Travel trailer tires

The friendliest place on the web for anyone with an RV or an interest in RVing!
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
I've used the ST235/80-16 E Providers on a 10k car hauler and 12k GN flatdeck trailer.
I use the car hauler several times a week and ran the first set around 34k-35k miles and 7 years. I keep all P or LT or ST tires on my various trailers at max psi 24/7.
They were the first of the new gen higher speed rated (M) ST tires from the 2011 era.
They first hit the streets on commercial trailers with 5k/6k and 7k axles.

The only down side to the Endurance is the 8/32nds of tread depth which work fine for most rv trailers owners who don't wear tires out.
If your the type of rv trailer owner who looking for 35k-45k miles of service before time runs out they won't make it.
 
I've used the ST235/80-16 E Providers on a 10k car hauler and 12k GN flatdeck trailer.
I use the car hauler several times a week and ran the first set around 34k-35k miles and 7 years. I keep all P or LT or ST tires on my various trailers at max psi 24/7.
They were the first of the new gen higher speed rated (M) ST tires from the 2011 era.
They first hit the streets on commercial trailers with 5k/6k and 7k axles.

The only down side to the Endurance is the 8/32nds of tread depth which work fine for most rv trailers owners who don't wear tires out.
If your the type of rv trailer owner who looking for 35k-45k miles of service before time runs out they won't make it.
So are you saying the Providers are potentially the better choice for wear? any other drawbacks you're aware of?

No idea if i'll be hard on tyres or not, it's 4 years old and about on the wear bars of the factory tyres as i'm buying it.
 
...
Needing to replace some 205/75/14D due to wear, close to age, but really not seeing anything that really compares available tyres, pressure would be 65PSI.

...
No idea if i'll be hard on tyres or not, it's 4 years old and about on the wear bars of the factory tyres as i'm buying it.
Are you from Canada? UK? ?? :)
 
The only down side to the Endurance is the 8/32nds of tread depth which work fine for most rv trailers owners who don't wear tires out.
If your the type of rv trailer owner who looking for 35k-45k miles of service before time runs out they won't make it.

Goodyear manufactures the G614 RST. It's a little bit taller 235 85R16 size versus 235 80R16, but with a 12/32nds tread depth and Load Range G. 75 MPH speed rating.

 
So are you saying the Providers are potentially the better choice for wear? any other drawbacks you're aware of?

No idea if i'll be hard on tyres or not, it's 4 years old and about on the wear bars of the factory tyres as i'm buying it.
You will get more miles of service in a given time...... for the size tires I use. Thin tread depth gets talked about mostly on haulers forums where some webs have stickies warning O/O of thin tread depth on the Endurance. In this line of work we may use two sets a year and expect 40k-50k miles per set.
I would suggest asking for a good tire using your trailers OEM size and load range. That way we can give you a better/proper selection of tires for the job.

Looks like your trailer has just under a 10k gvwr so load 16" load G Sailuns/G614 Goodyears some mentioned are not a good idea for your smaller trailer. I'm guessing your Salem 273 RL may have 4400 lb rated tandem axles and 15" wheels ??.
 
Colorado has a winter tread depth law of 3/16" (6/32"). Some of the ST tires start out new with just 1 to 2/32" more than that. I tow during winter conditions. My Goodyear Endurance size 235 80R16 don't have much tread depth to begin with.
 
You will get more miles of service in a given time...... for the size tires I use. Thin tread depth gets talked about mostly on haulers forums where some webs have stickies warning O/O of thin tread depth on the Endurance. In this line of work we may use two sets a year and expect 40k-50k miles per set.
I would suggest asking for a good tire using your trailers OEM size and load range. That way we can give you a better/proper selection of tires for the job.

Looks like your trailer has just under a 10k gvwr so load 16" load G Sailuns/G614 Goodyears some mentioned are not a good idea for your smaller trailer. I'm guessing your Salem 273 RL may have 4400 lb rated tandem axles and 15" wheels ??.
I am picking up a Keystone Hideout with 205/75/14D tyres.

GAWR 3500lbs (each axle)
GVWR 7500lbs - ~2600lbs payload.

Based on what you said, the Goodyears are probably not the greatest idea? My second tyre i'm seeing is the Carlisle Radial Trail HD.
 
ST=special trailer tires; many tire mfgrs. still recommend running bias-ply tires on trailers instead of radials. One main reason is, they have much stiffer sidewalls and can withstand the extremes stress's involved on tandem axles and do not allow the trailer to sway as much as radials.
The reason ST tires come with less tread is, less heat is retained by the tire, plus it costs less to make.
 
Cross ply tyres haven't been better than radial for a long, long time, in any way. All those points you made belong to a modern radial tyre, not a cross ply. Cross ply are just cheaper these days, and ok, can have stiffer sidewalls.
 
If you look on you tube there is a video of someone leaning on a Goodyear endurance and then I think it was a Carlisle. The demonstration was to show how strong the Goodyear was by it not folding under the man's weight.
As a tire fitter put it to me, imagine that tire on a trailer hitting a large rock, instead of giving and riding over it, admittedly probably getting damaged, it would transmit the impact to the axle and trailer, and possibly damage the axle.
That's why I went with the Carlisle.
Just my opinion, but you must choose what gives you the greatest piece of mind.
 
Cross ply tyres haven't been better than radial for a long, long time, in any way. All those points you made belong to a modern radial tyre, not a cross ply. Cross ply are just cheaper these days, and ok, can have stiffer sidewalls.
Yeah....I started towing trailers for a living before our tire industry gave us the radial tire.
Those bias ply tires ran really hot at highway speed on all day runs. Bias ply tires did make good utility trailer tires though.
With five trailers on the road and 28 tires on the ground we learned quick which type tires lasted and which types didn't. Checking tire/hub/wheel temps on every stop is the norm .
What we found was a new tire ran cooler and then hotter as the tread got thinner ....closer to the carcass.

The new gen Carlisle HD IMO would be a good choice for a rv trailer.
 
Check the speed rating on the Carlisle HD. For my 235 80R16 size it's L. That's at our maximum speed limit and it's below the speed limit of our nearby neighboring states.
 
Cross ply tyres haven't been better than radial for a long, long time, in any way. All those points you made belong to a modern radial tyre, not a cross ply. Cross ply are just cheaper these days, and ok, can have stiffer sidewalls.
I don't need convinced, trailer tire mfgrs. are to whom you should address your opinions.
 
My thoughts, which probably means nothing for people set on certain brands,,, Outside of the fear for blowouts from poor quality manufacturing and materials, sidewall stiffness requirements vary from the type of units. On my particular TT and the mid range length I want stiff sidewalls since I maneuver in smaller and tighter spaces.. So I don't want the ballooning of the tires that takes place when I am turning repeatedly in tighter vehicle spaces. With tire quality I do not trust that the repeated ballooning will not weaken the tire itself, not withstanding having a tire come off the rim.

While my TT does not sit as high as 5th wheels, traveling with cross winds can probably put more stress on some of the softer sidewalls on some particular cheap tire and cause blowouts with heat and twisting when a TT does fishtail more than the 5th wheels. Its strickly a safety issue for me in handling.

I know my Goodyear Endurances react different on the interstates and cross winds than it did with Westlakes and the original Carlilses So I don't think anyone can say what is the perfect tire across the board for rvs.

Of course all you Class A folks deal with more weight and different tire needs. So I can't speak of any experiences of what would be the best for the owners of those units since I have never needed or wanted to own one.
 
I know my Goodyear Endurances react different on the interstates and cross winds than it did with Westlakes and the original Carlilses So I don't think anyone can say what is the perfect tire across the board for rvs.
In a good way? I'm planning to change mine out this spring, leaning towards GY, mine can be squirmy in moderate winds with current Mastercraft? tires on it.
 
In a good way? I'm planning to change mine out this spring, leaning towards GY, mine can be squirmy in moderate winds with current Mastercraft? tires on it.
In a good way, I have run three different sets of GYs on three different TTs, changing the tires over from the variety of brands when I could find them in stock or could order them in and have them installed by a local tire dealer. I reduced my extended sway and wide swaying with passing tractor trailers and cross and gusty winds in measurable way .

One downside, that I am not worried about is that the tires do not appear to have as much tread as the LT tires that people swear about and use on their units.
 
Last edited:
For most RV owners, it does not seem that tread depth & wear would be a significant factors in tire choice. Few RVers put enough miles on a tire to worry about that.

Also, tread depth is not a reliable indicator of mileage-life these days. There are tread rubber compounds in use that literally wear like iron. I'm not saying that's why the Endurance has a thin tread depth cause I do not know one way or the other, but it's something to keep in mind. If the tire has a mileage spec or guarantee, keep that in mind.
 
For most RV owners, it does not seem that tread depth & wear would be a significant factors in tire choice. Few RVers put enough miles on a tire to worry about that.

Also, tread depth is not a reliable indicator of mileage-life these days. There are tread rubber compounds in use that literally wear like iron. I'm not saying that's why the Endurance has a thin tread depth cause I do not know one way or the other, but it's something to keep in mind. If the tire has a mileage spec or guarantee, keep that in mind.
Solely from my own observation, people that are conscience of correct air pressure can see reduced wear on the outside toes of the tires on TTs. This is where tread depth and design comes into play. I have never towed any 5th wheels, only towed TTs . I also consider tires as an expendable part. I am religious in keeping fresh tires behind me, mileage being secondary.
 
Last edited:

Latest posts

Forum statistics

Threads
131,753
Posts
1,384,369
Members
137,524
Latest member
freetoroam
Back
Top Bottom