Posted 2010-10-26 3:42 AM (#126244) Subject: Best tires to get
Elite Veteran
Posts: 662 Location: Vanzant, Missouri
Ok HTW peeps I have 2 tires that want to come apart so it's time to get new tires for the LQ. What is a popular brand that most of you use? Mine are ST235/80R-16 Had 2 tires fail on me this past weekend and had to borrow a tire to get home with...Can I go up to 85. A bit wider tire? or should I stay with an 80. TIA
Posted 2010-10-26 4:45 AM (#126248 - in reply to #126244) Subject: RE: Best tires to get
Expert
Posts: 3802 Location: Rocky Mount N.C.
How old are the tires and what brand are they? If it's for your 3 horse, 8' LQ, Exiss, then I would see my local tire man and get four, LT235/85R16lr E, Steel Belted Light Truck Radials.... Don't get tricked into buying any of these Chinese built junk tires. Stick with Michelin, B.F. Goodrich, Goodyear, Uniroyal, Bridgestone, etc. You can stick with a "ST" special trailer tire but you'll be limited to 65 mph maximum speed at maximum pressure. (I think alot of folks loose/tear up/ blow out tires because of too old tires (dry rotten), too much weight, too little pressure and too much speed all at the same time!!!) Be sure "tire man" balances the trailer tires, your horse will be glad he did!
I have one trailer running this size (235/85R16) in a Michelin XPS-Rib, load range E and another running the same size in a Goodyear G614RST load range G. Michelins are running at 80psi and the G614's are at 100psi.
Posted 2010-10-26 5:33 AM (#126249 - in reply to #126244) Subject: RE: Best tires to get
Expert
Posts: 2453 Location: Northern Utah
The differences in size will vary between tire mfg and tire models. I see widths for both sizes in 9.2" to 9.5". And I see the total height listed as 30.7" for both sizes, again depending on the make/model.
But in general the difference between a st235/80r16 and a LT235/85r16 is the total height of the tire. Both sizes can be 9.2" in width. But the height is 30.7" vs 31.7" ( Goodyear Marathon ST235/80 vs the Goodyear Wrangler LT 235/85) So you would need to comfirm that the slightly larger tire will have sufficient room on your trailer to not rub. Chances are they will fit.
Again depending on the make and model the Load capacity can vary by size and make. In the Goodyear line up, the ST tire has a slightly higher weight load. Both are 10 ply tires and Load Range E. But the ST tire is rated at 3420 lbs per tire vs 3042 for the LT tire. You need to calculate just how close you are to your total weight on your trailer axles. Look at the trailer mfg placard for what the axles are rated at.
In general: ST= Specialty Trailer vs LT= Light Truck Most ST tires will have a much lower speed rating. Usually around 60 -65 mph vs the LT tires having 90-95 mph ratings. ST tires are designed for trailers and often tolerate more scrubing that tandem trailers experience when turning sharp. Both ST and LT are used on trailers and are kinda of confusing designation. The highly rated Goodyear G614 is a 14 ply trailer tire that is only available in the LT235/85R16 size. So having a LT designation does not preclude it from being used on trailers.
I personally prefer the Goodyear Wrangler HT in the 10ply E rated tires and the Goodyear G614 in the 14ply G rated tires. Both of which come in the LT235/85r16 size and not the ST235/80r16. Now having said that, I just bought some Michelins for horse trailer (in the LT235/85r16 size) because the tire dealer made me a screaming deal on them. And again personally I avoid any No-name off brand tires, Especially the made in china brands.
I not only run this size tire on my Horse Trailer. But use it on several other equipment trailers and dump trailers that I use for construction. These trailers unlike my horse trailer, get used for a lot of short haul, over curbs, into construction job site type of abuse. These tires always get ruined before the tread wears out. Vs my horse trailer with a lot of highway miles where the tread is gone.
Posted 2010-10-26 6:10 AM (#126250 - in reply to #126244) Subject: RE: Best tires to get
Elite Veteran
Posts: 662 Location: Vanzant, Missouri
I think the ones on it are trailer king or something like that. They are E rated 10ply They are due to be changed They are 4yrs old and show cracking. I was thinking about Goodyears or Michelins...
Posted 2010-10-26 9:13 AM (#126263 - in reply to #126244) Subject: RE: Best tires to get
Elite Veteran
Posts: 804 Location: Tenn/Ala.
Note on balancing trailer tires/wheels- balancing is beneficial to enhancing tire life, for even wear, and even comfort. But please- be very aware of balancing methods. Virtually all wheels on cars & light trucks are "hub centric", meaning that they center on the vehicle by the center hole. The tire shops balance these by using a cone through the center of the wheel on their balancer to balance them, and it works great.
The vast majority of steel trailer wheels are "lug centric", meaning that the wheel centers on the trailer using the lug holes and the center hole is punched out from the front later- merely to allow the hub to have clearance room. If this type of wheel is mounted on a balancer using the center hole, it will possibly have excessive radial run out (appear to be "out of round"). The problem lies in that if the tire guy hammers lead on it, he will truly balance it to the center hole- but then it is mounted on the trailer using the lug holes - and is in fact even more so out of balance on the trailer than if he had done nothing...!!
The easy answer to this would seem to balance the wheels using the lug holes. Unfortunately, this is very uncommon. I know that here at our facility, we have not found a tire shop/facility within 25 miles that can balance a typical wheel using the lug holes. So when you get new tires, inquire about how they do it. You are generally better off to not have them balanced, than to have them balanced improperly. The manufacturing tolerances on new tires are very tight, and the "raw tire" will likely be within an ounce or so anyway.
How can you tell if your wheels are lug centric, or hub cantric? Usually, a hub centric wheel will have had the center and lug holes all punched from the back, simultaneously. Therefore you will see a "lip" sticking to the front of the wheel in the center hole. If the lip sticks to the rear, the center was punched separately and will possibly not be in perfect alignment with the lug holes. I just looked at every wheel in stock in our parts department, and every one is lug centric.
So to summarize- most of the time, you will be far ahead, to pass on the balancing that local tire shops can offer. They mean well, they just aren't set up to accomodate what we are giving them to work with.
Caveat- If you are running high quality aluminum wheels like Alcoa or M/T. Balance them. They'll be fine, and generally run truer also.
Sorry for the long post, just my .02$
RTSmith
www.SelectTrailer.com
Posted 2010-10-26 9:19 AM (#126264 - in reply to #126244) Subject: RE: Best tires to get
Expert
Posts: 3802 Location: Rocky Mount N.C.
Mine get spin balanced while mounted on the trailer's axles. If I have to pull one off for any reason, it gets marked and put back in the same position, over the same studs.
Posted 2010-10-26 9:43 AM (#126267 - in reply to #126244) Subject: RE: Best tires to get
Elite Veteran
Posts: 804 Location: Tenn/Ala.
Retento, that's always the best way. It is neat to watch a capable person do that. Unfortunately, another one of those dying art forms. I had a strobe & spinner for many years, and came to realize my talents lay elsewhere...!
Posted 2020-04-03 3:44 PM (#173038 - in reply to #126244) Subject: RE: Best tires to get
New User
Posts: 3
17.5" tires and wheels are becoming more popular. 19" is also showing up. The wheel studs for those sizes will typically be 5/8", while 16"wheel may use a smaller stud.
Bridgestone has but one 17.5" tire with a 75MPH speed rating, Michelin is 65 MPH in that size, though both brands have strong sidewalls.
Posted 2020-04-08 3:23 PM (#173042 - in reply to #126244) Subject: RE: Best tires to get
New User
Posts: 2
I have run Hercules tires on my living quarters and stock trailers and had very good results. The H-901 series has lasted longer than any other tire I have ever had.
Posted 2020-04-21 7:41 PM (#173061 - in reply to #126244) Subject: RE: Best tires to get
Member
Posts: 33
I have the Michelin XPS Rib on my trailer also, and I am very pleased with them. No road noise, no tread wear issues and no vibrations. They are expensive tires but fortunately, I got a good discount from 4wheelonline.
Best tires to get
