Another one Come Apart

[Jerky]

Running 10 ply Carlisle tires, 225/75xR15, they are about the only 10 ply tires I can find. Today I went to Les Schwabs to check on getting some 16 inch wheels and tires. I wanted some aluminum wheels and they recommended Toyo tires. Either the LT245/75r-16 open country H/Tor the 225's, which ever will fit. I am just tired of loosing tires every trip. No, I am far from being overloaded. I think it is the tires. Your Thoughts are appreciated.

Thanks - Dean

 

[WestTN]

What pressure are you running? Extra plies allow more air pressure. What is the rating of your tires?

 

[Darrenf]

Yeah... I'm looking at trailer tires too(225 75 15 too). I keep hearing a lot of stories of radials blowing out... particulary Carlisles. Funny thing is that my Discount Tire guy tried to sell me on those Carlisles and I told him I hadn't heard a good thing about them... then he suggested the Maxxis 8008 which i don't know much about.



Personally I've always run bias ply tires on my Car hauler and have never had one blow out yet (knock on wood) on long trips. I've read a lot of stuff on which way to go, radial or bias and ultimatly I was swayed toward the bias... though the tire guys try to get me to go radials and roll their eyes when I insist on bias. The only issue I've had was premature wear... likely my fault for running 40 psi instead of 60. I'm just going to get another pair of Green ball Tow Master highway rib bias ply tires(narrow tread pattern) as these were the first set and they've held up pretty well and outlasted the newer TowMaster II's with the wider tread. I'm just sticking with what's worked for me.



going to a 16 inch tire/rim combo should also help you... again from what I've read and heard... though differing opinions on the LT.



Good Luck!

 

[HBarlow]

Running 10 ply Carlisle tires, 225/75xR15, they are about the only 10 ply tires I can find. Today I went to Les Schwabs to check on getting some 16 inch wheels and tires. I wanted some aluminum wheels and they recommended Toyo tires. Either the LT245/75r-16 open country H/Tor the 225's, which ever will fit. I am just tired of loosing tires every trip. No, I am far from being overloaded. I think it is the tires. Your Thoughts are appreciated.

Thanks - Dean

I agree with your plan. 15" trailer tires are nothing more than a passenger car tire and don't hold up very well to the stress of trailering in hot weather. I"ve said it often . . . I wouldn't put a Korean or Chinese tire on anything that is heavier or capable of higher speeds than a tractor.

Keep in mind, the guys who work at the sales counter of tire stores are retail salesmen working on commission. They "recommend" what they have, what pays the highest commission, or what their manager tells them to move. They are not necessarily objective or giving you the best advice for you. I am not negative on Toyo tires, I simply don't know about them. I am particular to Michelins.

Southwest Wheel Southwest Wheel Company Steel and Aluminum Truck Wheels sells wheels, possibly at a lower price. SAM's Clubs and COSTCO are an excellent source of tires. Their installers are not commission sales people, they are paid a salary or hourly wage. Buy an LT (light truck tire, not an ST (special trailer).

 

[jelag]

I have coffee with a retired Bridgestone Tire rep... . we talked about my BIL's trailer who runs G rated tires and can't go 6-8 months without a blow out... and he's an ex pilot... flew a jet... . he is a type A personality... he watches air pressure... . My tire rep friend tells me that most trailer tires are built to hold the cost down and are not really meant for those of us who really use a 5er or have work trailer and he's suggested that I move to the LT tires (light truck)...

Now we need to switch to my 5er... its now ready for tires... and I've weighed the trailer, and each axle... I've found that if I put on LT tires that I have a margin of safety of about 700 lbs per tires... so that's my move...

My trucks all run 19. 5" wheels and I have a set of wheels (19. 5) for my 5er... but it would require moving the axles for spacing and I'm not ready to do that... I've not had a blow out yet... but will change the factory tires with about 20% left...

I, like my BIL walk around the trailer at each stop with a heat gun looking for problems... I've found problems on my work trailers that way, both bad tires and bearings issues... . BTW all my work trailers run LT tires as well... .

I really like the 19. 5" rib radial that Bridgestone has... but its not available in a 16" for my 5er... .

One other thing that I've noticed in most trailer tires is that they have one or two plies of Nylon cord... . Nylon is the cord material that give the cold tire thump until they warm up... you remember, the flat spot from sitting for weeks and would have to warm up for this to go away... SO MY target tires is a radial, rib tread if I can find it for long mileage and NO NYLON cord material...

BTW - we see over 100K miles on the 19. 5" on the steer axle and 90K plus on the RETREADS used on the rear... We've had 2 trucks that are now gone with over 500K miles on the chassis using this set up with NO blowouts... its the same Bandag recap used by all the UPS trucks here in town done by the same recapper... . we recap the fronts and move them back as they wear out...

Hope this helps... .

 

[Slow Six]

If you are going to 16" wheels consider the Michelin XPS Rib.

 

[HBarlow]

Jelag,

I've never had the opportunity to talk with a knowledgeable tire rep as you did but as a reader and observer I have reached the same conclusion. Some tire manufacturers claim that ST tires have some mystical ability to resist SUV rays and sidewall cracking. I have long believed the reason they MAY (unproven) avoid sidewall cracking is by blowing out or slinging their treads before they age enough to crack.

The single best "trailer" tire made in 16" size is the Michelin XPS Rib. I have them on my current HitchHiker, and used them on my previous Travel Supreme. They use an all steel carcass that is stronger and heavier than any other tire.

 

[EricBu12]

Here are my 16" 10 ply tires. . These are BF Goodrich Commercial T/A 225/75-16" tires. I bought everything at Discount tire here in Salt Lake City. The rims were a stock brand they have on display. Cant remember the name. The rims have a removable center cap to access the Zerk fitting in my axles

These have been running very good and don't go over 10 psi higher than cold when running on a hot day (90 psi hot). .

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Here is the rig these tires are on. . you can see the truck has the 12 ply "F" rated michelins on Ricksons rims... This setup has worked very well

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[AABEN]

All trailer tires is rated at 65 Miles per hr. I had trouble with Goodyears and they would not replace them. They ask me what speed I pulled my trailer? I said the speed limit on the interstates they said no the tires are rated at 65 miles per hr. So I replaced them with Transforce E from Firestone no more tire trouble. I had the powder put in the tires. That is a lot better than wheel weight's.

 

[Gary - K7GLD]

I've had very good luck (they haven't blown out! :-laf) with the Asian tires on my boat and 5th wheel setups - but with all the related issues from here, as well as what my RVing buddy has had with his - both foreign and domestic brands - I'll be more selective next time around - just hope whatever I do end up with doesn't end up being a disappointment, compared to these "evil" Asian tires I've been running on... :-laf:-laf

 

[Buffalo]

Nylon

Regarding the NYLON issue, a number of years ago, Goodyear Marathon's were having horrible issues with their trailer tires blowing or coming apart. At the time, their answer was to add a belt of NYLON on the outerside (tread side) of the other belts, which, included a steel belt. Their reasoning was that the steel & other materials expanded when they got hot & after numerous hot & cold changes, the belts loosened up everything in the tire carcass & finally they came apart or blew. The NYLON does not expand with heat & acts like a "girdle", holding the other belts in their proper place.



I think adding the NYLON helped but, did not completely eliminate the problems. Marathon's still grenade, occasionally!!!



My post is not designed to conflict with jelag's posting about NYLON. I have the utmost respect for his knowledge & read everything I can find that is written by him. I got my information from the Goodyear Rep. whose job was to deal with problematic tires. He, also, said that these tires are rated for no more than 65 mph.



You know, you would think that if we can put a man on the moon & bring him back, we could build a decent trailer tire that will go over 65 mph. & last awhile!!! How do they explain the racing tires that will go over 200 mph. , without failing? 65 mph. should be easy.



I would love to have 16" wheels & LT tires on my trailer. Don't know if they will fit the wheel wells, though.



Joe F.

 

[HBarlow]

... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... .

You know, you would think that if we can put a man on the moon & bring him back, we could build a decent trailer tire that will go over 65 mph. & last awhile!!! How do they explain the racing tires that will go over 200 mph. , without failing? 65 mph. should be easy.

I would love to have 16" wheels & LT tires on my trailer. Don't know if they will fit the wheel wells, though.

Joe F.

LT tires in sizes that fit trailers are rated for higher speeds.

The difference in size between the typical ST225/75/R15 LRD and the LT225/75R16 LRE like on EricBu12's trailer above are actually very small. You can compare tires sizes on a website like Tirerack. The difference in strength and reliability is significant.

 

[EricBu12]

The size of the tire from my 15 to the 16" is not much. . I don't notice hardly any difference in diameter. . Just get the same size tire but in a 16" and you are good. They wear like iron and don't get hot. . I think I have found the tire I will use from now on.

 

[Jerky]

Hey Guys! Thanks for all the input. I will be changing to a 16" set up in the very near future. Got to look at some tires now. - Dean