More Marathon tire failures

[Bill]

WMTIRE -

I'm not sure I understand your post. First you say

Air, as with most gases, expands as it gets hot. If you know you are going to be in conditions that the tire will get hotter, it is a good idea to let a few pounds out before driving.

The tire manufacturers seem to disagree with this - they say NOT to make a pressure adjustment for heating, real or expected. But then you go on to say

Always check your tire pressure before trips, when it is technically cold pressure, to get an accurate reading. Make adjustments from cold pressure, not hot expanded pressures.

Tire manufacturers agree with this - cold pressure is the only pressure that means anything. Set it correctly and leave it alone - don't adjust the pressure in a warm/hot tire.

Am I misunderstanding your post?

Bill

Originally Posted by Bill

WMTIRE -

I'm not sure I understand your post. First you sayThe tire manufacturers seem to disagree with this. But then you go on to say

Tire manufacturers agree with this - cold pressure is the only pressure that means anything. Set it correctly and leave it alone.

Am I misunderstanding your post?

Bill

I see the confusion in my writings and have edited it now. Is this any better?

When you drive greater distances and in hotter climates, the air pressure inside the tire will increase due to this expansion. If you know you are going to be in conditions that the tire will get hotter for extended lengths, it is a good idea to let a few pounds out before driving, to allow for the expansion.

[fcatwo]

wmtire

Thanks for the formula and other info. The part about overinflation being a possible hazard is particularly informative. I had never heard that before and I think I will share it on other sites I visit just to add to their imformation base. Some hybrid vehicle owners are inflating their tires to ridiculous levels to maximize MPG and they may not know it can cause problems.

Goodyear's web site shows that my 215 Marathons will support my 3200lb TM at 40psi but I run 50psi. I assume 10psi over is OK since that's what TM recommends but 20 or more over could be detrimental. Am I right on that?

As I stated, it is totally unscientific, and probably flies in the face of conventional wisdom. It is just something we have observed at our shop in Louisiana. Our notoriously bad roads and hot weather may be large contributing factors too. If I was a rocket scientist, I'd work at NASA, not sell tires.

What I am talking about is tires that the tread is separating from. Usually they still have the air pressure still inside. Some have the whole tread peeled off but are still inflated. I see many Marathons, just like that. I don't think they are necessarily over or underinflated.

A seriously underinflated (not overinflated) tire will usually fail with a sidewall blowout, due to excessive heat. After the tires blows out, it can peel the tread too....but it's usually secondary to blowing out. I don't want to stray off overinflation yet.

MY professional opinion, based on my observations, is an overinflated tire is very hazardous. Besides the potential for tread separation, a overinflated tire does not hang to the road as it should. It is riding purely on the center of the tread, and not the whole footprint of the tire. This could lead to stability problems also.

[commodor47]

Thanks for the professional information wmtire. Reading your post regarding over inflation calls to mind my experiences traveling from Western MA to TN at the end of December (two years in a row). We left our home with both tires inflated to 50 psi as recommended by the TM manual. Arrived in eastern TN the next day and spent the night. Checked the air pressure before leaving (the next morning) and discovered the pressure was 56 psi . . . and that was a cold reading. I think elevation and ambient temperature may also play a role in pressure variations.

Wmtire-

I guess I just have to ask this question. Could you, or would you recommend a tire to replace the Marathon's? If Bill's comments regarding problems with Marathons by Goodyear are true, then it would seem to be wise to avoid this tire. period. Maybe the way I should post this is, Wmtire, if you replace the tires on your own TM (assuming you have one) what would you replace them with?

Mike Anderson

Originally Posted by ragmopp

Wmtire-

I guess I just have to ask this question. Could you, or would you recommend a tire to replace the Marathon's? If Bill's comments regarding problems with Marathons by Goodyear are true, then it would seem to be wise to avoid this tire. period. Maybe the way I should post this is, Wmtire, if you replace the tires on your own TM (assuming you have one) what would you replace them with?

Mike Anderson

That is the million dollar question. I personally would not replace my tires with Marathons. Now as to what I would recommend. I spent last nite trying to catch up in the forums some, especially reading the tire posts. I have learned some things about some brands that I wasn't aware of from reading everyone's experiences.

The tire choices for trailers are very limited, as not many manufacturers care for this market. I am reading about problems with every trailer tire brand I know of (and sell). It has actually caused me to reconsider some things.

Since I know for sure what tires I won't use, then I need to decide which tire I am going to use. Once I make this decision (after analyzing everything I can find out), I'll post it here. I'm going to take this recommendation from myself real serious, and don't want to be careless in it, by just picking a brand I sell currently. I want to study more on it. It has been stated in another forum, that Cooper/Mastercraft make some trailer tires. This is correct, and actually where I am leaning towards. We are a Mastercraft dealer (according to the signs on our building), but I don't want that to influence my decision.

I also would like to offer something. Just becasue I pick a tire and it performs well for me, doesn't mean it will for others. I am reading this about all the brands. Some are having problems, some aren't. I plan to buy six tires to test my recommendation. I will give the other 4 (and pay the shipping on them) to any 2 other trailmanor owners who would care to test them too. The first 2 hands in the air get them. Just post here you are interested. I just ask that whomever gets them, will keep us all informed as to their experiences with them.

Is that fair enough?

Sounds outstanding! Trouble is I just bought new tires last year - Goodyear HMG 2020 ST205/75D14 8PR LR D 2040lbs @65PSI. They are the tires U-Haul uses on their rental trailers. I can't say a lot about them since we have only towed the trailer around 6500 miles since I bought them. So far I like them even if they aren't radials. I had non-radials on a utility trailer that went around 100,000 miles (20+years) and still were usable when I took them off. I had these balanced and there is no evidence of vibration in the TM. If they last half as long as the tires on that utility trailer I will be ecstatic!

Ok, I got one sucke.........I mean guinea pig to volunteer

I need another.

EDIT: I now got the 2 lab rats for our experiment. We'll see if we can find a better alternative to the tire failures. We'll keep everyone informed.

[kempert]

wmtire -

I'm game. I'll be one of your lab rats. I'll put a good 5,000 miles on them this summer.

It's sounds too good to be true but Ilike your style.