Tireman9 wrote: Did anyone learn anything from my efforts to file a complaint with NHTSA?
Your not the first person on this web and other trailering websites that has filed a tire complaint with NHTSA. One hauler on a east coast LTL website has 5 tire complaints over a 30 month period with NHTSA. He has 5 thank you letters to show for it.
However he was wise enough to listen to some of the older experienced haulers and made the necessary tire changes that ended his down time on the side of the road. Down time for those folks = lost revenue for their business.
NHTSA has know for years about the poor reliability of trailer tires. With a very small, to non, body count over many years, IMO NHTSA won't step on any tire industry toes and regulate a more reliabe tire in the niche tire industry which includes trailer tires in many cases.
I agree every trailer owner with a premature ruined tire should file a complaint. They also need to let NHTSA know how much dollars in damage the inferior tires caused them.
OK before I leave this thread, just want to let anyone that is interested to learn how to file a complaint that might get action (not just a letter acknowledging they received the complaint), I will be posting a detailed "How To" on my blog in the next few weeks, with screen shots and tips on what NHTSA needs and what is a distraction.
You can learn more if you visit my tire blog RVTireSafety
In my opinion as a QS9000 and ISO/TS 16949 Quality auditor the word "Quality" does not appear to be in the RV industry dictionary.
O.P. Capriracer's left the building since we've filled him in about trailer tires etc.
The thread has now turned to its Natural Place in The Universe, that being:
Chris from Shelter Bay Washington is now engaged in Attempting to Obliterate Fasteagle!
There's no proof that either one of these avatars exist as actual "live people", but what the heck. Have at it, Internet Personae!
I'd like to add for The Record that I live in Washington State, and there's no such place as "Shelter Bay" here.
That place's Contender must live in what we Real Pure Washingtonians refer to as "The OTHER Washington".
" Not every mind that wanders is lost. " With apologies toJ.R.R. Tolkien
Tireman9 wrote: Did anyone learn anything from my efforts to file a complaint with NHTSA?
Yes . . . If you have detailed enough information that is actionable, the NHTSA will promptly follow up on it.
The problem is, and I think FE has pointed this out pretty well a couple of posts back in different words, people are generally not detail oriented enough. They just want a simple answer and don't want to deal with details. Out of necessity and fairness, the NHTSA can't operate on a complaint that is "simple"; e.g. lacks the details.
Consider the consequences of them doing otherwise. Someone fool overloads all four of their Maxxis ST205/75R14 load range C tires on their tandem axle utility trailer by trying to haul a D2 on it. The only details they give the NHTSA is "two of my Maxxis trailer tires blew up within 50 miles of each other". For the NHTSA to take action on that report and make Maxxis recall every M8008 out there would be irresponsible to say the least.
Tireman9 wrote: Did anyone learn anything from my efforts to file a complaint with NHTSA?
Your not the first person on this web and other trailering websites that has filed a tire complaint with NHTSA. One hauler on a east coast LTL website has 5 tire complaints over a 30 month period with NHTSA. He has 5 thank you letters to show for it.
However he was wise enough to listen to some of the older experienced haulers and made the necessary tire changes that ended his down time on the side of the road. Down time for those folks = lost revenue for their business.
NHTSA has know for years about the poor reliability of trailer tires. With a very small, to non, body count over many years, IMO NHTSA won't step on any tire industry toes and regulate a more reliabe tire in the niche tire industry which includes trailer tires in many cases.
I agree every trailer owner with a premature ruined tire should file a complaint. They also need to let NHTSA know how much dollars in damage the inferior tires caused them.
And the body count may have a lot to do with the response. In this day and age of shrinking budgets and TV news sensationalism, where do you think the NHTSA is going to concentrate their efforts? Where the body count is -- and until we ask Congress to increase their funding (out of our pockets), I think that priority should stand.
I still say what will talk is don`t buy the China bombs or any other tire that shows to be failing often.Company's do listen to market share decrease.The only thing to that is the Chinese company's that put out this junk just keep changing the tire names.Until customers start looking a Factory codes It will not change.
winkyb wrote: I still say what will talk is don`t buy the China bombs or any other tire that shows to be failing often.Company's do listen to market share decrease.The only thing to that is the Chinese company's that put out this junk just keep changing the tire names.Until customers start looking a Factory codes It will not change.
The problem is the China junk is about all that is available and the trailer manufacturers don't want to deal with exceptions on a case by case basis. From my research, if you want radial tires not made in China, here are your choices:
1. LT tires
2. Maxxis M8008
3. Titan ST II Radial Trailer Tire
winkyb wrote: I still say what will talk is don`t buy the China bombs or any other tire that shows to be failing often.Company's do listen to market share decrease.The only thing to that is the Chinese company's that put out this junk just keep changing the tire names.Until customers start looking a Factory codes It will not change.
The problem is the China junk is about all that is available and the trailer manufacturers don't want to deal with exceptions on a case by case basis. From my research, if you want radial tires not made in China, here are your choices:
1. LT tires
2. Maxxis M8008
3. Titan ST II Radial Trailer Tire
The other problem is that trailers are being built around the inflated ratings of ST tires, making it difficult and/or very expensive to replace them with a higher quality tire. Axles are also being de-rated in the GAWR to fit under these inflated ratings.
So here is the problem. A trailer manufacturer can get a wheel and a 16 E rated Marathon(or other 35 pounder) for most likely around 100 dollars, or a wheel and a Goodyear G614 for around 350-400 dollars. Most are going for the 100 dollar deal, so we read about it all the time here.
ST tires had issues before they where shipped off to china!
In face of all the issues, some seem to want to continue to promote these marginal tires. If you are going to the lake and back 10 miles twice a year, they are fine for a number of years. If you want to see the country they do not work that well, having a very short 2 to 3 year life cycle and are easily damage by road hazards.
Pick your poison!
Chris
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My Rig
2001.5 2500 STD CAB AUTO SLT 4x4, CTD 4:10's, Bomb'd to Tow
2005 Cardinal 29WBLX.
So, rather than address the elephant in the room, you choose to run away and hide?
OK, I'll ask it again.
OK Calvin, one more time. We cannot continue to ignore the elephant in the room. All the other tire company insiders here don't hide anything. Wear as with you there is always that question as to where your true loyalties lie.
Are you or are you not receiving compensation from tire companies of any kind or nationality? A simple yes or no will do. Keep in mind that a non answer is essentially a yes answer.
It is beyond belief that anyone that has had as many tire issues with ST tires as you would continue to blindly use them without some sort of compensation. Most here with any common sense would have looked for an alternative a long time ago instead of filling landfills with your discarded tires.
So, it is up to you.
Keith
Keith, Gloria & Charlie(Spoiled Rotten Boston Terrier)
2010 Damon Astoria 3470
2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland
USAF 1968-1976 Viet Nam Veteran
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