Posted 2009-03-24 1:09 PM (#102012 - in reply to #102010) Subject: RE: sundowner trailers with trail american tires
Member
Posts: 19
Location: RICHMOND, MO
Yea but Im trying to get as many people as possible that had problems. This is rediculous that sundowner has not done anything about this and we all have to put new tires on a trailer. Especially mine was brand new trailer when bought.
Posted 2009-03-24 1:22 PM (#102015 - in reply to #102012) Subject: RE: sundowner trailers with trail american tires
Expert
Posts: 1351 Location: Decatur, Texas
Originally written by I HOOF IT on 2009-03-24 1:09 PM
Yea but Im trying to get as many people as possible that had problems. This is rediculous that sundowner has not done anything about this and we all have to put new tires on a trailer. Especially mine was brand new trailer when bought.
How old is your trailer? Sorry to say but the tire deal is like beating a dead horse.
Posted 2009-03-24 2:29 PM (#102019 - in reply to #102010) Subject: RE: sundowner trailers with trail american tires
Expert
Posts: 3802 Location: Rocky Mount N.C.
I seen a new trailer several weeks ago, (a 2006 model), brand new that had never been sold. It was a 4 horse, big lq, three 7000# axles, with six of the worse cracked Uniroyal Laredo AWP's you've ever seen..... I looked at the tires and they were three years old. Trailer has only sat on the lot and gets pulled to a show now and then for display. They will clean up the trailer and these tires get greased with this tire dressing crap that's full of alcohol..... Know what alcohol does to a tire sitting on the ground, in the sunlight? Sidewall cracks you could stick a quarter in. The only thing is, the Chinese tires don't need the help of the alcohol, they will unravel all by themselves. Good luck, but your best bet is to buy a set of Goodyear G614's if you need something that stout, or a set of Michelin XPS Rib's or even a Goodyear Marathon. The Marithon is built in China but it meets Goodyears U.S. standards, it has the UV protection.
Some info from other sites as well as HTW about Trail America Tires as well as others.
Posted 2009-03-26 7:37 AM (#102125 - in reply to #102010) Subject: RE: sundowner trailers with trail american tires
Member
Posts: 28 Location: Broomfield, CO
I had trail america tires, and they all blew out! 3 blowouts 200 miles apart in one trip!! I always carry 3 spares! Messed up the fenders on my trailer too. Major damage!!! My Used Elite came with these tires. All of the wear was even, they looked brand new. I bought all new tires, but still can not afford to fix the fenders! I made the tire shop destroy the 2 remaining trail america tires in front of me so the couldnt be resold!
Posted 2009-03-26 7:57 AM (#102126 - in reply to #102088) Subject: RE: sundowner trailers with trail american tires
Elite Veteran
Posts: 720
Originally written by I HOOF IT on 2009-03-25 4:17 PM
well this is what we have found out about our tires that are on our trailer.
The tires on your unit are Trail America 235/85R16 LOAD RANGE G. Your
Sundowner trailer most likely has a GVWR of 18,000lbs. The load
range G carries a maximum load is 3750lbs(3750x4=15,000lbs)
That is 3,000lbs less than the GVWR. Using a Trail America Tire Wheel
assembly that does not have an adequete load rating to support the
listed
GVWR is not recommended and will void any and all warranties. Also, due
to
the many ways weight can be distributed on a trailer, JCA
Corporation/Trail
America does NOT allow for tongue weight reduction.
so Sundowner is at fault here.
Well this is about asinine. Trail America cannot expect a manufacturer to operate like this. If Sundowner had put bigger tires on it, then they'd need bigger axles- AND THEN THE GVWR WOULD GO UP AGAIN- What a Catch-22!! In this range trailer, the GVWR ratings have to be fairly accurate. As you approach 26,000# GVWR the IRS "frowns" on down rating the numbers. Sounds like a Trail America cop-out to me. I won't usually defend many trailer mfg., but this isn't Sundowner's fault.
Posted 2009-03-26 8:37 AM (#102130 - in reply to #102126) Subject: RE: sundowner trailers with trail american tires
Location: Where the wind comes sweepin' down the plain...
Originally written by horsey1 on 2009-03-26 7:57 AM Well this is about asinine. Trail America cannot expect a manufacturer to operate like this. If Sundowner had put bigger tires on it, then they'd need bigger axles- AND THEN THE GVWR WOULD GO UP AGAIN- What a Catch-22!! In this range trailer, the GVWR ratings have to be fairly accurate. As you approach 26,000# GVWR the IRS "frowns" on down rating the numbers. Sounds like a Trail America cop-out to me. I won't usually defend many trailer mfg., but this isn't Sundowner's fault.
Agree 100% with this. The other option Sundowner would have had would be to assign a GVWR for the trailer that is a total of the axles or tires, then when the trailer as a whole is overloaded they would have been to blame. This is the whole reason for a GAWR on the VIN plate.
Posted 2009-03-26 8:41 AM (#102131 - in reply to #102010) Subject: RE: sundowner trailers with trail american tires
Expert
Posts: 3802 Location: Rocky Mount N.C.
(quote I HOOF IT) The load range G carries a maximum load is 3750lbs(3750x4=15,000lbs) That is 3,000lbs less than the GVWR.
I would think that extra 3000+# would be on the pin in the bed of the truck. What's the individual axle ratings... 8000#
My S.W.A.G. is, you got 16000# of axles, 15000# of tire, 20% of the trailers GVWR in the bed is 3600#.... 18000# GVWR minus 3600# on the pin equals 14400# on the trailer axles.... So you are good, you're maxed out, but you're good to go. You just got a sorry set of tires. Be sure you're running level and none of those turns where one side of the trailer is trying to back up while you are going forward... That will tear up the best of tire, maybe not at that moment, but run it hard, loaded heavy, in hot weather and you'll find out how bad they were damaged. One other thing, some of those Chinese built "trailer tires" are speed rated to 65 mph.... Anything much above that when loaded, they will start to disintegrate in a hurry, cords breaking, chunks flying off, exploding, etc... Most all of the "ST" tires are speed rated to 65 mph.
Good tires ain't cheap, cheap tires ain't good and if they are 5 to 6 years old, it's time to replace them.
My thought is, if Sundowner is at fault for anything, it because they used the CHEAP tire.... approx. $100.00 a piece, for the Trail American -vs- $300.00 for a G614RST tire.... Do that five times for one trailer (4 on the ground plus the spare) and that's a savings to SD of.... $1000.00 for that one trailer!!!! I wouldn't have ever bought the trailer with the Trail America tires, but that's just me.
Next thing for you to do is load everything up and roll it across the scales, that's the only way you'll know for sure that you are correct. What does each truck and trailer axle weigh when loaded???
Posted 2009-08-17 11:28 AM (#109483 - in reply to #102010) Subject: RE: sundowner trailers with trail american tires
Member
Posts: 8
Location: Ontario
I just blew 3 of these tyres in three separate events within 4 days of each other on a trip from Ontario to North Carolina. Major damage to both sides of my trailer. Less than 20,000 km on the Sundowner and 3 years old as of the day of the second blowout. Hubby is a truckdriver and checks his tyres every time we stop - put air in before we left, had them checked again after the first blowout and again before we headed home. Has anyone considered a class action suit? How many people have been killed or seriously injured as a result of these blowouts???
Posted 2009-08-17 12:13 PM (#109488 - in reply to #102010) Subject: RE: sundowner trailers with trail american tires
Veteran
Posts: 274 Location: MO in woods
Oh Yes we had blow out on secod short distance time pulled trailer.We pulled trailer over to friends to haul weanling and had blow out while had nothing in trailer.....Than again few months later another blow out.Husband knows I drive like old lady while pulling horses so called dealership and they did replace one tire.Stems in proper place was reply from body shop and crap ass No quality tires in first place too JMHO and many orther peeps too.
Posted 2009-08-17 12:20 PM (#109490 - in reply to #102010) Subject: RE: sundowner trailers with trail american tires
Member
Posts: 8
Location: Ontario
Has anyone been successful in pursuing Trail America or Sundowner for the cost of replacement tires or for damage to their trailer resulting from the blowouts?
Posted 2009-08-17 3:46 PM (#109510 - in reply to #102131) Subject: RE: sundowner trailers with trail american tires
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 420 Location: Iowa
Originally written by retento on 2009-03-26 8:41 AM
( Good tires ain't cheap, cheap tires ain't good and if they are 5 to 6 years old, it's time to replace them.
Ok, So here's one for ya.. I have a 2003 featherlite 3H Slant. Don't pull it alot, but enough. The rest of the time it sits in the barn. On concrete. The tires are in excellent condition, or so they seem. Should I toss them then? I should add..They are the original tires.
Posted 2009-08-17 3:56 PM (#109513 - in reply to #102010) Subject: RE: sundowner trailers with trail american tires
Elite Veteran
Posts: 1069 Location: MI.
Our 2006 is getting changed out before it goes on the road next spring. We needed truck tires first. We don't haul anymore than 3-4 hours at a time. I just don't trust the tires.
Posted 2009-08-17 4:17 PM (#109515 - in reply to #102010) Subject: RE: sundowner trailers with trail american tires
Member
Posts: 5
Location: Oklahoma
Do you think that air pressure may be a culprit here? I agree that Trail America's are a crappy tire, but, any tire can blow if you don't have it properly inflated. I don't care who makes it. It is hot everywhere this time of year and if you don't have your tires properly inflated, it will cause the tire to run "hot" and it WILL blow.
Posted 2009-08-18 8:29 AM (#109550 - in reply to #102010) Subject: RE: sundowner trailers with trail american tires
Member
Posts: 8
Location: Ontario
We checked the air before the first blowout, after that and before the 2nd and 3rd blowouts, and both service centres said the tires looked good - no cupping, no cracks, very little wear. And there was no loss of rubber first, the tread completely separated and the tire EXPLODED in an instant.
Posted 2009-08-18 9:09 AM (#109558 - in reply to #109490) Subject: RE: sundowner trailers with trail american tires
Expert
Posts: 5870 Location: western PA
Originally written by civey on 2009-08-17 1:20 PM
Has anyone been successful in pursuing Trail America or Sundowner for the cost of replacement tires or for damage to their trailer resulting from the blowouts?
I sued Firestone after one of their tires failed and almost killed my whole family. My attorney wisely would not take the case on a contingency basis, wanted $3k to start, and I finally got him down to billable hours @ $275/ per. The Firestone dealer that inspected the tire remains, said the blowout was definitely caused by a carcass failure which resulted in a thread separation. Without seeing the tire, Firestone Inc denied any wrong doing, and refused any compensation. After several refused demand letters and corporate run around, I stopped throwing good money after bad; the exact response Firestone expected.
The problem was, according to my attorney, is that a death did not occur. Because my physical damages amounted to aprox $2300, it would cost more than that to pursue the case. Had a fatality occurred, the higher liability would have made the case worth pursuing.
It is very difficult for one person to sue corporate america because of the financial difficulties. Their litigation cost are figured as part of the cost of doing business, and are budgeted on a yearly basis.
The only people that win in a class action suit are the attorneys. The litigants usually see very little, individual compensation.
Posted 2009-08-18 9:36 AM (#109560 - in reply to #102010) Subject: RE: sundowner trailers with trail american tires
Member
Posts: 8
Location: Ontario
Good feedback, thank you. I did keep one of the blown tires, plus the one that did not yet blow as well as the spare, so can have them all examined, but as you say, the cost is going to be prohibitive. Still hoping someone has had some success or has an idea...
Posted 2009-08-18 9:51 AM (#109563 - in reply to #109558) Subject: RE: sundowner trailers with trail american tires
Location: Where the wind comes sweepin' down the plain...
Originally written by gard on 2009-08-18 9:09 AM
Originally written by civey on 2009-08-17 1:20 PM
Has anyone been successful in pursuing Trail America or Sundowner for the cost of replacement tires or for damage to their trailer resulting from the blowouts?
I sued Firestone after one of their tires failed and almost killed my whole family. My attorney wisely would not take the case on a contingency basis, wanted $3k to start, and I finally got him down to billable hours @ $275/ per. The Firestone dealer that inspected the tire remains, said the blowout was definitely caused by a carcass failure which resulted in a thread separation. Without seeing the tire, Firestone Inc denied any wrong doing, and refused any compensation. After several refused demand letters and corporate run around, I stopped throwing good money after bad; the exact response Firestone expected.
The problem was, according to my attorney, is that a death did not occur. Because my physical damages amounted to aprox $2300, it would cost more than that to pursue the case. Had a fatality occurred, the higher liability would have made the case worth pursuing.
It is very difficult for one person to sue corporate america because of the financial difficulties. Their litigation cost are figured as part of the cost of doing business, and are budgeted on a yearly basis.
The only people that win in a class action suit are the attorneys. The litigants usually see very little, individual compensation.
BOL Gard
Curiosity question Gard - Is there a reason you did not attempt anything with Ford on the issue? If I am remembering right, Ford was specifying a lower psi for the tires than what Firestone recommended...
Posted 2009-08-18 10:06 AM (#109565 - in reply to #102010) Subject: RE: sundowner trailers with trail american tires
Expert
Posts: 5870 Location: western PA
This involved a Firestone Steelex that was recalled when installed on Excursions, but not SD trucks. It was not part of the mass recall, for the lighter duty passenger duty tires that were problematic in the SUV debacles.
sundowner trailers with trail american tires
