Trailer tires, Radials or biased ply

[R.ebel]

I'm in the market for new tires for our 24 ft travel trailer. What is better, trailer rated radials or biased ply trailer rated tires?

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1997 2500 SLT 4X4,5 spd,3. 54's,Pacbrake,Rancho 9000's,Centerforce,K&N,Isspro,BD 300 HP pump, Jardine 4", 370's and 16cm housing.

 

[Bob Stephens]

Definitely go with the radials. They roll better and make it much easier on the truck towing the trailer. All the big rigs run radials today.

My first trailer came with bias ply. When I replace them with radials, the trailer pulled better and the tires lasted longer.

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2001. 5 White 3500 Quad Cab 4x4 Sport SLT+, ETH/DEE, 4. 10 Anti-Spin Axle, Camper Special Group, Trailer Tow Group, Line-X, Tekonshsa Sentinel Brake Controller, ICOM 706MkIIG HF Radio, Guages, 15. 5 Pullrite Hitch, DEE-ZEE FX Running Boards, and BD Exhaust Brake. 2001 Alpenlite 35RK fiver arrives next week! Ham Call: AF9W/7

 

[Okie-Go]

Radials,in addition to what is already said they are disigned to run cooler also.

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2001 quadcab slt 2500 HO 6spd. LWB,2wd,dk garnett red, trailer tow package,camper special, anti spin 3. 54 axle, speed liner,oversized stainless steel chicken slide,66 gallon in bed aux. tank,K&N air filter,Reese 20k hitch, Terry 2000 EX 30ft. double slide 5er, 2000 20ft gooseneck for haulin jeep, firewood and huntin stuff. 5X12 tagalong for haulin the 4 wheeler. Okie Newton

 

[Skydiver]

I will also agree that a radial is better, will stand up to being over-loaded much better.
Now I've got a Question. Why are bias-ply tires still being produced?What are the benifits if any over radial other than cost.
Thanks Tim

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1996 3500 87K. auto,3. 54,Ext. cab.
K&N air
Truck looks just like the truck on left side of page 6 issue 31.
1981 Mercedes 300D Non-turbo 174K miles
1987 blue phord 2810 tractor 456 hours.
1986 blue totayota 135K 1 owner
Bought new 1979 shevrolay 5. 7 litter diesel got 19000 miles,it died.
Bought new 1985 geeimsee S-15 gypsie Total lemon.

 

[R.ebel]

In the 205/75-15 size a bias-ply tire is about $8. 00 cheaper than a radial.

 

[Heetseeker_1]

Just finished searching for tires for my 23' tt. Went with bias ply Denmans. Yes, they were cheaper. They may run a little hotter, but not by much. They do have a stiffer sidewall that will help with trailer sway, the radials can make things troublesome if you don't have sway bars. What ever you buy, get all the same, don't run radials and bias on the same axle, keep them properly aired up and stored out of the sun. Supposedly, the epa and environmentalists have curbed the use of the chemicals used to keep the tires from cracking and checking from the UV rays and heat. Those chemicals were supposed to cause illnesses in plant workers, but who knows.

Most of the tt and such come with radials now, and are easier to find in an emergency. I had a hell of a time finding a couple of bias ply that matched the others on my trailer. I think i'll use these up and switch to radials (including spare), due to the availiability.

Good luck, S.

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98 qc, 12V, 4x4, slt laramie, 47re slushbox, 3:54 ls diff, 2YG pkg, Kelsey trailer brake control, dodge running boards, diamond plate bed rails, prime designs bug shields, silencer ring wind chime on porch, Raven cab-hi camper shell, psychotty air system, T/C lock-up switch, gutted cat, Walker muffler 22572, crome 5" tip from Kenworth stack, Isspro guages, A pillar 3 guage mount, TST #6 250/635.

Toys: 70' F250 4x4 highboy- 429cid 400+ hp on 35"BFG's(ranch truck) 64' MF 205 tractor 3cyl perkins diesel w/bucket

 

[Whitmore]

Radials here, I run the goodyear workhorse highway tread,they have always been good for me with loads up to 25K... Kevin

 

[Ladders]

Would it be beneficial to have the trailer tires Siped? I have noticed the difference with the truck tires, better traction if nothing else. This should help them run cooler and at 10$ a tire, not a bad investment.

\\BF//

 

[Eric_77]

I have recently switched to Radial tires on our trailer from bias. The bias tires I would blow at least two up a summer running at max load with proper pressures. When tires blew it was an expolsion tore up part of trailer once looked like a fireball in mirror one night. In general all around bad news when they blew unstable scary going to flip this 20k beast over feeling. Dealer messed up when ordering the radials and got 2200# capacity instead of 3300# capacity had one go out at speed. Loaded to 21k real even gentle shaking definetly got attention but never fear for your life shake like before. I am unsure of the dynamics of how a failure occurs on a radial vs bias but the failure seems more progressive in nature. I only had one tire fail and those babies were at least 1000 overloaded each. Dealer switched tires to proper capacity and not had a problem with these and they are same capacity as the old bias plies were.

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Eric Kelcher
92 W250 stock 4spd/auto 3. 54
96 2500 extd SLT Diesel Dynanics fuel pump plate; auto with DD shift kit(?) Dun-Rite TC; 3. 54 posi; K&N airfliter; Boost, transmission temp, EGT guages waiting for nice day; 192K
13. 5k 33'utility trailer 19' Galaxie runabout