Tires

[Grant & Kathy]

Originally Posted by gbaglo

And, then there is my anecdotal evidence: haven't had a flat or blowout on my Marathon tires in six years.

My anecdotal Goodyear Marathon Story about tread separation:

Driving a 15,000 pound 5th wheel, 60 mph, on I-40 through Oklahoma in mid-October. One of the tires blew up! When I pulled over all that was left on the rim were the 2 side walls. The 5th wheel was only 8 months old.

I had $700 dollars worth of damage to the trailer that Goodyear refuse to pay.

It was my second tread separation on that set of Goodyear Marathons. I use a PressurePro Tire pressure monitor. With my first tread separation the PressurePro warned me in time to pull off of the road before the tire went flat. With the second separation the tire just exploded with no warning.

We were 500 pounds under carrying capacity, it was cool October day, PressurePro said that all of the tires were at the correct pressure and we had 16 inch wheels. Ironically, we were on our way to a tire store just outside of Amarillo to replace the Marathons.

Do a Google search "Goodyear Marathon tread separation" and you will get over 11,000 hits.

This incident is one of the reasons we have been looking into an Escape 19. It is about the smallest dual axle trailer we have come across. I can't imagine what would have happen if blew a tire at 60 mph and only had one axle.

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by GWebb

I had $700 dollars worth of damage to the trailer that Goodyear refuse to pay.

I'm not surprised, since that would be consequential damage... something that warranties typically don't cover.

Goodyear's RV and trailer tire warranties are published in their Recreational Vehicle Tire and Care Guide, which includes a section that includes this:

WHAT IS NOT COVERED UNDER THIS LIMITED WARRANTY?
• ...
• Loss of time, inconvenience, loss of use of vehicle, incidental or consequential damage.

I understand the frustration... I'm just not surprised by the situation.

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by GWebb

I can't imagine what would have happen if blew a tire at 60 mph and only had one axle.

I think that's a reasonable concern. On the other hand, there are vast numbers of single-axle trailers on the highways, and inevitably some of them will have tire failures, for most of the same reasons as the tandem-axle trailers. Despite what must be a substantial number of failure events, I've personally never heard of a resulting loss-of-control incident.

In addition, single-axle trailers are not subject to two of the causes of tire failures experienced by tandems:

• uneven load distribution between the axles of a tandem can lead to overloading of the tires on one axle, even though the total trailer weight is within the capacity of the set of four tires (on an Escape this is unlikely due to the generous tire sizes)
• misalignment of the axles relative to each other can cause excessive scrubbing, and thus heating, of the tires; heat causes failures

The FiberglassRV forum is similar to the Escape Forum, but for all brands of similarly constructed (moulded fiberglass) travel trailers. The large majority of those trailers are single-axle, with the only significant quantity of tandems being the 21' and 25' Bigfoots, plus (only recently) 19' and larger Escapes (there are other relatively obscure tandems); most brands have no tandem models. I've followed that forum for years. Although some members express the same "gotta have a tandem" philosophy (for a range of reasons), and there are many reports of tire failures, it seems very rare to have a problem controlling a single-axle trailer in one of those failure events.

Four of the eight Escape models built to date are single-axle, including the original 17-foot. I would be interested in hearing from any Escape owner who has lost control of their trailer due to a tire failure. I realize that only a few hundred Escapes have been built, and many of their owners are not members of this forum, so the odds are there (fortunately) have not been many - if any - blowout experiences to draw from.

[jamman]

I had a blow-out on a 17' Casita - almost new tires, not overloaded, not excessive speed - PROBABLY a slow leak - something in the tire.

I had absolutely no problem maintaining control - the trailer stayed true - just sprayed small rubber/steel bits everywhere and did about $400 damage to the wheel well. The tire was totally shredded - no way to determine the original cause.

[Brian B-P]

Thanks jamman!

[Grant & Kathy]

Originally Posted by Brian B-P

I think that's a reasonable concern. On the other hand, there are vast numbers of single-axle trailers on the highways, and inevitably some of them will have tire failures, for most of the same reasons as the tandem-axle trailers. Despite what must be a substantial number of failure events, I've personally never heard of a resulting loss-of-control incident.

Brian,

As you said "vast numbers of single-axle trailers on the highways" and there have been for decades.

Our first trailer was a 17 foot HiLo, it of course was a single-axle. In all the miles I pulled it, I never once thought about what might happen if we had a blowout.

Of course the 12,000 pound difference in weight between the HiLo and the 5th wheel may have something to do with that.

I don't think I would let the single-axle or dual-axle be the number one factor on what trailer to pick. However, if it were a tie between 2 trailers the dual-axle would be the tie breaker for us.

Right now we are leaning toward the Escape 19 because it has a queen bed and it is the only Escape, I have ever actually seen!

I am anxiously awaiting the arrival of scores of Escapes at the Fiberglass Rally next month so that I can compare the various models side by side.

Grant

[gbaglo]

Another way of looking at tandem axle as far as safety or damage in a blowout is that some people are so unaware of what is going on back there that they drive for miles with the blown tire beating the wheel well to death. That's not likely with a single axle.

[paulw]

Originally Posted by GWebb

.....
I am anxiously awaiting the arrival of scores of Escapes at the Fiberglass Rally next month so that I can compare the various models side by side.

Grant

LOTS of Escapes (and other brands) "sold" at the Bandon Oregon Gathering.

[Grant & Kathy]

Originally Posted by paulw

LOTS of Escapes (and other brands) "sold" at the Bandon Oregon Gathering.

Anyone with an Escape 19 coming to Bandon who is planning on moving to something else in the near future?

Please, let me know and we can have a little talk.

[Donna D.]

Grant, you shudda been there last year! I know of two 19' that were put up for sale (at the park) as soon as the owners saw the new 21'

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by gbaglo

Another way of looking at tandem axle as far as safety or damage in a blowout is that some people are so unaware of what is going on back there that they drive for miles with the blown tire beating the wheel well to death. That's not likely with a single axle.

I agree. One of the consequences of not noticing that blow tire is that the other tire on the same side is overloaded - it is now more likely to fail, perhaps some time in the future.

For those who are aviation enthusiasts, the single/tandem axle situation has parallels to single versus twin engines on aircraft: there is no clear best answer.

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by J Mac

... a blow out at high speed. Here's a you tube on such...

I'm not sure why the narrator feels that he needs to speak so s-l-o-w-l-y, as if he is talking to a child (or moron), or why he doesn't know the term "tandem".

It would be informative for someone without extensive experience with trailers.

I am a little disappointed that the video didn't actually show the trailer's behaviour... it's like a new report after the incident, not live video of the event.

[gbaglo]

He had to speak slowly so he could drag the video out to 6:43 without really saying much at all. Needs more shots of his wife, although I think he already knows that and includes them whenever he can get away with it.

[escape artist]

Hi: All...He's probably a member of "T h e ... s l o w... t a l k e r s... c l u b... o f ... A m e r i c a ". Thanks Bob& Ray Lol. Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie

[KarenH]

Sheesh...give the guy a break. He's posted 193 videos, most having to do with RVs and maintenance or product reviews.

[Viajante]

I had a tire blow out on my single axle 15b on the interstate. A driver pulled up along side and signaled that something was wrong with the trailer. I could not see it feel anything wrong so I thought it might be the bike on the rack. As I coasted onto the shoulder the trailer began shuddering as the tire went completely flat. The tread was completely detached from the sidewalls. It was a 4 year old Marathon.

The trailer never gave a hint if losing control, even without a sway bar or leveling hitch. The worst part was just changing the tire on the interstate. Fortunately it was the passenger side. No damage to the wheel well, just needed some solvent to clean off some rub marks from the tread.

[gbaglo]

Originally Posted by KarenH

Sheesh...give the guy a break. He's posted 193 videos, most having to do with RVs and maintenance or product reviews.

Same wife?

Can't help it. I'm giddy. Looks like electrical re and re on the house, to maintain my insurance, won't be as financially disabling as I anticipated.

[J Mac]

Originally Posted by Brian B-P

I am a little disappointed that the video didn't actually show the trailer's behaviour... it's like a new report after the incident, not live video of the event.

How could that be done?

[gbaglo]

Tow the wife behind on roller blades with a camera, with a GoPro camera on the trailer to get shots of her.

[J Mac]

Those hours you spent in your youth at Vancouver Film School are beginning to pay dividends gbaglo.