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Comparing Michelin tire with Firestone tire

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Bruce

Comparing Michelin tire with Firestone tire
« on: September 05, 2017, 08:00:00 pm »
I wondering if any of you with good knowledge of RV tires would give me some advice.

After the tire separation of a Michelin tire (built near the time of a recall of similar tires) on our PC,  I’ve lost confidence in keeping the other tires on the rig.  They are:
   Michelin LTX M/S*  (the * stands for a “2”)
   LT 225 / 75R16    115/112R  DOT B3JH 009X

My local Firestone tire dealer is suggesting these as a replacement:
   F/S TRANSFORCE H/T 10PLY
   225 / 75R16LT

From what I can find online the two seem to have the same features and load carrying rating. 

Since the Firestones are less expensive than the Michelins, I’m tempted to go for them.

What do you think?

--Bruce

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ragoodsp

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Re: Comparing Michelin tire with Firestone tire
« Reply #1 on: September 05, 2017, 08:30:38 pm »
Bruce...That is a tough one.  Firestone has come along way under Bridgestone's ownership and I am sure they are solid tires that will give you many years of good service.  With that said I am still a huge Michelin believer and honestly think you just got a bad tire that does happen once in a while and not nice when it happens to you.  I would personally spend the extra money and go with new Michelins all around.....Thanks, Ron G.
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Ron Dittmer

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Re: Comparing Michelin tire with Firestone tire
« Reply #2 on: September 05, 2017, 09:48:25 pm »
You might find THIS list of tires interesting.  It includes the tires you are comparing.

As for me, I am the kind of person who always seeks the best value.  After-all, I bought a PC!  :)

I was very impressed with the Sumitomo tires I put on my 2003 Corvette.  For my PC, I have no reason to rule them out just because they are half the price of Michelins.  If I were buying tires today, I would likely buy the Sumitomo Encounter HT.  TireRack even has a mail-in rebate for $50 off a set of 4.  Maybe it's $75 off a set of 6???
« Last Edit: September 05, 2017, 10:11:02 pm by ron.dittmer »
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ragoodsp

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Re: Comparing Michelin tire with Firestone tire
« Reply #3 on: September 07, 2017, 10:56:15 am »
When it comes to tires there are as many differing opinions as there are about slides vs's no-slides!   I can not honestly discuss the quality or lack of  when it comes to Sumitomo tires since I have never purchased any.   With that said I am not overly impressed with the brands that the company is associated with (Dunlop, Fuzion, GoodYear, etc).  I have always had superb luck with Michelins and anytime I have had any issues the tires have been  replaced  with no questions and no $$$'s.   When you are doing 65 MPH with 20,000 lbs under you I for one want the best tires there are and the new Michelin (replacements with the recall) are superior to all others and all of the magazine including CR's backs that fact up.   Thanks, Ron G.
Ron Goodspeed

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dickreid1

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Re: Comparing Michelin tire with Firestone tire
« Reply #4 on: September 07, 2017, 02:17:46 pm »
I gotta weigh in on this one after the last trip.

About two years ago Michelin had a recall.  I got seven new tires.  On our first trip one of the tires was losing pressure.  The installer bubbled it then pulled it and put in a water tank. No sign of a leak so they concluded  the valve extensions were a problem.  That proved to be not the problem and I would just pump the tire every day until  Texas where the leak became obvious.  This was a Michelin new tire with a sneaky leak that eventually had to be plugged.

Fast forward to this year.  We were on I95 in SC when that same tire came completely apart.  Did not blow out.  Just started thumping and came apart. Pieces everywhere.  ($11,000 to fix the damage). Roadside service changed to the spare and we were back on the road in an hour.  The unused Michelin spare tire lasted about 150 miles and it started to loose air.  This time the valve stem had to be replaced on the roadside ($600).  Michelin made no concession in the price to replace the disintegrated tire.

Like many of you, Michelins have been my tires for 10 years.  I do not think that Michelins will be on the rig next time.

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Ron Dittmer

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Re: Comparing Michelin tire with Firestone tire
« Reply #5 on: September 07, 2017, 03:31:23 pm »
As with many things and tires being no exception, we all have had our experiences, haven't we?  Even with the Phoenix Cruiser lineup, many of us here have nothing but praises while a few of us are scratching our heads wondering what the others are talking about.  It's great that we are able to share our experiences over subjects like tires, and so we get varying opinions about them.

As for me, if the Michelin tires were a small cost more than the Sumitomos, I would likely get them.  But I personally couldn't justify spending more than double the price for tires with identical specifications, just for the name sake.  My wife and I both apply that philosophy over many things purchased to manage our financial resources to make life work for us.  Others here have more to work with of which I am happy for you to get the brand you prefer.  It is surely worth the peace of mind.
« Last Edit: September 07, 2017, 07:39:04 pm by ron.dittmer »
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donc13

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Re: Comparing Michelin tire with Firestone tire
« Reply #6 on: September 08, 2017, 10:57:04 pm »
I have said it before and I will ssy it again... There are 2 things I will never scrimp on, tires and brakes.

I personally have had nothing but Michelin tires on any of my vehicles for at least 30 years except 1 time... When I bought my 2000 Winnebago Minnie, it came with Goodyear tires on it (replaced with Michelins after 4 years).   

I have had zero problems with the Michelins.
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Ron Dittmer

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Re: Comparing Michelin tire with Firestone tire
« Reply #7 on: September 09, 2017, 08:59:43 am »
I have said it before and I will ssy it again... There are 2 things I will never scrimp on, tires and brakes.

I personally have had nothing but Michelin tires on any of my vehicles for at least 30 years except 1 time... When I bought my 2000 Winnebago Minnie, it came with Goodyear tires on it (replaced with Michelins after 4 years).   

I have had zero problems with the Michelins.
Hi donc13,

You call it "skimping".  But I don't feel I am skimping at all.  That is where our opinions differ. Each to our own opinion. :)
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TomHanlon

Re: Comparing Michelin tire with Firestone tire
« Reply #8 on: September 09, 2017, 10:47:04 am »
I bought the best tires Goodyear offered and they unzipped on me. The tread came off with only 8K miles on them. Goodyear replaced all four of them and they where fine. When I bought my PC it came with Michelin tires. Four thousand miles later I got a recall notice from Michelin. They replaced all 7 tires. Now have 20K miles without any problems. I have bought cars that came with either Goodyear or Michelin. Both have served me well.

You win some, you lose some.

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ragoodsp

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Re: Comparing Michelin tire with Firestone tire
« Reply #9 on: September 09, 2017, 10:52:50 am »
Having two tires fail that were new would really make me wonder if one corner of the 2910 is not way over weight?  Is that the corner where the second slide is, tanks full, double pain glass, fully loaded for a trip?  Say what you will but the  E-450 chassis is being challenged from a weight perspective more often than not.   Know one wants to waste money merely for a brand name and that is far from the reason I purchase Michelins over any other brand, I personally have had good luck with the brand and I am aware of far to many horror stories with other brands.  The next time you are in a truck stop observe what brands the over the road truckers are running....majority are Michelins followed by Bridgestone's and Toyo's.  Check out what WalMart is running on their tractors and trailers.  I guess one could ask the question is a Corvette really worth more than twice what a Mazda Mita can be purchased for?  We do all have opinions and priorities as to where we chose to spend our hard earned dollars and tires still go to the front of the line for me.   Thanks, Ron G.
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Re: Comparing Michelin tire with Firestone tire
« Reply #10 on: October 07, 2017, 06:30:38 pm »
I'm a little late to the party but right before I went full-time in the summer of 2014 I replaced all 6 Michelins on my 2008 PC2100 as they were 7 years old and everyone said I should. Unfortunately there was a Michelin recall around that time and they were hard to find. The local tire shop sold those TransForce tires to me hard, telling me they were just as good as the Michelins and cheaper. Without the month wait. So I got them. Two and a half years later (Dec 2016) I replaced the two fronts with Michelins as the Firestones were almost bald. I replaced the back four Firestones in January after one of them blew. The place I had do the fronts only had two in stock at the time and I was leaving for Quartzsite. I didn't think the rear duals were in as bad shape. Apparently I was wrong. Thank god for Coach-Net. The mobile tire guy said something to the effect of, well these tires are pretty old when I was complaining about what crappy tires they were. I said, "They're less than three years old!!!!" He said, "There is no way. They must have sold you old tires." I said, "No, I checked the codes....check the codes!" He did and whistled.  My PC was not overloaded, I weigh it pretty often, and I run TPMS so the pressures are good. I put less than 40,000 miles on them. Needless to say, I won't be making that expensive mistake again.