Best trailer tires and source?

[Regcabguy]

What's the best made trailer tires you guys have found? I've got a friend in Canada looking to replace his D rated Chinese tires with E rated quality ones. Is there an online source for these also? Thank you.

 

[HBarlow]

SAM's Club and Tire Rack websites provide a lot of good info.

The best E rated 16" tire available for trailers is the Michelin XPS Rib trailer tire in size LT235/80 R16 LRE. They are an all steel casing, very heavy, and very strong.

If your friend has 16" wheels on his trailer, XPS Ribs will cure his tire problems. The Michelins are not cheap though. Current prices are around $225/tire.

If he has 15" wheels and tires, I would recommend changing to 16" wheels and tires.

 

[BIGNASTY]

SAM's Club and Tire Rack websites provide a lot of good info.



The best E rated 16" tire available for trailers is the Michelin XPS Rib trailer tire in size LT235/80 R16 LRE. They are an all steel casing, very heavy, and very strong.



If your friend has 16" wheels on his trailer, XPS Ribs will cure his tire problems. The Michelins are not cheap though. Current prices are around $225/tire.



If he has 15" wheels and tires, I would recommend changing to 16" wheels and tires.

Just got back from COSTCO stoped by the tire shop to say hi to the Guy that always puts me at the front of the line. Asked him about the Michelin XPS rib he said no longer made. So my son went with the commercial TA the same tire I have so far I like them only have about 5000 miles on them but the wear is good and hold air like no other tire I have ever had. Diffrent size than above post

 

[Regcabguy]

Thanks guys. I'll pass on the info. If I ever get a trailer or 5th,it'll have twin axles. I worked with a guy who didn't realize he'd had a blowout until his first scheduled stop.

 

[RustyJC]

Asked him about the Michelin XPS rib he said no longer made.

That's strange. A Google search indicates that the XPS Rib is still listed on Michelin's website, and prices are listed at Wal-Mart, Tire Rack and others. Maybe he just didn't want to go to the trouble of getting them.



Rusty

 

[BIGNASTY]

could be or maybe just COSTCO didnt have much call for them so why bother.

 

[MChildress]

Another vote for the Michelin XPS Rib. I lost three LR E 16 Carlisles on my new GN on one trip. Air was good had checked just before leaving and they threw the tread and blew within the 1st 100 miles of the trip about 30 miles apart they didn't have 200 miles on them. I ate two tires I had to stop and buy on this trip but Carlisle paid for four XPS tires when I got back and it has been six years and not a problem.

 

[HBarlow]

Just got back from COSTCO stoped by the tire shop to say hi to the Guy that always puts me at the front of the line. Asked him about the Michelin XPS rib he said no longer made. So my son went with the Bridgestone commercial TA the same tire I have so far I like them only have about 5000 miles on them but the wear is good and hold air like no other tire I have ever had. Diffrent size than above post

Gail,

Didn't you mean BF Goodrich Commercial T/A not Bridgestone?

The BFG is the next best thing to Michelins, IMO.

 

[MAleshire]

I recently discovered something new to me about trailer tires. Most have a maximum speed rating of 60 mph. This is on my "D" range tires, "E" range may be different. I don't drive faster than 60 when pulling a load, but where the speed limit is faster than that it's a definite issue in creating heat which is a killer on tread separation and blowouts.

 

[RustyJC]

According to Discount Tire, all ST tires carry a 65 MPH speed rating. Having said that, I believe the linked data sheet may have been cribbed from Carlisle Tire, so don't shoot the messenger.



Rusty

 

[TLane]

So far, good advice here. The Michelin XPS ribs are great, but a little high for me. I wanted to switch to 16" as advised but didn't due to the cost. I've had good luck with the Maxxis tires from Discount Tire. They have a 15" E rated tire.



Whatever you buy, plan on replacing them every few years, like every 4 to 6 years. Unless you put on a lot of miles, that will be long before the tread shows much sign of wear. I'm working on a plan to buy 2 tires every 2 years and I carry 2 spares. So the 2 new ones go on the ground and the 2 oldest go on the spares. My oldest spare is 6 years old, the oldest tire on the ground is 4 years old.

 

[gerry]

RV tires

I think H Barlow's idea of switching to 16inch tires while sound is not an option for me right now but I think my next tires will be 16s. Right now my TH tires are 225 75 15 D rated Chinese that are 5 years old but so far no problems. I looked and looked and with much effort found Camping World still can get US made Goodyear Marathons so this time because there is NO Sam's club anywhere in Oregon I will go with the Marathons. Sam's club is not handy to a great many people unfortunately and Walmart is not very helpfull to those like us! Keep in mind too that not all Marathons are US made you have to check.

 

[ringneck]

barlow is right,got my ribbs at cosco. my be they only make them in sumer,dam good tire. do it right the first time. gary

 

[JMetzger]

I don't know about the Goodyear Marathons, I had 15 on my Holiday Rambler & the trailer was not overloaded as I had each wheel weighed & I checked the tires pressure every day we traveled. All the tire failures were due to separation, Even had two Goodyear dealers tell me they were having problems with the Marathons. They were 225x75 15 D

 

[GCroyle]

I didn't see any mention of tire size in the original question so I don't know if a GoodYear Marathon exists in your situation.



Yes, I have a limited experience in towing a TT, but it was all on GYM's for the first 2/3 of my experience and the GYM's failed miserably. The 3 yr old OE tires had belt seperation. Not under or over inflated, overloaded or overspeeded. Bought 4 more, 2 months later dealer replaced all 4 for sidewall seperation.



I cannot recommend GYM's.



I included TPMS with my next set, MAXXIS, so far no issues. Period.

 

[RustyJC]

I haven't had Goodyear Marathons under a 5th wheel since our 30' Jayco that we owned from 1996 to 2000. During that time, all 4 failed due to tread separation with 1 massive failure that did quite a bit of damage to the 5th wheel's bodywork (found the other 3 with knots on the inside sidewalls). Goodyear replaced the tires and paid for the repairs, but I'd rather not have the failures in the first place.



Maybe the current Marathons are OK, but based on my experience I certainly couldn't recommend them.



Rusty

 

[S.Morris]

My son runs Duro tires on his service trailers. For a 205/75/15 they can be got in a 65psi tire. He wears out a set of 4 every 4 months... ... . trailers go 60-70k miles per year. They are carrying max weight for trailer 95% of time. Never had a blow out in two years, and runs many miles at 70mph.

 

[HBarlow]

Wow. I think a Duro is a Chinese Communist tire. I wouldn't use them on anything used in highway use. Each to his own.

 

[BIGNASTY]

Gail,



Didn't you mean BF Goodrich Commercial T/A not Bridgestone?



The BFG is the next best thing to Michelins, IMO.

Thanks for the correction Harvey your rite

 

[Dick Langendorff]

Harvey is right the XPS Ribs are a great tire. I got mine at Ameirca's tire. Local Costco said they did not carry. Not that they were not made.

Pricey, but so is the repair on the side of your trailer.



Just a thought!