Having researched a replacement set for our 2000 Winnie Adventurer 37G (the current tires are 7 years old, starting to bounce and show signs of wear), I looked at achieving a good balance between reliable, safety, cost and wear. Given our circumstances and the age of the coach, I found ChicagoTire selling Samson 245/70R19.5 sets on eBay for $1165 including shipping anywhere in the lower 48. Fitting & balancing quotes in Oregon work out between $25 & $40 per tire (so $125).
Everet Amos (EV's Tires / Hi-Tech Auto & Towing) in Gold Beach, OR is mentioned several times by members here for a straight-guy, great-service outfit, so I called him and finalized a deal with him a couple of days ago when we got here. $15 balancing (Dyna Beads) & fitting per tire plus $1165 for the tires equals $1255 out the door. We discussed the fact that my existing tires are 12-ply and maxed out all the time. The new Samsons are 16 ply which concerned me a little in case they give too hard a ride. He was sure they would be ok given the GVW but called the supplier and discussed it with him in detail. They both were happy I will not have any problems with handling or ride. 14 ply would've perhaps been better, but he can't get them (or they're not made).
There are differing opinions about Samsons both here and on truckers' forums, but almost all say they're good value for money and drive fine. There are no reports of inherent faults or bad behavior, so I'm happy regarding the safety aspect which of course isn't negotiable. We're here for a week and they get fitted tomorrow, so I'll take it for a run before going back to the campground and report back on my impressions
Dougie.