Tires for 2001 Beaver 40JSP Marquis

[Dick Simonis]

I have Hankook tires in 275/70R22.5 AH12 and they are very good.  Better ride and handling then the Toyos.  Two years ago they were just under $2,000 installed, balanced with new stems.  Several other have switched to Hankook in the 12R22.5 size.  Have not heard of any complaints.

Prices on all tire have sky-rocketed this year at least.  I had my Hankooks (275/70/22.5) installed in Yuma after the Quartzsite rally for 3,000 including an alighnment, valve stems and balancing the front.  Most everything else was a lot more $$$.  Too bad I had to pay sales tax but I didn't want to wait until we got to OR.

They sure ride and handle good but I'll better be able to asses them when we finally get on the road next week.

[Richard And Babs Ames]

We found that Michelin are the roundest tires made and much smoother riding than other brands.

[Richard Cooper]

Before I place an order --- let me review:

Michelin 76807 XZA2NRG 295/80R22.5 XZA2 ENER 152M(Load Range H) (LH STEER)

Is this tire the correct size for my 2001 Beaver 40JSP?  6 tires.

In other words, I hope not to have any problem turning my front wheels all the way left or all the way right and have no scraping of the wheel well, etc.

Also, what does "LH STEER" refer to in the specs?  Does load range "H" mean that each tire can handle nearly 8,000 pounds?  

By the way, buying through Monaco International rather than FMCA saves me about $75 per tire.  If you are in the market for Michelins on your coach, it would be a large savings to join Monaco International for $40 a year.  Just as with BAC you have to be a member of FMCA to join Monaco International.

[Richard Cooper]

My Michelin tire dealer is handling my tire order billed through Monaco, but today told me they would give me $125 per tire trade-in for the Toyo's I have on the coach ---- which are, I think, LR22.5 - 16 ply.  Real happy about this.  Total overall cost with balancing, installation, trade-in's and local sales taxes will be about $3,550.

[Larry and Heidi Lee]

Richard, I am curious what the date code is on the new tires they are installing. If you are able to, please let us know. As of today I hear the Michelin XZE2 is on backorder in So California so I am hoping to pick up a set that has a late 2012 date code. Probably not  big deal but the later the better in my opinion. And to you future tire shoppers, always call ahead and try to pin the salesman down on a price he will give you for your old tires. Should be a minimum of $75 per tire trade-in if they have less than 50% wear and no sidewall checking.

[Richard Cooper]

I will find out this week as I told the salesman to get a recent date.  The Michelin manufacturing plant they will come from is only about 100 miles away in Greenville, SC (from where my coach is parked).  He didn't say anything about a shortage.

[Richard Cooper]

Richard, I am curious what the date code is on the new tires they are installing.  

The tires were ordered the other day and have come in today.  Salesman says the date is 2012, but exact month he didn''t know.  They will install Monday.

[Jeff Watt]

I want to throw this thread off a bit - regarding pressure and tire monitors.

I have my front at 115 and the tire monitor says to have an upper limit 10% more, ie. 127.  It doesn't take much driving on warm pavement to get at or above 127.  Any thoughts as to what an upper limit should be?  Is it on the Michelin site/specs?

Thanks.

Jeff

[Edward Buker]

Jeff,

The tire manufacturers understands the tire pressure increase with temperature (actual operating pressure) as they study the tire and create the load vs pressure tables. The specs we use are for the cold tire pressure measurements only and the compensations are already built in. As long as cold pressure is in spec for the weight loading then you are good to go.

The tire monitors will clue you in on the actual pressure increase with temperature that you encounter over some period of time and range of ambient temperatures. The 10% adder is an educated guess by the monitor company. If you exceed that number modify the limit to be just above what the tires pressures are running as long as both fronts run similar temps. Same for the rear tires, find a pressure limit that they run within for most ambient temperatures that you will drive in and set your own limit. This limit is a monitor of your own historical normal upper pressure limit but there is no spec per say.

Later Ed

[Gerald Farris]

Jeff,
I have never seen an upper limit in any tire pressure publication, however I run 120 PSI in my tires and I have seen readings as high as 145 PSI on my tire monitor when driving on a hot summer day. So I would guess that your upper limit should be about 25%. However if you are running low rolling resistance tires like the Michelin XZA2 Energy, they build less heat so you can adjust the pressure limit down a little.

Gerald

[Jeff Watt]

Ed and Gerald,

Thanks for the info. I have been watching the pressures and have a good feel for the normal running pressures so I may do as Ed suggests and set the monitor at those pressures or just above.

Jeff

[Mike Humble]

One thing I have noticed is as we travel the inside rears gain about 5 lbs more pressure than the outside.  They start off the same.  Is this normal?
Mike

[Gerald Farris]

Mike,
The inside rear tires do not have as much clean air flow as the outer tires, so they will normally run a little hotter, and therefore they will gain a little more pressure than the outer tires.

Gerald

[Richard Cooper]

Finally got the invoice from Monaco International RV Club for new tires bought through them and Michelin:

Michelin 295/80R22.5 XZA2 ENER 152M (LRH)

Discounted per tire = $564.11 + FET $40.92 = $605.03
Valve stem with cap = $6.75
Mount & Dismount on wheel = $20.00
Balancing including weights = $29.00
Alignment, front and rear  (not sold on basis of number of tires) = $41.67 avg
Georgia tire fee = $1.00
Georgia sales taxes = $42.83 avg

TOTAL before trade-in = 746.28
Credit for trade-in old Toyo = ($125.00)
NET cost avg per tire = $621.28

Some may not realize what the extra charges are for buying new tires and this shows you.  My trade-in credit was probably a bit higher than most, but my previous Toyo tires were in pretty good condition.  They were 5-6 years old.

Not everyone will need an alignment, but glad I asked for it.  My rear was off significantly.

It was a very easy smooth transaction through Monaco Club.  I never had to call the club at all.  I gave the ship to code to Michelin and registered with them my credit card.  My dealer ordered the tires using the ship to code.  He billed me asking for my membership number and the first 4 / last 4 digits of my credit card.  He picked up my coach from my storage space some 10 miles away and returned it.  I'm in Atlanta and the coach is 2 hours away from me.

Dealer said I should get better fuel mileage, but who knows.  I can only compare to the 8.5 miles per gallon Silverleaf showed I was averaging on interstate driving in Florida --- which is flat.  Soon I will be in significantly less flat areas of the northeast.

[Richard Cooper]

I have to report that these new Michelin tires are wonderful --- I hardly ever hear road noise, they are so smooth on the highway.  I've been driving in the mountains though.  I've not noticed any increase in miles per gallon, however.  But I feel safer with these new tires.