ST235/80R16 Tire Replacement
I wish to go to the LT tires, and the shop I called said they do not make them in that size, I would have to go to an LT235/85R16 tire. He said since this tire is a bit larger than the old, you have ...
Forum Discussion
I'm going to truncate this post a bit, rather than waste all the space, but I wanted everyone to know what I am responding to:
Well you are right that a lot has been said about tires - and that not only is there a lot of difference of opinion, there are varying levels of technical expertise, and sometimes that affects what the opinions are. I'll try to remain as neutral as I can.
Be aware that the load ratings on tires aren't quite the absolute that they are sometimes portrayed. Increasing the speed reduces the load carrying capacity - so since LT tires are rated at higher speeds, they also have to be rated for lower loads. But since your vehicle is only going to be used one way, this load vs speed thing gets overwhelmed by other factors.
What other factors?
The most obvious one is that most ST tires are produced in China - a place where there is some issues about quality. But even Maxxis, which is a Taiwanese company, seems to have issues. To date, there doesn't appear to be anyone manufacturing ST tires without issues, although for some, the jury is still out (that is, it is too early to tell)
The second is that trailer manufacturers tend to undersize the tires - and it appears yours is one of those. Needless to say, this complicates the tire quality issue in that even high quality tires can fail if overstressed. So it makes sense to go up to a 235/85R16 and the use of an LT would be a logical step.
Now the problem is going to be getting someone to do the changeover. Many shops will not put a tire that has a lower rating on a vehicle (either lower speed rating or lower load rating). You will either have to find one that will, or bring them just the wheels (and tires).
You don't need to change wheels. While there are been a few reports of wheel failures, there doesn't appear to be any widespread issues. More like isolated incidents.
If you want to talk a bit about why the Maxxis tire is rated lower than the tires currently on your vehicle, I'd rather you PM me. I think that topic will cause a flurry of discussion that will likely cause the moderators to close the thread.
Blackcell wrote:
I wasn't sure if I should start a new post but don't mean to hijack the thread........Just looking for some advice and options to help me wade through all the info.
My fiver:
GVWR: 15,000 lbs
Axles weight: ~12,000 lbs (11,720 loaded from last summer)
Current tires: ST235/80R/16E, max load 3520 @ 80 psi
.....
Well you are right that a lot has been said about tires - and that not only is there a lot of difference of opinion, there are varying levels of technical expertise, and sometimes that affects what the opinions are. I'll try to remain as neutral as I can.
Be aware that the load ratings on tires aren't quite the absolute that they are sometimes portrayed. Increasing the speed reduces the load carrying capacity - so since LT tires are rated at higher speeds, they also have to be rated for lower loads. But since your vehicle is only going to be used one way, this load vs speed thing gets overwhelmed by other factors.
What other factors?
The most obvious one is that most ST tires are produced in China - a place where there is some issues about quality. But even Maxxis, which is a Taiwanese company, seems to have issues. To date, there doesn't appear to be anyone manufacturing ST tires without issues, although for some, the jury is still out (that is, it is too early to tell)
The second is that trailer manufacturers tend to undersize the tires - and it appears yours is one of those. Needless to say, this complicates the tire quality issue in that even high quality tires can fail if overstressed. So it makes sense to go up to a 235/85R16 and the use of an LT would be a logical step.
Now the problem is going to be getting someone to do the changeover. Many shops will not put a tire that has a lower rating on a vehicle (either lower speed rating or lower load rating). You will either have to find one that will, or bring them just the wheels (and tires).
You don't need to change wheels. While there are been a few reports of wheel failures, there doesn't appear to be any widespread issues. More like isolated incidents.
If you want to talk a bit about why the Maxxis tire is rated lower than the tires currently on your vehicle, I'd rather you PM me. I think that topic will cause a flurry of discussion that will likely cause the moderators to close the thread.
