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New User
Posts: 3
Location: calif | I recently purchased a new Kiefer Generatin 6 horse head to head. I love it with1 exception. Every time I have taken a long trip I have had a blow out on the l rear tire. Has anyone else experienced any trouble? Any ideas? |
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Expert
Posts: 3802
   
Location: Rocky Mount N.C. | Me no speak Chinese!! What ply are they? 10? 14? Got them aired up to the max? Are they some TOWMASTER, TOWMASTER II, TOWMASTER V, TRANSMASTER, HIWAYMASTER, SECURA. Powerstar II ST235/80R16LRE brand or something of the sorts? Pulling loaded, faster than 65 mph? I would be willing to bet, they are Towmaster II's!!!.... But I've been wrong before. I bet they're not Goodyear G-614RST's. Take the trailer back to where you bought it and ask them to put you a set of Made in the U.S.A. tires that will carry the weight of a loaded 6 horse trailer. What's the GVWR of your trailer? 14,000#? What's the GAWR, 7000#? If so, you're pretty much overloaded with 6, 1000# horses on board. Good luck, you my need to check out these folks.... http://www.usrider.org/faq.html |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 781
Location: La Cygne, KS | If your trailer is not level when hitched, weight is pushed back onto your trailer axles and tires causing the blow outs. You can adjust the height of your trailer by moving your coupler to level with the bed of the truck and gooseneck of the trailer. |
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Veteran
Posts: 142
Location: KY | Your trailer probably has Carlisle 235/85/R16 Load Range F unless your dealer upgraded the tires. I would do as ponytammy said and get the trailer riding as level as possible still making sure you have enough clearance between the truck bed and the neck. If you are already as level as possible I would call my dealer and ask them about upgrading to the Goodyear G range tires as that Evolution 6 horse is a heavy trailer. Of course you want to make sure you're tires have the correct air pressure too. |
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 Regular
Posts: 88
Location: Youngstown, OH | Goodyear G's are a great tire, but have you priced them lately? I just had to blow outs on the PA turnpike on the 4th of July weekend. I was happy just to find Firestone E's at the TA. Priced replacing the G's that were originally on my trailer - over $300/tire. A bit rich for my blood, even with tire insurance. |
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Veteran
Posts: 201
| You may have "curbed" your trailer and bent the rear axle? I'd check this first, specifically if it's the same tire, before I kept buying new tires. |
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Location: Where the wind comes sweepin' down the plain... | Originally written by reinergirl on 2008-07-23 3:05 PM Goodyear G's are a great tire, but have you priced them lately? I just had to blow outs on the PA turnpike on the 4th of July weekend. I was happy just to find Firestone E's at the TA. Priced replacing the G's that were originally on my trailer - over $300/tire. A bit rich for my blood, even with tire insurance. That is a bit pricey. Last one I bought I paid 259 mounted and balanced and bought it local. i'd still pay the money and buy local, but I just did a quick search and came up with 218 online. http://www.trailertiresandwheels.com/site/1284278/product/RG614 But when you blow two  it is kind of hard to shop price. I have them on my equipment trailers and my living quarters and have only ever blown one though. |
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Expert
Posts: 3853
Location: Vermont | Originally written by reinergirl on 2008-07-23 4:05 PM Goodyear G's are a great tire, but have you priced them lately? I just had to blow outs on the PA turnpike on the 4th of July weekend. I was happy just to find Firestone E's at the TA. Priced replacing the G's that were originally on my trailer - over $300/tire. A bit rich for my blood, even with tire insurance. What is your trailer and horses worth? Preventing an accident at $300 per is probably cheaper and less traumatic...
Edited by PaulChristenson 2008-07-23 10:20 PM
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 795
Location: Tenn/Ala. | Sue, Sorry to hear about your problems. In fact, Kiefer Built's standard tire is from Carlisle on all of the Evolutions. The American engineers from an American Co. assure Kiefer that the tire is capable of handling the trailer given normal axle loading not to exceed 14,400#, no matter where the tires may actually be produced. And in many cases, all has been well. But there were some issues that merited offering customers a choice. While everything that has been said about leveling the trailer and looking for a bent axles is true and very important, there is a possibility that those won't solve the problem. Carlisle's customer service reps have told me that after they see a blowout, there will often be at least one other. For this reason, I have often seen them replace more than just the 1 tire that blew. You can reach them at the Customer Care Unit at 1-800-260-7959. Rick Taylor is the manager at 803-643-2900. As they track issues, please make sure that any failures are communicated to them. On the Goodyears, it is now an option for the Evolution, and as one would presume, at a substantial price bump. So while one may see some Evolutions with the G614 Goodyear, they were typically ordered with this as an option, rather than standard. It isn't much more money to go and swap them out than to order them already installed, but understandably not convenient. The Goodyear is a good tire that seems to be very forgiving where others may not be as much, but as others have stated, about $1,000. or more to change. But above all, check and inflate any HD tire to max inflation, when the tire has been driven less than a mile. Even a 10 PSI drop reduces load capacity greatly. If I had you close by, I would first level the trailer, check the axle (with what you've said, it will be visibly apparent), and then consider weighing the loaded trailer. That info would help determine my next plan of attack. RTSmith Select Trailer Co.
Edited by RTSmith 2008-07-24 4:10 PM
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New User
Posts: 3
Location: calif | I went ahead and upgraded to the goodyear tires. The trailer is level and we check tire pressure everytime we stop for gas.I don't think we could have curbed our trailer since I can't think of where we have been where there is any kind of curb. From visual inspection (by a friend) there does not seem to be any apparent curvature of the axel. We do always carry 6 horses and put hay in the middle, so we are at capacity. Carlile did repace the tires for us with Winlan tires load F. We were in Tuscon at the time having had 2 blow outs on the way there. There was no one in Tuscon who had Carlile tires, so the replaced them with the Winlan tires. We made it home o.k. but the next trip which was to Bend Oregon we again had a blow out. I am hoping this takes care of the problem. I had questioned the salesman when we bought if the tires were sufficient. I did not have a problem upgrading, but I don't recall being offered the option.-sue |
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Expert
Posts: 3853
Location: Vermont | Originally written by slu on 2008-07-28 5:19 PM
I went ahead and upgraded to the goodyear tires. The trailer is level and we check tire pressure everytime we stop for gas.I don't think we could have curbed our trailer since I can't think of where we have been where there is any kind of curb. From visual inspection (by a friend) there does not seem to be any apparent curvature of the axel. We do always carry 6 horses and put hay in the middle, so we are at capacity. Carlile did repace the tires for us with Winlan tires load F. We were in Tuscon at the time having had 2 blow outs on the way there. There was no one in Tuscon who had Carlile tires, so the replaced them with the Winlan tires. We made it home o.k. but the next trip which was to Bend Oregon we again had a blow out. I am hoping this takes care of the problem. I had questioned the salesman when we bought if the tires were sufficient. I did not have a problem upgrading, but I don't recall being offered the option.-sue Now go out an check the DOT numbers to confirm they are NOT OLD TIRES... DOT Code
The DOT Code is an alphanumeric character sequence molded into the sidewall of the tire for purposes of tire identification. The DOT Code is mandated by the US Department of Transportation. The DOT Code is useful in identifying tires in a product recall.
The DOT Code begins with the letters "DOT" followed by a two numbers or letters plant code that identifies where it was manufactured. The last four numbers represent the week and year the tire was built. A three-digit code was used for tires manufactured before the year 2000. For example, 178 means it was manufactured in the 17th week of 8th year of the decade. In this case it means 1988. For tires manufactured in the 1990s, the same code holds true, but there is a little triangle (?) after the DOT code. Thus, a tire manufactured in the 17th week of 1998 would have the code 178?. After 2000, the code was switched to a 4-digit code. Same rules apply, so for example, 3003 means the tire was manufactured in the 30th week of 2003. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 795
Location: Tenn/Ala. | You'll enjoy the new tires. But I have a question. You mention checking the air every time you stop for gas. The Goodyear Load Range "G" in a LT235/85R16 is a 110 PSI tire. That pressure is cold, as in run less than 1 mile. When checked hot, it may run up to 130-140 or so. This is normal and is expected. If presssure is reduced to 110 when the tire is hot, it will be seriously under-inflated and have reduced load capacity. If your pressures are set cold, sorry for the alarm. If someone is bleeding pressure off when hot, then this can be an explanation for blowouts. This applies to all tires.
RTSmith
www.SelectTrailer.com |
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New User
Posts: 3
Location: calif | No we are not bleeding air from the tires. Since we have switched to the Goodyear tires no problem so far. We have taken 2 long trips and are good to go. Hope all the problems were due to tires not being sufficient.Since you are the keifer guy, we also have a problem when we convert to 4 horse with the dividers in the back moving around. Has anyone else had that problem?-sue |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 795
Location: Tenn/Ala. | Sue, I sent this via PM a few days ago, but haven't heard, so thought I'd post- The butt bars should keep them fairly still. Is it the dividers just moving around from the "springy" of the bars? And are the front ones better than the rear? Let me know more & I'm thinking Dave @ KB & I can be of some assistance.
RTSmith
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keifer Generation 6 horse head to head
