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Tire Size - Avenue

DET29RL

Active member
If you want 16” tires on any new Avenue 5th wheel trailer, you better order it with them! According to my conversation with Jason at Alliance today, All Avenue RV are built with 15” tires unless upgraded to 16”. If anyone out there has purchased a 2024 Avenue with 16” rubber that they did not order, I’d like to know.

If you don’t order 16”, it is going to come with 225/75R15 tires and rims? Doesn’t work for my 2022 GMC Denali 2500 HD tow vehicle with no modifications. I cannot level tow the trailer, it hauls with most of the weight on the rear axles. The slightest dip out of a fuel stop and it will drag the ladder and rear hitch. I have switched the pin and set in the top holes, no more adjustments?

I am trying to work with purchasing dealer now to remedy my issues. Problem I have is that I purchased this unit at a RV show and picked it up at a local dealer. I am dealing with the individual that I purchased the unit through. Another problem buying an RV at a show!

I thought that Alliance would “Do The Right Thing - Provide The Best RV Ownership Experience” but, did I get a rude awakening! I have several other small issues with the trailer, but the tires are a major issue. Once I get this thing home it is going to sit until I get this tire issue resolved. Tail heavy is not an efficient way or safe way to tow a trailer.
 

Lantley

Well-known member
Was the unit supposed to come with 16" tires? Why do you think it should have 16" tires?
Ad? Salesman? Brochure?
 

DET29RL

Active member
All the advertisements for Alliance Avenue states 16” tires, even in the manual. Everything we looked at in the Avenue line and had 16”? Their ads boast that they use 16” Goodyear Endurance Tires. But, Alliance places clause on page 4 of the owners manual that they have the right to change anything they want without notification.

This is totally my bad because the obvious was right in my face? The sticker on the camper with tire information. I should have never paid for the unit and taken it off the lot. I’ve learned another life lesson! Trust Nobody!
 

Lantley

Well-known member
I get it. If everything and everyone you encountered pointed to 16" wheels and the "Right to change" clause is all Alliance has to stand on, they should do the right thing and provide 16" tires.
This seems like a no brainer to me.
 

DET29RL

Active member
Jason Wilson from Alliance RV is standing firm on the right to make any changes that they want without any notice. I am trying to work through person I ordered this camper through at the RV show. I did not buy off a dealers lot from available inventory. The local dealer has not been of any help and I don’t expect they will?
 

DET29RL

Active member
Not all Avenues are built equally? The All-Access models apparently get 15” rubber on the same trailer frame? Reasoning I have been given by Alliance is All Access models are designed to be 1/2 ton towable? This completely bafffles me due to there are maybe a handful of 1/2 ton pickups that would have the payload capability?

I am towing with a completely stock 22 GMC 2500HD Denali. Pin Box in the top holes and I have 6” of rail clearance. The camper is 7” lower in the back than the front. My first 5th wheel and I mentioned about how the camper sat when I first saw it hooked to my truck. I was told that this is normal for 5th wheel?

The front of the camper is 28 1/4” and 21 1/4” in the back from ground. Rear axle is definitely carrying the majority of the load. Going back to the dealer on Tuesday hoping a tire does not blow in the 60 mile trip. I am going to try and get it on Cat Scale on the way. Hoping I can get an axle weight per axle? Never done the Cat Scale before so don’t know if it will separately weigh the trailer axles?
 

JWalker

Well-known member
Wow. That is definitely running "nose high" for sure.
We have a 23 GMC 2500 HD. Completely stock. About 6-7 inches of bed rail clearance and our Avenue sets real close to level.
 

DET29RL

Active member
What model Avenue? Do you have 15”
or 16” tires on your Avenue. What is your trucks tire size?

My truck is a Denali with 20” tires. Totally the way it came from the factory.
 

JWalker

Well-known member
30RLS with 16"

18" on the GMC. There is only about 7/8" difference in diameter from the 18" to the 20"
 

DET29RL

Active member
Thank you for that information. I am going to put a lot of information here hoping that others on this forum that owners or shoppers are doing their due diligence. Don’t believe that the salesman at the dealership or manufacture have your safety or best interest at heart. They only want to sell you that shinny new penny!

What I have been telling Alliance is that the 225/75R15 tires in which they decided to put on the All Access line is not going to work. The 29RL kind of replaces the 30RLS. I liked the 30RLS a little better, but Alliance builds the 29RL in place of the 30RLS?

Some people may not know the difference or tow these with 1/2 ton pickups, because they are sold that they can. I have communicated my reasoning to Alliance and the displeasure of finding 15” rubber on the 29RL. If they are building the All Access line as a 1/2 Ton towable, they are building something that only a handful of 1/2 Ton trucks manufactured have the payload capacity to Legally haul this 29RL. Don’t believe the salesman or camper manufacture, make sure you can haul what you are buying Legally!

Case in point, when we were shopping for camper we found a 33RKS that my wife really liked. Bigger than what we were looking for, but the wife loved the layout. My truck being a Denali has a 3000lb payload. I told the salesman that unfortunately my truck could not leagally haul this camper. He tried to tell me how much I didn’t know and that my truck can haul this camper with ease? I believe that he stated “Countless people are hauling the 33RKS with trucks just like yours”! Yes, I have the torque and horsepower, but I would be exceeding manufactures capacity limits. Many people may exceed their trucks manufactured capacities, but there is a risk of doing that. You void your factory Warranty and in the event of an accident your insurer can void your policy. You may also be at fault no matter what, if you are exceeding vehicle weight limits. I won’t take that risk!

Hooked onto the camper with my wife and I, hitch, full of fuel and DEF with a few other things in the truck I am within a couple hundred lbs of designed payload capacity. There are a handful 1/2 Ton pickups out there that have a 3000lb payload, but nobody hauling a 5th wheel camper would have these trucks. Regular cab 8 foot box 2 wheel drive with small V-8 motors. Will these trucks haul this 10,995 lb load? Not well!

I feel that this was an excuse by Alliance more than a fact. It is going back to dealership tomorrow until they and Alliance get this issue resolved. I cannot continue hauling this camper this way. This is a huge safety issue and I am certain to blow a rear tire with the load that the rear tandem axle is bearing.
 

DET29RL

Active member
I have not towed the camper yet, but yesterday I changed the tires on my 29RL (Thank You Bill Martin). I can say that hooked up the camper sits much more level. I will say to those that have commented or followed this thread that Alliance does not have an upgrade option for the All-Access line. Also, I would not try putting 235/85R16 on this camper? I installed 235/80R16 and I would not want anything larger. We are leaving Elkhart in the morning for our first day on the 16” rubber. I will inform all you 29RL owners that are thinking about this move how I make out.

I do owe Alliance a huge Apology, in the end they “Did The Right Thing” approach is everything. Bill is a Stand Up Guy and firmly believes in their motto and his people. We toured the factory today and I learned a great deal about Alliance and its people. I actually met Bill in person today and as busy as he is, he took the time to shake my hand and chat a few minutes. That says a lot!
 

DET29RL

Active member
Update on my experience after 1200 miles on our 29RL with 235/80R16 tires.

Any of you that have a 29RL and are dealing with nose high towing issues. I can say that I now have real time experience on the change. With the way we were towing so far out of level 7” nose high we had a some of trailer sway. We also experience a lot of chucking on bumps in the road and could be sever on bridge transitions. We also felt like we were dragging the camper more than towing. I did weigh the the camper axles and it was not as bad as I had originally thought, but rear axle was carrying more weight than the front.

After several days hauling on the 16” tires I can say that it is a much different hauling experience. The tires brought the camper within 3” of level in tow, still nose high. The sway is completely gone and chucking only occurs on the most sever bumps in the road. I was concerned when installing the tires of a couple of possible clearance issues. I ground off any sharp edges where then slides are bolted to the frame. I do think one could install any larger tire would fit without having clearance issues? I ended up with just over 3” clearance at the points mentioned above. I originally was looking at 235/85R16 and that may have been a mistake? Alliance recommended 235/80R16 which is the same tire they use on Avenue. At this point Alliance does not offer an upgrade for All-Access from 15” to 16” tires? I have shared my experience with Alliance and they do listen, so they may in the future?

All in all if you are having any of the same issues that I was having, I would not hesitate in changing to 235/80R16 tires. It is not cheap to do, but is worth every penny. If anyone decides to change to 235/85R16 I would like to know how you make out.
 

Lantley

Well-known member
So tell me more You were 7" nose high and corrected it by going from a 15" tire to a 16"
That's a 1" difference. Are you saying the 1" difference solved your problem?
 

DET29RL

Active member
Completely level no, but I went from 7” to less than 3”. The rear set of tandems is about 12.5’ to between the axles from the rear of the unit. The 235/80R16 tires are 3” taller than the 225/75R15. That gives another 1.5” in height at the wheels. The camper is 32’11” from the pin to the tail. So any additional height you add at the wheels will multiply at the rear more than the front. I originally figured that 235/85R16 tires would have made the camper very close to level. The difference in 80 and 85 profile tire is just short of .5 inches. I was originally going to put 235/85R16 tires, but listened to Alliance and they suggested 235/80R16. There is about 3” of clearance in the wheel wells now and another 1/4” might be too close for comfort?

Can I get this unit level towing with my truck? Not without either installing blocks on the axles, which in my book is a big no no. Or putting smaller tires on my tow vehicle! I am a lot closer to neutral now and it tows a heck of a lot better. The hitch is much more level and has eliminated a lot of the chucking I was experiencing. It also eliminated all sway I was experiencing as well. Downhill the trailer would sway, but I am pretty sure the back set of axles were loading up.
 

Lantley

Well-known member
235/80R16 tires have a diameter of 30.8"
A 225/75R15 tire has an approximate height, also known as the overall diameter, of 28.3 inches
Got it I did not realize that the diameter difference was that much.

May consider installing Correct Trax axle alignment kit. Not for the axle alignment but It will give you an 1.5" lift.
It was recommended to me on my prior RV and it did the trick.
I also installed larger tires. The Correct Trax kit was the final piece of the puzzle for me.
 
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