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  1. #1
    Setting Up Camp
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    Replacing Westlakes - Where is the best place to go to have them mounted, etc?

    I have a friend who is a mechanic, so when it comes to car/truck tires, I don't worry. I get them from Tire Rack or Discount and get him to mount/balance them, and I completely trust him.

    However, I don't think he's got space or ability to do camper tires...

    My first thought would be Walmart/Camping World/Etc, but honestly, I don't necessarily...trust...any of them... Is there a preferred method to get camper tires mounted, balanced, and put on the camper? I'm happy to take the trailer somewhere and have them do it, vs. trying to take them off myself.

  2. #2
    Site Sponsor NB Canada's Avatar
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    Any trailer shop for heavy trucks will do it and have space
    2021 Imagine 2400 BH
    2018 GMC Sierra 4x4 Crew 1840lb payload

  3. #3
    Setting Up Camp
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    Quote Originally Posted by NB Canada View Post
    Any trailer shop for heavy trucks will do it and have space
    Better to get tires online or have them buy them? We have a shop up the road that does our inspection and I had them adjust my hitch a couple times.

  4. #4
    Site Sponsor NB Canada's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Dewstain View Post
    Better to get tires online or have them buy them? We have a shop up the road that does our inspection and I had them adjust my hitch a couple times.
    No idea. I have done both
    2021 Imagine 2400 BH
    2018 GMC Sierra 4x4 Crew 1840lb payload

  5. #5
    Long Hauler
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    The price difference between buying them online, or locally can be pretty substantial, especially when you factor in sales tax. I order mine and have a local guy mount them. But I take them off and haul them to him. Your best bet would be call around to find someone who will do it, and has the room for your trailer.

    And be aware that if you decide to try to have them balanced, many trailer wheels need to be lug-centric balanced, and a shop may not have the equipment/adapters to do that. I gave up trying and now have the CentraMatics.
    Howard and Peggy
    2019 Momentum 351M, and 2018 RAM Cummins dually 6-speed.
    His: 1999 Honda Interceptor
    Hers: 2013 Spyder ST-S

  6. #6
    Site Sponsor Steven@147's Avatar
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    When I replaced our Westlake G's with Sailun G's I bought them online from Simple Tire and had them shipped to the campground. The local Firestone car/light truck tire shop could not change the tires because their equipment could not handle the very stiff sidewall of trailer tires. I used a local semi tire shop to change them. Any trailer sales/service shop like Big Tex can do it also or any medium/heavy truck shop. It cost like $25 a tire to mount them.

    You will find not many, if any, RV dealerships have any equipment to change tires, they hire it out to mobile tire techs. I guess when you think about it RV Dealerships only sell new or used RVs and don't worry about tires the way we owners do. If balancing is requested by owners they use road force balancing if they do it at all, but again they hire it out. Road Force balancing is when they spin balance the tires while on the RV. Road Force balancing is very expensive.

    I also don't mess with tire shop balancing either, and use CentraMatic balancing plates as @Hoopy Frood does.
    Last edited by Steven@147; 04-05-2023 at 07:34 AM.
    Steve & Tami Cass - Escapee's, FMCA Members, Texas Fulltimers Since July 2020
    2019 Solitude 3350RL S-Class, 2018 Ram 3500 DRW, Laramie Longhorn, B&W Companion, Texas Class A Non-CDL Drivers License
    Sharing the Fulltime Lifestyle - www.youtube.com/@tsrvadventures3219/videos, Nonprofit Channel

  7. #7
    Setting Up Camp
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    All awesome info. I've never heard of the CentraMatic. I'll have to do some reading.

  8. #8
    Site Sponsor Steven@147's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Dewstain View Post
    All awesome info. I've never heard of the CentraMatic. I'll have to do some reading.
    CentraMatic balancing plates have been around a long time but mostly on heavy duty trucks, and that's why most people that just have cars or light trucks have not heard of them. They do work, we have had them on our rig for 3 years.

    Another thing that has come into the RV world on Motorhomes is Rettroband. It's a run flat type of thing. It's two big solid rubber C's bolted together around the rim inside the tire. It's used so if Motorhomes blow a front tire the drivers don't lose control.
    Steve & Tami Cass - Escapee's, FMCA Members, Texas Fulltimers Since July 2020
    2019 Solitude 3350RL S-Class, 2018 Ram 3500 DRW, Laramie Longhorn, B&W Companion, Texas Class A Non-CDL Drivers License
    Sharing the Fulltime Lifestyle - www.youtube.com/@tsrvadventures3219/videos, Nonprofit Channel

  9. #9
    Site Sponsor WondersAwait's Avatar
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    Discount Tire storefronts usually have the equipment to do the work. I've had my local location take off my current tires to install valve stem TTPMS sensors and then mount/balance because I didn't trust the factory with it. They know the tire part well and I trust them there but I would (and did) stand right there as they do the work because the staff member who is in charge of putting jacks under the trailer might not have ever done that on a trailer before and I felt better knowing he was using a good jack spot and not about to go through my fresh water tank. lol.
    2022 GMC Sierra 3500 AT4, CC, SRW, 6.6L L8T Gas, MYD 6-Speed
    2022 Reflection 303RLS w/ Gen-Y Executive gooseneck conversion hitch
    630aH LiFePO4 Lion Energy battery bank, Victron Multi-Plus II Inverter, Victron MPPT, 563w solar array, CerboGX, 40a DC-DC charger

  10. #10
    Long Hauler
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    Quote Originally Posted by Steven@147 View Post
    When I replaced our Westlake G's with Sailun G's I bought them online from Simple Tire and had them shipped to the campground. The local Firestone car/light truck tire shop could not change the tires because their equipment could not handle the very stiff sidewall of trailer tires. I used a local semi tire shop to change them. Any trailer sales/service shop like Big Tex can do it also or any medium/heavy truck shop. It cost like $25 a tire to mount them.

    You will find not many, if any, RV dealerships have any equipment to change tires, they hire it out to mobile tire techs. I guess when you think about it RV Dealerships only sell new or used RVs and don't worry about tires the way we owners do. If balancing is requested by owners they use road force balancing if they do it at all, but again they hire it out. Road Force balancing is when they spin balance the tires while on the RV. Road Force balancing is very expensive.

    I also don't mess with tire shop balancing either, and use CentraMatic balancing plates as @Hoopy Frood does.
    And I got the idea from you.
    Howard and Peggy
    2019 Momentum 351M, and 2018 RAM Cummins dually 6-speed.
    His: 1999 Honda Interceptor
    Hers: 2013 Spyder ST-S

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