Posted 2016-07-23 5:16 PM (#167790 - in reply to #166191) Subject: RE: Trailer Tires
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 322 Location: Fort Madison, Iowa
Spaniard feel your pain looking for tires. Made several calls the last two weeks to different tire people getting opinions. Had similar comments about not using LT by all but one of them. Same thing about liabilities and one about insurance and about all St made in China. One call that was most helpful was to the Goodyear corporation. I gave them my weights from the plate off my trailer on axles info. From weight stations and I'm on the border of my weight limits for an Lt 10 ply when fully loaded. Thinking I'll be going 12 or 14 ply and just wonder how a St higher ply tire performed and if people still had problems. Might be looking at ST 14 ply steel, might be more than I need but I'll be covered. Looking at different ratings now. Decisions decisions...
Posted 2016-07-24 8:33 AM (#167793 - in reply to #166191) Subject: RE: Trailer Tires
Member
Posts: 45
The best explanation I have found between ST and LT tires is at http://www.forestriverforums.com/forums/f219/st-vs-lt-tire-problems... (It's the 3rd post shown on that forum). When I bought a new trailer a few months ago I was concerned about the ST tires on it. I talked to engineers at both the manufacturer and tire company before buying. Trailer mfg (which also makes high-end RVs) have QC at Chinese factory. They randomly test tires they receive here. As the guy said, our trailers sell for tens of thousands of dollars so it wouldn't make financial sense to use substandard tires because of the cost of warranty issues and liability. Tire guy said that not maintaining ST tires is the single largest cause of blowouts. They need to be kept at their recommended PSI all the time. Even if you're only going 5 miles down the road, check the tire pressure first.
Posted 2016-07-29 9:41 PM (#167850 - in reply to #166191) Subject: RE: Trailer Tires
Regular
Posts: 51
I bought a new flatbed goose neck trailer and loaded my 8,500 lb skid loader on it. Checked all the tires on my dually and the trailer and headed out to my daughters place 100 miles away. Lost the tread on 3 of the tires on the trailer. Tread just pealed right off of the carcass. I will never own another ST tire again. My Firestone 235/85-16 LT have been on my horse trailer for 5 years and have made many trips from Iowa to Wyoming loaded to 10,000 lbs on the 4 trailer tires. Can you imagine the law suits if LT tires had the failure rate of ST tires.
Posted 2016-07-29 11:05 PM (#167855 - in reply to #167850) Subject: RE: Trailer Tires
Expert
Posts: 3853 Location: Vermont
Originally written by BS Hauler on 2016-07-29 12:41 AM
I bought a new flatbed goose neck trailer and loaded my 8,500 lb skid loader on it. Checked all the tires on my dually and the trailer and headed out to my daughters place 100 miles away. Lost the tread on 3 of the tires on the trailer. Tread just pealed right off of the carcass. I will never own another ST tire again. My Firestone 235/85-16 LT have been on my horse trailer for 5 years and have made many trips from Iowa to Wyoming loaded to 10,000 lbs on the 4 trailer tires. Can you imagine the law suits if LT tires had the failure rate of ST tires.
How fast were you traveling?...What temperature was it?...What was the date code on these tires?
Posted 2016-07-30 11:38 AM (#167860 - in reply to #167850) Subject: RE: Trailer Tires
Veteran
Posts: 233 Location: Pataskala, Ohio
Originally written by BS Hauler on 2016-07-29 10:41 PM
I bought a new flatbed goose neck trailer and loaded my 8,500 lb skid loader on it. Checked all the tires on my dually and the trailer and headed out to my daughters place 100 miles away. Lost the tread on 3 of the tires on the trailer. Tread just pealed right off of the carcass. I will never own another ST tire again. My Firestone 235/85-16 LT have been on my horse trailer for 5 years and have made many trips from Iowa to Wyoming loaded to 10,000 lbs on the 4 trailer tires. Can you imagine the law suits if LT tires had the failure rate of ST tires.
I had nearly the same experience with 4 GoodYear Marathon Trailer Tires 235-75-15ST. I had my Jeep CJ 5 on my flat bed trailer driving through Kansas in early August on fresh blacktop with temps 105-107. Needless to say the tires got hot. Towing speed about 70mph, I know it exceeds max by 5mph. I looked back and could see tread separation starting. As luck would have it there was a GoodYear store within 1 mile. They could tell by the date code on the tires they were all new (only a month on the trailer) and upon inspection they said all 4 had failed. So with an hour of time invested I got 4 new tires at no cost except disposal fee so I was happy. Those 4 Marathon ST's made it home to Ohio and all became spare tires for several trailer and GoodYear Wrangler HT tires went on. Not sure if they were LT or just not P in that size.My Lakota 4 horse 10'LQ came with Chineese ST tires. I bought the trailer at Quarter Horse Congress and had no plans to use it over the winter but the next spring it got Firestone HT 235-85-16 LT tires. They have lots of miles on the rocky washed out paths that Ohio calls Interstate Highways our grandparents called them goat trails, yet no signs of trouble with the tires, the interstates that is a different story.With the money, time and blood I have invested in my Jeep there is no way it will go on a trailer with ST's again and the horses are family they will never go in a trailer with ST's. I have ZERO confidence that an ST tire is safe.
Posted 2016-07-31 12:15 AM (#167861 - in reply to #166191) Subject: RE: Trailer Tires
New User
Posts: 2
Location: So Cal
I went with Costco tow masters, the newer SS models(summer solution) per towmaster rep, they're a combination ST and LT rubber compound. We've had triple digit temps here , but only have maybe 1200 miles on them.
Since we have a flat bed, (we think) we have to go through scales, so we would be in violation(I think) if the tires are not ST and rated for our trailer(14,000 GVWR), so we went ST tires to be compliant and have been meticulous about keeping the air pressure correct for every trip. We've also been using the aero space protectant to keep them from having the sidewalls crack. Will post updates and see how they hold up
Posted 2016-08-01 3:37 PM (#167886 - in reply to #166191) Subject: RE: Trailer Tires
Member
Posts: 45
I don't know what Biofumes uses, but the 303 aerospace protectant is the same as their 303 auto protectant, which for some reason costs more. Both can be used to protect tires, among other things It's good stuff.
Posted 2016-08-02 5:15 PM (#167893 - in reply to #167886) Subject: RE: Trailer Tires
flummoxed - 2016-08-01 3:37 PM
I don't know what Biofumes uses, but the 303 aerospace protectant is the same as their 303 auto protectant, which for some reason costs more. Both can be used to protect tires, among other things It's good stuff.
Posted 2016-08-04 10:03 AM (#167922 - in reply to #167909) Subject: RE: Trailer Tires
Regular
Posts: 67 Location: Everton, Arkansas
Trailer is a 4 horse, 7 wide, 10 foot short wall all aluminum trailer. GVWR is right at 16,000 lbs. Tires are Michelin XPS Rib, size 245/75/16 rated at 3042 lbs @ 80 psi. We live in east Texas and just got back from a trip to the Black Hills in South Dakota, about 2400 miles. Tires preformed great. I carry a temp gun to check bearings and trip temps when travelling. Tire temp never got over 105 on any tire, and that was at 70 mph on good interstate. We have also made a couple of trips to Cedar Lake Oklahoma and Ebenezer Park Texas on the tries with no issues. I did alot of research before buying the Michelins....I love them. Private messages welcome.
Posted 2016-08-06 12:02 PM (#167934 - in reply to #167908) Subject: RE: Trailer Tires
I second the Michelin XPS! Very pricey, but I did a lot of research after repeated blowouts & the RV'ers swear by them. I'm a believer! I also don't drive any faster than 70 mph. That's helped too.
Posted 2016-08-06 2:58 PM (#167935 - in reply to #166191) Subject: RE: Trailer Tires
What would be the difference between those Michelins & a 235/85R 16.
I ended up years ago, as per advice here, putting that size (BF Goodrich Commercial AT)
Posted 2016-08-06 5:55 PM (#167936 - in reply to #167935) Subject: RE: Trailer Tires
Regular
Posts: 67 Location: Everton, Arkansas
Very litte difference in the tires. The 245/75 measures 9.6 wide on a 7 inch wheel, while the 235/85 measures 9.6 on a 6 in wheel. The diameter of the 245/75 on a 7 in wheel is 30.6 while the 235/85 on a 6 in wheel is 30.7. I went with the 245/75 on HiSpec aluminum wheels and steel valve stems running 80 psi.
Posted 2016-08-08 7:49 PM (#167959 - in reply to #166191) Subject: RE: Trailer Tires
Member
Posts: 24
I just posted on another thread about greenball trailer tires, speed rating "M" 81 mph for ST trailer tires, made of a combination truck and trailer rubber compound, I guess I'll be the ginie pig, not so sure I want to be above 65mph though
Trailer Tires
