1998 Chevrolet Silverado 3500

PROBLEMS WITH ALL SIX FIRESTONE STEELTEX TIRES ON DUAL AXLE PICKUP TRUCK. *MR THE CONSUMER HAD TO REPLACE ALL SIX OF THE TIRES, BECAUSE OF A BLOW OUT. SEVERAL DAYS LATER THE CONSUMER NOTICED THAT TREAD HAD SEPARATED FROM ON ONE OF TIRES ON THE VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER FELT THAT HE DESERVES COMPENSATION FOR THE TIRES. THE FIRST TIRE HAD BLOWN OUT AT 71200K MILES, THEN ON THE SECOND TIRE THE TREAD SEPARATED AT 71427K MILES. *SCC *JB

BOTH LEFT/RIGHT INSIDE DUALS SUFFERED VIOLENT TREAD SEPARATION, 70 MPH, APPROX. 75-90 DEG. F, INTERSTATE HIGHWAY. APPROX. 1600 MILES BETWEEN INCIDENTS. TIRE PRESSURE AT MANUF. SPECS. TRUCK CARRIES CAMPER AND SEISMIC EQUIPMENT, WELL BELOW RATED GVWR, GETS INTERMITTENT USE, IS HOUSED IN WAREHOUSE. CONTROL MAINTAINED AT TIME OF FAILURE, BUT VEHICLE SUFFERED MUCH DAMAGE TO FENDER FLARES AND SHEET METAL. INCIDENTAL DAMAGE TO CUSTOMER INSTALLED EQUIPMENT. REPORTED TO GM CUSTOMER SERVICE, CASE # CO4325661. TIRES LT225/75R16. NO WARRANTY FROM GOODYEAR (DOESN'T WARRANTY OEM TIRES) OR CHEVROLET (WARRANTY TIME EXPIRED). REPLACED ALL TIRES WITH DIFFERENT BRAND AND STYLE, HEAVIER LOAD RANGE, AND INCREASED AIR PRESSURE TO MAX RATING.*AK (TIRESIZE: LT225/75R1)

COMPLETE TREAD SEPARATION, MUCH LIKE DESCRIBED ON FORD EXPLORER INCIDENTS. IN OUR CASE (LUCKILY) I COULD MAINTAIN VEHICLE CONTROL, SINCE THE TIRE DID NOT BLOW OUT. I SUSPECT FIRESTONE HAS QUALITY PROBLEMS ON TIRES OTHER THAN THE EXPLORER SIZE. THE INCIDENT COULD HAVE BEEN MUCH MORE SERIOUS IF THE TIRE HAD BLOWN. NOTE THAT THE WHILE THE BASIC CHASSIS IS A CHEVROLET (EXPRESS VAN), IT WAS MODIFIED TO A MOTOR HOME BY HOME & PARK MOTORHOMES, 100 SHIRLEY AVE., KITCHENER, ONTARIO, CANADA N2B 2E1 TEL. 519-745-1169. WHILE ON A '98 CHEVROLET CHASSIS, THE MOTORHOME IS DESCRIBED AS A '99 ROADTREK 200. IF YOU CAN PROVIDE INFORMATION ON HOW TO DETERMINE "DOT" IDENTIFICATION, I WILL BE HAPPY TO TRY TO GET YOU THAT INFO. NOTE THAT THE FAILED TIRE WAS TRADED IN ON A NEW TIRE AT DORSEY TIRE & TRAILER, PO BOX 1157, BRUNSWICK, GA 31521, TEL. 912-261-9947, SO MAY HAVE BEEN DISCARDED. I ASSUME THE OTHER 4 TIRES WOULD HAVE THE SAME DOT INFO. DORSEY'S PAPERWORK LISTED "DOT OFF/BRAND" AS SP872KD120 AND "DOT ON/BRAND" AS V611B1C2700. PERHAPS THIS IS THE DATA YOU NEED. ALSO, THERE WERE A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT NUMBERS MOLDED INTO THE OUTER WALL OF THE TIRE: E.G. 120/116R & TPC SPEC 2012MS. I FOUND YOUR FORMAT FOR THE "FAILED COMPONENT/PART INFORMATION" A TAD CONFUSING - SUGGEST 2 SETS OF BOXES: ONE FOR DESCRIPTION, LOCATION ETC. AND ANOTHER FOR CRASH, FIRE ETC.( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: LT245/75R1 )