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Korean truck tires

Deerehauler ยท 2010-05-12 23:00

It's time for new tires for the T800. I average 70K per year pulling a Muv-All double drop hauling tractors, combines, and other farm equipment. I run LOTS of gravel roads and very little interstate, so I seldom exceed 70 mph. I haul legal weights most of the time. For drive tires I need a fairly aggressive tread to navigate deep snow and mud on occasion. A local dealer can get a virgin Korean made tire cheaper than we can buy recaps. We are seriously considering trying a set of these tires. Anyone have any recommendations pro or con?

Replies18
  1. #1HDX2010-05-12 23:32

    Hello Down there, We are trying some tires called "Triangle" Chinese made I think 14:00X25 They are a Michelin knock off look just like the "H"Block tires that Michelin has only about 500.00 cheaper per tire There are on some of the HDX Hayes's and P16 Pacific logging trucks up here and are standing up well so far These trucks weigh 40 tons empty and haul around 100-120 tons of logs everytrip so it is a real test and as I say they are so far so good

  2. #2mitch5042010-05-13 01:13

    We have used Triangle, Double Coin, and other asian brands for years with pretty good results. I don't know what specific brand you are talking about, but I would just make sure I bought from a dealer I was sure would stand behind what he sells.

  3. #3HDX2010-05-14 23:48

    Mitch504 Yes the company does buy from a dealer and what we did find was out of 40 tires (14:00X25) that a couple had sidewall problems that showed up as soon as they were mounted on the rims and inflated but the tire outfit replaced them right away. They are around 1500 bucks a tire

  4. #4powerjoke2010-09-28 20:13

    I know it's an old thread but kinda wondered what tire DeereHauler chose and how they were holding up. We have had a set of "DoubleCoin" tires ( i believe they were Korean) and they held up great, not as good as a BFG but deffinatly worth the money. Pj

  5. #5tuney4432010-09-28 21:17

    Just recently I bought some 11R 22.5 16 ply Aeolus tires for my dump truck.Very aggressive tread,the model eludes me right now but they say Wind Power on them. 28/32'' tread. 2 weeks ago I got some Yokohamas for the front of the same truck,also very nice,they're even built in the USA now.Goodyear,Firestone tires in the same size are almost double the price of the Asian companies and I can't tell the difference in quality.

  6. #6HDX2010-09-28 22:10

    Sorry you guys the 14:00X25 Triangle tires are blowing the sidewalls out of them. It is in the same location on all of them. Trucks sitting for long periods of time waiting for the tireman to get to them --However in their defence these are very heavy loads of logs and a very long haul so heat is for sure a contributing factor We always used Bridgestone or Michelin but they are over 2200 dollars a tire now so everybody is looking around.

  7. #7JDOFMEMI2010-09-28 23:24

    Like the experience HDX has posted, I have found that you almost never save any money buying cheap tires. Same goes for cars, pickups, semi's, and off road gear. I have been burned every single time I bought less than a top quality tire. My money is on Michelin being the best tire out there, in almost every application I have come accross. They carry a heavy premium up front, but the savings down the road are huge. Goodyear and Bridgestone are the other tires I will reccomend, at least in certain situations. I ran a couple of sets of Chinese tires, 26.5 X 25, on my haul trucks. They were cheap, and a "special deal" from the tire man. I have michelins that were 2/3 worn when the Chinese rubber went on that are still running, while sidewall blowouts have ruined over half of the Chinese tires before they made 500 hours. The good ones have made 1,000 to 1,200 hrs, while I usually get 3,000 to 4,000 from Michelins. Granted, I am running in pretty tough conditions, or they would last longer yet, but 1/3 the life at best is just no deal. I have seen the same thing with backhoe tires. Had some off brand ones on the front, and was getting flats every week or so. Put a set of Michelins on, and they wore like steel. Only 2 flats in 2 years after thyat, doing the same type of work. The Chinese and Korean tires have come a long ways, but they are still years behind on quality. For me, it is not worth the gamble. Tuney Let us know how the "wind power" tires hold up after a year or 2. I doubt that you will be as happy with the quality then. I hope I am wrong for your sake, but it is a road I have traveled many times. HDX 2200 per tire for Michelin vs 1500 per for no name. I know there are a lot of them, but the cost of downtime plus the risk of an accident with the huge loads you haul, and I know I would want the peace of mind of a good tire. Sorry for the rant. been stuck too many times by "cheap" tires.

  8. #8Deerehauler2010-09-28 23:28

    We went with the Korean tires and with almost 20K, they are doing great. I can't remember the name brand. I'll try to get a phone pic tomorrow (or the next time I remember).

  9. #9Cat Wrench2010-09-28 23:54

    Managed a fleet of 35 trucks and 65 rubber tired equipment for 7 years, cheap tires are not cheap when you consider all of the costs associated (miles/hours of use and downtime for mysterious blowouts) with them. I only run Michelin on my service truck (22.5's). Actually I only run Michelin on all my personal stuff.

  10. #10tuney4432010-09-29 00:08

    I didn't mention that the original tires on my 7500 Chevy were upgraded Michelins when I bought the truck new in 2002.I hated those tires,especially the rears.They had a very aggressive tread but as soon as I got off-road into anything even a little greasy,it was all over-stuck.Now,these new Aeolus's grip like no tomorrow.The other thing with those Michelins is that everyone of them had sidewalll dry rot.Michelin boasts that you can cap their tires at least once,well these are definitely not safe for that.I'm working with the local Michelin co. now for a possible settlement. I hear what you're saying about ''cheap'' tires,but everything is relative--remember-all tires sold in the USA have to come under DOT scrutiny.I've had 8.75-16.5 Asian tires now on my 10 ton trailer for 3 years now showing fantastic wear,just as good if not better wear characteristics as USA made ones before them.

  11. #11Nac2010-09-29 10:03

    I agree I would rather pay up front for a good tire. I run Michelins or Continetals

  12. #12powerjoke2010-09-29 12:19

    haha, i've never known continental to be consdiered a good tire, deffinatly not in the same class as a michelen. on our tractors we run Firestone FWD's or the Michelen Agri-rib and have had good luck. But on the last tractor i ordered it was a $1,500 option to specify Michelen but you could always just hope for them and have a 20% chance of the tractor coming in with them on it, but the cheap tires (no offense but the Continental's) seem to be a little.......let's just say, "less than round" lol Pj

  13. #13FSERVICE2010-09-29 21:56

    best tire i only run Michelin tires on my personal trucks never had any problems with any of them used them for 20 years its like the saying "THERE IS A DIFFERANCE"

  14. #14HDX2010-09-29 22:08

    You fellas down there know all too well about liability issues and what comes down the toilet with them. We drive with a fair amount of private traffic on the gravel roads up here and believe me when these 14:00X25s blow it is bad --imagine a car going by you when one of these things let go. I have a healthy respect for tires --saw a 14-25 blow in the tire shop once and she went through the wall and out into the yard--was a cracked rim that the tireman just didnt find--we get a lot of cracked rims and now all tires are mounted tubeless so when the rim cracks the tire goes flat. BUT we have had it where the tireman jacked up the truck and starts to pull off the outside flat tire only to have the inside tire rim explode it was cracked and as soon as the wheel wedges were loose the rim let go. He was in a confined space when it happened and it blew his head through a 5/8ths plywood wall. What saved his life was that he was between two 2x10 wall joices in the shop although he is alive he wont work again--pretty scary No dont go cheap on tires.

  15. #15chipper2010-09-30 10:47

    korean or Chinese I've had extensive experience with smaller sized truck tires.(11x24.5)There is a very noticeable difference between Kumho and Hankook(Korean)and Aeolus and Double Coin.(Chinese)I would absolutely endorse Kumho and Hankook.They wore better(less uneven wear)and the casings were very accommodating to capping.Generally very good quality and "bang for the buck".The Chinese tires were way cheaper but in the long run not worth the headaches.

  16. #16peanut1252010-09-30 19:21

    Cheap tires are nothing but trouble. Buy a good quality re-tread if saving money is your main issue. Re-Treads have come a long way in the past 10 years.

  17. #17amtronic2010-10-02 11:07

    That is a tough call. Buy cheap off-shore tires and save money, or buy American products and support an American economy.

  18. #18tuney4432010-10-02 14:13

    As mentioned on my earlier post--my new Yokohamas-11R-22.5s on the front.An Asian tire company that just built a tire plant here in the U.S. using U.S. workers.I did a thorough check on these tires before I bought them--nothing cheap in quality about them. I like them so far better than the original equipment Michelins.Like I said before---about half the price of Goodyear or Firestone. WHY????