Darn China Bomb Castle Rock Tires

[sfsgm]

Originally Posted by 67L48

Here's some help for you: loose is an adjective, not a verb.

I am continuing to use my Castle Rock tires. I grew up in a small town called Castle Rock, so I have bias. Plus, who didn't love the epic movie Stand By Me?! Castle Rock!

Good luck.

Washington?

[fanrgs]

Originally Posted by TitanMike

. . . Here I sit with around 15,000 miles on those darn Castle Rock tires and the darn things aren't even showing signs of wear. I installed a TST 507 TPMS system and they don't even loose air pressure.

Looks like I'm stuck with them for at least another 15,000 miles or more unless they suddenly start to wear more.

Just replaced the "China bomb" OEM tires on my Rockwood fifth wheel last Thursday. Got a little over 27,000 miles out of them, but had to replace them in Las Cruces while towing it to Tucson when I noticed steel belt sticking through the tread on one tire while checking my tire pressure. Went to Direct Tire and got a set of four Goodyear Endurance ST225-75R15's to replace them. Went from load range C to load range E by doing that.

My OEM spare has never been on the ground and I never had a flat with the "China bombs". I always checked my tire pressure before and during each trip, kept pressure at 50 psi, carry a 12v compressor in my truck, and never tow over 65 mph.

So, if your luck with your OEM tires is similar to mine, maybe you can get those Goodyears in only 12,000 miles instead of waiting a whole 15K!

[TitanMike]

Originally Posted by fanrgs

Just replaced the "China bomb" OEM tires on my Rockwood fifth wheel last Thursday. Got a little over 27,000 miles out of them, but had to replace them in Las Cruces while towing it to Tucson when I noticed steel belt sticking through the tread on one tire while checking my tire pressure. Went to Direct Tire and got a set of four Goodyear Endurance ST225-75R15's to replace them. Went from load range C to load range E by doing that.

My OEM spare has never been on the ground and I never had a flat with the "China bombs". I always checked my tire pressure before and during each trip, kept pressure at 50 psi, carry a 12v compressor in my truck, and never tow over 65 mph.

So, if your luck with your OEM tires is similar to mine, maybe you can get those Goodyears in only 12,000 miles instead of waiting a whole 15K!

Before my next trip I plan on giving each tire the "magnifying glass inspection". Slightest sign of cracking, anywhere, off they go and I'll replace with Goodyears. If they still look good, off we go for another season.
build date was early in 2017 so they'll be entering the "age window" after this next season and I'll probably change them out regardless before the 2020 season.


Good to hear that others are having satisfactory service from their OE tires. I'll wager that just by virtue of the fact that people who have good service from their tires rarely say anything. Just like in politics they are among the Silent Majority.

[babock]

Originally Posted by TitanMike

Good to hear that others are having satisfactory service from their OE tires. I'll wager that just by virtue of the fact that people who have good service from their tires rarely say anything. Just like in politics they are among the Silent Majority.

LOL...that's not what I am reading here! I guess that doesn't support your narrative though.


Hope when your tires go, they don't rip out the bottom of your trailer. When the ones on my boat trailer went out, bent the fender up around 6 inches.

[TitanMike]

Originally Posted by babock

LOL...that's not what I am reading here! I guess that doesn't support your narrative though.


Hope when your tires go, they don't rip out the bottom of your trailer. When the ones on my boat trailer went out, bent the fender up around 6 inches.

I've had tire failures on trailers in the past but never had anything ripped off the bottom of my trailer. Could it be that I don't drive as fast as many I've seen towing trailers? Since you live in CA, do you religiously follow the speed limit for towing a trailer? For the benefit of those who don't live there, or have never been there, it's 55 MPH. Be careful with your answer or your nose might grow

Contrary to YOUR ongoing narrative, not everyone who has a tire go flat, separate, or lose tread, suffers catastrophic damage. Again contrary to your narrative, not everyone has their OE Chinese sourced tires fail almost immediately as you would like us all to believe.

In closing, I believe that every account of a sudden tire failure has a lot more to it than what is presented. Unlike many, I literally "lived" tires for 17 years of my career (at a corporate level). When you look at a failed tire (or what's left of it) there's a lot of evidence as to how the tire had been treated prior to the failure.

To the newcomers here, take the horror stories about "China Bombs" with a grain of salt.

[babock]

Originally Posted by TitanMike

I've had tire failures on trailers in the past but never had anything ripped off the bottom of my trailer. Could it be that I don't drive as fast as many I've seen towing trailers? Since you live in CA, do you religiously follow the speed limit for towing a trailer? For the benefit of those who don't live there, or have never been there, it's 55 MPH. Be careful with your answer or your nose might grow

Always between 55 and 60. When my last blowout occurred with the Chinese tire, I was thankfully going 55.


LOL...its not my narrative. You are the one that started the thread. Personally, I don't like things failing while I am on the road. Same reason why I don't want my body failing so I exercise religiously, keep my weight down, don't smoke...

[bushwacker]

Originally Posted by TitanMike

I've had tire failures on trailers in the past but never had anything ripped off the bottom of my trailer. Could it be that I don't drive as fast as many I've seen towing trailers? Since you live in CA, do you religiously follow the speed limit for towing a trailer? For the benefit of those who don't live there, or have never been there, it's 55 MPH. Be careful with your answer or your nose might grow

Contrary to YOUR ongoing narrative, not everyone who has a tire go flat, separate, or lose tread, suffers catastrophic damage. Again contrary to your narrative, not everyone has their OE Chinese sourced tires fail almost immediately as you would like us all to believe.

In closing, I believe that every account of a sudden tire failure has a lot more to it than what is presented. Unlike many, I literally "lived" tires for 17 years of my career. When you look at a failed tire (or what's left of it) there's a lot of evidence as to how the tire had been treated prior to the failure.

To the newcomers here, take the horror stories about "China Bombs" with a grain of salt.

Say what you want about these "bombs", all I know is that I got a little over 4,000 miles out of mine until one came apart and damaged my fiver lower panel and wheel trim on my driver side slide. And before any comments about tire maintenance, I am totally involved in checking them before all departures. Just installed TPMS the morning we departed and no warning at all, just blew!! Travel speed between 60 - 65. Guess I'm just one of the lucky guys, haha!

[babock]

Originally Posted by bushwacker

Say what you want about these "bombs", all I know is that I got a little over 4,000 miles out of mine until one came apart and damaged my fiver lower panel and wheel trim on my driver side slide. And before any comments about tire maintenance, I am totally involved in checking them before all departures. Just installed TPMS the morning we departed and no warning at all, just blew!! Travel speed between 60 - 65. Guess I'm just one of the lucky guys, haha!

According to the OP, we are supposed to read what you just wrote with a grain of salt!!!

[upflying]

Originally Posted by TitanMike

Since you live in CA, do you religiously follow the speed limit for towing a trailer? For the benefit of those who don't live there, or have never been there, it's 55 MPH. Be careful with your answer or your nose might grow

The last time I saw someone obeying the 55mph trailer speed limit in California was when they were going up a 6% grade with a 30 mph headwind.

[JohnD10]

Originally Posted by upflying

The last time I saw someone obeying the 55mph trailer speed limit in California was when they were going up a 6% grade with a 30 mph headwind.

I don't know about that...

I live in Yuma, AZ and we drive I-8 to San Diego at least once a month (just went Friday)...not towing.

There are enough cops and border patrol along that route that I keep the car at 5 mph above the speed limit tops and can't think of one time I was passed by an RV.

[bushwacker]

Originally Posted by upflying

The last time I saw someone obeying the 55mph trailer speed limit in California was when they were going up a 6% grade with a 30 mph headwind.

Sorry bud, this didn't happen while driving in California but you know what they say about "opinions"!!!

[babock]

Originally Posted by JohnD10

I don't know about that...

I live in Yuma, AZ and we drive I-8 to San Diego at least once a month (just went Friday)...not towing.

There are enough cops and border patrol along that route that I keep the car at 5 mph above the speed limit tops and can't think of one time I was passed by an RV.

Exactly....when we drive to our house in Tahoe without the trailer, it's also 5 MPH above the speed limit max.

[JohnD10]

Originally Posted by babock

Exactly....when we drive to our house in Tahoe without the trailer, it's also 5 MPH above the speed limit max.

My brother lives in the mountains just outside of Lake Tahoe, CA...

I've never been there to visit...yet.

Maybe this year I might finally do it!

[smitty31093]

My 2016 Vengeance 320A came with Constancy LY188, 235/80/R/16 E rated tires . I have been a stickler at maintaining 80 psi air pressure in all 4 tires. I also have a Tire Mender TPS system. Last month while stopped at a lunch stop I did a quick check of all my tires and found that the front right tire on my trailer had a huge chunk of side wall missing on the inside of the tire. The tire never lost air pressure but was certainly close to failing. I changed the tire out and put my spare on. I was out in the boonies of east GA and not near a place to buy a tire. Lucky for me, I was on my way to a dual sport m/c event in SC and I had some friends with their trailers following me. While in the boonies of SC I found a Tractor Supply Store where I could buy a tire. They had a Carlisle tire at an outrageous price of $179 but no way to mount it. I had to take the tire to a Walmart down the street and pay an additional $20 to have it mounted. Fast forward...this morning I was checking air pressure and greasing my wheel bearings and discovered another of my Constancy tires has a bubble on the inner sidewall. Since we are planning to go camping next week-end and don't want to be worrying about my China Bombs any more, I just made an appointment to have 4 Goodyear Endurance tires installed. The Carlisle will become my spare. So much for the theory of any tire lasting as long as you maintain air pressure and speed limits. Adios China bombs. BTW, I ordered my Goodyear Endurance tires through Discount Tires and made sure I got the replacement warranty.

[bushwacker]

Originally Posted by smitty31093

My 2016 Vengeance 320A came with Constancy LY188, 235/80/R/16 E rated tires . I have been a stickler at maintaining 80 psi air pressure in all 4 tires. I also have a Tire Mender TPS system. Last month while stopped at a lunch stop I did a quick check of all my tires and found that the front right tire on my trailer had a huge chunk of side wall missing on the inside of the tire. The tire never lost air pressure but was certainly close to failing. I changed the tire out and put my spare on. I was out in the boonies of east GA and not near a place to buy a tire. Lucky for me, I was on my way to a dual sport m/c event in SC and I had some friends with their trailers following me. While in the boonies of SC I found a Tractor Supply Store where I could buy a tire. They had a Carlisle tire at an outrageous price of $179 but no way to mount it. I had to take the tire to a Walmart down the street and pay an additional $20 to have it mounted. Fast forward...this morning I was checking air pressure and greasing my wheel bearings and discovered another of my Constancy tires has a bubble on the inner sidewall. Since we are planning to go camping next week-end and don't want to be worrying about my China Bombs any more, I just made an appointment to have 4 Goodyear Endurance tires installed. The Carlisle will become my spare. So much for the theory of any tire lasting as long as you maintain air pressure and speed limits. Adios China bombs. BTW, I ordered my Goodyear Endurance tires through Discount Tires and made sure I got the replacement warranty.

Smart move, you "dodged the bullet" twice, nice! Good luck in your future travels and fun times at the m\c's!!

[babock]

Originally Posted by JohnD10

My brother lives in the mountains just outside of Lake Tahoe, CA...

I've never been there to visit...yet.

Maybe this year I might finally do it!

We are here right now. Awesome snow.

[Bev4banff53]

Originally Posted by TitanMike

After reading all the posts about how bad these tires are I had my heart set on replacing them with some Goodyear Endurance's. Figured I'd do this as soon as the first issue showed up with the OE Castle Rocks.

Drove the trailer home in July 2017 but didn't really get to use it for 9 months as I took time out for a Heart Attack and Bypass Surgery. Starting in April 2018 I basically hit the road for varying length trips. Shortest 200 miles, longest 4,000 miles (X2).

Here I sit with around 15,000 miles on those darn Castle Rock tires and the darn things aren't even showing signs of wear. I installed a TST 507 TPMS system and they don't even loose air pressure.

Looks like I'm stuck with them for at least another 15,000 miles or more unless they suddenly start to wear more.

Maybe I need to overload the trailer or run the tires under-inflated so I can have them fail and I can get my new Goodyears

I'm sure you are being tongue and cheek about allowing them to fail. LOL! I, too, have the Castle Rocks and fretted about them endlessly after I read all the negative posts. But I have put 10,000 miles on them this year and they have done great. I won't replace them until I see wear. No matter what tires you have, having a TPMS is IMPERATIVE!!! I got stung by a 1/2 inch screw and the TPMS let me know there was an issue. Whew!!!

[Bev4banff53]

Originally Posted by TitanMike

I think most of us "make" our own luck. Especially with tires.

Old info but I still believe in it.

Keep tires inflated, don't overload trailer, and drive below the tire's rated speed. On the last note, during my last trip I just got back from the entire 3,000 miles + posted speeds for "Vehicles with tow" were well under the max speed molded into the tire sidewall itself. For those who haven't driven in CA lately that's only 55 mph.

If I do have a tire failure I'll at least get early warning that the tire is loosing pressure (the TPMS) and if it should come apart at least I won't be going 80 mph

I follow your advice to the letter! I drove in California, too, and was delighted to see the 55 mph because that's the speed I prefer on the hwy when I am towing. I won't go over 60 with my Castle Rocks even though they are rated for 65 mph. LOVE, LOVE, LOVE my TPMS!!!

[bushwacker]

Trust me, don't put your faith in the TPMS alerting you to trouble. I have a TPMS and it didn't' predict a blowout! Had that happen to me on I-10 just east of Tucson, AZ. No warning what so ever. Oh, by the way, they were Castle Rock tires!

[spock123]

Originally Posted by bushwacker

Trust me, don't put your faith in the TPMS alerting you to trouble. I have a TPMS and it didn't' predict a blowout! Had that happen to me on I-10 just east of Tucson, AZ. No warning what so ever. Oh, by the way, they were Castle Rock tires!

What brand of TPMS were you using?