More tire comments

[Jim Nichols]

Had our 295/80/22.5 Goodyear rear tires replaced with 315/80/22.5  RR200L Double Coin. A 20 ply tire with a rigid sidewall and 1and half inch taller. The cost was $1800.00 for 4 out the door. Will report soon on mpg change. Can say with cruise at 62 mph the gps shows 65 mph. Will have to stop by a Cat dealer to have the computer changed to the larger tire size. With the rigid sidewall we don't seem to get the side sway we had before when the trucks pass. Do not need fronts and not sure they would fit anyway.

[Jerry Carr]

Hi Jim, what is the advantage of the larger tire? We also have the 295 GY tires on the front and they show edge wear, I stopped at GY while passing in OK City and had the front end inspected and we had to problems but I was told that the tires we bought 3 years ago with are more the 7 years old and the rubber is now bad(we have only 15,000 mile on these tires) I plan to visit our GY dealer on my return to Seattle to discuss the old tire problem. I like the Michellin tires we have on the back better then the GY but they also are the normal 295 size. I am not sure we would have the room for a larger size but if we had an advantage I also might change.
  

[Bill Sprague]

..... 7 years old and the rubber is now bad....

Jerry, did they suggest what is wrong with the rubber?

[Jerry Carr]

Hey Bill, they told me the rubber was old and the tires will need to be changed, I thought I had purchased new tires at the time but as they say buyer beware I should have checked the dates I know better so I do plan to see the GY truck center when I get back home. I really don't think they will help me much. The tires must have been at least 3 year old when the put them on.

[Stan Simpson]

Jerry,

You can look at the DOT stamp on the sidewall of the tires to tell you when they were manufactured. At least you will be informed when you got to see your GY dealer.

Stan

[Lee Welbanks]

Hi Jim, what is the advantage of the larger tire? We also have the 295 GY tires on the front and they show edge wear, I stopped at GY while passing in OK City and had the front end inspected and we had to problems but I was told that the tires we bought 3 years ago with are more the 7 years old and the rubber is now bad(we have only 15,000 mile on these tires) I plan to visit our GY dealer on my return to Seattle to discuss the old tire problem. I like the Michellin tires we have on the back better then the GY but they also are the normal 295 size. I am not sure we would have the room for a larger size but if we had an advantage I also might change.
  

I would love for some tire salesperson tell me that the rubber is bad, did he inform you of the year of the tires. Tires don't just go bad at the magic 7th year. Edge wear could be under inflation alignment. I've seen front tires on a truck with wear on the outer edge for no reason that anybody can figure out.
When I bought the Beaver the sales person said the tires were 06's which would have made them on their last leg, I wasn't worried about the tires with the price I got I'd get new ones. At closer inspection these tires looked really new at least the tread did, they had some kind of weird coating on the sidewalls, so I took a closer look at the build dates all were 32 week 2011, so I just smiled and informed the sales staff they gave me a set of tires, at least I thought it was funny.

[Jim Nichols]

Unless you have a front end that is overweight for the tire rating then leave them alone. We replaced the front 2 with Yokohama's 295/80/22.5 load H in Gillette  last year. $1200.00 out the door. Did not need larger in front and wanted the rivering 2009 stamped G670's gone.
The rears were also G670 same vintage but not rivering. Have never experienced a blowout and not wanting to we held our breath for  8, 000 more miles and just replaced the rears coming thru Texas. Looked and studied all the brands and prices and didn't want to pay over $4000.00 for 4 tires. But back somewhere I heard of success with the 315/80/22.5 on the rear but used for weight issues. The 315/80/22.5 has a load range L and is a 20 ply tire. Rett Porter changed up and has Michelin for example.
I'm thinking rpm's and mpg. Our transmission will only shift into 6th at 62 mph and runs about 1450 rpm. Now we're running 64 to 65 at same rpm. The lower I can get the rpm the better my mileage. Have an appointment with Cat next week in Phoenix to change the computer to the new size. Since leaving Texas we have bucked the head and side winds that has dumped our mpg. Cannot stay in a low rpm so we're needing to feed our horses a bit more hay.
I'll report back in 2 weeks, staying in Gilbert, AZ.  for a week.

[Richard And Babs Ames]

Jim Nichols: you Cat or Cummins dealer for your engine can reprogram your engine to read the correct speed for the size of the tires revolutions per mile. The "flash" takes a few minites and Ring Power in Tampa did mine for no charge. The head mechanic used it as a teaching moment for the other mechanics in the shop.

Also the GY rivering issue only appears on "free rolling" non drive tires for some reason. We went through it wit with G159 and G670 Goodyears on the front. Last conversation with JoSam in Orlando seemed to indicate it is unique to the Good Year Design.

[Jim Nichols]

Yes you are absolutely correct on both issues. And I have an appointment Monday with CAT here in Phoenix. Also going to have them change the cruise to soft. As she runs know it will downshift 2 mph below set cruise.
With the larger tires rpm at 1440-50 mph is 64 almost 65 in 6th. Want to train the trans to hold at lower rpm in 6th.