Cardinal RV Club

[red][/red]Today, 07:16 PM
Not sure if I should start a new topic but I'm having issues with Forest River and Goodyear regarding the OEM China bombs on my 2015 Cardial 3580 RL
GAW 6840. Tires: Marathon ST235/80r16
My rims will handle the pressure of an ST235/85r16 like the good year G614

I very familiar with the concept of weight/ correct psi etc. I also understand that not all of the GVW is on the axels a portion going to the truck/hitch

I have attempted with no luck trying to get my warranty rep from Forest Ruver or Goodyear to understand that I truly don't want the hassle,,,,expense ,,,,or even worse possible injury due to a blow out on the crappy marathons that it came with.

Tires have ALWAYS been at correct pressure and veh was weighed to include end axel weight and has ALWAYS been under gross.

I'm curious how many of the China bomb blowouts have happened with correct settings?

My rep from the factory tried to get me to believe that the percentage of this tire on the road that have had issues is low. What do you all think? He even went so far to say that the forums are just full of complainers.

I looked at the Ceder Creek version of my 5er. Everything the same on the federal sticker EXCEPT THE FOLLOWING
Now they have gone to true 7000lb axels and have the G614 St235/85r16.
This would lead me to believe that they found there was a problem and so the newer models have the better axel. Also the GVW of the Ceder Creek was little over 200lb more than my Cardinal.

I would be more than happy to pay the difference for the better tires. My marathons only have 2 short trips on them. Am I making a mountain out of a mole hill? Do I spend big money on new tires even though mine a pretty much new

Pay now or really pay down the road. I believe there was an option to order the trailer with G614's. Sell them on Craig's List, install the G614's and go camping.

FWIW the Marathons will fail with complete correct care.

Chris

Yes...Due to my experience with marathons,I strongly suggest changing the tires. I had them on my 1st cardinal and had a blowout. Approximately $2000.00 damage. Goodyear did pay for most of the repair, however it is very inconvenient. I purchased a 2016 3850rl in September. The first thing I did was change the tires to the G614. Sold the marathons not long after. I know there are no guarantees, however I do feel better.

Errol

As Chris said the upgrade to the G614 is an option on the trailers now but I bet you won't see many dealers add it as they'd rather add toppers or other amenities that are more appealing to buyers.

I switched mine out about a year after buying my trailer based on the advice of others on this site. I feel much better while on the road.

Your trailer does have 7000 lb axles but the factory derated them on the label to match the tires.
Go with the g614 before you have a tire failure.

When my Marathon failed (belts slipped) on my Right Rear I was lucky in that I noticed it during a stop and before the tire blew. My Marathon's had less than 5,000 miles on the them. The AAA road repair agent that changed the tire for me told me that in the previous two weeks before that he had been called out to 7 trailer tire failures and two of those (plus mine) had been Marathons.
It is painful but this really is a case of pay them now or pay them much more later.

I had a conversation today with Graybeard (Steve Turner) and he has an appointment to get the Marathons off his new 3250 Cardinal and put the G614's on.

Don

Dear Walking Thunder,

Been trailering and 5 th wheelin for many years. I have found with my other brand( Heartland) the "Towmax" tires( also known as Blowmax) were made in china.This location was common to all problems. I did notice a second common thread.. Blown tires were on the drivers side. This of course is the weight problem with all 5th wheels. Weight maybe unevenly distributed. In our 3850 cardinals the weight is on the drivers side. I rotate my tires at least every six months form side to side. The other problem most people did not see was during the parking mode. Turns into the space which resulted in a curb or pad scrape of the sidewall. This was a certain blowout either then or a few days later on the road. You have grasped the tire pressure and axle concept well. However in some cases trailer tires are made to rotate one way much like a motorcycle tire. This is another cause of installation problem and not tire quality. I will agree with all that the China syndrome is very predominant. I would also suggest that storing the coach for long periods can make for unusual situations therefore always try to store the tires with removing all or most the trailer weight from the coach especially on asphalt and always use a piece of plywood under the tires. It serves as a heat shield.
The last thing I will mention is brakes seals and bearings. All three are key to safe driving and towing.
My two cents but an argument nor finger-pointing. My experiences only and hope they are of value to you.

I have 4 Marathons for sale, cheep.

graybeard wrote:I have 4 Marathons for sale, cheep.

I sold my marathons and wheels on Craig's List. You'll definitely feel more comfortable with the G614's on your shiny new trailer