Are Good Year Marathons still bad tires?

[madman2021]

Well im finally retiring my original 1986 bias ply trailer tires. theyve lasted quite a while but I just bought a set of new Goodyear Marathons for my boat trailer. i read some old posts from 2008 that the marathons are junk. i hope i didnt make a big mistake here. i paid $282 for 2 with 3 year free replacement warranty if anything ever happens to them.

 

[triumphrick]

Re: Are Good Year Marathons still bad tires?

I, too replaced my 8 yo Marathons with new ones this past summer. They were made in the USA and were warranted at any Goodyear dealer thruout the USA. Sounded good enough for me...

 

[madman2021]

Re: Are Good Year Marathons still bad tires?

are they still made in the usa? or in china?

 

[642mx]

Re: Are Good Year Marathons still bad tires?

I've had a couple blow apart on me... I won't buy Goodyear Maypops again. But others have had excellent luck with them.

 

[wbc1957]

Re: Are Good Year Marathons still bad tires?

The Goodyear Marathons are actually not a bad tire. The problem is in the maintenance. It's amazing how many people winterize their boats and perform the usual stuff as the season progresses, but think nothing of their tires. The result is they think they get a bad brand of tire. WRONG! Tires, even trailer tires, need proper care. If you store your trailer without raising the load off of the tires, you get soft spots where they meet the ground. If you let them soak up the sun, day in and day out, they dry rot. DUH! You'd be worried about your gelcoat but not your tires. People put more effort into their whel bearings than into the care of their tires. Most tires fail due to poor maintenance, plain and simple. It is rare that a tire fails due to materials and workmanship, so long as it is a major manufacturer. But also for longer life, a trailer tire is better for the trailer usage, since it was designed for long periods of non-usage in the sun, since it is made of natural rubber. Synthetic tires are tires designed for high mileage during a four year life cycle of warranty. These are passenger and light truck tires.

 

[DJ]

Re: Are Good Year Marathons still bad tires?

"Are Good Year Marathons still bad tires?"

They never were "Bad".

I have NEVER had a tire failure on a trailer-ever.

But, I'm particular about: tire pressure, driving habits, etc.

 

[dockwrecker]

Re: Are Good Year Marathons still bad tires?

Wouldn't have them on my rig.

 

[DJ]

Re: Are Good Year Marathons still bad tires?

"Are Good Year Marathons still bad tires?"

They never were "Bad".

I have NEVER had a tire failure on a trailer-ever.

But, I'm particular about: tire pressure, driving habits, etc.

I'll go way out here. Tire brand is a "preference".

If you don't take care of them, they won't take care of you. Period.......

I've helped numerous motorists with blown trailer tires. All the rest of the surviving tires were: underinflated, worn out or weather checked.

Tire quality is a moot point if you don't take care of what you have. Most DON'T.

 

[JimS123]

Re: Are Good Year Marathons still bad tires?

are they still made in the usa? or in china?

Originally they were all USA. Then they switched to all China. Now there are several sizes that are made in the USA again. Call Goodyear Tire & Rubber with the size and they will tell you where they were made, or read the DOT # on the side of the tire, then google tire manufacturing plants.

 

[DJ]

Re: Are Good Year Marathons still bad tires?

Let me add:

My Goodyear Marathon's were way out of balance. Who balances, or thinks about trailer tire balance? Anyway, I noticed that the top bar of my center console would vibrate, severely, at 60 mph-up.

I took my two "on ground" trailer tires to a tire shop and had them balanced.

WOW! what a difference.

Out here in AZ, I may pull my Whaler at 80 MPH+ in 110* degree heat. Now that my tires are balanced, it's a NON issue. She follows along fine at 80+. The rig has seen 100 MPH. (Disclaimer-my boat is <2K with 13" wheels-there is NOTHING around but freeway, gravel and---nothing, absolutely-flat).

With those speeds and temp's I am a true testiment to trailer tire experience.

As stated, I've NEVER had a failure. If you do, you missed something, or a fluke.

 

[642mx]

Re: Are Good Year Marathons still bad tires?

Tire quality is a moot point if you don't take care of what you have. Most DON'T.

I'll agree with most of that.... but one of the Goodyears that blew out and ripped my taillight, wiring, and fender off was 2 weeks old and properly inflated. Goodyear was no help with getting a replacement or with the trailer damage. I replaced them with Maxxis and never had a problem.

On the new trailer/boat, I cheaped out and put Carlisles on. I can get them for dealer cost, so it only made sense to go that route. I've had them on a year now, with no problems.

 

[emilsr]

Re: Are Good Year Marathons still bad tires?

I'll agree with most of that.... but one of the Goodyears that blew out and ripped my taillight, wiring, and fender off was 2 weeks old and properly inflated. Goodyear was no help with getting a replacement or with the trailer damage. I replaced them with Maxxis and never had a problem.

I'm going with a fluke, but shame on Goodyear for not stepping up and for losing a customer. I'll probably go with Maxxis next time too, but only because the travel trailer people seem to like them so well.

I've had several sets of Marathons; made in New Zealand, US and China. No problems. The only tires I did have problems with were Carlisles, but they were 7 or 8 years old at the time (this was in the 80's). Ever since then I look at trailer tires as 4 year replacement items. It's hard to drop coin on replacements when they basically look new, but it's the age that'll get you, not the miles. Like others have pointed out, trailer tires are all too often ignored.

 

[642mx]

Re: Are Good Year Marathons still bad tires?

I'm going with a fluke, but shame on Goodyear for not stepping up and for losing a customer. I'll probably go with Maxxis next time too, but only because the travel trailer people seem to like them so well.

I've had several sets of Marathons; made in New Zealand, US and China. No problems. The only tires I did have problems with were Carlisles, but they were 7 or 8 years old at the time (this was in the 80's). Ever since then I look at trailer tires as 4 year replacement items. It's hard to drop coin on replacements when they basically look new, but it's the age that'll get you, not the miles. Like others have pointed out, trailer tires are all too often ignored.

Hey buddy... welcome to iboats! And yeah... I think it was a fluke too with the GY. With the Carlisles, my plan is to change them out every other year, especially if we start traveling to LOTO!

 

[dockwrecker]

Re: Are Good Year Marathons still bad tires?

I've had Goodyears fly apart at THREE DAYS old, 2 months old, six months old and 3 years old. Never again.

 

[madman2021]

Re: Are Good Year Marathons still bad tires?

Well I've always takin care of all my tires. I put wheel covers on my trailer tires after every use. The ones I had on my 1986 shore landr were the originals. They lasted this long surprisingly. I've always balenced them every 4 months and checked wheel nut torque every other trip out. Tire pressure checked before every use. I very perticular about how I care about my things and that's why they last.

Looked at the tires today and the GY marathons are made in china. Kinda pisses me off. I spent $282 to get away from cheap china tires, but I ended up with them anyway.

 

[cribber]

Re: Are Good Year Marathons still bad tires?

I'm on year three of a set of Marathons and no issues so far. I'll replace them at the 1st sign of dry rot since Florida sun destroys everything.

 

[wbc1957]

Re: Are Good Year Marathons still bad tires?

Quote:"I'll agree with most of that.... but one of the Goodyears that blew out and ripped my taillight, wiring, and fender off was 2 weeks old and properly inflated. Goodyear was no help with getting a replacement or with the trailer damage. I replaced them with Maxxis and never had a problem."

Sorry 642MX, but you may not be accurate at blaming Goodyear. Goodyear no longer has any company owned stores, so you obviously had it in at a dealer who represented Goodyear and other tire manufacturer brands. In another post I made the point that the dealer is where people go with their problems, but if not satisfied, they mainly remember the tire brand as being at fault. You proved my point. The fact is that the world is more competitive now, and manufacturers chose to step back out of retail, saving money, and allowing dealers to be their front line in retail. This can be great for the consumer, if the dealer is looking for a long term customer to be made. Sadly, many dealers are not. And, sadly many dealers are angry with the loss of their territories that were originally guaranteed, due to distributors selling in any shop around town. The results can be seen in the poor customer relationship of no follow thru in the warranty process, bait and switch practices, selling old stock at new stock prices, and refusing to invest in good training of the brands being sold, as they evolve. The other sad fact is that a tire is only as good as the maintenance, which the dealers should be doing. Free rebalance every 6,000 miles, along with the rotation is the perfered method, which also allows the tire to be checked for surprise wear, impact damage, and improper use. But, you are not saying what factors were involved in your remark of the brand. This is why I don't finger point any brand as bad. The biggest problem other than maintenance on tire issues, is misapplication. Many people ignore this issue, yet they would laugh at a wedding bride wearing football cleats in church, or a football player wearing high heels on the field.

Also, not only do you get what you paid for, you get the greatest returns based on what maintenance you put into it. There is no short cuts in value and care. Sorry.

 

[642mx]

Re: Are Good Year Marathons still bad tires?

Sorry 642MX, but you may not be accurate at blaming Goodyear. Goodyear no longer has any company owned stores, so you obviously had it in at a dealer who represented Goodyear and other tire manufacturer brands.

Nope... I'm in the offroad business and get my tires thru a wholesaler. I dealt with Goodyear direct after the wholesaler gave me the number.

 

[mikeneal]

Re: Are Good Year Marathons still bad tires?

I have 3 of the 4 fail on the way too keys last summer, they were just over 3 yrs since date of manufacture. I am VERY particular abut maintance and they were never ran uninflated. Talked to a friend of mine that owns a custom trailer manufacture and he said a couple yrs ago he saw HUNDREDS of GY seperate. He has built trailers for 26 yrs and said the trend was new. I wont own them again

 

[madman2021]

Re: Are Good Year Marathons still bad tires?

well i got the goodyears mounted on friday on brand new rims too. OMG what a difference!!! tows smoother, 2 more mpg in the truck while towing. no more trailer bouncing. and the load range D's look good, unlike the tow master bias ply load range C's which always looked flat. put about 200 miles on them towing 70 mph.