Newest member to the Tow Max blow out club
- Thread starter mattpopp
- Start date
B
BouseBill
Guest
Matt, sorry to hear of your tire failure. did the tire go flat or just lose the tread? IMHO we as Heartland owners will not get anything accomplished until HL is prodded by someone higher up. They will not change until required to.
If we as owners do not report these tire failures to the NHTSA nothing will change.
https://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/ivoq/
If we as owners do not report these tire failures to the NHTSA nothing will change.
https://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/ivoq/
TravelTiger
Founding Texas-West Chapter Leaders-Retired
2TrakR, can you post pics too? I think folks need to be extremely proactive with these tires. Like we've heard, they can look fine one minute, and blow out the next. Those that have caught them before blowout, pics would be great to see what to be on the lookout for.
We caught ours before. Here's a few pics:
notice the stretched gap in the tread.
notice the stretched sidewall tread pattern.
Notice the irregular wear, and the indent through the TOWMAX letters--someone else had a failed tire that split at this indenting.
Two of these are on the backside of the tire, noticed as I was crawling around underneath the rig.
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We caught ours before. Here's a few pics:
notice the stretched gap in the tread. notice the stretched sidewall tread pattern.Notice the irregular wear, and the indent through the TOWMAX letters--someone else had a failed tire that split at this indenting.
Two of these are on the backside of the tire, noticed as I was crawling around underneath the rig.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Reported my Tow Max incident: https://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/VehicleComplaint....come on folks it only takes a couple of minutes. In order to get something moving and convince somebody there is a problem we have a tool at our use so provide them with actual data and incidences!
well i havnt had a blow out yet. i have a couple thousand miles on my tow max tires. and i check them all the time looked good till today siting at rv park kinda bored. decided to go out and wipe wheels and shine up the tires a little. well a couple of tires look like they spent the last 1000 miles on rock roads. i dont drive on rock with my truck.so i know trailer hasnt been there. keep in mind i just picked my trailer up thursday from dealer for service. [a three week stay for a awning motor] anyway i checked tires. and pulled it less than 50 miles to campground.trailers going back to the factory in couple weeks for pin box flex problem.all the problems ive had with this camper.im gonna leave the tires let them deal with it if it makes it there. i think they should park it at the door of the factory and not let another one leave till they get this one right.
mattpopp
Trouble Maker
No offense but this just sounds like trained words that customer service would tell us. Please don't waste our time with false hope. Produce results and then tell us what Heartland is doing to correct this.
Honestly it makes me even more mad to get an reply like this.
The sad part is, my Dad was the salesman at Camping World. So he has to listen to me complain about all of this BS. But I have been pulling everything I can find on these Tow Max failure stories from this forum and every forum. Since I know most of the sales people at this CW I have been showing them what I have on these failures. My attempts are for them to try to push the sell of Voltage TH and any other unit other then Heartlands. Until Heartland gets their mind out of the greed and put a decent tire on their trailer.
JohnDar
Prolifically Gabby Member
Rather than flinging insults, maybe you should try reading a few more posts around here. When Jim Beletti says it's been kicked up the chain at Heartland, it's not bullcrap. What they, Heartland, do with it is not entirely under his control, but he does what he can.
mattpopp
Trouble Maker
That looks like a Belt issue.
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I also have the Tow Max tires on our 5th wheel. Makes me very concerned - think I should get new tires to replace my NEW TIRES. Then yet again why should I have to pay for new tires on a NEW RV????? They should RECALL all those tires before something really bad happens. They are a hazard!
GOTTOYS
Well-known member
Heartland is for sure not the only manufacturer to use Tow-Max tires. Many manufacturers use them or something similar with a different name on the side. This isn't just a Heartland problem or for that matter a Tow Max problem either. Lots of people have had good luck with the tires their unit was delivered with whatever unpopular brand they might be. Others haven't had any luck at all. I chose to get rid of mine when it was almost new and haven't looked back. I just figured it was part of the expense of buying a new trailer and setting it up the I wanted it...Don
danemayer
Well-known member
For those interested in additional information on tire issues, here's an interesting website. The site has a number of analyses and "autopsies" of tire failures.
mattpopp
Trouble Maker
That is the sad thing. It has become a norm to have to replace the tires on a brand new unit. There is no reason that should be the thinking. Thats like saying I have to pull the engine on my new truck cause it is not up to par.
People need to start raising **** with whatever brand of RV they by if they are not happy with the choice of tire given to them. Or subtract the cost of the current tires before you purchase the unit so you dont have to eat the entire cost.
CeeCee,
That is the same thinking I was using. With only 1000 miles on the trailer I lost one. I was not quick enough to get mine replace. There was nothing in the garage on my TH when this happened also. So I was within my dry weight by maybe 1klbs or less.
mattpopp
Trouble Maker
First off, everybody here is aware that my dad was my salesman at Camping World. So when I refer to my dad I am referring to him as my salesmen.
So the update. Dad spoke to the Heartland rep. The rep had informed him that they have not been having any tire issues since they have switched to the Dexter axle. I have Dexter axles.
TBC wanted me to bring my tire to NTB for a inspection from a Towmax dealer. So I brought it to the store that they selected for me that was also kind of local. First thing the NTB guy said after looking at my 5th wheel was that the Towmax was the wrong tire for that trailer. He said they are a very cheap tire that shouldn't never be used in a E rated situation. Even though they are E rated they have extremely weak side walls. His opinion they would be a good boat tire or utility trailer tire. He also said you will have better luck with a LT vs ST E rated tire.
Right now the claim has been started with Dynamic (Towmax manufacturer). I should hear back from them by We or Thr. I will also have to send in my blown tire for an inspection.
I am kind of butt hurt that I am having to do the leg work on this.
Something else also, I have CrazyCooter to thank on this. But he pointed out to me that the Sticker displaying the GVWR is wrong on my trailer. Dry weight is 11,900lbs and the listed GVWR is 14,000lbs. Which leaves me about 1000lbs payload after the tanks are full. Heartland updated their website to reflect the 16,000lb GVWR. But my dad is having a hard time on getting HL to send us the corrected sticker for the trailer. The same HL rep told dad the GVwR is 14,000 then told him it was 15,500.
So the update. Dad spoke to the Heartland rep. The rep had informed him that they have not been having any tire issues since they have switched to the Dexter axle. I have Dexter axles.
TBC wanted me to bring my tire to NTB for a inspection from a Towmax dealer. So I brought it to the store that they selected for me that was also kind of local. First thing the NTB guy said after looking at my 5th wheel was that the Towmax was the wrong tire for that trailer. He said they are a very cheap tire that shouldn't never be used in a E rated situation. Even though they are E rated they have extremely weak side walls. His opinion they would be a good boat tire or utility trailer tire. He also said you will have better luck with a LT vs ST E rated tire.
Right now the claim has been started with Dynamic (Towmax manufacturer). I should hear back from them by We or Thr. I will also have to send in my blown tire for an inspection.
I am kind of butt hurt that I am having to do the leg work on this.
Something else also, I have CrazyCooter to thank on this. But he pointed out to me that the Sticker displaying the GVWR is wrong on my trailer. Dry weight is 11,900lbs and the listed GVWR is 14,000lbs. Which leaves me about 1000lbs payload after the tanks are full. Heartland updated their website to reflect the 16,000lb GVWR. But my dad is having a hard time on getting HL to send us the corrected sticker for the trailer. The same HL rep told dad the GVwR is 14,000 then told him it was 15,500.
rustyshakelford
Well-known member
On the gvwr this is my opinion.
Its a number game they used to play with the landmark I think. You would have 7k lb axles but you would add the pin weight and that would give you the higher rating. The trailer is rates higher cause the weight isn't on the axles. Make sense? This would only apply when going down the road.
Example
7k lb axles but a 16k lb gvwr
14k on the axles but the other 2k is on the truck.
Brett
mattpopp
Trouble Maker
He said the tire was in to bad of shape. But the is no burn ring on the walls of the tire. So he basically leaned to the tread coming off and then the tire blew, but he said it was only an assumption.
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mattpopp
Trouble Maker
That is exactly how it works. But with it showing 14000 on the sticker that means 11000 on the axles and 3000 on the pin.
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