Question: wheel size on class A units

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lotsatime - 05 Apr 2006 23:49 GMT

I'm looking at several Class A motorhomes in the 1996 - 1998 and 34 - 36
foot range. I notice the Ford engined ones have 16 inch wheels and the
Chev engine ones have 19.5 inch wheels.
The tires seem to indicate similar load capabilities. Aside from the 16"
rim not having as much room behind it for large brakes ..... are there
other advantages/ disadvantages to either size?

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Will Sill - 06 Apr 2006 01:30 GMT

I see where lotsatime <mandnward@sympatico.ca> contributed:

>I'm looking at several Class A motorhomes in the 1996 - 1998 and 34 - 36
>foot range. I notice the Ford engined ones have 16 inch wheels and the
>Chev engine ones have 19.5 inch wheels.
>The tires seem to indicate similar load capabilities. Aside from the 16"
>rim not having as much room behind it for large brakes ..... are there
>other advantages/ disadvantages to either size?

Free war story.

Back in the Day when the Earth was young, we bought an Argosy MH with
19.5" Michelin radials on a GM chassis, fitted by the previous owner
who ignored the manual warning him NOT to put radial tires on it.
When the wheels began splitting (long story) we got educated the hard
way about the issue of wheel failures (16.5" and 19.5") on early '70's
GM & Ford chassis. We solved the problems by selling all 7 19.5's to
a farmer and buying new 16" wheels and tires. In addition to solving
the wheel defect problem, we were delighted to discover much improved
ride & handling with the 16" rubber.

We find everybody and his cousin in the tire biz has fresh 16" rubber
on hand, and both 16.5's and 19.5's seem to be disappearing from
inventory (tho I was recently told there may still be some new chassis
with the latter, I have not seen them.)

Will Sill
The Curmudgeon of Sill Hill

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D.J. Osborn - 07 Apr 2006 19:16 GMT

> Free war story.
>
[quoted text clipped - 12 lines]
> inventory (tho I was recently told there may still be some new chassis
> with the latter, I have not seen them.)

Many trucks use 19.5" wheels and tires, and so there's no reason to claim
that they "seem to be disappearing from inventory."

Moreover, while 16 tire are quite common, some experts recommend that only
"all steel" (steel plies in the sidewall instead of the common polyester)
tires should be used on motorhomes because of the more severe service the
tire must withstand. Since these tires are less common than standard 16"
tires, they and 19.5" tires will probably be about equally easy to find.

Signature

D.J., N8DO; FMCA 147762
dj[underscore]osborn at yahoo dot com

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