Tire Recmmendations

[kathijoz]

We are towing a 28ft travel trailer approx 9K lbs. Looking for good heavy duty tire. We've had 2 blowouts already with Goodyear Marathon load range E tires. I know our spindles are true because we had axles checked. Pressure monitor showed correct pressure of 80 lbs each. Who makes a good trailer tire? Are Michelin's any good?

 

[Memtb]

    While they had the name Good Year on them.....the Marathons are Chinese made garbage. Compound that with possible age....how old were the tires?

    Good Year now has an American made tire the Endurance, which is reputed to be a good tire. I hope so, just bought 4 last fall for our boat trailer.

    Some more to consider getting high praise, Maxxis, Hankook, Saleen, and a couple more that I can?t remember! 

    I would venture to suggest going up at least one load range above what came standard on the unit!

          Good Luck!

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

Another top brand choice is Maxxis, but there are more.

However, you really need to analyze the weight carrying capacity of the tire size & type you now use vs the axle weight. You probably have 2x 4000 lb axles on a 9000 lb TT, but verify that and then check the max load capacity of the size/type tire you now use. The OEM tire is often marginal in size for the weight load.  If you provide the axle rating and tire size/type (e.g. ST 225/75R15), we can help.

 

[kathijoz]

Thank you for all the help and replys.  They are a little on the old side with a manufacturer date of  10/14. The tires are a ST235/80R16  load range E. The axles are rated 5,200 lbs.  The GVRW is 10,400 lbs and the UVW is 7,840. I to did hear good things about the Goodyear Endurance tires. Again thanks for the help we in El Paso Texas on the start of a 9 week road trip and want to fix this problem before we move on.

 

[Memtb]

    If you?re preparing for a trip, it may be a good time for a bearing repack, and brake check.....unless they?ve been done in the last year or so!

 

[kathijoz]

Thanks for the heads up on the repacking had the bearings repacked and brakes check 2 weeks before we left.

 

[grashley]

According to Tire Rack.com, the Goodyear Endurance ST235/80R16 E has a load capacity of 3420# @ 80psi.  That should be plenty for your camper.  In reality, the 10,400# GVWR will mean a minimum of 1040# on the hitch and a max of 9360# on four tires, or 2340# per tire, assuming a perfectly distributed load.

The 4 ? year old tire should NOT be an issue in most cases.  You mentioned correct tire pressure and proper alignment - GOOD - so how fast were you driving?  Any road debris you may have collected?

 

[kathijoz]

The road did have a lot of rough patches and few pot holes that I was able to avoid MOST of the time. The posted speed limit was 75 MPH I was doing 72. Thanks

 

[donn]

Aw heck with that size go with a LT tire and quit worrying.

 

[longhaul]

The road did have a lot of rough patches and few pot holes that I was able to avoid MOST of the time. The posted speed limit was 75 MPH I was doing 72. Thanks

The old Marathons were 65 mph max rated. 72 mph over time can cause tread delam issues.
  The New Endurance that replaces them has a 87 mph speed rating.
Speed ratings are more about the tire ability to deal with heat generated from carrying a load and interstate speeds...not how fast you can drive.

My '97 11200 lb used 5th wheel 5200 lb axles came with brand new Marathons installed by the rv dealer. I Sold them on craigslist to a lawn service guy. I've used LT tires on rv and non rv trailers since before ST tires hit the streets back in the late '60s.  I use a LT215/85-16 E at 2680 lbs each on this particular trailer. I run them for around 7 years and 50k-55k miles per set. No issues on the first two sets and now on #3 set.

If you want the best for those 5200 lb axle look at a commercial grade all steel ply carcass LT tire. Michelin XPS Rib and the Bridgestone R-250 and the newer R-236. The R-250 and R-238 will be quite a bit cheaper than the XPS Ribs. Check them all out on the tirerack.com.

 

[FastEagle]

The road did have a lot of rough patches and few pot holes that I was able to avoid MOST of the time. The posted speed limit was 75 MPH I was doing 72. Thanks

You increased the tire degrading process by exceeding their designed speed rating of 65 MPH and aged them out. New tires of the same designated size with a higher speed rating and properly inflated will serve you well.

Note: There are ZERO 16" LT tires with enough load capacity to replace your OE tires and pass tire industry standards for replacement tires. The one exception is the GY G614. It's a unique tire designed as a RST with an LT prefix. However, they would be a real "over kill" in load capacity for your axles.

 

[donn]

You increased the tire degrading process by exceeding their designed speed rating of 65 MPH and aged them out. New tires of the same designated size with a higher speed rating and properly inflated will serve you well.

Note: There are ZERO 16" LT tires with enough load capacity to replace your OE tires and pass tire industry standards for replacement tires. The one exception is the GY G614. It's a unique tire designed as a RST with an LT prefix. However, they would be a real "over kill" in load capacity for your axles.

Good Lord get over it already!  The O P has 5200 pound rated axles.  Any LT tire in those sizes will have a 3042 each rating. Meaning two LT235 80R16 tires will carry nearly 6100 pound.  Which is about 900 pounds more than the axles are rated for

 

[FastEagle]

Good Lord get over it already!  The O P has 5200 pound rated axles.  Any LT tire in those sizes will have a 3042 each rating. Meaning two LT235 80R16 tires will carry nearly 6100 pound.  Which is about 900 pounds more than the axles are rated for

Without knowing what his OEM tires were, we're both guessing. Tire industry standards for replacement tires are predicated on the vehicle manufacturers load capacity the OE tires provided. They read in part; "replacement tires must provide a load capacity equal to or greater than what the OE tires provided at the vehicle manufacturer's recommended inflation pressures for them."

REF: USTMA

 

[donn]

What difference what his tire raltings are now?  The weakest link will be his axle.  5200 pounds is all his axle is rated for.  Again, ANY tire that equals or exceeds his axle rating is plenty.  You have argued agains this for years, but ST tires get their rating at a much lower speed rating than LT tires.  I understand you refuse to accept it, but a 3042 load rated LT tire would be more than acceptable for the OP.

 

[FastEagle]

What difference what his tire raltings are now? For the reasons I stated in the previous post.   The weakest link will be his axle.  5200 pounds is all his axle is rated for. That's not our decision to make. It was the vehicle manufacturers and they certified it on the vehicle certification label.  Again, ANY tire that equals or exceeds his axle rating is plenty. Same as before, not our decision.  You have argued agains this for years, but ST tires get their rating at a much lower speed rating than LT tires.  I understand you refuse to accept it, but a 3042 load rated LT tire would be more than acceptable for the OP. The tire industry is 100% behind the vehicle manufacturer on that subject and will not use less than what was certified as appropriate for that vehicle.

I provided a valid tire industry reference. Someday you should take the time to read it. Here's the link. Chapter #4 is devoted to RV tires, all of them.

https://www.ustires.org/sites/default/files/CareAndService_PassengerAndLightTruckTires.pdf

Just another short note: The RV trailer industry is now providing OEM tires with a minimum load capacity reserve 10% above vehicle certified GAWRs. Those seeking replacements for older model RV trailers should do no less.

 

[grashley]

In reply #3, OP stated he had ST235/80R16 E on the camper.  My Tire Rack check by size show all tires THAT SIZE were ST tires.  However, 235/85R16  DID  come in LT.  The LT235/85R16 E  tires I checked had a Load Range above 3,000# and speed rating over 100mph.  BOTH EXCEED OP'S NEED.

 

[kathijoz]

After much researching and help from this site I decided on Goodyear Endurance ST235/80R16 load range E. With a load capacity of 3,420 lbs and a speed rating of 87mph. The best part they are made in USA unlike my previous Goodyear Marathon's  which are Chinese junk! Thanks for all the  help Robert

 

[FastEagle]

In reply #3, OP stated he had ST235/80R16 E on the camper.  My Tire Rack check by size show all tires THAT SIZE were ST tires.  However, 235/85R16  DID  come in LT.  The LT235/85R16 E  tires I checked had a Load Range above 3,000# and speed rating over 100mph.  BOTH EXCEED OP'S NEED.

The proper nomenclature for tire sizes is "designated size". This is a designated size; ST235/80R16 so is this, LT235/85R16. See the difference? The tire industry does.

 

[Warboar]

Look into stepping up into a G or H 12 ply tire.  My friend recently did this for his Toy hauler awhile back because the E rated tires were borderline.  He's yet to have a tire issue.