Jayco Quality and Tire Failure

[Retired17]

I purchased my 2017 Whitehawk 11 months ago. The trailer has been returned to the dealer on 4 prior occasions with leaking roof, and the interior and windows just seem to fall apart. On my way home from a Thanksgiving trip on 11/25/18, a blow out (tire/Chinese Bomb) took out the works for my dinette slide. I have a destroyed rim and a lot of collateral damage to the trailer.

I have filed an insurance claim and the dealer will work me in for service on 12/21/18. I have seen a few posts regarding Jayco quality; but, did not expect to need to do my own. I have no confidence in the PROVIDER tires that came on the trailer. I am told a set of 4 replacement tires will cost over $600 for Good Year or Carlisle (I think Carlisle was recommended; but, first I heard of them). If I had only known, I would have replaced the tires immediately. I drive 60-65 mph and check tire pressure religiously.

I feel like Jayco quality has eluded me and I may have a lemon. Any suggestions?

Thanks,

[RetiredLEO]

Seems to be a industry standard on economy TT's to use China Bombs. It's a VERY common topic in forums. If financially possible any new TT with bombs on them should have a dealer upgrade or the new owner do a upgrade right off.
I'm just not much on waiting for a problem to happen before doing anything about it.

[Quantum]

Originally Posted by Retired17

I have no confidence in the PROVIDER tires that came on the trailer. I am told a set of 4 replacement tires will cost over $600 for Good Year or Carlisle (I think Carlisle was recommended; but, first I heard of them). If I had only known, I would have replaced the tires immediately. I drive 60-65 mph and check tire pressure religiously.

I feel like Jayco quality has eluded me and I may have a lemon. Any suggestions?

Thanks,

I replaced my factory tires with Carlisle Radial HD tires and they have been great so far. I've put about 12,000km on them since I put them on this past February. I had no confidence in the Rainier tires that came with my 2015 Whitehawk, so that's why I swapped them out.

I also took the opportunity to upgrade to upgrade from 65PSI tires to 80PSI tires, since my rims were rated for 80PSI anyway.

[GarlicDude]

Replace my Rainier China bombs after the first trip with Goodyear Endurance. Don't need tire problems on a single axle trailer. 6000+ miles with zero problems and the handling is much better as I upgrade from a C to a D rating.

I would suggest upgrading a rating also if available as in my case the tires barely meet the total weight of the TT and cargo. I like a margin of safety.

[Atlee]

At least Jayco, beginning the middle of the 2017 model year, stepped up and began putting GY Endurance tires on it's trailers. And they are D or E load range. There are no C range tires.

My 2017 Jay Flight 23RB came with OEM GY Endurance ST205/75R15 LRD tires.

Originally Posted by RetiredLEO

Seems to be a industry standard on economy TT's to use China Bombs. It's a VERY common topic in forums. If financially possible any new TT with bombs on them should have a dealer upgrade or the new owner do a upgrade right off.
I'm just not much on waiting for a problem to happen before doing anything about it.

[klinner28]

My Jayco Eagle 314BHDS has had very little issues over 2 years and about 9k miles.

However, after reading these forums on tires, I just had the Rainier tires replaced with Goodyear Endurance.

Also got a TPMS to put the mind at ease.

[norty1]

My 2011 came with LR E Goodyear Marathons. I went thru 2 sets in 2 years with separations, blow outs , etc.

Changed over to G614's and not a problem in 5 years. Still look new.

[Grumpy]

Originally Posted by norty1

Changed over to G614's and not a problem in 5 years. Still look new.

X-2 Well worth the money because you don't have to.worry.

[DocBrown]

If you believe the tires are faulty then PLEASE report it to the NTSB. For all the forum complaints we read about with Chinese tires, it seems no one bothers to report them as there have been zero recalls for them. FWIW, we still have the original TowMax tires on our trailer. Due to be replaced next year simply because of age.

https://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/VehicleComplaint/

[Atlee]

Do you know when it was built? Was it on the lot a long time? Reason I ask is Jayco began putting Goodyear Endurance tires on it's trailers approximately in the middle of the 2017 model year run.

I purchased my 23RB in late June of 2017. The trailer was built in around February of 2017.

Originally Posted by Retired17

I purchased my 2017 Whitehawk 11 months ago. The trailer has been returned to the dealer on 4 prior occasions with leaking roof, and the interior and windows just seem to fall apart. On my way home from a Thanksgiving trip on 11/25/18, a blow out (tire/Chinese Bomb) took out the works for my dinette slide. I have a destroyed rim and a lot of collateral damage to the trailer.

I have filed an insurance claim and the dealer will work me in for service on 12/21/18. I have seen a few posts regarding Jayco quality; but, did not expect to need to do my own. I have no confidence in the PROVIDER tires that came on the trailer. I am told a set of 4 replacement tires will cost over $600 for Good Year or Carlisle (I think Carlisle was recommended; but, first I heard of them). If I had only known, I would have replaced the tires immediately. I drive 60-65 mph and check tire pressure religiously.

I feel like Jayco quality has eluded me and I may have a lemon. Any suggestions?

Thanks,

[Retired17]

Originally Posted by DocBrown

If you believe the tires are faulty then PLEASE report it to the NTSB. For all the forum complaints we read about with Chinese tires, it seems no one bothers to report them as there have been zero recalls for them. FWIW, we still have the original TowMax tires on our trailer. Due to be replaced next year simply because of age.

https://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/VehicleComplaint/

DocBrown, thanks for the NTSB Link. This has been reported. My wife reminds me we are lucky not to have injuries or additional damage to our truck or other parties. Jayco, Jayco, Jayco - I hope you don't kill or injure your market while cutting corners with C load rated tires on new trailers. Corporate America will always be slow to catch on. VERY DISAPPOINTING!

[2edgesword]

I was surprised to hear about the China bombs on a 2017 Whitehawk. We purchased a 2018 Jayflight and it came with Goodyear Endurance tires and the dealer made it a point to highlight the Goodyear tires.

That said sorry to hear about the tire failure and the damage to your Whitehawk. Hopefully everything will be repair to your satisfaction.

[ifallsguy]

Originally Posted by Retired17

I am told a set of 4 replacement tires will cost over $600 for Good Year or Carlisle (I think Carlisle was recommended; but, first I heard of them). If I had only known, I would have replaced the tires immediately. I drive 60-65 mph and check tire pressure religiously.

Thanks,

That sounds like a rip off for the tires. I put 4 on my rig for $425 mounted and balanced. Check tire web sites, you can find them a lot cheaper than $150 each. And sites like Tire Rack will ship to one of their known tire shops so you can get them mounted.

And make sure you put TPMS on those tires. If you pick up a nail or screw, the tire overheats, a sudden pressure drop and you will know it right then. Hopefully you can pull over before you get damage.

[ifallsguy]

Originally Posted by 2edgesword

I was surprised to hear about the China bombs on a 2017 Whitehawk. We purchased a 2018 Jayflight and it came with Goodyear Endurance tires and the dealer made it a point to highlight the Goodyear tires.

That said sorry to hear about the tire failure and the damage to your Whitehawk. Hopefully everything will be repair to your satisfaction.

There are some dealers out there that will pull better tires off a rig they receive and use it to get ride of tires they need to get out of the shop. Besides the Goodyear Endurance tires are a bigger ticket than those china bombs.

[RetiredLEO]

Too bad Jayco doesn't put on the window sticker what brand and type of tires they put on the unit. Keep the dealers from doing switches.

[ifallsguy]

Originally Posted by RetiredLEO

Too bad Jayco doesn't put on the window sticker what brand and type of tires they put on the unit. Keep the dealers from doing switches.

Some of the new units do ship with Goodyear Endurance stickers. But while looking at an RV show and found a few with the stickers but saw other OEM tires on them. Salesman said "we changed out the tires so when the units sell, the buyer will have new, unused tires". He failed to explain how they would be unused since they left the factory on the tires which were removed.

Stopped at the same dealer about 2 weeks later, when traveling back home after a trip, and saw the same unit (checked VIN which I photographed at the RV show), wrong tires still on it and asked a different salesman about it. Told "the factory puts the Goodyear stickers on all their trailers even if they have different tires on them. But we can sell you the Goodyears at a very good price". Trailer manufacturer said all shipped on Goodyears when I checked the next day.


Moral of this: always check everything when buying a unit. Verify it has the tires that were shipped by the factory and you expect to be on it.

And FYI, this was not a CW store.

[bono]

I have also WH 2017 model (manufactured in 2016) which came with China bombs. So far I have around 14k miles on them and thinking about changing to GY, but first I need to address uneven wear on one of them.

Blow ups are obviously unplanned events and I can experience this during the next trip. However, I am wondering whether some of the blow up are not related to the fact that those trailers are towed from Indiana to local dealers and guys doing this do not care that much about 65 mph speed limit. I guess that at least some of the blow ups are result of towing above 65 mph.

[RedHorse1]

2 of my TowMax tires failed within 75 miles and a third was on its way in our 2nd year of ownership (new) after about 8k miles. I replaced them with G’year G614’s about 3 years back and have a bit over 20k miles on them.
I have used a TPMS on both trailers we’ve owned and credit it with preventing any collateral damage (count me as a fan). My neighbor hasn’t been so lucky and has a bit of damage due to tire failure.

[rkresge]

Originally Posted by Retired17

I purchased my 2017 Whitehawk 11 months ago. The trailer has been returned to the dealer on 4 prior occasions with leaking roof, and the interior and windows just seem to fall apart. On my way home from a Thanksgiving trip on 11/25/18, a blow out (tire/Chinese Bomb) took out the works for my dinette slide. I have a destroyed rim and a lot of collateral damage to the trailer.

I have filed an insurance claim and the dealer will work me in for service on 12/21/18. I have seen a few posts regarding Jayco quality; but, did not expect to need to do my own. I have no confidence in the PROVIDER tires that came on the trailer. I am told a set of 4 replacement tires will cost over $600 for Good Year or Carlisle (I think Carlisle was recommended; but, first I heard of them). If I had only known, I would have replaced the tires immediately. I drive 60-65 mph and check tire pressure religiously.

I feel like Jayco quality has eluded me and I may have a lemon. Any suggestions?

Thanks,

I don't want to criticize, but I don't see any mention of a TPMS. Without one, you would have almost no way of knowing you had a flat tire back there, which eventually can disintegrate and shred everything around it. No TPMS also means you have no chance to find out what might have caused the flat in the first place. I had a flat on my 23RLSW in April, a puncture from road debris just as I was getting on I95. My TPMS alerted me instantly about the pressure loss, and I was able to get off the road before any damage. I can just imagine what might have happened if I had gotten up to speed on I95 with one of my trailer's tires flat.


Even though you check your tire pressure and limit your speed, you never know when something else is going to happen. I recommend a TPMS.


Good camping!


Roger

[Retired17]

The data sticker on the side of the camper says 12/16. Not really a new camper when I bought it in 12/17...