Re: [VAL] Goodyear Marathon- not for me, Thanks

["kodiak66joe" <kodiak66joe@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Dave,
    Has your information indicated that the issue is mainly with the "D" 
rated Marathons?  Or do you have some info about failures with "C" rated 
tires, too.

Also, have you been collecting information as to the location and/or ambient 
temperature when the failure occurred?  Could this be related to high 
ambient temperatures with a failure pattern like Firstone had on the Ford's 
where there were many more failures in the south than in the north?

Have you asked at what speed the trailer is pulled at.  I suspect that those 
pulled at 65-70mph or more experience more sidewall (and valve stem) flexing 
and more heating and also suffer more from imbalance that those only pulled 
at 55-60 mph.  We travel at only 55-60 mph and I check the temp of each tire 
with my hand at each stop to make sure everything is OK.  The rears get a 
little warmer than the fronts because our trailer travels with the front 
slightly higher than the rear resulting in more load on the rears.  We will 
get to a scale soon to make sure all is within spec.  When you stated you 
were recording loading conditions, was this part of the information you are 
collecting - front to rear axle load distribution?

Is there a pattern to tire failures?  Do more occur on the front or rear 
axle, or doesn't it matter?  I think I have previously heard that rears 
experience more flats because as the front tire runs over something it 
stands it up nicely to pucnture the rear tire.  This may or may not be 
related to blowouts.  What about left vs. right side?  I'd guess the right 
side is exposed to more road debris and probably suffers a higher failure 
rate, at least if puncture related.

Anyway, we'll have to personally cross this topic soon as our new trailer 
has older "C" rated Marathons on it.  They might go one more season of we 
want to take that chance.  They look fine, but are about 6 years old.

Our choice will be do we replace them with the same, or go back to Carlisle 
bias ply's?  Part of the advice we were given when getting tire's for our 
last Airstream was go with the Carlisle bias tires if they are going to dry 
rot over years of infrequent use or to go with the Marathons if you were 
going to wear them out.  That tire dealer only used the Carlisle USA Trail 
tire made in the USA, which they had had good luck with.  He wouldn't touch 
the Carlise Sure Trail's which were made in China.  Maybe it was true, or 
maybe it was just a line to sell us some tires, but we did go with the LR 
"C" USA Trail's and didn't have any issues in one year and 3000 miles worth 
of use before selling the trailer..

For all that are following this thread, I have to say that if you look 
around on other trailering sites on the web, Carlisle's get a lot of bad 
press, probably more than the GY Marathon's.  I am supposing that this is 
more because they seem to be the most used trailer tires out there.  More 
usage equals more chances for some customers to have problems and we all 
love to talk about our problems.  I think the same goes to the Marathon's. 
And I should point out that both brands also have their proponents.  Anyway, 
it is all cetainly something to consider when you're in the market for 
tires.

Joe