1997 FORD E SERIES Tires Problems

WE PURCHASED A 1997 FORD E150 RAISED ROOF CONVERSION VAN FROM JIM O'NEAL FORD IN SELLERSBURG, INDIANA JUST ACROSS THE BORDER FROM LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY. THE CONVERSION WAS BY SUPERIOR IN LOUISVILLE. WE PURCHASED THAT PARTICULAR VAN BECAUSE IT WAS HIGHLY RATED BY FORD MOTOR COMPANY AS A CONVERSION COMPANY. WE DROVE THE VAN FOR SIX YEARS AND JUST RECENTLY TRADED IT IN. IT HAS 97,000 MILES ON IT. THE MAJOR PROBLEM WE HAD WITH THE VAN WAS WITH THE FRONT END. BOTH FORD AND OUR LOCAL TIRE DEALER HAVE TOLD US THAT BECAUSE THE VAN IS RAISED ROOF AND HEAVIER THAN NORMAL, WE SHOULD EXPECT EXCESSIVE TIRE AND BRAKE WEAR. HOWEVER, WE OFTEN WOULD HAVE TO PUT BRAKES ON THE VAN MORE THAN ONCE A YEAR AND REPLACE ALL FOUR TIRES YEARLY. THE FRONT TIRES WOULD GET ABNORMAL WEAR (CUPPING) WHICH WOULD DESTROY ALL FOUR TIRES EVENTUALLY WITH NORMAL ROTATION....

AT 70 M.P.H. ON FLAT , DRY ROAD THE TREAD SEPERATED FROM THE INFLATED FIRESTONE TIRE AND CAUSED DAMAGE TO MOTORHOME.

A TIRE BLEW OUT AND DAMAGED THE MOTOR HOME. FIRESTONE LT 225/75/16. PLEASE PROVIDE DETAILS.

WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH AND WITHOUT WARNING, THE REAR PASSENGER OUTER TIRE BLEWOUT, WHICH RESULTED IN TREAD SEPARATION, WITHIN THE NEXT 24 HOURS, THE DRIVER'S SIDE INNER TIRE ALSO BLEWOUT. FIRESTONE HAD BEEN NOTIFIED.*AK *TS *JB