Let’s talk tires!!

[Mike1jag]

Well it’s time to replace the old tires on my new to me motorhome. It’s a 97 Luxor on freightliner chassis. The factory tires are 255/80/22.5. These tires are crazy expensive. I found them for $650 ea. Now I have been doing a lot of searching in regards to super singles. I have read post after post about how if you get a flat your done. For truckers I could see this being a problem. But for me I have towing with free tire replacement. I got a great deal on a pair of super singles and then got a 3rd rim and recap tire for free with my purchase. So I can’t see a reason to not give the super singles a try. Now I have the wheels and tires and I am going to put them on Friday. I would like to know what the great people on here have to say.

[ThomB]

Soooo, that's replacing a set of duallies with a single tire? I've seen those but only on local run trucks. How do those compare for total weight over having duallies?

[345 desoto]

What, may I ask, is a "Super Single?...

[Mike1jag]

Originally Posted by ThomB

Soooo, that's replacing a set of duallies with a single tire? I've seen those but only on local run trucks. How do those compare for total weight over having duallies?

So according to the tire the weight limit is 10800 lbs. I noticed a lot of tanker trucks use them. I can’t tell you why tanker trucks use them but a lot of them do.

[Mike1jag]

Originally Posted by 345 desoto

What, may I ask, is a "Super Single?...

A super single or wide contact tire is a tire that is essentially the size of the dual wheels in width and the same height. So you replace the dual rear wheels with 1 wider wheel. I hear they have less rolling resistance than the dually tires. They are also lighter normal weight savings of 200-400lbs. Also they tend to disperse the weight over a larger area than the dually wheels so they don’t sink as much. All of this info was found on the internet. So don’t hold it as gospel. Also none of this is coming from me. Just what I read.

[ThomB]

What's the "cost to play" with these?
I'm assuming that you need new rims. The $650 that you quoted in the original post is that for this tire or the stock tire size (so $650 x 4 to mount up to original rims)
It seems that you may lose a little (very little) load weight on these over a set of duallies? Not sure what your chassis calls out on the rear for weight.

I'd have to think there is a reason this doesn't happen more often on RV's.

[Winterbagoal]

If one half of a dually pair goes, you might be able to safely stop without dragging the blown corner wheel/axle/chassis along the ground for a few hundred yards.
I'd ask the tire guys, and the chassis manufacturer, for some guidance before trying it.
If you're comfortable that there isn't a safety related reason not to do it, then go for it.

[Mike1jag]

Originally Posted by ThomB

What's the "cost to play" with these?
I'm assuming that you need new rims. The $650 that you quoted in the original post is that for this tire or the stock tire size (so $650 x 4 to mount up to original rims)
It seems that you may lose a little (very little) load weight on these over a set of duallies? Not sure what your chassis calls out on the rear for weight.

I'd have to think there is a reason this doesn't happen more often on RV's.

So the $650 price is per tire on the factory 255/80/22.5. So you are correct $650x4 plus Mount and balance. Of course that is for Michelin tires. Who is the only company that makes the 255/80/22.5. Now the 445/50/22.5 that I am going to put on run around $900 each but then it’s $900x2 plus Mount and balance. Now according to the sticker in my motorhome the total loaded weight is 19k lbs. which if split evenly would be 5k lbs a corner. Which it’s not but the weight in the rear should be fine. To be honest I don’t know what the weight rating is on the factory tires. I am going to go look.

[345 desoto]

I went online to do a bit of searching for super singles/rims. It seems that with the aluminum rim (the only rim available), when the tire blows, the rim is usually destroyed. However, with dual rear tires/wheels, when one of the dual tires blows, you can at least limp into an exit...or onto the shoulder, without destroying the steel rim...FWIW...

[Mike1jag]

Oh and you are correct you have to buy new wheels.

[Mike1jag]

Originally Posted by 345 desoto

I went online to do a bit of searching for super singles/rims. It seems that with the aluminum rim (the only rim available), when the tire blows, the rim is usually destroyed. However, with dual rear tires/wheels, when one of the dual tires blows, you can at least limp into an exit...or onto the shoulder, without destroying the steel rim...FWIW...

That is what they say. The last dually tire I had blow out was the Inside tire. It in turn took out the outside tire. Now if your not afraid to run used wheels there are a ton of them out there. Cheap. I got the same rims that came on my rig whiteout much effort.

[Mike1jag]

So according to Michelin the factory weight spec is 5k lbs each on the factory tires. so the combined weight is 10k lbs so pretty much the same give or take a couple hundred pounds. I can’t seem to find anyone who has done this. My research says it should be fine. I won’t be home until Friday so I guess I will put them on and see what’s what.

[Mike1jag]

I wanted to give y’all an update. Went to change the rear tires today. Alias I have hit another speed bump. It seems the wheels I have are what they call lug pilot and the new wheels are hub pilot. Lug pilot or (bud wheels) use the lug nuts to center the wheels. Hub pilot or (una-Mount) use the center of the hub to center the wheels. I have to look at converting my rear hubs. Depending on the price this might not be worth it. Also does anyone have any information on what rear axle my rig comes with? It’s a freightliner Chassis.

[akeagle]

I seem to remember someone on this site or a similar one speculating that the sidewalls on the super singles would have to be quite stiff to support all the weight on one tire, and that would likely make the ride much rougher.

Sounds very logical to me.

[creativepart]

Question about your “towing with free tire replacement”?

Are you sure that it will apply to your unique, non-standard RV tire arrangement?

[Mike1jag]

Originally Posted by akeagle

I seem to remember someone on this site or a similar one speculating that the sidewalls on the super singles would have to be quite stiff to support all the weight on one tire, and that would likely make the ride much rougher.

Sounds very logical to me.

Well according to the weight ratings posted on the tire, it seems like it will be fine. I will have to see what ply the super singles are to know about the sidewalls. I did read about a guy that did it on his motorhome. (I don’t remember the brand motorhome) he stated that it ran fantastic down the road and it gained less more road control with less sway. He had also went wider up front. Not super wife but a 295 or 315. He said his setup ran down the road much easier than with the stock tires.

[Mike1jag]

Originally Posted by creativepart

Question about your “towing with free tire replacement”?

Are you sure that it will apply to your unique, non-standard RV tire arrangement?

That I don’t know yet. When I got the plan there were no stipulations on tire size, brand,etc. Now the tires are cheaper than buying 2 back tires at one time. Honestly the super single barley cost more than one of the 255/80/22.5 Michelin’s that come on it factory.

[Mike1jag]

I found this online. Now it’s a sales ad so take it as you will. But there is some info in there.

https://www.michelintruck.com/assets...re_May2009.pdf