THANK YOU!!! This is the video I needed to see. Our rig has ST235/80R 16 tires and I told my wife our first upgrade would be the tires. I've seen too many videos of tire blow outs from cheap tires and I'd rather pay now for 4 tires than pay later for the potential damage a blow out can do to our home. Thanks for the great advice! Travel safe!
I dumped the china bombs that came with my trailer after 1 1/2 years as the steel belt was showing between the tread..which there was a lot left. Went with Goodyear Endurance and have good luck so far. The good folks at Discount Tire in Phoenix will do a thorough check on them when I ask. I have seen the damage a blow-out can do and it's not something I ever want to happen. I will look into LT next time around as I already have 16" rims. Thanks for another fine presentation.
I went from Marathons to Endurance over a year ago and have better than 10K on them. Only issue has been one valve leak. I highly recommend getting a TPMS system to monitor tire status. That was what warned me about the leaking tire valve.
WE HAVE A 30 ' 5TH WHEEL with a gross weight of just under 12,000 pounds when fully loaded. It came new with Marathons on which we put 20,000 miles including 14,000 miles last year on a sojourn through Alaska and Canada. We also ran the Dempster and Denali Highways and the Dalton as far as the Yukon River. Paid careful attention to tire pressure and only suffered one flat from a nail which we repaired. No other issues. I replaced them with Endurance trailer tires because I needed more than 3000 pounds capacity per tire to carry the load. The LT tires the shop first tried to sell me were all less than 3000# rating and would be overloaded on our 5'er. LTs might work well if you are within design limits but it is unwise to use LTs on rigs that exceed the LT capacity limits.
Of course we would never suggest using tires that aren't within the weight requirements of your trailer. We were just answering the often asked question of why we switched wheels/tires and why. Each trailer is different, and you should definitely speak with your trailer manufacturer and a trusted tire technician before making any changes. :)
The extra expense for rims you mention is small compared to the bill the blown tire can cause. A friend of ours blew one out on I-5 in California on their 5 wheel, the bill was $6,000. as it took out the floor above which was their kitchen and littering the highway with all their cooking gear.
Sailun Trailer tires are by far the best tires I have ever had. My wife and I are on our 2nd fifth wheel our latest being a triple axle toy-hauler. We have had blow outs issue in the past and I have pulled many different style trailers, and the Sailun tires are build like a semi trailer tire. If you ever have an issue out on the road and you can’t find a LT you like I highly recommend the Sailun. Y’all have a great channel we really enjoy watching.
Regular tire pressure checks, cold, hot, and as altitude changes. Rotation and rebalancing can spot problems. An infrared camera or thermometer can be great for identifying failing tires, overheated bearings, and angry spouses before disaster strikes.
Glad to see you went to a better tire. Last year we bought 4 new Goodyear Endurance tires. According to Goodyear site they are made in America, have an E load range and an N speed rating (that is a 10 ply and 87 mph speed rating). Sadly we have only been able to travel about 1000 miles since installed but they feel very stable. I will try to get back if we are able to get more miles this summer.
I bought a Hercules tire for a spare, and the dealer insisted it was a U.S.A. made tire. It said “made in China” right on it. I learned to read the tire, not believe the dealer
Changed from marathons to mitch LTX... love 'em... no problems since changing just like you found... I only had 300 miles on the goodyears... and already had a bubble in the tread... thump thump thump.. got so bad you could feel it in the PU TV... and I remember'd what vinnie and you all said.. and so looking at the TV tires manufacture.. we stopped in and had both the tires and rims changed at the same time... LOVE IT... thanks for the video but their are some who still were not convinced that the marathons are better... but.. we saw the light and got ours changed over.. and so glad we did...
Installed new China tires but upgraded to heavier duty (500 lbs more capacity each tire.) Was broken down in Texas, in the clutches of Camping World at the time and was short on cash. Will see how well they do. So far so good (about 3,000 miles.) Good idea about road service contract!
We learned on our first toy hauler (triple axle) to switch to LT's and have never once had an issue on any of our trailers since. We even switched to LT's on our boat trailer for the same reasons you outlined here.
My experience with "trailer " tires was i never wore one out. They all self destructed before they wore out. No matter the brand or origin. I began buying all truck tires. Then i actually wore them out and got the full life out of them. Thanks for sharing
I use Load Range C Goodyear Wrangler 14 inch Light Truck tires on my utility trailer. Same type used on the postal LLV vehicles. When I had my car trailer I initially had ST tires. With in 2 years I had Load Ranger D LT tires.
www.tirebusiness.com/article/20010129/ISSUE/301299984/class-action-vs-goodyear Note: It was brought to my attention this article is not current information. I apologize. Rather than just delete it I will preserve it for a look at the history in the situation.
I saw I had Load range C tires. I added up the total weight of what they could carry and saw I was at capacity...with the trailer UNLOADED! I was changing them already because of the China Bomb syndrome BEFORE I blew any tires out. Sold them because they were new to offset the price a bit. I went up to a 225 75/r16 load range E. No problems. I checked the axle rating and I'm ok there. I noticed the trailer tracks much better with these bigger American made tires. The cost is worth it.
I repair horse trailers for a living. On all of the lighter 6 horse trailers on down to 2 H bumper pulls if they have 16 inch wheels get Yokohama G056s I get 4 years out of my 5th wheel tires. The side walls don't heat check after 2 years of Arizona sun.
We had one of our "China Bombs" blow out in Florida this winter. I had just looked at our TPM and that tire was reading 71 PSI, up from 64 when we had started our trip 20 miles before that. (65 cold PSI recommended by Forest River) Fortunately our TPM alerted us immediately and with minimal damage(A wheel skirt broken and dangling). After researching TT tires on Consumer Report, I went searching for Goodyear Endurance and found they are only in a class E versus the junk Chinese class D from Forest River. Replaced all 4 tires and immediately noticed how much better the trailer towed. After changing a flat in the rain beside I4 in Orlando we now have a roadside assistance policy. Our TPM system paid for itself that day. It is amazing to find how many companies are putting undersized junk tires on RV's since we have been talking to other RV owners.
And don't forget to have them balanced. Too many tire shops think that trailer tires don't need it, but they do! Your tires will wear more evenly and will last a lot longer.
After balancing the tires, the trailer actually pulls a lot better. I had the new 14 ply tires for my gooseneck balanced and it pulls like a dream on the interstate now. 8 unbalanced tires used to make that thing shake the truck a little bit at speed, now you'd barely know it's back there if it wasn't wider than the truck where you can see both sides of the front bulkhead in the mirrors.
Gonagain Absolutely !!!! A balanced tire runs smoother and quieter and will last longer !!! Many tire shops won't balance to save a few bucks so they can quote a lower price !!! BUT an honest tire shop will will out hesitation balance the tires !!!
I had a blowout on my camper (little 180/75r13 trailer tires) it messed up my whole floor and destroyed my power cord to the trailer....so i lucky had a spare and pulled my trailer with a tire blowed out and locked up(cord wrapped around the tire) a half mile to a gas station and changed to the spare....then drove to the very next Walmart and changed all 4 of my camper tires out for 4 p metric car tires....by hand in the Walmart parking lot
Did you have tire pressure monitoring system on any of the failed tires???? And do you now? The distance you go I would advise them regardless of you tire / Enjoy your videos
I too had 3 or 4 blowouts on my 38' 5th wheel within 2 years of owning it when using 15" D rated ST tires & wheels. The 15" tires where purchased shortly after I purchased the rig. I then flipped the axles (put the axle under the springs and went to 16" E rated pickup truck tires & wheels. I flipped the axle to gain more clearance for the tires and getting in and out of parking lots, for unknown obstacles while backwoods camping, etc. No problems after 5 years. I sold the remaining 15" tires and wheels on Craig's list to recoup some of my investment as they will work fine for a utility trailer.
2 yrs ago I brought our trailer home at the end of the season and noticed I had a crack in the sidewall of our TT that was only 3yrs old. It sits on a site for most of the year except for the 2 trips we make a year so I knew they would need replaced. I think they were Powermax by Tow King and I went out and the tire with the crack was flat so I inflated it and air was coming out of the crack. Bought 4 Carlisle Tires put them on and have not had an issue or seen any problems driving in the extreme heat on the interstate.
@C.S.Allen Why? They don't care if junk ST tires come apart and tear out the side of your RV. ST tires are an industry-wide scam. The only thing "special" about Special Trailer tires is the extra profit they make selling substandard tires.
I've been running Michelin's for over 40 years and never had a weather crack in any of them. I live in the Sacramento valley in California where it gets over a 100 degrees in the summer more time than you want. Never put protection products on them.
Great write up about tires. We are the airstream owners used one set of Goodyear Maraton and had one blow up. A new set is the Marathon Endurance. One suggestion to check your insurance coverage before switching to LT type tires on tour TT.
I went through 6 marathons on my single axle boat trailer with my boat trailer from 2001 to 2006. My new Searay in 2006 had a double axle with Marathons and blew all 4 tires in 3 years.
I worked as a tire technician for 17 years as well as an ASE certified tech. Owning trailers myself. 4 Horse trailer, utility, etc. That load range tires above the factory specifications, and balance the trailer tires! YES! BALANCE! It will almost ensure a prolonged smooth ride for both truck and trailer. And a Arizona highway in the Summer is unbelievably hot. short cool down periods Would be recommended but not mandatory. Although not mandatory nitrogen filled tires will keep things cool. Vacationing with your wife and children on an unfamiliar highway makes you do everything possible for an uneventful vacation. money becomes no object when you’re stuck on the side of a highway in the dark with your family.
I use 10 ply. I've pulled chunks of metal out them and never got a flat. Got a good deal on them from a small independent tire shop in Sherwood AR. Bill's tires If I remember.
Great call on the rubber, I would like to add I drove as a professional at 62 mph and put on 365000 miles in 4 1/2 years. So higher speeds aren't really needed. Drive in the slow lane and enjoy.
Our trailer (LANCE) came with Goodyear Endurance tires. I believe Lance switched over to them a couple years ago and it appears most owners are very happy with their performance. We're taking our first trip to Yellowstone in mid-May so keeping my fingers crossed they hold up well for our trip.
I had 15k miles on our 5th wheel when it was obvious the time had come to replace the Marathons it was equipped with. I put LT tires on and now, 22k miles later, they still look new. I have a remote IR heat sensor and check the temperature of each tire every time I stop.
I had a blow out on my Travel Trailer at 55mph with the ST tires. At that time my trailer had only 5000 miles on it. We did not even feel it or even know about it until another Driver honked at us and pointed it out. We just happened to be near a shopping center. We pulled in to the parking lot and I changed the tire myself while my wife and kids went and got cold drinks for everybody. We were lucky, there was no damage other than the tire.
I have those same tires on my trailer. With a dry weight of 8,500. So far so good. But I worry constantly about the tires. Never go faster than 65, even though I travel in the West. I’ve had trucks that have had 15” rims so I think I can LTs that will fit my rims. The trailer tires I’m running are about their half life.
Never travel more than a few hours away, but we’ve had several blowouts with trailer tires. Going to be swapping out our tires at the end of the season.
Nice video, I normally buy american guy except trailer tires. I went through many tires on my 40 ft 5er, until I went to Sailun! The are twice as thick (tread depth) and any other tire. Never had a problem since. I put 20k miles on my trailer with them. You will never get that on a domestic tire.
We just got GY Endurance all the way'round. We had a tire failure on our TT in S. Montgomery and that singular experience was it for the stock Trailer Kings. We had a similar (out of nowhere) failure with our (equally as bad) Gladiators. The Endurance is a speed rated tire, so you can go a little faster with them. Also, I packed EVERYTHING to change a tire myself. Our trailer maintenance people put our tires on WAY TOO TIGHT. I now have a beaker bar, impact socket, and a better jack, to get us out of a crack. If these tires go, I'm getting the LT tires. We're absolutely done with Chinese tires.
I am a fleet mechanic. For years we used Goodyear Marathon with good results. Not anymore. For whatever reason they do not hold up. Broken belts, tread separation etc. We had one that was a spare mounted on the spare tire rack that the belts separated. It had never been on the ground. Brand new tire. There is a Chinese made trailer tire with the same tread design as Marathons. We tried these with bad results. A guy with a trailer broke down at the end of my street. You guessed it- he had a Marathon tire that the belts separated. Best to avoid all Chinese tires. Pay that little bit more and keep you and your family safe.
They used to be 10ply rated and they replaced them with other options. The Cargo series and now the Endurance. So when they replaced the 10ply marathon with the Cargo, they built an 8pr marathon for medium trailer use instead, but people misapplied them to trailers too heavy for them. The tires are just as good as ever trailer companied just cheaped out and fitted tires that then has to run at their extreme limits for far too long.
I have owned two travel trailers and both had the Goodyear marathon tires. I set pressure to 45 lbs not 60. I like most run a little faster down the highway. I have never had a blowout on these tires ever. I firmly believe that Goodyear set the pressure limit to high and hence blowouts on the highway. I am not saying these tires are good tires. I’m saying that Goodyear screwed up. I also check my tires with a laser heat gun when I pull off at rest stops to check and inspect them. I’m pretty sure someone will say I’m risking everything by doing what I do, but I have never had a blowout. And it’s not just I’m lucky. When these tires need to be changed I will look into LT tires but for now. I’m good
in the automotive world i have seen many of the lower end goodyear car tires have slipped belts just like those trailer tires, The more expensive premium goodyear line seems to be a bit better but I generally stick with firestone/bridgestone. Michelen aint bad but they seem to be more prone to dryrot and the sidewallls arent as stiff as other brand but thats probably why the ride good and smoother. You get what you pay for no mater what.
You failed to mention the weight rating right on side of the tire is usually a little higher on the LT. I use Goodyear endurance on my tt load E 15” because of recommended and availability . Didn’t know I could get LT load E in the 15” or I would of looked into it more. Have bee running those LTX on my trucks for years and years never a problem.
Lol we had so many blowouts on a travel trailer that we got the tire change down to under 5 minutes. The problem is they put the gvw right at if you put a package of candy in the trailer it's over the weight. I don't know the quality of the trailer tires now but the Goodyear marathon's used to be great. But I guess not now. We've gotten LOADS OF MILES out of Carlisle HD tires the ones with the names in the tread. I put 225 75 r 15 on a trailer that had 205 75 r 14s on it and the temperature of the tires is night and day.
Airstream now uses Good Year Endurance on most trailers. US made, E speed rated. So far, knock on wood, mine have been good. I also use a TST TPMS and watch for any sign of air loss. Michelin does not make trailer tires. The LT are Light Truck tires and according to Michelin are not approved for trailers, therefore no warranty. Many Airstreamers are switching to 16" rims with Michelins, and have good luck. Back in the day, I couldn't tell you what brand tires I had. They were round and black and stayed inflated most of the time. Now I watch like a scientist.
An interesting sidetnote. An Airstreamer had a blowout shredded the tire, nothing but the rim left. So he stored the rim in the spare carrier under the Airstream and it fell out on the highway! Did lots of damage. Seems without a tire, the frame of the carrier lets the rim slide through!
Part (all?) of the problem is they appear to have torsion bar axles. I had a double axle trailer with torsion bars and when I'd arrive at my destination stuff in the trailer was generally all over the place. And I frequently had to buy all new tires on a trip. My new trailer is triple axle (also carrying 50% more weight) with "walking beam" axles and have had zero problems, including I left a fire extinguisher standing upright on the floor, and 700 miles later when I got home, it was still standing upright. I'll never again do torsion bars... NEVER.
Back in 1984 or 85 our 1978 prowler trailer head for Firestone bias-ply car tires on it 14 in. a few people told me that I wasn't supposed to have those tires on there now I say what that's what was on it when I got it and we pull that thing I would say overall about 30,000 miles never had a bit of problems with them... Then when we sold the trailer in 1992 those same tires are on it from when we bought the trailer. And they still had some tread on them yet not much but some... LOL 😋 😂😁 👍 👍 🤗🤗 🙏 🙏♥️♥️
Can't go wrong with Michelins, and Costco has great prices on them, especially when they're on sale. I think you couldn't find them in 15" because of the 225 section width. 235 is more common and might have worked just as well as the 225s.
I've had three trailers over the last 35 years and I have always used Goodyear Marathon ST tire. I have only had one tire blow out. It was damaged by a piece of fire wood the blew out of the truck bed.
I have some small ST tires on my utility / motorcycle trailer. 205/75/15. I bought a spare, but it's still a China bomb. Guess I should look into LT tires for my trips to CA and back. Especially since my average speed is over the rating of these tires.
the upside of 16 inch is that you could buy the 16 inch tires truckers use on the lowboy flatbed which start at 16 ply.. .. their pretty reasonable (about 200 a tire).. but you usually have to find a repair center at a truck stop to find em.. .. my experience ..
How do airplanes fly? Question for many of us especially new to trying travel trailers Weight and balance are key factors I bet your water tank and sink are in that area where you had the blowout at on the right side of your trailer I bet the blowout was on the same side of the trailer previous blowouts that is I bet you make sharper right turns then you do left turns In a bit if you have aluminum rims with a future blowout that the aluminum rims will not bend but they will break so you will have to replace the wheel and tire at the same time I bet the larger tractor it’s on the airstream makes the airstream more wobbly And spongy on bumpsSo to prevent all of that when you make turns take them wider so you don’t find up the axles underneath the travel trailer check your air pressure every time you decide to go per day and make sure you have the travel trailer balance out correctly that is if you have water on one side and nothing on the other side you know it’s going to be outside heavier front have your back and we are top-heavy those all are key factors of preventing a blowout
You know what else causes blowouts and tire wear? Improper axle parallelzation. Happens with big 18 wheel trailers. You have to get those wheels off, maybe get under it and take measurements of the axles to make sure they truly paralleled and centered.
We did not wait for an issue with the Marathons based on all the well known problems with them and also replaced them with the same Michelin tires. FYI, your trailer will only sit 1/2 inch higher going with the 16s over 15s, not 1 inch. 1/2 inch on the bottom + 1/2 inch on the top = 1 inch total.
One word of warning, an LT tyre run at too low a pressure will destroy itself and explode quickly. Been there and done that and the tyre half ripped off the trailer guard. But the case still held air. It had a tek screw in it. I do the trucky trick these days when I stop I use a piece of steel and just tap the walls. You will soon recognise the different sound of low and adequate pressure. If in doubt carry a decent tyre guage.
Two years ago we replaced the original (made in USA) Goodyear marathons that came new on our 2003 Coachmen TT. I only replaced them because of the age but we now have Chinese marathons. Time will tell.
ST tires may have strong sidewalls, but it is a fallacy to think that they are made to take sway, etc. more. This is like the difference between “steer axle” tires and “drive axle” tires in medium duty and heavy duty trucks. Drive axle tires and ST trailer tires take weight, steer axles tires and “LT” tires take weight and side load. An “ST” or trailer service tire is NOT made to take the side loads that are present on vehicle tires. I repeat, they are NOT made to take the lateral loads that vehicle front tires experience while turning. In my understanding, “ST” tires actually have a more flexible sidewall because in multiple axle setups, the tire scrub and subsequent sidewall flex experienced by the tires during extremely tight (SLOW) turns is necessary as to not exacerbate migration of the plies across the carcass - which is, by the way, what you experienced with the one tire where he was talking about the “high spot” the ply/plies had shifted in that area. There are many different variables that affect trailer tires, but, the biggest being that most trailers tires are simply overloaded. But, even if they are not, they are being run very close to max capacity. When you run these tire at max/overloaded capacity, then subject them to increased heat, and flex, and the huge kinetic loading/unloading forces that a tire which is many times not balanced, you then will experience increased stress failures. It’s not in defense of the manufacturers of these tires, by any means. But, these tires that are on most trailers are simply underspec’d for American road usage. Then, if you simply do the calculations of expansion due to temperature increase of the air volume in the tire, you find out that most tires, when they “suddenly blow out” are running way too high psi and this heat/psi increase is what ultimately caused the failure. As a rule, never rely on, “that’s what they installed on it.” If you spec your weight capacity of the installed tires where the GVW of the trailer axles are equal to 80% of the tire’s max capacity and you will be able to run these tires filled at less than max psi, with a comfortable weight capacity safety margin, and, most importantly, with a minimum of failures.
A thing to note. Tire have a 5 year expiration date even on the shelve. I brought one a RRR a special high mpg tire. And was awarded a 30% discount because it was 3 yr old well I had a bubble and tire separation. In a yr and was told that I had the discount because of 3 yr old. But he gave me 10% credit on a diffrent tire. He say it worst in hot weather or if you go about 28 lb air say tire rubber is only good for 5 years the tire separate from the steel belt as the steal heat up. I read online and it true. So ask your tire guy what is the day of your tire. If it close to a year ask for a discount .
Look at your tire side wall how thin it is. Then look at light truck tire. My van I put truck tire good rich all terrain . But this tire is not good in snow or mud. Get the mud grabber.
iv had good luck with them on my Nash 22H, they also are a spitting image of Tow Max, China crap just like Good year Marathon that is now made in china..
When it was time to replace our trailer tires. We checked both Discount tire and Bell Tire. Both had better LT tires at lower price than the same weight rating in trailer tire. However both refused to sell the LTs stating they can not legally put anything other than a trailer rated tire on a trailer. After the fact I spoke to other tire shops and was told that was not true.
O hail ya! That's a good move. Just be sure the load range and weight rating on the tire matches your particular RV GVWR. I drive truck about 750 miles a day and today I saw a Junkload of Trailers with blown tires today. Normal Spring thing. Anyone who absolutely MUST stick to the ST tires The Horse Hauling crowd use Maxxis M8008 ST 10 ply and they hold up LIKE LT tires for a better price and can be had on Amazon! Link it! There are virtually NO ST tires made in USA. I have no idea why But traveling I have seen a BUTLOAD of GoodRear tires that have failed on RVs. There have been some deaths.
I blew a West Lake tire off my rig last fall on a cool fall day after driving only 35 miles. I checked the air and did a visual inspection just prior to leaving. Tires look brand new.
Actually, while the rim is an inch larger, they're only a half inch taller... the other half inch is above the axle... If you get tires with a taller sidewall then you have added a little bit there too...
As explained to me, tire brands do not necessarily mean made in the USA or China, etc. However I try to stay with American made brands like Goodyear Endurance because I feel the tire requirements must be met whereas in other countries there is no real control over quality, etc. Some Chinese tire contractors are O.K. but you cannot determine that by brand name. Also, I have heard some States, i.e. California can fine you for running LT tires instead of ST tires, just saying, I would check before spending hundreds of dollars on new tires, it really stinks to find out you spent $1,000 or more on unusable tires.
What age were the Marathon tires? in UK your tire on a caravan have to be changed 5 years after year of manufacture of the tire. The tires also have to be LT.
I was just wondering if you had weighed each wheel on your trailer and if you were within the load range of the tire. The other thing I was wondering is if you went up a load range at any point in your tire adventures. I know a friend of mine was having issues with his race car trailer and went up a level in load range and the issues seemed to go away, at least so far. Keep up the good work guys.
I heard that since the tires are larger in size that it made for a "tight fit" in the wheel well. And therefore, blowouts would cause MORE damage. Wondering if that is true. I've heard other folks modifying their trailers by making the wheel well larger in size.
Hey yall, as you may remember, I am a travel nurse and I have a 28ft camper trailer. So far I have put 12,700 miles on mine in about a year and a half. I run trailer tires, but I am thinking about getting new tires- I really dont trust the ones I have. With the LT tires, is it ok for them to sit in one spot for 3 months? I wouldn't think it would hurt anything, would it? Sean, I'm glad you are better. Kristy, you are as lovely as ever, take care of our boy. Yall get down to peach park and have some icecream for me, I'm in California, so i cant get my own. Billy
I borrow a friends trailer and I said the tires don’t look to healthy. The tread was perfect but the rubber just didn’t look to healthy He said oh no they are only a couple years old. About 2 weeks later just setting there it blew a large hole right through the perfect tread. I did a little research and found they have a date on them. It was 8 years old. Ouch, way past use date.
look at the l\tt weight to tire capacity. TT Manufacturers are putting the smallest tire on possible with little excess capacity. My rig load and with full tank of water is only 5800# but I have over 8000# of tire capacity. Have up grader to Goodyear endurance as the other were getting old. last tires I blow out were 10 years old and I blow 3 in one day (know I was riding on a time boom but did not expect 3 to go the same day).
Was the problem with the ST tires or the Goodyear Marathons or the batch of tires that were produced or did you have the right load rating was there a design change in what you purchased? There are too many variables in your changes for me to base any decision on my part.
Often yes, but the last set of Michelin snows I put on the wife's kia were made in... PRC, not sure why they dressed up the name but its still China in the end and they are a fine tire.
@@--_DJ_-- Its not that China = CRAP. It is Cheap = CRAP. Bear in mind the iPhones are made in China, and they are certainly not crap. One gets what one pays for, regardless of where the stuff is made.
You forgot to mention LT tires are also for the steer axle, plenty of side loads is considered in their design. And 16" wheels are inevitable. 15" tire choices have really diminished the past couple years.
Wish would you say it the better roadside for a RVers , We had AAA years age , But they wouldn't take our 5th wheel when our truck broke down , so we now have Good sam , But we haven't had to use them for our Rv yet , Just for my car , and they wouldn't bring it any other place but there our nearby shop, my house was only 3 miles more, So I had to pay them extra money to have it go to my house, Wish I wasn't happy about, Especially after having them for over 10 year, and that being my first incident... So do you have a favorite for roadside
Had marathon tires on my featherlite gooseneck cow trailer. Had major blowouts ruined fenders. Went to Carlyle tires higher speed rating higher. Weight rating
Really nice drone B roll throughout this video. Appreciate the production quality of your videos!
THANK YOU!!! This is the video I needed to see. Our rig has ST235/80R 16 tires and I told my wife our first upgrade would be the tires. I've seen too many videos of tire blow outs from cheap tires and I'd rather pay now for 4 tires than pay later for the potential damage a blow out can do to our home. Thanks for the great advice! Travel safe!
Ck out Sailun or Gladiator tire. Both have a 14 ply rating. They come in 235/85 16". Very heavy duty.
I dumped the china bombs that came with my trailer after 1 1/2 years as the steel belt was showing between the tread..which there was a lot left. Went with Goodyear Endurance and have good luck so far. The good folks at Discount Tire in Phoenix will do a thorough check on them when I ask. I have seen the damage a blow-out can do and it's not something I ever want to happen. I will look into LT next time around as I already have 16" rims. Thanks for another fine presentation.
I went from Marathons to Endurance over a year ago and have better than 10K on them. Only issue has been one valve leak. I highly recommend getting a TPMS system to monitor tire status. That was what warned me about the leaking tire valve.
Ditto!
WE HAVE A 30 ' 5TH WHEEL with a gross weight of just under 12,000 pounds when fully loaded. It came new with Marathons on which we put 20,000 miles including 14,000 miles last year on a sojourn through Alaska and Canada. We also ran the Dempster and Denali Highways and the Dalton as far as the Yukon River. Paid careful attention to tire pressure and only suffered one flat from a nail which we repaired. No other issues. I replaced them with Endurance trailer tires because I needed more than 3000 pounds capacity per tire to carry the load. The LT tires the shop first tried to sell me were all less than 3000# rating and would be overloaded on our 5'er. LTs might work well if you are within design limits but it is unwise to use LTs on rigs that exceed the LT capacity limits.
Of course we would never suggest using tires that aren't within the weight requirements of your trailer. We were just answering the often asked question of why we switched wheels/tires and why. Each trailer is different, and you should definitely speak with your trailer manufacturer and a trusted tire technician before making any changes. :)
The extra expense for rims you mention is small compared to the bill the blown tire can cause. A friend of ours blew one out on I-5 in California on their 5 wheel, the bill was $6,000. as it took out the floor above which was their kitchen and littering the highway with all their cooking gear.
Sailun Trailer tires are by far the best tires I have ever had. My wife and I are on our 2nd fifth wheel our latest being a triple axle toy-hauler. We have had blow outs issue in the past and I have pulled many different style trailers, and the Sailun tires are build like a semi trailer tire. If you ever have an issue out on the road and you can’t find a LT you like I highly recommend the Sailun. Y’all have a great channel we really enjoy watching.
I'm in total agreement. I'm in a DP now, but when I had trailers, I also went with LT.
Regular tire pressure checks, cold, hot, and as altitude changes. Rotation and rebalancing can spot problems. An infrared camera or thermometer can be great for identifying failing tires, overheated bearings, and angry spouses before disaster strikes.
Glad to see you went to a better tire. Last year we bought 4 new Goodyear Endurance tires. According to Goodyear site they are made in America, have an E load range and an N speed rating (that is a 10 ply and 87 mph speed rating). Sadly we have only been able to travel about 1000 miles since installed but they feel very stable. I will try to get back if we are able to get more miles this summer.
I bought a Hercules tire for a spare, and the dealer insisted it was a U.S.A. made tire. It said “made in China” right on it. I learned to read the tire, not believe the dealer
Changed from marathons to mitch LTX... love 'em... no problems since changing just like you found... I only had 300 miles on the goodyears... and already had a bubble in the tread... thump thump thump.. got so bad you could feel it in the PU TV... and I remember'd what vinnie and you all said.. and so looking at the TV tires manufacture.. we stopped in and had both the tires and rims changed at the same time... LOVE IT... thanks for the video but their are some who still were not convinced that the marathons are better... but.. we saw the light and got ours changed over.. and so glad we did...
Installed new China tires but upgraded to heavier duty (500 lbs more capacity each tire.) Was broken down in Texas, in the clutches of Camping World at the time and was short on cash. Will see how well they do. So far so good (about 3,000 miles.) Good idea about road service contract!
We learned on our first toy hauler (triple axle) to switch to LT's and have never once had an issue on any of our trailers since. We even switched to LT's on our boat trailer for the same reasons you outlined here.
My experience with "trailer " tires was i never wore one out. They all self destructed before they wore out. No matter the brand or origin. I began buying all truck tires. Then i actually wore them out and got the full life out of them. Thanks for sharing
Great post. I’ve never heard of anyone who switched to truck tires from trailer tires and regretted it.
I use Load Range C Goodyear Wrangler 14 inch Light Truck tires on my utility trailer. Same type used on the postal LLV vehicles. When I had my car trailer I initially had ST tires. With in 2 years I had Load Ranger D LT tires.
Just in case you don't know, there's a class action lawsuit against Goodyear over the marathon tires
Thanks, I did not know!
www.tirebusiness.com/article/20010129/ISSUE/301299984/class-action-vs-goodyear
Note: It was brought to my attention this article is not current information. I apologize. Rather than just delete it I will preserve it for a look at the history in the situation.
And they are still selling them, how STUPID.
There is also a class action suit because of the tires that have been installed on class A motorhomes and big rigs.
From my understand there currently is NOT a class action lawsuit, just a law firm investigating the potential of seeking class action status.
I saw I had Load range C tires. I added up the total weight of what they could carry and saw I was at capacity...with the trailer UNLOADED! I was changing them already because of the China Bomb syndrome BEFORE I blew any tires out. Sold them because they were new to offset the price a bit. I went up to a 225 75/r16 load range E. No problems. I checked the axle rating and I'm ok there. I noticed the trailer tracks much better with these bigger American made tires. The cost is worth it.
I repair horse trailers for a living. On all of the lighter 6 horse trailers on down to 2 H bumper pulls if they have 16 inch wheels get Yokohama G056s I get 4 years out of my 5th wheel tires. The side walls don't heat check after 2 years of Arizona sun.
When you had a blowout did you change the tire next to it, because when it blows it damages the good one. Being a experienced RVer I'm sure you knew.
We had one of our "China Bombs" blow out in Florida this winter. I had just looked at our TPM and that tire was reading 71 PSI, up from 64 when we had started our trip 20 miles before that. (65 cold PSI recommended by Forest River) Fortunately our TPM alerted us immediately and with minimal damage(A wheel skirt broken and dangling). After researching TT tires on Consumer Report, I went searching for Goodyear Endurance and found they are only in a class E versus the junk Chinese class D from Forest River. Replaced all 4 tires and immediately noticed how much better the trailer towed. After changing a flat in the rain beside I4 in Orlando we now have a roadside assistance policy. Our TPM system paid for itself that day. It is amazing to find how many companies are putting undersized junk tires on RV's since we have been talking to other RV owners.
And don't forget to have them balanced. Too many tire shops think that trailer tires don't need it, but they do! Your tires will wear more evenly and will last a lot longer.
Also much better for the wheel bearings
After balancing the tires, the trailer actually pulls a lot better. I had the new 14 ply tires for my gooseneck balanced and it pulls like a dream on the interstate now. 8 unbalanced tires used to make that thing shake the truck a little bit at speed, now you'd barely know it's back there if it wasn't wider than the truck where you can see both sides of the front bulkhead in the mirrors.
Gonagain Absolutely !!!! A balanced tire runs smoother and quieter and will last longer !!! Many tire shops won't balance to save a few bucks so they can quote a lower price !!! BUT an honest tire shop will will out hesitation balance the tires !!!
I had a blowout on my camper (little 180/75r13 trailer tires) it messed up my whole floor and destroyed my power cord to the trailer....so i lucky had a spare and pulled my trailer with a tire blowed out and locked up(cord wrapped around the tire) a half mile to a gas station and changed to the spare....then drove to the very next Walmart and changed all 4 of my camper tires out for 4 p metric car tires....by hand in the Walmart parking lot
Did you have tire pressure monitoring system on any of the failed tires???? And do you now? The distance you go I would advise them regardless of you tire / Enjoy your videos
I too had 3 or 4 blowouts on my 38' 5th wheel within 2 years of owning it when using 15" D rated ST tires & wheels. The 15" tires where purchased shortly after I purchased the rig. I then flipped the axles (put the axle under the springs and went to 16" E rated pickup truck tires & wheels. I flipped the axle to gain more clearance for the tires and getting in and out of parking lots, for unknown obstacles while backwoods camping, etc. No problems after 5 years. I sold the remaining 15" tires and wheels on Craig's list to recoup some of my investment as they will work fine for a utility trailer.
2 yrs ago I brought our trailer home at the end of the season and noticed I had a crack in the sidewall of our TT that was only 3yrs old. It sits on a site for most of the year except for the 2 trips we make a year so I knew they would need replaced. I think they were Powermax by Tow King and I went out and the tire with the crack was flat so I inflated it and air was coming out of the crack. Bought 4 Carlisle Tires put them on and have not had an issue or seen any problems driving in the extreme heat on the interstate.
My toyhauler and flatbed both have LT tires. No STs allowed on my stuff.
@C.S.Allen Why? They don't care if junk ST tires come apart and tear out the side of your RV. ST tires are an industry-wide scam. The only thing "special" about Special Trailer tires is the extra profit they make selling substandard tires.
Michelins weather crack really fast though, so keep the protectant 303 on them
I've been running Michelin's for over 40 years and never had a weather crack in any of them. I live in the Sacramento valley in California where it gets over a 100 degrees in the summer more time than you want. Never put protection products on them.
Great write up about tires. We are the airstream owners used one set of Goodyear Maraton and had one blow up. A new set is the Marathon Endurance. One suggestion to check your insurance coverage before switching to LT type tires on tour TT.
I’m a life long user of the LT Michelin’s but now a convert to the Bridgestone Duller HT. Amazingly quite and smooth riding.
I went through 6 marathons on my single axle boat trailer with my boat trailer from 2001 to 2006. My new Searay in 2006 had a double axle with Marathons and blew all 4 tires in 3 years.
I worked as a tire technician for 17 years as well as an ASE certified tech. Owning trailers myself. 4 Horse trailer, utility, etc. That load range tires above the factory specifications, and balance the trailer tires! YES! BALANCE! It will almost ensure a prolonged smooth ride for both truck and trailer. And a Arizona highway in the Summer is unbelievably hot. short cool down periods Would be recommended but not mandatory. Although not mandatory nitrogen filled tires will keep things cool. Vacationing with your wife and children on an unfamiliar highway makes you do everything possible for an uneventful vacation. money becomes no object when you’re stuck on the side of a highway in the dark with your family.
I use 10 ply. I've pulled chunks of metal out them and never got a flat. Got a good deal on them from a small independent tire shop in Sherwood AR. Bill's tires If I remember.
Great call on the rubber, I would like to add I drove as a professional at 62 mph and put on 365000 miles in 4 1/2 years. So higher speeds aren't really needed. Drive in the slow lane and enjoy.
That's pretty low mileage for 4.5 years.... I've run 160k+ in a year.
SWIFT. What can I say?
The only ST tires i will use. Are 14 ply. But even at that. LT is made for weight and shedding the heat. Much safer.
No, ST is made for weight and shedding heat
Right! I learn more from feeling sidewalls and tread than I do from my pressure gauge.
Our trailer (LANCE) came with Goodyear Endurance tires. I believe Lance switched over to them a couple years ago and it appears most owners are very happy with their performance. We're taking our first trip to Yellowstone in mid-May so keeping my fingers crossed they hold up well for our trip.
I had 15k miles on our 5th wheel when it was obvious the time had come to replace the Marathons it was equipped with. I put LT tires on and now, 22k miles later, they still look new. I have a remote IR heat sensor and check the temperature of each tire every time I stop.
I had a blow out on my Travel Trailer at 55mph with the ST tires. At that time my trailer had only 5000 miles on it. We did not even feel it or even know about it until another Driver honked at us and pointed it out. We just happened to be near a shopping center. We pulled in to the parking lot and I changed the tire myself while my wife and kids went and got cold drinks for everybody. We were lucky, there was no damage other than the tire.
I have those same tires on my trailer. With a dry weight of 8,500. So far so good. But I worry constantly about the tires. Never go faster than 65, even though I travel in the West. I’ve had trucks that have had 15” rims so I think I can LTs that will fit my rims. The trailer tires I’m running are about their half life.
I think I will use Goodyear Endurance ST trailer tires. Never use Walmart Marathon tires I would not put them on my lawn tractor.
Never travel more than a few hours away, but we’ve had several blowouts with trailer tires. Going to be swapping out our tires at the end of the season.
Nice video, I normally buy american guy except trailer tires. I went through many tires on my 40 ft 5er, until I went to Sailun! The are twice as thick (tread depth) and any other tire. Never had a problem since. I put 20k miles on my trailer with them. You will never get that on a domestic tire.
We just got GY Endurance all the way'round. We had a tire failure on our TT in S. Montgomery and that singular experience was it for the stock Trailer Kings. We had a similar (out of nowhere) failure with our (equally as bad) Gladiators. The Endurance is a speed rated tire, so you can go a little faster with them. Also, I packed EVERYTHING to change a tire myself. Our trailer maintenance people put our tires on WAY TOO TIGHT. I now have a beaker bar, impact socket, and a better jack, to get us out of a crack. If these tires go, I'm getting the LT tires. We're absolutely done with Chinese tires.
I am a fleet mechanic. For years we used Goodyear Marathon with good results. Not anymore. For whatever reason they do not hold up. Broken belts, tread separation etc. We had one that was a spare mounted on the spare tire rack that the belts separated. It had never been on the ground. Brand new tire. There is a Chinese made trailer tire with the same tread design as Marathons. We tried these with bad results. A guy with a trailer broke down at the end of my street. You guessed it- he had a Marathon tire that the belts separated. Best to avoid all Chinese tires. Pay that little bit more and keep you and your family safe.
They used to be 10ply rated and they replaced them with other options. The Cargo series and now the Endurance. So when they replaced the 10ply marathon with the Cargo, they built an 8pr marathon for medium trailer use instead, but people misapplied them to trailers too heavy for them. The tires are just as good as ever trailer companied just cheaped out and fitted tires that then has to run at their extreme limits for far too long.
I have owned two travel trailers and both had the Goodyear marathon tires. I set pressure to 45 lbs not 60. I like most run a little faster down the highway. I have never had a blowout on these tires ever. I firmly believe that Goodyear set the pressure limit to high and hence blowouts on the highway. I am not saying these tires are good tires. I’m saying that Goodyear screwed up. I also check my tires with a laser heat gun when I pull off at rest stops to check and inspect them. I’m pretty sure someone will say I’m risking everything by doing what I do, but I have never had a blowout. And it’s not just I’m lucky. When these tires need to be changed I will look into LT tires but for now. I’m good
I think you're smart to run at a lower pressure. The laser heat gun in an excellent idea! We may add that to our tool box.
in the automotive world i have seen many of the lower end goodyear car tires have slipped belts just like those trailer tires, The more expensive premium goodyear line seems to be a bit better but I generally stick with firestone/bridgestone. Michelen aint bad but they seem to be more prone to dryrot and the sidewallls arent as stiff as other brand but thats probably why the ride good and smoother. You get what you pay for no mater what.
You failed to mention the weight rating right on side of the tire is usually a little higher on the LT.
I use Goodyear endurance on my tt load E 15” because of recommended and availability . Didn’t know I could get LT load E in the 15” or I would of looked into it more. Have bee running those LTX on my trucks for years and years never a problem.
Thanks for the tire info.
Aluminum wheels are also excellent for dissipating heat👍🏻
Lol we had so many blowouts on a travel trailer that we got the tire change down to under 5 minutes. The problem is they put the gvw right at if you put a package of candy in the trailer it's over the weight.
I don't know the quality of the trailer tires now but the Goodyear marathon's used to be great. But I guess not now. We've gotten LOADS OF MILES out of Carlisle HD tires the ones with the names in the tread. I put 225 75 r 15 on a trailer that had 205 75 r 14s on it and the temperature of the tires is night and day.
Airstream now uses Good Year Endurance on most trailers. US made, E speed rated. So far, knock on wood, mine have been good. I also use a TST TPMS and watch for any sign of air loss. Michelin does not make trailer tires. The LT are Light Truck tires and according to Michelin are not approved for trailers, therefore no warranty. Many Airstreamers are switching to 16" rims with Michelins, and have good luck. Back in the day, I couldn't tell you what brand tires I had. They were round and black and stayed inflated most of the time.
Now I watch like a scientist.
An interesting sidetnote. An Airstreamer had a blowout shredded the tire, nothing but the rim left. So he stored the rim in the spare carrier under the Airstream and it fell out on the highway! Did lots of damage. Seems without a tire, the frame of the carrier lets the rim slide through!
My blowouts happen on the traffic side for some reason. I have the Goodyear Endurance now, and am praying for good results.
Were you using a TPM system? If so, did you have any early warning that the tire was failing?
Part (all?) of the problem is they appear to have torsion bar axles. I had a double axle trailer with torsion bars and when I'd arrive at my destination stuff in the trailer was generally all over the place. And I frequently had to buy all new tires on a trip. My new trailer is triple axle (also carrying 50% more weight) with "walking beam" axles and have had zero problems, including I left a fire extinguisher standing upright on the floor, and 700 miles later when I got home, it was still standing upright. I'll never again do torsion bars... NEVER.
Very good advise before purchasing a trailer. This upgrade is critical.
Back in 1984 or 85 our 1978 prowler trailer head for Firestone bias-ply car tires on it 14 in. a few people told me that I wasn't supposed to have those tires on there now I say what that's what was on it when I got it and we pull that thing I would say overall about 30,000 miles never had a bit of problems with them... Then when we sold the trailer in 1992 those same tires are on it from when we bought the trailer. And they still had some tread on them yet not much but some... LOL 😋 😂😁 👍 👍 🤗🤗 🙏 🙏♥️♥️
Can't go wrong with Michelins, and Costco has great prices on them, especially when they're on sale. I think you couldn't find them in 15" because of the 225 section width. 235 is more common and might have worked just as well as the 225s.
We did this upgrade in 2016, and Michelin didn't make a 15 inch LT tire back then, but I believe they do now.
I only run Sailun tires on my 37ft 5th wheel....never had an issue. 5yrs and well over 20k miles and they still look like new
I've had three trailers over the last 35 years and I have always used Goodyear Marathon ST tire. I have only had one tire blow out. It was damaged by a piece of fire wood the blew out of the truck bed.
I have some small ST tires on my utility / motorcycle trailer. 205/75/15. I bought a spare, but it's still a China bomb. Guess I should look into LT tires for my trips to CA and back. Especially since my average speed is over the rating of these tires.
the upside of 16 inch is that you could buy the 16 inch tires truckers use on the lowboy flatbed which start at 16 ply.. .. their pretty reasonable (about 200 a tire).. but you usually have to find a repair center at a truck stop to find em.. .. my experience ..
7:30 the difference in ride height is only half an inch going from 15's to 16's, jsuk :)
Mickey Mantle autographed card set..... Niiiiicc
How do airplanes fly? Question for many of us especially new to trying travel trailers Weight and balance are key factors I bet your water tank and sink are in that area where you had the blowout at on the right side of your trailer I bet the blowout was on the same side of the trailer previous blowouts that is I bet you make sharper right turns then you do left turns In a bit if you have aluminum rims with a future blowout that the aluminum rims will not bend but they will break so you will have to replace the wheel and tire at the same time I bet the larger tractor it’s on the airstream makes the airstream more wobbly And spongy on bumpsSo to prevent all of that when you make turns take them wider so you don’t find up the axles underneath the travel trailer check your air pressure every time you decide to go per day and make sure you have the travel trailer balance out correctly that is if you have water on one side and nothing on the other side you know it’s going to be outside heavier front have your back and we are top-heavy those all are key factors of preventing a blowout
You know what else causes blowouts and tire wear? Improper axle parallelzation. Happens with big 18 wheel trailers. You have to get those wheels off, maybe get under it and take measurements of the axles to make sure they truly paralleled and centered.
We did not wait for an issue with the Marathons based on all the well known problems with them and also replaced them with the same Michelin tires. FYI, your trailer will only sit 1/2 inch higher going with the 16s over 15s, not 1 inch. 1/2 inch on the bottom + 1/2 inch on the top = 1 inch total.
One word of warning, an LT tyre run at too low a pressure will destroy itself and explode quickly. Been there and done that and the tyre half ripped off the trailer guard. But the case still held air. It had a tek screw in it. I do the trucky trick these days when I stop I use a piece of steel and just tap the walls. You will soon recognise the different sound of low and adequate pressure. If in doubt carry a decent tyre guage.
I've got 16 inch Trailer Kings and am going to Sailuns S637 16 inch commercial trailer tires. Lots of good reviews on the Sailuns!
I would highly recommend the General brand tire. Their proven to be very good and inexpensive. I would recommend using light truck or heavier rating
I only purchase Michelin tires due to previous experiences such as you have experienced. Okay, I admit they are not on my aluminum boat trailer.
Two years ago we replaced the original (made in USA) Goodyear marathons that came new on our 2003 Coachmen TT. I only replaced them because of the age but we now have Chinese marathons. Time will tell.
ST tires may have strong sidewalls, but it is a fallacy to think that they are made to take sway, etc. more. This is like the difference between “steer axle” tires and “drive axle” tires in medium duty and heavy duty trucks. Drive axle tires and ST trailer tires take weight, steer axles tires and “LT” tires take weight and side load. An “ST” or trailer service tire is NOT made to take the side loads that are present on vehicle tires. I repeat, they are NOT made to take the lateral loads that vehicle front tires experience while turning. In my understanding, “ST” tires actually have a more flexible sidewall because in multiple axle setups, the tire scrub and subsequent sidewall flex experienced by the tires during extremely tight (SLOW) turns is necessary as to not exacerbate migration of the plies across the carcass - which is, by the way, what you experienced with the one tire where he was talking about the “high spot” the ply/plies had shifted in that area. There are many different variables that affect trailer tires, but, the biggest being that most trailers tires are simply overloaded. But, even if they are not, they are being run very close to max capacity. When you run these tire at max/overloaded capacity, then subject them to increased heat, and flex, and the huge kinetic loading/unloading forces that a tire which is many times not balanced, you then will experience increased stress failures. It’s not in defense of the manufacturers of these tires, by any means. But, these tires that are on most trailers are simply underspec’d for American road usage. Then, if you simply do the calculations of expansion due to temperature increase of the air volume in the tire, you find out that most tires, when they “suddenly blow out” are running way too high psi and this heat/psi increase is what ultimately caused the failure.
As a rule, never rely on, “that’s what they installed on it.” If you spec your weight capacity of the installed tires where the GVW of the trailer axles are equal to 80% of the tire’s max capacity and you will be able to run these tires filled at less than max psi, with a comfortable weight capacity safety margin, and, most importantly, with a minimum of failures.
Goodyear Endurance tires. Made in the USA and have had no problems. Speed rated for 87 mph
A thing to note. Tire have a 5 year expiration date even on the shelve. I brought one a RRR a special high mpg tire. And was awarded a 30% discount because it was 3 yr old well I had a bubble and tire separation. In a yr and was told that I had the discount because of 3 yr old. But he gave me 10% credit on a diffrent tire. He say it worst in hot weather or if you go about 28 lb air say tire rubber is only good for 5 years the tire separate from the steel belt as the steal heat up. I read online and it true. So ask your tire guy what is the day of your tire. If it close to a year ask for a discount .
Look at your tire side wall how thin it is. Then look at light truck tire. My van I put truck tire good rich all terrain . But this tire is not good in snow or mud. Get the mud grabber.
iv had good luck with them on my Nash 22H, they also are a spitting image of Tow Max, China crap just like Good year Marathon that is now made in china..
When it was time to replace our trailer tires. We checked both Discount tire and Bell Tire. Both had better LT tires at lower price than the same weight rating in trailer tire. However both refused to sell the LTs stating they can not legally put anything other than a trailer rated tire on a trailer. After the fact I spoke to other tire shops and was told that was not true.
Glad y'all are safer!!!
O hail ya! That's a good move. Just be sure the load range and weight rating on the tire matches your particular RV GVWR. I drive truck about 750 miles a day and today I saw a Junkload of Trailers with blown tires today. Normal Spring thing. Anyone who absolutely MUST stick to the ST tires The Horse Hauling crowd use Maxxis M8008 ST 10 ply and they hold up LIKE LT tires for a better price and can be had on Amazon! Link it! There are virtually NO ST tires made in USA. I have no idea why But traveling I have seen a BUTLOAD of GoodRear tires that have failed on RVs. There have been some deaths.
I blew a West Lake tire off my rig last fall on a cool fall day after driving only 35 miles. I checked the air and did a visual inspection just prior to leaving. Tires look brand new.
Actually, while the rim is an inch larger, they're only a half inch taller... the other half inch is above the axle... If you get tires with a taller sidewall then you have added a little bit there too...
As explained to me, tire brands do not necessarily mean made in the USA or China, etc. However I try to stay with American made brands like Goodyear Endurance because I feel the tire requirements must be met whereas in other countries there is no real control over quality, etc. Some Chinese tire contractors are O.K. but you cannot determine that by brand name. Also, I have heard some States, i.e. California can fine you for running LT tires instead of ST tires, just saying, I would check before spending hundreds of dollars on new tires, it really stinks to find out you spent $1,000 or more on unusable tires.
Our ridge came with marathon tires we are newbie
What age were the Marathon tires? in UK your tire on a caravan have to be changed 5 years after year of manufacture of the tire. The tires also have to be LT.
I was just wondering if you had weighed each wheel on your trailer and if you were within the load range of the tire. The other thing I was wondering is if you went up a load range at any point in your tire adventures. I know a friend of mine was having issues with his race car trailer and went up a level in load range and the issues seemed to go away, at least so far. Keep up the good work guys.
LT's all the way it what I currently run, no issues.
I hadcarlise tires on my car trailer ,switched to marathons they were high
Michelin Defender are my favorite tires and I'll run them on anything I can find an equivalent size.
I heard that since the tires are larger in size that it made for a "tight fit" in the wheel well. And therefore, blowouts would cause MORE damage. Wondering if that is true. I've heard other folks modifying their trailers by making the wheel well larger in size.
Hey yall, as you may remember, I am a travel nurse and I have a 28ft camper trailer. So far I have put 12,700 miles on mine in about a year and a half. I run trailer tires, but I am thinking about getting new tires- I really dont trust the ones I have. With the LT tires, is it ok for them to sit in one spot for 3 months? I wouldn't think it would hurt anything, would it?
Sean, I'm glad you are better. Kristy, you are as lovely as ever, take care of our boy. Yall get down to peach park and have some icecream for me, I'm in California, so i cant get my own.
Billy
I borrow a friends trailer and I said the tires don’t look to healthy. The tread was perfect but the rubber just didn’t look to healthy He said oh no they are only a couple years old. About 2 weeks later just setting there it blew a large hole right through the perfect tread. I did a little research and found they have a date on them. It was 8 years old. Ouch, way past use date.
look at the l\tt weight to tire capacity. TT Manufacturers are putting the smallest tire on possible with little excess capacity. My rig load and with full tank of water is only 5800# but I have over 8000# of tire capacity. Have up grader to Goodyear endurance as the other were getting old. last tires I blow out were 10 years old and I blow 3 in one day (know I was riding on a time boom but did not expect 3 to go the same day).
Was the problem with the ST tires or the Goodyear Marathons or the batch of tires that were produced or did you have the right load rating was there a design change in what you purchased? There are too many variables in your changes for me to base any decision on my part.
China = CRAP
Often yes, but the last set of Michelin snows I put on the wife's kia were made in... PRC, not sure why they dressed up the name but its still China in the end and they are a fine tire.
@@--_DJ_-- Its not that China = CRAP. It is Cheap = CRAP.
Bear in mind the iPhones are made in China, and they are certainly not crap.
One gets what one pays for, regardless of where the stuff is made.
@@ctxeng That is what I said isn't it?
Yes, indeed
When I worked at Firestone we had customers that would buy transforce 10ply tires for their trailers
If you want to step up another notch try e load tire, 10ply.
Little advice run nitrogen in the tires it keeps the temperature and air pressure more constant especialy in desert heat
You forgot to mention LT tires are also for the steer axle, plenty of side loads is considered in their design.
And 16" wheels are inevitable. 15" tire choices have really diminished the past couple years.
Have had 6 tt last 30 years st are best if you donot exceed speed and weifht limit live in nevada desert never lost a tire just my 2 cents
Wish would you say it the better roadside for a RVers , We had AAA years age , But they wouldn't take our 5th wheel when our truck broke down , so we now have Good sam , But we haven't had to use them for our Rv yet , Just for my car , and they wouldn't bring it any other place but there our nearby shop, my house was only 3 miles more, So I had to pay them extra money to have it go to my house, Wish I wasn't happy about, Especially after having them for over 10 year, and that being my first incident... So do you have a favorite for roadside
I used to sell Goodyear tires in the 60's and they were the best, what happened?
If choosing Michelin the LT225/75R16 XPS Rib might be a good choice.
Had marathon tires on my featherlite gooseneck cow trailer. Had major blowouts ruined fenders. Went to Carlyle tires higher speed rating higher. Weight rating