Looking for some new rubber on our travel trailer, not a ton of options out there (ST225/75r15, preferably E-rated), but was wondering which ones to avoid at least.
Looking for some new rubber on our travel trailer, not a ton of options out there (ST225/75r15, preferably E-rated), but was wondering which ones to avoid at least.
Even the american sounding brands are often made in china now. Although, that doesn't bother me, it's a big deal to some people.
How heavy is your trailer that you want E rated?
This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote
Only 5000 lbs loaded, but I've heard the stiffer sidewall on E rated significantly reduces swaying.
I've heard that advice for tow vehicle tires. I guess the same thing makes sense for the trailer as well. Although if you have sway issues, you should fix what's causing it first before masking it with stiffer tires.
Not exactly what you asked, but noticed princess auto has huge stacks of 15" Load range C tires on rims. Almost certainly the cheapest of the cheap in terms of quality. But if someone needs a spare or something, probably worth looking at.
This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote
Glad to see people at least hearing the questions... Saw 13 trailers on the side of the road while driving down to Kookcanusa this weekend. People need to be more aware of maintaining them rather then just pulling the trailer out of storage and expecting them to be perfect.
Since most trailer tires wear out with age and not treadwear, what is everyones rule of thumb for how old you'll go before replacing? Or is there a reliable method of inspecting them?
Here's how to read the date code on the sidewall FYI:
https://www.tirebuyer.com/education/...-of-your-tires
This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote
i have been looking at tires the past couple years as well, its insane the price difference south of the border, up here it's nearly $200 for a tire/wheel combo, and almost impossible to buy only the tire, and even if you do find only the tire the mounting offsets the savings anwyay. on amazon you can get the same assembly for $40 USD, so even if it ends up being $60CAD, its still only 1/3 the price, its crazy, i am almost tempted to take the trailer for a roadtrip down to great falls and have the tires shipped to the border, and change them out while i'm down there. Spend the weekend and have our exemption so they're tax free.
User title molested by Rage2.
This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote
^^ Fact CheckedOriginally Posted by JRSC00LUDEThis quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote
This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote
^ I noticed the same thing, since I've been looking. I could use some new axles anyways, so could get them done cheaper down there at the same time.
Have to keep my original rims though, too classic, and match the trailer.
This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show QuoteThis quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote
Anyone have an opinion abut getting a higher load range tire for the possibility of increased longevity? Load range C is fine for my trailer, even when it's loaded to the max, but I keep running across load range D for similar prices. I could run the load range D tires either at a higher pressure (max 65 vs 50) and they might run cooler, or just leave them at 50, and they'd still have sufficient load carrying capacity.
Also looks like some of the cheapo tires are still being made as bias-ply! Yikes, I don't think I'd be happy with that for something that's being towed down the highway for hours. Maybe on a low-speed application like farm equipment or something.
Thoughts?
This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote
i did upgrade my tires from a C load rating to a D load rating and also went up a little bit on size.
i don't really notice and difference other than a little piece of mind.
"Make Canada a better place, punch a Canuck fan in the face" - Jim Rome
Trailer tires are basically a scam. They are low-grade, cheaply made tires compared to an equivalent automotive tire. I know quite a few people that have great success and longevity running LT rated tires on their trailers.This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote
Having said that, I tow 30k-50k kms per year with my 13k lb (loaded) enclosed car trailer and always use the highest load range trailer tire in in a given size I can find. I've never had a blow out. I have had one flat due to a nail and no time to fix it so I tried fix-a-flat.
Heat is the enemy. Another issue is alignment, if you are getting funny tire wear, get it checked out! That's more heat, worse mpg towing, and you'll kill tires (or worse, scrub the tread off badly enough on a longer trip and have a blowout). Sometimes can be tough to tell, especially if the wear is on the inside.This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote
Bias ply are fine. The greater issue with bias ply is that they are much more oval across the tread face, requiring a user to watch tire pressures much more closely so they aren't running on the center of the tread or the sides of the tread. I wouldn't BUY bias ply, but I also wouldn't worry about replacing them until they are worn out or old.
Higher load range is usually better due to less heat. Also, with more belts, the chance of deformations (bulging) happening due to hitting something is reduced. Higher load range = tougher tire overall. 95% of tire blowouts are not actual "blowouts" due to overheating (that's pretty rare). Almost always there is some form of damage (nail causing low pressure or sidewall bulge from hitting a curb too hard).
Oh, and Princess Auto is a ripoff for trailer tires. They have one sale per year where their tires are maybe reasonable, but their pricing just ends up being the same as the wholesalers.
One place that trailer tires aren't a scam is in load carry rating. Trying to find appropriately rates LT tires in similar sizing is very tough for mid-sized trailers. If you are willing to switch wheels to a more common pickup truck size that can work.
Unless you can find me LT Load range C or D tires in 205/75R15. That would be cool.
This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote
I went with load range E Blacklion tires (Bobs suggestion). Twice the tire I need for my trailer weight (2850lbs max per tire), but I figure if I have a single tire blow out, I can still safely drive on the other one until I get to an area where it's safe to put on a spare.