Re: [A/S] Tires for MH

["Harvey Barlow" <harveybarlow@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Jim,

IMHO the Michelins are probably worth the cost.  I have bought and used
several sets of OEM General tires on my 145,000 mile '94 Ford F250HD.  Each
set of Generals developed an invisible belt separation around 40k - 45K
which became known when the truck began pulling to the right or left.  It
could be temporarily cured by moving the defective tire to the rear but my
most recent experience included one rear tire failure and one front tire
failure.  Rotating fronts to rear only changed the direction of pull.
Frustrated, I talked it over with the tire installers at SAM's Club where I
always buy tires and in their (probably?) unbiased opinions, predicted 60k -
80K wear life with Michelins instead of the 40k - 45k I have experienced
with OEM Generals.  I am almost certain that SAM's Club tire installers are
not working on a commission or sales bonus program and I think they are
probably giving me their honest opinion.  So far I have only put a few
thousand miles on the Michelins so can't offer personal testimony.

The best guy to ask would be Rick Davis who has put over 210,000 miles on a
late model Dodge-Cummins hauling new trailers from manufacturers to dealers
as a private contractor.  Not only does he have vast experience using a
light truck in hard use, but he talks to dozens of others who have
accumulated as much as 600k to 700k on their truck odometers hauling
trailers.  Rick is only on the list sporadically when he returns home
between hauls.  He has recently been in FL at the rally and may be back home
shortly.  I don't know anyone else with as much hands-on experience towing
as Rick who would likely be the definitive expert on light truck tires.

Harvey