I put cheap generic LT265/75R16 LREs on our Chaparral 355 6 seasons ago after one of the Goodyear Marathon ST230/80R16 LRDs that came with the trailer developed a bulge.I have not had a single problem with running LT tires on this trailer and they get abused regularly. We pull it about 2500 miles a year. The tires look like new. I do not cover them in winter.Our trailer weighed 10,750 lbs dry when new. I've added a lot of equipment to it. On our last trip the trailer axles weighed 12,100 pounds alone. Before the weight police get up in arms, I replaced the stock axles with 7,000 pound torsion axles with hydraulic disk brakes. It handles beautifully. Our trailer sits a tad high in the front when hitched to the truck. I suspect the rear tires are carrying a bit more load than the fronts. I haven't weighed the individual wheels. I think LT tires are 10x better than STs.

So do most of us. There are only a few that want to argue the point by trying to pount out how the testing is the same but facts dont lie......

I am in the research/purchase mode for tires too. For one reason or another I have a combo of tires right now which have been rotated around due to a bent spindle on one axle & some slight alignment issues.I will install the Lippert Correct Track system in a few weeks to take care of the alignment & have a new axle to replace the bent spindle one.The plan is to take the tires off the truck rear & put them on the trailer. BFG Commercial LTs. They have a fair amount of life in them at only 25,000 miles so they should be good on the trailer once all of the alignment issues are taken care of.The rear of the truck will get the new rubber. Once done truck & trailer will have the same tires which means 2 spares.I don't cover tires in winter either but truck & trailer are stored indoors, same as covering to me. At 10 to 15 thousand miles a year my issue is tire wear rather than tire age.

With that many miles a year, do yourself a favor and put some real axles under your trailer.http://www.rv.net/forum/index.cfm/fuseaction/thread/tid/23960591.cfmI wouldn't fool around with the Correct Track stuff.

Veebyes wrote:I am in the research/purchase mode for tires too. For one reason or another I have a combo of tires right now which have been rotated around due to a bent spindle on one axle & some slight alignment issues.I will install the Lippert Correct Track system in a few weeks to take care of the alignment & have a new axle to replace the bent spindle one.The plan is to take the tires off the truck rear & put them on the trailer. BFG Commercial LTs. They have a fair amount of life in them at only 25,000 miles so they should be good on the trailer once all of the alignment issues are taken care of.The rear of the truck will get the new rubber. Once done truck & trailer will have the same tires which means 2 spares.I don't cover tires in winter either but truck & trailer are stored indoors, same as covering to me. At 10 to 15 thousand miles a year my issue is tire wear rather than tire age. Correct Track is not a complete alignment system. Save you r money and bring it to a big rig alignment shop. For less money they will adjust the tracking which is what the Correct Track does but they will also adjust the toe and the camber which the Correct Track won't do...You won't need a new axle either. They will straighten the old one when they align it. Just saved you several hundred dollars...B.O.

donn0128 wrote:So do most of us. There are only a few that want to argue the point by trying to pount out how the testing is the same but facts dont lie......X1, After 5 yrs. you are on borrowed time with tires, the odds of having a tire problem are pretty high!!!!

6 years on LT265/75R16s... no problems. | Good Sam Community

23 Replies

JIMNLIN
Explorer III
Aug 24, 2015
Total BS. The friction difference between a 235 and a 265 is negligible.

The 265/75 tires can have up to 8" tread width vs 235/85 that can have 6 1/2 - 6 3/4 " tread width.

So which equipment trailer dealer told you this ?

Kaufman and Starlite dealers.

And if tire width is a problem, why don't after market trailer axles (Dexters, etc.) come with a tire width rating ?

Dexter/etc doesn't need to say anything as the trailer mfg was offering that option and then dropped it. Nor does Dexter know what wheel width/spring hangers types or material strengths the trailer mfg is using.

Thought maybe you were interested in why 265/75 tires don't come on trailers or are a option. Hey....they work for you so all is good.
me2
Explorer
Aug 23, 2015
JIMNLIN wrote:
The biggest reason is wide base tires have more surface friction as the tires side scrub around corners which adds even more stress to suspension parts I mentioned above.

The 265/75 tires aren't the norm for a trailer position because of side strees issues but if it working for you thats great.

Total BS. The friction difference between a 235 and a 265 is negligible.

And what trailer manufacturer would tell its customer base it had too many warranty claims ?

Never said the trailer manufacturer told its customers anything. As a customer we get our info from the equipment trailer dealers if we are interested.

So which equipment trailer dealer told you this ? And if tire width is a problem, why don't after market trailer axles (Dexters, etc.) come with a tire width rating ?
me2
Explorer
Aug 23, 2015
Me Again wrote:
I would like to see 265's on six inch trailer rims. Sidewall has to be really rolled in. Chris
It isn't. The trailer is very stable. I haven't rolled any tires off the rim either, in spite of doing many short radius/ on the spot turns, trying to park a 40 foot trailer in a site designed for something much smaller.
zb39
Explorer
Aug 23, 2015
I run Cooper LT's. no issues on my 8k mile trip.
ken_burke
Explorer
Aug 23, 2015
me2 wrote:
I put cheap generic LT265/75R16 LREs on our Chaparral 355 6 seasons ago after one of the Goodyear Marathon ST230/80R16 LRDs that came with the trailer developed a bulge.

I have not had a single problem with running LT tires on this trailer and they get abused regularly. We pull it about 2500 miles a year. The tires look like new. I do not cover them in winter.

Our trailer weighed 10,750 lbs dry when new. I've added a lot of equipment to it. On our last trip the trailer axles weighed 12,100 pounds alone. Before the weight police get up in arms, I replaced the stock axles with 7,000 pound torsion axles with hydraulic disk brakes. It handles beautifully.

Our trailer sits a tad high in the front when hitched to the truck. I suspect the rear tires are carrying a bit more load than the fronts. I haven't weighed the individual wheels.

I think LT tires are 10x better than STs.

I have had a lot of tire blowouts using E rated tires (Marathons). I replaced the E rated tires with Goodyear G614 G rated tires on the 6,000 pound axles. 235/85/16. They worked good, and I think that the G614 tires are great (we have a heavy 5th wheel).
I then found out that my Cedar Creek springs failed. Flatted out. I had the 6,000 pound axles replaced with 7,000 pound axles. New brakes, new tires, new springs. The manufacture put on ST tires, G rated. I had to give up the Goodyear G614. From now on, The Cedar Creek people will not put on LT tires on the new trailers. ST only.
Veebyes
Explorer II
Aug 23, 2015
ZR1PETE wrote:
me2 wrote:
What tires were they ?

I'll post when mine blow.

BF Goodrich Commercial T/A

Also had a blowout with a BFG Commercial a few years back. Turns out that they had a recall on a production run of them. Mine was in that production run. Trouble is, I had no idea of the recall & the recall period was way past time to claim.

Oh well....Other than that I have had excellent service with BFGs, made by Michelin, & my next set will be BFGs again.
larry_barnhart
Explorer
Aug 23, 2015
NC Hauler has just said today he had a Stroke Wednesday morning on the over the campfire oops posts.

Chevman
Me_Again
Explorer III
Aug 23, 2015
I would like to see 265's on six inch trailer rims. Sidewall has to be really rolled in. Chris
JIMNLIN
Explorer III
Aug 23, 2015
Why would a "wide base tire" cause warranty claims on running gear ?

If you notice trailers don't come OEM with 14"/15"/16"/17.5" the 265/75 size tires nor are they a option. The biggest reason is wide base tires have more surface friction as the tires side scrub around corners which adds even more stress to suspension parts I mentioned above.
The 265/75 tires aren't the norm for a trailer position because of side strees issues but if it working for you thats great.

And what trailer manufacturer would tell its customer base it had too many warranty claims ?

Never said the trailer manufacturer told its customers anything. As a customer we get our info from the equipment trailer dealers if we are interested.
john_bet
Explorer II
Aug 23, 2015
My '05 5er came with LT tires and they lasted till '13. I put LT's back on it.