[Archived]

Off topic….

In 1981, I bought a brand new ’81 Oldsmobile Delta 88 Brougham with the diesel engine. I was getting into Real Estate at the time and wanted a larger car.

Well, I’m sure many of you gear-heads know what a excellent workhorse that engine was (ha ha ha ha ha).

The only good thing, it did get good fuel mileage. Otherwise, it was piece of #@*$. It started drinking oil faster than a sailor could chug down whiskey.

Long story short (too late right?), I joined the class action lawsuit and I did receive a settlement check for slightly less than $10.

I decided right then and there that I would never buy another GM product and it was my mission to put Oldsmobile out of business! My one man crusade worked! LOL!

Safe travels,
Mark

[Doug]

With the Continental 315/80R22.5 tires, it was suggested they owners contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline.

I wonder if they have received any incident reports on the Michelin 365 tires as of yet?

Owners also may contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to http://www.safercar.gov.

[Art]

After reading Jon’s the do’s and don’t on these tires, maybe leave the bus in the garage is the best practice.

[John]

I am not in a position to tall anyone what to do or how to handle this but I do know we have the potential to really screw ourselves up if we blow this issue out of proportion.

I know someone can start a class action lawsuit, or get the government involved, but at that point nature is going to take over and Michelin, Prevost, and we lose control. Michelin is on top of this now that we are finally getting reports of issues to them. There is no doubt in my mind Michelin is going to do the right thing.

My worst fear however is something that has the ability to cause our coaches to be taken out of service until there is an alternative to the 365 tires a lot of us have. Once this issue reaches the court system or any government entity we are going to have to deal with the consequences and have zero control over the outcome which might not be resolved for years.

To the best of our knowledge there have been no reports of a tire failure that prevented the coach from being driven to where the tires could be replaced, we have heard of no accidents or damage to a coach. In fact unless or until we learn otherwise this problem appears to be concentrated on recreational vehicles and not commercial coaches.

[Harry]

Good suggestion Jon for us to use tact in dealing with Michelin. Replacing mine now due to age. I`ll drive my Bus with the knowledge you`ve given and keeping in mind if any tire blows you`re always subject to serious injury or considerable dollar damage to the Bus.

On a side note, just replaced my auto tires with Michelin with much thought given to the continued poor quality they`ve become and talking with many other people about the poor longevity of tire wear. Decision was due strickley to the low road noise and handling.

Let`s hope Michelin listens to us and reacts positively !

[Archived]

Tom is going to have to pay me serious money for what I am about to suggest, but we need to be always aware of our tires and their condition.

The short version is always monitor tire pressures and if it is too much of an effort install a TPMS such as Pressure Pro.

Never ever drive on a tire that has been driven at a pressure that is 20% or more less than the pressure specified in the inflation tables. Be well aware of tire age and inspect for side wall cracking. If in doubt have the tire and wheel broken down and get a qualified tire expert to examine the tire to look for problems.

Tires rarely fail without a reason so inspect the tires before each trip. Look for road hazard damage, signs of bulging or unusual wear. Keep in mind they are speed limited and heat is the enemy.

A Pressure Pro will monitor tires and any slow leak that could lead to less than required pressures will be reported so even if the tires were perfect when starting out, a nail picked up along the way can be the start of low pressure leading to a blowout.