New Steer Tires

[whereRVapp]

Noticed some usual wear in our 2018 steer tires and the vibration that came with it. At this point, I just replaced them a few months sooner than the plan to play it safe. Needless to say, I highly recommend Rice Tires and specifically the Winchester, Virginia location. I looked at motorhometires.com and they easily beat their price by hundreds on two Michelin direct replacements.

 

[AbdRahim]

Did you get it aligned?

 

[whereRVapp]

Did you get it aligned?

I did not at this time. Gonna replace rears this fall or winter and will have it aligned then if needed.

 

[Rich W.]

I have a theory about early steer tire failure on Newmar DPs. It’s not scientific and actually purely anecdotal, but I get the impression that these early failures of otherwise dependable tires well within their service life, are more common on Newmar DPs.

Maybe this is because I’m more tuned in to reports about Newmar coaches, but in case there’s something to this here’s my theory: CD allows us to easily steer the tires while the coach is stationary, something that would be very difficult with out CD. This causes a lot more twisting and torsion on the belts, tread, and sidewalls - basically all the components of the tire. And even if we try to be careful and ensure we are rolling a bit while turning the wheel, the system will automatically re-center if we shut down with the wheel turned, moving or not. It’s almost unavoidable. And unless I’m misinformed (please correct me if you know otherwise) you can’t even “turn down” or turn off CD because at low speeds it automatically has the highest level of assist regardless of the settings.

So that’s my theory - CD allows us to twist the crap out of our steering tires while stationary - something “normal” power steering would make very difficult, and of course normal PS does not automatically re-center.

Comments? Other conclusions? This theory is totally biased, non-scientific, and based only on multiple (and seemingly excessive) accounts of otherwise unexplained early steer tire failure on Newmar DPs. For my part I’m being diligent about preventing this condition, at least on pavement, but try as I will, it still happens.

 

[whereRVapp]

No clue because we have a gasser and no CD

But logically, your theory makes a lot of sense to me.

 

[Rd1]

....... - basically all the components of the tire. And even if we try to be careful and ensure we are rolling a bit while turning the wheel, ....

rolling a bit while turning the wheel is the proper technique. and it is not just the tire, also the mechanical components of the steering and steering boxe(s) [some vehicals have 2 steering boxes]. This also applies to passenger cars.

In the old days with no PS, this is is how wheel was turned, rolling a bit while turning. You also felt the stress in your arms and shoulders. Then they came up with the PS (and now with CD), so now we no longer feel the stress. However, the stress still there on the mechanical components and tire. The technologies on mechs and tires have noticeably improved, but the stress still there and proper technique applies.

 

[Rich W.]

rolling a bit while turning the wheel is the proper technique. and it is not just the tire, also the mechanical components of the steering and steering boxe(s) [some vehicals have 2 steering boxes]. This also applies to passenger cars.

In the old days with no PS, this is is how wheel was turned, rolling a bit while turning. You also felt the stress in your arms and shoulders. Then they came up with the PS (and now with CD), so now we no longer feel the stress. However, the stress still there on the mechanical components and tire. The technologies on mechs and tires have noticeably improved, but the stress still there and proper technique applies.

Totally agree and with the automatic return-to-center of CD, the driver has to center the wheels when stopping to prevent this from occurring on start-up, as well as resist the temptation to crank the wheels when stationary while maneuvering. I seem to recall that there were design modifications on the steering components to chassis equipped with CD to compensate for the additional stresses created by CD but I’m not certain on that.

This is my only non-power steering vehicle at present and even being a small car, it’s nearly impossible to steer when stoped and would be abusive to try:

 

[MemoriesByTheMile]

When we had our Super C aligned recently, the senior tech mentioned that they receive a bit of business uninstalling these “super steer” type systems.
Apparently as the mechanical parts wear on the suspension and misalignments occur, these systems can be tough to keep working well after a few years or they mask the alignment issues, contributing to tire problems.

 

[Rd1]

sweet car and showroom condition too..

with the automatic return-to-center of CD, the driver has to center the wheels when stopping

thats another simple basic driving technique, develop a habbit of parking any vehicle with the steering wheel dead center straight forward. I cringe every time I pull into a perpendicular or slanted parking spot and see the car in the next spot with their wheels at full lock!! i move on to another spot. Never know, when that driver comes back, yapping on the phone and not pay attention, and starts backing up and runs into the car next door and then takes off too! just simple common sense practices, which don't exist as much anymore.

 

[Rd1]

Apparently as the mechanical parts wear on the suspension and misalignments occur, these systems can be tough to keep working well after a few years or they mask the alignment issues, contributing to tire problems.

'Super steer', if you are referring to Newmar's Comfort Drive, which I believe the industry term for it is 'Column Steer'. Other manufacturer's have different names. Yes, the CD 'can' mask mis-alignments. No doubts.

CD does not differentiate between a cross wind pull, or a road crown pull or even a mis alignment pull. I had this discussion, to confirm, with Ken Scherwin, who is a retired engineer from TRW, that developed the CD for Newmar. Although, it takes the CD some 'period' of time to adjust to the pull (seconds or minutes). During that period, there will be a pull on the steering. However, it seems most drivers don't notice or don't pay attention.