[A/S] Tire load ratings and speed/Age

[Jack Canavera <jackcanavera@xxxxxxxxx>]

Hi everyone.  I went back through the A'Weigh We Go
materials and didn't find a copy of the graph that
they displayed at a recent seminar that depicted the
tire load ratings decreasing once a certain high speed
is exceeded.  I did find the following statement in
their materials though.

"Most highway tires are designed to perform safely at
65 mph or higher, while driving slower actually
increases tire rating.  Driving 55 mph, where it can
be done safely, can increase tire rating as much as 9
percent and may make the difference between a
successful trip and one plagued with tire failures." 

"Under inflation is the leading cause of RV tire
failures.  The second most common cause is AGE!  Tires
do not last forever, even though they may look
satisfactory.  Statistics indicate that the average
life of an RV tire is 5 to 7 years.  Determine the age
of your tires by checking the DOT code on the
sidewall.  Find the string of numbers and letters that
start with DOT and refer to the last three digits. 
The first 2 digits are the CALENDAR WEEK the tire was
in the mold, while the final digit indicates the YEAR.
 Beginning in the year 2000, there will be four
digits:two for the calendar week and two for the
year." 

Jack