Re: [a/s] Tires

["Richard P. Kenan" <as5368@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

         No expert here, but it seems to me that it could only do good.
         I bought my '95 at the end of February, and I suspect it had the 
original Goodyear Marathons, LR C, on it.  It has never been shielded, so 
far as I know, but the tires looked great - plenty of tread left, and the 
sidewalls looked solid.  This summer, I put about 8,000 miles on them 
without incident.  However,  on the way back to Atlanta from Jackson 
Center, we had a flat near Florence KY, in a construction area (a semi also 
had a flat; so it's possible that the construction area had something to do 
with it).  I could find no damage to the trailer, so I put on the spare and 
proceeded to replace the tire in Lexington, Marathon LR D.  Just south of 
Knoxville, I had a tread separation, same side, which *did* significant 
damage to the trailer.  The body of the tire was intact and still 
inflated.  I replaced that tire (Marathon, LR D again), and have since 
replaced the other three with new Marathons, LR D.
         This is an unfortunately common experience - damage to a trailer 
from a separated tread or tire parts from a blowout.  I've heard - perhaps 
from this list - that tires should be replaced after 5 years, regardless of 
appearances.  Keeping the tires shielded from the UV in sunlight cannot 
hurt them, and may prevent experiences like mine from happening near the 
end of the tire life.

- Dick
(5368)