Hi Patrick,
I don't know why your Dad is able to get by with the D's and 65
psi.(best pressure for a D). What speeds does he drive generally? 55
mph gives a huge reduction in tire stress vs 75 mph. Even though your
dad has been lucky ( or blessed ?), I have not. I typically drive about
70 and mostly in summer months. I have had three very fast deflations
since 1995. Two of them scarred the hell out of me. First was a michelin
left on coach by previous owner(on lt. rear). Was in downtown
Jacksonville FL at quitting time on Friday trying to get off I-10
.Scared me enough to heed my firestone dealers advice to get all new
STEELTEX radials. All quite 'til 1999 when tires 3.5 yrs old. This year
I blew 2 more (again on rear) on a single trip and the coach was not
overloaded. Again, was interstate full traffic ,hot day. I have some
theories on what happened. I believe the stress at the belt to case
interface caused by the scrubbing that occurs on rear tires when a GMC
turns over time produced a lot of very small cracks in the rubber where
the belts meet the case. These could be seen on the remaining tires when
viewed carefully. I saw information from Goodyear indicating this as a
problem for the tire industry, and not just for GMCs, although I believe
GMCs may be tougher than most motor homes on tires. This seems to be
supported my General tires conclusions. What Goodyear indicates is that
such cracks OVER TIME can admit water which gradually corrodes the
belts 'til they eventually fail in what they call a "buzz-out".
Because of my experiences ,I am more tolerant of Tom's warnings even
though he can make them harsh when he tries. All of us are wired a
little different by our creator. I believe Tom is trying to save us some
big hurts and is expressing that the best way he knows how. I don't
believe he is trying to say we don't have the right to do or say
anything we want. He's just trying to impress on us the fact that bad
choices can hurt you and your family. What he says is cutting but we
must get beyond that and ask what can I do to reduce to a minimum the
chances of my family( and others ) getting hurt or killed. Blowouts can
kill. A local family lost 2 members to a blowout induced collision and
roll here this summer. After my experience Firestone subsequently
replaced all my tires with ALL STEEL Bridgestones, and they recommend
inflating to 80 psi cold. Patrick, I wish your dad the best of luck but
as for my own family, I just love'm too much to leave it all to luck. I
have to do all my best judgment shows me to do even if some of it is
overkill and cost me a little more. I 'm not proud, thinking I know more
than others about this, infact it is my lack of absolute confidence
about what is the real truth that makes me spend the extra money ( I'm a
tightwad by nature ). But I am proud to be alive and I'm doing my best
to stay that way. After I do my best I look and ask for heavenly help.
Possibly this is how your Dad is getting by.
Happy Trails to You All,
Hugh Fellows
Auburn,AL
I don't know why your Dad is able to get by with the D's and 65
psi.(best pressure for a D). What speeds does he drive generally? 55
mph gives a huge reduction in tire stress vs 75 mph. Even though your
dad has been lucky ( or blessed ?), I have not. I typically drive about
70 and mostly in summer months. I have had three very fast deflations
since 1995. Two of them scarred the hell out of me. First was a michelin
left on coach by previous owner(on lt. rear). Was in downtown
Jacksonville FL at quitting time on Friday trying to get off I-10
.Scared me enough to heed my firestone dealers advice to get all new
STEELTEX radials. All quite 'til 1999 when tires 3.5 yrs old. This year
I blew 2 more (again on rear) on a single trip and the coach was not
overloaded. Again, was interstate full traffic ,hot day. I have some
theories on what happened. I believe the stress at the belt to case
interface caused by the scrubbing that occurs on rear tires when a GMC
turns over time produced a lot of very small cracks in the rubber where
the belts meet the case. These could be seen on the remaining tires when
viewed carefully. I saw information from Goodyear indicating this as a
problem for the tire industry, and not just for GMCs, although I believe
GMCs may be tougher than most motor homes on tires. This seems to be
supported my General tires conclusions. What Goodyear indicates is that
such cracks OVER TIME can admit water which gradually corrodes the
belts 'til they eventually fail in what they call a "buzz-out".
Because of my experiences ,I am more tolerant of Tom's warnings even
though he can make them harsh when he tries. All of us are wired a
little different by our creator. I believe Tom is trying to save us some
big hurts and is expressing that the best way he knows how. I don't
believe he is trying to say we don't have the right to do or say
anything we want. He's just trying to impress on us the fact that bad
choices can hurt you and your family. What he says is cutting but we
must get beyond that and ask what can I do to reduce to a minimum the
chances of my family( and others ) getting hurt or killed. Blowouts can
kill. A local family lost 2 members to a blowout induced collision and
roll here this summer. After my experience Firestone subsequently
replaced all my tires with ALL STEEL Bridgestones, and they recommend
inflating to 80 psi cold. Patrick, I wish your dad the best of luck but
as for my own family, I just love'm too much to leave it all to luck. I
have to do all my best judgment shows me to do even if some of it is
overkill and cost me a little more. I 'm not proud, thinking I know more
than others about this, infact it is my lack of absolute confidence
about what is the real truth that makes me spend the extra money ( I'm a
tightwad by nature ). But I am proud to be alive and I'm doing my best
to stay that way. After I do my best I look and ask for heavenly help.
Possibly this is how your Dad is getting by.
Happy Trails to You All,
Hugh Fellows
Auburn,AL
