originals for sure!!

Looks like Bilsien shocks are on the MH. Does any one know if the factory installs this brand or have they been changed?

Well,Tires first, and see what happens, with the ride, to decide about the shocks?

Cheers

[leisurelarry]

I had Bilsteins on mine when I bought it new. I changed them all out to Koni FSD’s and was much happier with the ride on terrible California highways.
I find the Michelin commercial truck tires perform much better than my original Goodyear’s. I keep them inflated to 84psi. The commercial truck center that installed them, filled them to 100psi, that didn’t last to long.

[Hogq]

I replaced the OEM Goodyear Tires on my 2014 FR3 today. The improvement in ride and noise is significant, amazing really. That is true even without adjusting the air pressure down to what is recommended for my coach's front/rear weight (it is over 100 lbs right now as set by the shop that installed the Tires). I also installed Centramatic balancers front and back. I chose Yokohama 104ZR 235/70R19.5, purchased through WalMart.com. The braided flexible extenders were replaced with Air-gard flex extenders. I had already replaced the shocks with Koni's. I'm very happy.

[Old Oregoner]

Did you stay with 14 ply or upgrade to 16?

Originally Posted by Hogq

I replaced the OEM Goodyear Tires on my 2014 FR3 today. The improvement in ride and noise is significant, amazing really. That is true even without adjusting the air pressure down to what is recommended for my coach's front/rear weight (it is over 100 lbs right now as set by the shop that installed the Tires). I also installed Centramatic balancers front and back. I chose Yokohama 104ZR 235/70R19.5, purchased through WalMart.com. The braided flexible extenders were replaced with Air-gard flex extenders. I had already replaced the shocks with Koni's. I'm very happy.

[Hogq]

I purchased the load range H, 16 ply. It was a good deal through WalMart.com then I had them mounted and balanced locally.

[Old Oregoner]

That's great news. So a heavier tire with 2 more plies, yet the ride is smoother and quieter! I will be buying locally, and replacing all 6 of my original Goodyears. Anyone want them? 🤣

[FORKLIFMAN]

Hogg ......Walmart doesn't mount tires?

[Hogq]

Local Walmart Auto Services don’t have the ability to mount or balance 19.5” tires. As far as being smoother, my old tires (Goodyear RV G670) had 38K miles on them and the date code was January 2014. They were worn down almost to wear indicators on the front outside tread blocks. I had the chassis aligned and it was over 1/4 out on toe. I believe the tires were out of round. So yeah, the smoothness is pretty impressive. The guy who aligned it does a lot of commercial trucks, and fire trucks and the like, I just paid him to mount and balance the tires, and install the Centramatics front and back (which is not a big deal, they slip over the lug studs). All together it was less than $350 for labor. $1800 for six tires, so just over 2K for tires and labor. And around $400 for Centrmatics. I looked at the Michelin and Hankook discounts thru FMCA, and this seemed to make sense. I like Yokohama tires.

[vacationlovers]

Hi all. Just wanted to post an interim update.


I had two Yokohama 104ZR 245/70R19.5 installed on the front axle. I have only driven a few miles with them (just back to my storage location), but I immediately noticed that I could no longer feel the jolt in the steering wheel from every concrete expansion joint, so that seems like a significant improvement in ride comfort.


The next day, I discovered that the installer had inflated the tires to 105 psi. I'm anxious to see ow much softer the ride is when I have them at the 82 psi I normally use.


I'll try to remember to post another update once I take a trip with them (once the virus crisis has subsided).

[Old Oregoner]

We now have several thousand miles on the Yokohamas, and they're definitely an improvement. Quieter, smoother, and their awesome in heavy rain. Never any hint of hydroplaning or wandering in deep standing water.

[vacationlovers]

Just wanted to give another update. I was so happy with the Yokohamas on the front axle, that I went ahead and put 'em on the rear axle as well. The improvement in ride & noise is fantastic.