Trailer Tires

[Foil Freak 1211]

I am having a heck of a time with the tires on my boat trailer. Here is the scoop. Tires are 215x75x14 Goodyear Marathons, load range C. They have a capacity of about 1870 pounds each. My boat and trailer weigh in at 5060 fully loaded. Tires are three years old. Boat is stored in a garage in the winter, and with tire covers on in the summer. I am religious about having the correct (max) tire pressure in them. I would guess that I tow no more than 5000 miles/year, usually at about 70 MPH.



I've lost three tires due to tire separation since the end of last boating season. Discount Tire has been great about replacing them under Road Hazard (even though I didn't buy the tires from them). I've had boats all my life, treated them the same way. I replaced the tires on my last boat trailer in 1994, and they still looked good when it was traded in in 2003. Discount says that trailer tires usually only last 3 years. Everything I have ever read say tires should be replaced at 7 years. What gives?? What can I do to increase tire life?

 

[MMeier]

Just say no to Goodyears!!!! Couldn't keep them on my enclosed race car trailer. . switched over to Innovas, no problems since! Couldn't keep them on the 03 dually, switched to Michelins 75k miles ago... no problems since!! JUST SAY NO TO GOODYEARS!!!!!!

 

[Buffalo]

Goodyear trailer tires are only rated to 65 mph. The ones you have are probably pretty small & spinning pretty quickly at 70 mph.



Check the construction on the sidewalls. Older Goodyear Marathon's had polyester & steel belts, in the tread ply's. , only. The newer ones have an additional belt of nylon, on the outside of the poly. & steel belts.



The poly. & steel belts expand when they get hot. The nylon doesn't & acts like a "girdle" holding the poly. & steel plies, in place.



If you have room in the wheel wells, you could go to a 15" wheel & probably get more variety of tire size choices.



My travel trailer came with 205/75/15-C Marathon's. I upgraded to 225/75/15-D's. They fit the wheel wells beautifully! Heavier duty tire weight ratings, also.



Towmaster tires are a Goodyear knock-off. They go down the same assembly line, in Canada, as the Goodyear Marathon's. I've had my 25' travel trailer over a lot of the country & even into Ontario, Can. with no problems with tires. However, I will acknowledge that many, many people DO have tire problems. BTW, the Towmasters are MUCH cheaper than the Marathon's & now available at Costco. The 225/75/15-D's are about $80. 99, including everything, out the door, at Costco. That's a pretty good price.



Joe F. (Buffalo)

 

[JHardwick]

I went round and round with this one a year ago or so. Goodyear Marathons in a 16", l/r D on a horse trailer ... ... ... ... never again!

 

[Grizzly]

Just say no to Goodyears!!!! Couldn't keep them on my enclosed race car trailer. . switched over to Innovas, no problems since! Couldn't keep them on the 03 dually, switched to Michelins 75k miles ago... no problems since!! JUST SAY NO TO GOODYEARS!!!!!!

My 95 CTD, DRW came with Goodyears. Best tires I ever had. I replaced them at 60K and could have gone 10 more, but we were traveling a bit and I didn't want to push them with a cab-over-camper on the truck. I bought a new 5er in 88, which came with Goodyears 225/75/15, load range D. They were good and lasted the 10 years I had the 5er. They even went on a 11K mile round trip to Alaska with only one flat. You just can't say no to all Goodyears.

 

[georgej]

Just three years on my marathon 235/80-16 D trailer tires and they're got blisters on the sidewalls! I'm going with Michelin XPS ribs for the 5th wheel. The new Marathons are made in China... . Maybe they'll be better quality but I don't want to be worrying about them driving down the road!

 

[JHardwick]

They even went on a 11K mile round trip to Alaska with only one flat.

I don't see that as acceptable.

 

[EricBu12]

I've heard of alaskan roads and If by flat, he means a nail or such, yes that is acceptable...



I have the towmasters on my 15k 5th wheel. . replaced the junk China tires on it called "load max"... all of those separated...



the Towmaster tires are made in Canada along side the Marathons. So far this 1 year now, they are doing good. Tow well, don't get too hot and hold their shape. I am still leery of them as I am close to max weight on them. (within 500# of max weight per tire)I always overinflate them cold by 3 to 5 psi. this way they don't get too hot from flex. Hot pressure via Dash Monitor is 74 psi all around. I recommend a Tire monitor as you wiil know if you have a low or blown tire. I had 2 blown and never felt or heard it. . On the monitor, if it goes down 20% below cold set, it alarms... .



After these tires I am going to consider 16" LT tires for the better weight carry. right now I have 225/75 R 15" D... . what size would that be in a 16" or just slightly bigger?. I think an E rate tire would be best.

 

[Grizzly]

I don't see that as acceptable.

Then, you have never been to Alaska!

 

[Gary - K7GLD]

Largest single issue regarding tire life I have experienced was directly related to tire inflation pressures - once I installed tires - even what many here call inferior (Carlisle), and inflated them to the 60 PSI they called for, ALL my wear and failure issues VANISHED!

 

[J&LRam]

having pulled commercial and for my own consruction outfit [canopys over truck stops/etc] my old Goodyear truck tire dealer convinced me to stop using ST tires and go with LT rated tires on all our trailers with 15/16/19. 5 wheels. Haven't had tire problems, like we had with ST tires, in 20 years. My last bass boat had 15" single axle and off the ST came and had regular LT 225/75-15 C installed. Seven years later we sold the boat and those LTs still had a couple of years left.

JIM

 

[Matt42]

having pulled commercial and for my own consruction outfit [canopys over truck stops/etc] my old Goodyear truck tire dealer convinced me to stop using ST tires and go with LT rated tires on all our trailers with 15/16/19. 5 wheels. Haven't had tire problems, like we had with ST tires, in 20 years. My last bass boat had 15" single axle and off the ST came and had regular LT 225/75-15 C installed. Seven years later we sold the boat and those LTs still had a couple of years left.

JIM

Ditto that. I use Michelin.

 

[E2360]

An often overlooked cause of trailer tire malfunctions is that of axle alignment. The axle (trailer) being even a few degrees off of square and the stresses on the tire are no longer with the threads but across them.



It doesn't take much to ruin the tire in this set up and bouncing into a curb or rolling over one is enough to knock the axle out of alignment many times.



Just my 2 cents... ... ... ... ...

 

[Grizzly]

Largest single issue regarding tire life I have experienced was directly related to tire inflation pressures - once I installed tires - even what many here call inferior (Carlisle), and inflated them to the 60 PSI they called for, ALL my wear and failure issues VANISHED!

Good posts Gary and E2360!

 

[georgej]

I think my tire foibles stem from a couple of things. On my first TT I never had the tires balanced since the trailer mfg. didn't. On return from our first cross country there were patterns already worn onto the tread. Add to this the fact that ST rated trailer tires are limited to 65mph!( I didn't know this then). I did run maximum tire pressure but ran over65 and in hot weather. Had a blowout in year 4. With the new 5er I had the tires balanced before our first trip and run max pressure. Also I limited my speed to 60-65 on the interstates. I had about 30000 miles on these ST235-80-16 D Goodyears and they are wearing perfect. No cupping even wear across the tread, etc. Unfortunately a couple of bubbles appeared in the side not to far from the rim about an inch in. I'm not going to drive another cross country with suspect tires and have ordered some Michelin XPS Ribs. E-rated(3042lbs@80psi)and speed rated for 85mph. The trailer wheels are rated for "E" tires but in a cost saving move the 5th wheel mfg supplied cheaper tires. I start each day checking tire pressures and condition and cover them when parked at home. I'm looking forward to 6-7 years of tire trouble free trips.

 

[J&LRam]

good move. I had five different trailers on the road [non RVs] with my construction business that used 15"/16" tires. We had so many tire problems with ST tires on these trailers that we carried two spares per trailer. A Goodyear truck tire dealer finally moved me from ST to LT on my heavier trailers and no more tire problems. That was years ago when BFG/Cooper/Firestone made ST tires. They dropped their ST lines several years ago. Your going to see a big difference in the trailers stability and pull easier. Great move.

JIM

 

[Grizzly]

I think my tire foibles stem from a couple of things. On my first TT I never had the tires balanced since the trailer mfg. didn't. On return from our first cross country there were patterns already worn onto the tread. Add to this the fact that ST rated trailer tires are limited to 65mph!( I didn't know this then). I did run maximum tire pressure but ran over65 and in hot weather. Had a blowout in year 4. With the new 5er I had the tires balanced before our first trip and run max pressure. Also I limited my speed to 60-65 on the interstates. I had about 30000 miles on these ST235-80-16 D Goodyears and they are wearing perfect. No cupping even wear across the tread, etc. Unfortunately a couple of bubbles appeared in the side not to far from the rim about an inch in. I'm not going to drive another cross country with suspect tires and have ordered some Michelin XPS Ribs. E-rated(3042lbs@80psi)and speed rated for 85mph. The trailer wheels are rated for "E" tires but in a cost saving move the 5th wheel mfg supplied cheaper tires. I start each day checking tire pressures and condition and cover them when parked at home. I'm looking forward to 6-7 years of tire trouble free trips.

Good Post georgej. I agree with you, especially on the Michelin XPS Ribs, E, Light Truck. I'm in the process of ordering a new 5er and I would like for them to put these tires on from the factory. They won't do it. It will have Super Trail or Trail Master "E", ST, made in China. I never even heard of them.

 

[J&LRam]

does the RV maker offer a 16" upgrade ?? Make a deal with the RV dealer for 16" and the RIBS if possible.

JIM

 

[Grizzly]

does the RV maker offer a 16" upgrade ?? Make a deal with the RV dealer for 16" and the RIBS if possible.

JIM

I tried that with a few Arctic Fox dealers. None will do it. I even called the factory and they won't do it. Arctic Fox uses Super Trail SP, 16" E, which are made in China. I want Michelin XPS Rib, 16" LT.



By the way, stay away from Apache Camping in Portland, OR. They gave me the highest quote of all the dealers I spoke with on a Arctic Fox 5er. When I asked Kevin, the owner, for a better quote, he got very abrasive and down right nasty.