What kind of tire do you use on your trailer? Trailer radials or truck radials?

On the LQ we run truck radials...235 85 16s...on the small 3horseGN we run trailer tires.

I have heard that truck radials on trailers 'break down' faster since the walls are not as strong for the weight. Thoughts?

I believe you should talk with someone else more knowledgeable, about the construction and usage of the LT and ST tires.

Consider the front tires of a loaded truck whilst encountering a curve. Not only must the tire support the weight of the vehicle, but must be able to support it during high side slip angles. This is much more extreme than the trailer will encounter. A radial tire is constructed to provide support with less slip, by the sidewall deflection it provides.

The truck's tires are located on each corner of the vehicle, which often results in varying loading as it's used. A trailer's tires are mounted in close proximity, and most often support each other and share common loading. The stresses on a trailer tire, with the same amount of loading, is less than the towing vehicle.

If a tire will not fail on the front of a truck, it will not fail sooner on the trailer.

We have an LQ that weighs in full at about 12k...

we are running 16s

we bought them at discount.

I am running Firestone Highway something 235/85 R 16 LT tires on my trailer.  It is a 4 horse with a 10 foot SW. 

On my 16 foot flat bed Jeep trailer I went through 6 new ST tires in 2 weeks between Ohio and Colorado and back one summer.  Goodyear said they got too hot, it was over 100* that day.  The truck did not have any issues with the LT tires.

Some questions for thought:

When is the last time anyone has heard of a loaded pick up, with the tires properly inflated, blowing two or three of them during a single trip?

How often has this malady been quite commonly reported with ST tires, new and old?

How many non commercial pick up owners, have LT tires that finally wear out at over 40K or so?

During that time, how many incurred blow outs?

How many miles do the ST tires travel before they should be replaced? ?

During that time, how many tires were replaced before they wore out, at a three or four year time mark, because of age?

Were the owners of pick up trucks and LT tires, ever told by the manufacturers, to only travel at a maximum of 65 MPH?

Were the owners of these trucks ever told that their steering would be unstable, because the sidewalls were too flexible?

How many pick up owners have rolled their trucks, because the tires' sidewalls were too unstable?

How many truck owners have been told not to use their vehicles on hot days?

How many of the millions of LT truck owners have complained about the service of their tires, compared to the fewer number of trailer owners?

How many trailer owners complain about blow outs, after they have switched to LT tires?

Why do the tire manufactures not restrict the usage of LT tires on trailers, but do so with ST tires on any passenger carrying vehicle?

You've had excellent results with your present tires. You do not need the additional capacity of a "G" rated tire, the "E's" are fine.

I would not down grade the tires to a ST rating, instead, purchase any number of American LT brands of the same size.

Originally written by loveduffy on 2012-06-12 9:45 PM

so if i am reading this right everybody is saying to NOT to put st tires on my trailer put the LT which is on them now 

That is correct...!! Unless you need a 14 ply load range "G" Goodyear G614RST... They are beyond expensive...

http://www.goodyear.com/cfmx/web/truck/line.cfm?prodline=160007

I just bought new tires for my 11' LQ.  Discount Tire recommended Carlisle ST235/80R16 load E tires.  I live in Arizona.  I used to live in Tennessee.  I had LT tires when there and I had a lot of blow-outs.  I hoped that switching to ST's would solve that problem.  So far, so good.  So why not buy STs?  I don't understand the reasons for the recommendation to buy LT tires for a trailer. 

You're going to really love those Carlisle's in about two years... You'll wish you had the LT tires back..... If you had alot of trouble in the past with LT tires, then they must have been OLD, OVERLOADED, and/or UNDERINFLATED... Here's a word from Carlisle on the ST tires... Bet your tire man didn't show you this....!!!  http://www.discounttire.com/dtcs/infoTrailerTireFacts.dos

Good luck with your ST tires in that Az. sunshine...

Hi - that doesn't help me understand the reason folks are advocating for LT tires on trailers.  Replacing tires every 3-4 years regardless of tread wear is a common practice for any tire.  So going with LT's isn't really getting me out of replacing tires any less frequently.   LTs are usually less expensive than ST's.  Is that why they're recommended, because they're cheaper? 

I chose the STs because their stiffer walls are supposed to help reduce trailer sway.  I protect them with RV wheel covers, which were pretty cheap at Wal-Mart.

Good idea on the part of covering the wheels... I just bought a 30' Proline flatbed trailer for hauling hay, trailer came equipped with 10 ply/LR-E  ST235/80-16 Trail Express "power touring" radials. They are rated at 3520# at 80 psi, at 65 mph.... Now I got to ask, where do you get your info on ST tires having a stiffer sidewall?? These Trail Express lr-E tires have a 2 ply polyester sidewall!!! I got 80 psi in the tires, and they look like a mashed chocolate doughnut. 6 tons of hay on the trailer and I would be afraid to pull it down my driveway to the mailbox and back... No doubt I would have at least one or two flats before I could make that mile run (probably while trying to turn around by ripping the sidewall out when turning). Trailer #2 is a 30' Proline, it has probably 7.5 tons on it, it has Michelin XPS-Rib LT235-85R16 radials rated at 3042# at 80 psi with a speed rating of 99 mph. These tires are six years old, rated at about 500# less per tire than the trail Express tires, but they are all steel construction.... Sitting there loaded at 80 psi there is hardly any squat, they stand tall, square and solid, trailer doesn't sway and pulls smooth when loaded or empty, wouldn't be afraid to strike out most anywhere with it loaded. Trailer #3 is a 25' Proline with 215-75R-17.5 rated at 4805# at 125 psi.... You can't look at the tires and tell if the trailer is loaded or not.... Probably should have them on all of the flat bed trailers, wear like iron and are tough as nails, all steel regroovable all steel casing. That would probably survive a mine field!!!

Read that link in the previous post I made..  http://www.discounttire.com/dtcs/infoTrailerTireFacts.dos  That should tell you anything you would ever want to know about "ST" tires. Light Truck tires are just plain better... Ever wonder why the ST tire has "For Trailer Use Only" stamped into the sidewall? Don't believe I would want an ST tire on the front of my pickup coming down Black Mountain loaded heavy!! Never seen any restrictions stamped on an LT tire, think about it!!

http://www.michelintruck.com/michelintruck/tires-retreads/tireInfo.do?tread=XPS%20RIB

http://www.easternmarine.com/hercules-215-75r-175-lt-heavy-duty-tire-load-range-h

Running these on the horse trailers now... http://www.goodyear.com/cfmx/web/truck/line.cfm?prodline=160007

What did you have to pay for the new Carlisles you bought ??? $400.0 for a set of four?

Good tires ain't cheap, Cheap tires ain't good!!!

You'll never live long enough to make me believe any of thse statements, specially the last one!!...  

Why Use An "ST" Tire

• "ST" tires feature materials and construction to meet the higher load requirements and demands of trailering.
• The polyester cords are bigger than they would be for a comparable "P" or "LT" tire.
• The steel cords have a larger diameter and greater tensile strength to meet the additional load requirements.
• "ST" tire rubber compounds contain more chemicals to resist weather and ozone cracking.

....... That info was supplied to Discount Tire from the Carlisle Tire Company... What would you guess that Discount Tire would recommend?? Their website is full of Carlisle products.. Buy and use what you want. A cheap poor quality tire will give you poor service. Doesn't matter if it's a "P", "ST", "LT", etc... A poorly cared for (under inflated, overloaded, curb bruised, improper aligned, etc)  top of the line Quality tire will fare no better.

If you go to Carlisle's web site, their products are advertised as being the greatest gift there is to man kind. If you read the voluminous reports, of many of the victims of their products that are continually posted within these forums, you will find many present and past unhappy Carlisle owners.

There are too many to be coincidentally accident prone, or to suffer unnecessary multiple blow outs.

I recently purchased a trailer that had almost new Carlisle tires installed. They lasted the trip home and one further day until the next morning, when I was able to have an appointment at the tire dealership for their exchange. There is no way I am ready to endanger the health and well being of my family and animals, on a product that is documented by many, to be poor in quality and hazarderous to own.

When I am aware of a potentially dangerous situation, and take no action to restrict my vulnerability, then I would be a fool. With the continual recommendations of many previous owners, relating their incidents with these products, I would definately be a fool to disregard their collective experiences.

FYI, I have never had a trailer blow out whilst using LT tires. I have never had a stability problem, nor any other tire related problem, with the usage of this equipment.

That is my unequivocal statement about this subject.

Probably going to be these tires...  http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=Goodyear&tireModel=Marathon+Radial&sidewall=Blackwall&partnum=38R6MARV3&tab=Sizes

Remember, this tire has a speed rating of 65 mph... Here's a way around that, don't know if I like it but here it is anyway. 

Based on industry standards, if tires with the ST designation are used at speeds between 66 and 75 mph, it is necessary to increase the cold inflation pressures by 10 psi above the recommended pressure for the load.
o Do not exceed the maximum pressure for the wheel.
o If the maximum pressure for the wheel prohibits the increase of air pressure, then the
maximum speed must be restricted to 65 mph.
o The cold inflation pressure must not exceed 10 psi beyond the inflation specified for the
maximum load of the tire.

Now, if you do increase the pressure by 10 psi, you must reduce the load.....

Myself, I would rather have either of these all steel tires, they cost alot more but I feel they are well worth it... http://www.goodyear.com/cfmx/web/truck/line.cfm?prodline=160007      http://www.michelinrvtires.com/michelinrv/tires-retreads/tireInfo.do?tread=XPS%20RIB