Yet another tire thread. 275/70R22.5 Radial Tires

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RobinsBill

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Joined
Oct 31, 2012
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Location
Oregon
Hello again wonderful RV forum people,
We have read about tires on this forum until our eyes have crossed, lol!
The specs for the 1998 Beaver Patriot says it comes with 275/70R22.5 Radial Tires.  We are looking at buying this motorhome and know that it needs tires.  We are ok with the owner reducing the price and us choosing our own brand.  When we call around for price, is that all we need to say is:  275/70R22.5 Radial Tires?  Or do we need to specify RV?  Sometimes I have been reading on this forum that there are letters added after, do we need to specify some kind of weight rating or???
Also, we are going to join FMCA, but wondering if we are looking at weeks before being able to put tires on with their discount?
We are quality and safety above price, but... if we can get all 3  ;D
Sorry, just newbies trying to learn how to do this  :-\
 
Any tire in that size should have the same load capacity, but check the inflation charts to be sure.  The charts will show the load range as well as minimum inflation pressure and maximum load.

Once you join FMCA, you are eligible for the Michelin Advantage discount program, but other brand tires can be had for the same or less than the discounted Michelin price, so it does pay to shop around.
 
FMCA will process your online application almost immediately, but it takes awhile to receive your official membership card. You should get your member number right away, though, so can supply that wherever needed.

Sometimes the load capacity of a tire can vary a bit from model to model. For example, the Goodyear G159 in your size is about 200 lbs less than other Goodyear tire models in the same size. Usually that is not a concern because the tire has more than enough capacity for the load, but once in awhile an RV manufacturer skimps a bit and 200 lbs can make a difference. That's why it is wise to know the axle rating of the RV and double-check the tires actual max  load rating (its stamped on the sidewall as well as in the spec charts) before making the purchase. But when shopping around to find availability and price, it is sufficient to give just the size.

Some brands will have a tire that is recommended especially for RVs, e.g. Goodyear touts their G670 model as an "RV tire". It probably costs more and the differences are minor, if any. You don't have to use the "RV" tire unless you want to, so if you mention "RV" or "motorhome" to the tire dealer, ask again about alternative, non-RV tire models that would fit.

An RV-specific tire typically claims a softer ride and greater UV-resistance, but you probably won't notice the ride difference and all modern tires have good UV inhibitors in the rubber.

 
Ned said:
Any tire in that size should have the same load capacity, but check the inflation charts to be sure.  The charts will show the load range as well as minimum inflation pressure and maximum load.

Once you join FMCA, you are eligible for the Michelin Advantage discount program, but other brand tires can be had for the same or less than the discounted Michelin price, so it does pay to shop around.
Ok, Stupid question, What is FMCA?
 
My MH is essentially the same as yours and we run on Michelin XZE2+ tires--225/70-R22.5 Load Range J.  That's the only load range Michelin makes in this this size and it has substantially more load capability than does the axle the tires are mounted on!  IMHO the nice thing about running this high a load range is that I know that I am never going to load the tires anywhere near their maximum.  I think you can buy Load Range H tires made by other companies however those will be operating much closer to the maximum on the front axle.

As for buying new tires you should explore both the FMCA discount as well as the one offered by Monaco International. The Monaco club is open to any "Monaco heritage" coach owner including Beaver even if the coach was built before the Monaco era.  The Monaco price can be ~$40 less than the FMCA price on some sizes and the cost of joining is small compared with the cost of joining FMCA (you have to be an FMCA member to join Monaco. )  You can join the Monaco club as soon as you have access to your FMCA number.  I figure I saved about $400 buying my Michelins through Monaco.
 
I was under the impression that the Monaco Club program was the same Michelin Fleet Buying deal that FMCA now offers. You are saying you get better prices through the Monaco owners club? Wow!

I'm not doubting your word, just exclaiming in surprise.
 
docj said:
My MH is essentially the same as yours and we run on Michelin XZE2+ tires--225/70-R22.5 Load Range J.  That's the only load range Michelin makes in this this size and it has substantially more load capability than does the axle the tires are mounted on!  IMHO the nice thing about running this high a load range is that I know that I am never going to load the tires anywhere near their maximum.

Just got off the phone with the tire place.  He said "XZA2", unless I misunderstood.  And the other one he said was "XZE".
And yes, I only see one listing in that size on the FMCA michelin advantage program chart.  Hmm...
The tire guy is gonna call me back with DOT anyway, so I'll double check then.
Boy, putting ducks in a row is time consuming and quite an education!  :eek:
 
Oh, another question...  The tire guy said that many only balance the front tires.  Any recommendation and opinions on that?
 
Gary RV Roamer said:
I was under the impression that the Monaco Club program was the same Michelin Fleet Buying deal that FMCA now offers. You are saying you get better prices through the Monaco owners club? Wow!

I'm not doubting your word, just exclaiming in surprise.

Gary:

I don't know the current pricing, but the situation through mid-2012 was that the Monaco price was slightly better than the FMCA price on most sizes.  There was a rumor that FMCA wasn't passing along the entire discount to buyers, but there was never any proof of that.  Since Navistar is a major truck manufacturer it is not all that surprising that they may qualify for a better pricing tier with Michelin than FMCA does.  On the tires I purchased I saved about $40 each by going through Monaco.

Joel
 
RobinsBill said:
Just got off the phone with the tire place.  He said "XZA2", unless I misunderstood.  And the other one he said was "XZE".
And yes, I only see one listing in that size on the FMCA michelin advantage program chart.  Hmm...
The tire guy is gonna call me back with DOT anyway, so I'll double check then.
Boy, putting ducks in a row is time consuming and quite an education!  :eek:

We replaced XZA2 tires with XZE2+ over a year ago and are very pleased.  The XZE is rated as being for "regional" trucking rather than long haul and has a stronger sidewall since it's likely a regional trucker will encounter more curbs.  Also, because regional drivers are likely to be on non-interstate roads more than long haulers, the tires are designed to be better handling and have more cross-wise "swipes" across the tread which improve performance particularly on wet roads.
 
docj said:
We replaced XZA2 tires with XZE2+ over a year ago and are very pleased.  The XZE is rated as being for "regional" trucking rather than long haul and has a stronger sidewall since it's likely a regional trucker will encounter more curbs.  Also, because regional drivers are likely to be on non-interstate roads more than long haulers, the tires are designed to be better handling and have more cross-wise "swipes" across the tread which improve performance particularly on wet roads.

Very interesting, is the "ride" as nice?  And do you know off hand if the FMCA advantage program has the discount on any and all Michelins, or just what's shown on the chart?
BTW I think I got a decent tire shop.  He called me back right away with the DOT on the ones he had in stock and first thing he said was "you don't want these, they are almost 2 years old".
 
Do you only balance the front tires?  As long as new tires are gonna be put on, we are considering the Dyna beads.  Opinions?
 
Larry N. said:
There's quite a difference between 225/70 tires and 275/70. Personally, I'd stick with what's on there.

Lol!  I had to go back up the thread to see what you meant.  Yes, we will be staying with the same correct size.

Thanks Gary, the more we read the more we are leaning towards the beads too.
 
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