Posted 2010-04-06 7:09 PM (#118516 - in reply to #104453) Subject: RE: tires
Member
Posts: 23
Location: cental Illinois
I just had a very scary experience this morning with my horsetrailer and TIRES!!!!
I have a 2007 Hawk with 2 tires on each side. I was loaded up with 2 horses and heading down my gravel driveway to our black top county road. I was slowing down to make the turn onto the blacktop and I heard a loud pop.
I thought my hitch had bottomed out or something.... I put it in park and jumped out to look and I could hear air just exploding out, so I went to the passenger side of the trailer and saw the tires!!!
They are Goodyear Marathon tires 205/75R15 ST. I always check tires pressure on my truck and trailer before heading out also do a light check etc.
I started reading this thread trying to decide what to do about replacing my 2 tires.
I looked at them again and they say "made in China"????
The guys from the place that came out to take the tires off said just have they replaced with the same but I am afraid.
What if I had made it out to the highway and was doing 50mph when both tires went!!!! OMG
I am so paranoid about what tires to get....... I have to haul them 2hr to do somehthing this week!!!!!!!!!
HELP
Posted 2010-04-06 7:37 PM (#118517 - in reply to #104453) Subject: RE: tires
Expert
Posts: 3802 Location: Rocky Mount N.C.
This is a page from "tirerack". Gives all the info on The Marathon Tire, even the country of origin. Tire may have had an old bruise or cut you hadn't seen. May have been a rotten spot on one side from sitting in the same place too long..... May have cut it on a stone in the driveway. I wouldn't be afraid to go back with the Marathon tire. I would replace them with the 225 in a load range "D". I assume the tires on your trailer, being that they are 205's, are load range "C". Be sure to keep them inflated to 50 psi and limit your speed to 65 mph...!!!
Posted 2010-04-06 7:55 PM (#118519 - in reply to #104453) Subject: RE: tires
Member
Posts: 23
Location: cental Illinois
Yes they are load range "C" and since they were "Goodyear" I assumed they were manufactured in USA but the tire clearly says made in China..........
So if Goodyear Marathon's are made in China I am not sure I want them.
I am very safety conscious and check everything out regularly. In fact I trailered a 6 hour drive last month and after I got home was checking my tires and thought I saw something weird so took my trailer to a tire place to have them all checked out. They told me my tires were fine.
And "2" tires at once????
Posted 2010-04-06 8:07 PM (#118520 - in reply to #104453) Subject: RE: tires
Member
Posts: 23
Location: cental Illinois
Ok just went to the site you gave me a link to and it states that the 2 tires that are completely flat that I just had removed from my horse trailer are made in US and NZ but on these 2 tires in the back of my pickup it reads MADE IN CHINA what gives some one or something is not right.
I was just going maybe 10 to 15 mph down the road and even less than that as I made the turn onto blacktop so it wasn't over inflation of high speed that created 2 tires going out.
I am taking the tires into the tire shop that told me they were just fine 2 weeks ago to have them inspected. I want to know why are what happened to these tires.
Posted 2010-04-06 8:37 PM (#118521 - in reply to #104453) Subject: RE: tires
Expert
Posts: 3802 Location: Rocky Mount N.C.
quote... I got home was checking my tires and thought I saw something weird so took my trailer to a tire place to have them all checked out. They told me my tires were fine. And "2" tires at once????
Looks like you need to take your tire man to school!!
What was the build date on the tires? How old are they? I know you said it is a 2007 trailer, but the tires may have been built 2003 or 2004 or earlier.
I don't know what happened to your tires, I wasn't there, you'll have to figure that out for yourself. Looks to me like if two of them on the same side went at the same time, then you may have run over something. Did the tread blow, or the sidewall? The tire rack info is new and up to date. Next week the tires that are shown to be made in US and NZ may very well be made in China, or vice-a-versa. The Chinese buit Marathons are built to US specs, unlike the "private label" brands.
Posted 2010-04-06 8:51 PM (#118522 - in reply to #104453) Subject: RE: tires
Member
Posts: 23
Location: cental Illinois
After the DOT lettering where the "date" of manufacture should be are just a bunch of letters....?? I can find no information on the tires that say a date like 25week 2007 like 2507 would be after the DOT
Yea, I am going to the tire place first thing tomorrow and have them look at these tires and find out what happened.
I will take your advice about going to a 225 and load Range "D" but I am going to look for tires that say made in US and give a date of manufacture.
Posted 2010-04-07 8:20 AM (#118536 - in reply to #104453) Subject: RE: tires
Member
Posts: 10
Location: Temecula, Calif.
Just had two Goodyears blow out on my trailer one last year and one this. Tires were 6 years old. I replaced all 8 Goodyears on both trailers(ouch!) with Carlisle at Americas Tires all 16" on one trailer and 15" on the other with load range E. Tire man told me 5 to 6 year old tires are pushing the limit on safety. Good luck.
Posted 2010-04-07 8:35 AM (#118541 - in reply to #104453) Subject: RE: tires
Location: Where the wind comes sweepin' down the plain...
Two at once, I have to agree with Retento... Something had weakened the sidewall on both and when one went, the other did also.
Concerning the Marathons; I have ran them on trailers I have with no issues whatsoever. The Marathons have been made in China for a long time, but keep in mind they are built per Goodyear specs. Goodyear has or had at one time 62 tire plants in 23 or 25 countries.
Posted 2010-04-07 10:42 AM (#118551 - in reply to #104602) Subject: RE: tires
Veteran
Posts: 134
I also agree with Gard about the LT tires. I have run LTs on both my LQ and stock trailers for years. Never had any problems with them on either trailer. The LQ never goes off road for the obvious reasons, although my husband did take it elk hunting one year and said never again because he worried to much about it. The stock trailer goes anywhere. Just my two cents worth.
Posted 2010-04-07 10:44 AM (#118552 - in reply to #104453) Subject: RE: tires
Veteran
Posts: 123 Location: Indiana
My guess is that the tires are 1. too old. 2. probably sat outside in the sun. 3. were underinflated while not in use. It's too much of a coincidence that both blew basically at the same time. One side note, don't ever use Armoral on the tires and let them sit unused. The chemical eats the tire wall.
Posted 2010-04-07 12:42 PM (#118557 - in reply to #104453) Subject: RE: tires
Elite Veteran
Posts: 736 Location: Western WA
When you make the turn out of your driveway, do you have to turn so hard that the inside trailer tires pivot rather than roll through the turn? You may have "scrubbed" both tires making the turn.
I won't buy chinese or other foreign made products even if they are made to a company's specs. I want to buy american made products by american workers if at all possible.
Posted 2010-04-07 1:57 PM (#118559 - in reply to #104453) Subject: RE: tires
Expert
Posts: 3802 Location: Rocky Mount N.C.
The Hawk trailer that was mentioned has a small 205-75-15 tire.... It's almost impossible to find a "LT" tire in that size. I guess thats one of the reasons there are so many cheap "Private Label" brands in that size..... In some cases I would rather have a "P" metric series passenger car tire on a little two horse over the off brand "ST" tire.... I pulled a little two horse bumper pull WW all over everywhere 30 years ago with two fat walking horses, riding of a set of P225-70R15 Uniroyal Tiger Paw white walls!!! (kept the trailer low to the ground) Probably wasn't the best choice, but at that point in time there wasn't that many choices out there. Never had a problem with "car tires" on the horse trailer, kept them aired up tight!! Wish I still had that trailer.... That would make me a nice "run around" trailer now.
Posted 2010-04-08 11:18 AM (#118594 - in reply to #104453) Subject: RE: tires
Member
Posts: 23
Location: cental Illinois
Ok the tire saga continues........... Called 5 tire dealers and NONE of them had any 205/75R15 ST's that were NOT made in China!!!!!!!! I was told you cannot find a trailer tire in that size anymore that is made in the US.
I couldnt even find anyone who had Goodyear Marathon's that are on the trailer right now(at least on the side that still has tires). The tires that blew were inspected and two huge puncture holes in both, one punctured and ripped. Guess what I ran over? See attached photo.........
I ended up haveing them put the damn tires I did not want to buy on the rims and left the tire store very un satisfied with my limited choice uh no choice. A "Towmaster" Load C 205/75R15 made in China.1
Posted 2010-04-08 11:31 AM (#118596 - in reply to #104453) Subject: RE: tires
Member
Posts: 23
Location: cental Illinois
I measured under my wheel wells and I have a 3" clearance between the 205's that are on there now. Is that enough room to go up to a 225???
So I could at least get an american made tire or will I have to go to a 16" rim also? This is really frustrating.
How do I load a photo straight into my message rather that as an attachment?
My GVWR is 7000 LBS on this trailer it is a 2H with a dressing room in front.
Posted 2010-04-08 11:41 AM (#118597 - in reply to #118552) Subject: RE: tires
Member
Posts: 23
Location: cental Illinois
Originally written by nobodyimportant on 2010-04-07 10:44 AM
My guess is that the tires are
1. too old. NOPE 2006
2. probably sat outside in the sun. It is sometimes parked in the barn and sometimes outside,are tires unable to withstand sunlight?
3. were underinflated while not in use. NOPE
It's too much of a coincidence that both blew basically at the same time.
One side note, don't ever use Armoral on the tires and let them sit NEVER USE ARMORAL ON TIRES.....unused. The chemical eats the tire wall.
Posted 2010-04-08 2:09 PM (#118600 - in reply to #118594) Subject: RE: tires
Expert
Posts: 2957 Location: North Carolina
Originally written by playit7x on 2010-04-08 8:18 AM
The tires that blew were inspected and two huge puncture holes in both, one punctured and ripped. Guess what I ran over? See attached photo.........
I'm sorry that you've have some trouble with your tires... My reason for posting is to reiterate USrider's recommendation to carry TWO spare tires. Tandem tires have a tendency suffer to damage together since they're so close to each other. As in your case... In my case, I was far from home and didn't like to be without a spare after a blowout. So I eventually got another spare tire.
I'm trying to figure a spot to carry the second spare. I usually carry it in the bed of the truck. It's a pain and takes up space.
Anybody care to share their method of storing their second spare?
Posted 2010-04-08 5:03 PM (#118611 - in reply to #118609) Subject: RE: tires
Member
Posts: 23
Location: cental Illinois
Nevermind.... they are China made and I just got off a RV towing site that listed them as dangerous and many complaints and blowouts...........
The tire search :(
Posted 2010-04-09 1:51 PM (#118648 - in reply to #104453) Subject: RE: tires
Member
Posts: 23
Location: cental Illinois
Ok, I had gone to the Denman Tire website suggested. I was soooo happy they had a commercial trailer tire in the size I needed rated "D" and "E"!!!! Yeah I tried calling them direct from their website 800# and could not get anyone to answer the phone. So I went looking for their dealer sites and called one of them about getting the rires.
He told me, I am very sad to say that Denman has just filed for Chapter 7 Bankruptcy............. He said it was too bad since they made really quality tires :(
sad sad tire saga, I would be in better shape if I had a huge horsetrailer or a tiny one. Unfortunately mine seems to fall in that mid range tire fitting area
tires
