Tire Brand

Interesting comment about Sailun tires as they are manufactured by the same company that make the reported worst China Bombs, TBC Brands (http://www.tbcbrands.com/). We drove our new 12,000# Montana off the lot, used it for the rest of the season (Aug-Oct 2014) with about 4000 miles including delivery from Elkhart. Before it left our driveway in 2015, I installed some LRR General 'E' rated tires. Last summer we pulled that 5er about 12,000 miles. The pressure rise from 80 psig was never more then 6-8 pounds and the temps never exceeded 100*F at up to 70mph. The OEM Tow Max tires on a fairly long, early fall in Canada increased to about 100psig and ~120*F. Not exactly what I consider good for a tire. These tire never were taken above 60-62 mph.

A couple comparisons and taken from the Tire Rack site:
Cost: Tow Max $94(now $88), Generals $130 each
Weight: Tow Max 35# General 48#,
Capacity: Tow Max 3640# General 3240#

Aha, you say, the TM has 400# more capacity. Yep, you are correct. That is until you factor in the approximate 20% (some sources say as high as 40%) safety margin. The ST, well that may have no margin according to a couple well written articles I've read in the past.

As far as sidewall construction and being better for those sharp turns a trailer makes - pure hogwash. Thicker poly cord? Thicker steel cord - yeah, right!! When a trailer is making a sharp turn, often the worst is into a campsite they may 'scrub' sideways. I really don't want to see them 'squirm' and distort. I want them to slide without putting undue stress on our 5ers already less then super strong suspension.

If I 'curb' that tire, I want it to survive like my TV tires will. Yes, there are cases where a tire just cannot survive that encounter, but that LT is a lot more resistant.

If you have had good luck with Chinese made tire, for sure, stay with them but there is also that factor of using a trailer. Or not. If you pull it a few hundred miles/year to and from your seasonal site and maybe a side trip, the ST tires may be your billfolds best friend. If you take extended warm/hot weather trips on 80mph interstates (you WILL dirve faster then 60-65), your best bet is a well made tire and for me, it's an LT not a compromise from China where there is no RV industry beyond making 'things' for the US industry.

RustyJC wrote:

wilber1 wrote:
In a week we will be starting the return leg of our fourth trip from BC to So Cal and Arizona and back on our 5 year old Marathon China Bombs. That's in addition to all the summer camping we do. Did I just jinx myself?

Seriously though, a really good LT tire is probably superior, especially for heavy 5th wheels but I haven't experienced the horror stories that some have posted here.

Why would you have 5 year old Marathons on a 2015 5th wheel?

Rusty

My new one came with 15" wheels so i swapped the 16's over from my old 5er.

wilber1 wrote:
In a week we will be starting the return leg of our fourth trip from BC to So Cal and Arizona and back on our 5 year old Marathon China Bombs. That's in addition to all the summer camping we do. Did I just jinx myself?

Seriously though, a really good LT tire is probably superior, especially for heavy 5th wheels but I haven't experienced the horror stories that some have posted here.

Why would you have 5 year old Marathons on a 2015 5th wheel?

Rusty

In a week we will be starting the return leg of our fourth trip from BC to So Cal and Arizona and back on our 5 year old Marathon China Bombs. That's in addition to all the summer camping we do. Did I just jinx myself?

Seriously though, a really good LT tire is probably superior, especially for heavy 5th wheels but I haven't experienced the horror stories that some have posted here.

Yeah I'm going to have my new China bombs replaced with some better quality tires. Are the Sailuns made in the USA? I've never heard of this brand. Are they better than the Goodyear Marathons (which BTW are made in China)?

I have a tandem axle utility trailer so the China bombs will go on it which currently has a set of China bombs that are about 4 years old and knock on wood never had a problem.

TucsonJim wrote:
Okay, I know this will open a can of worms. I am changing the tires on my FW next week.

Goodyear - LT235/85R16 G614 tires - Purchase price for four = $1421.19
Sailun - ST235/85R16 S637 tire - Purchase price for four = $736.68

Which would you go with? And why?

Jim

Jim, I've owned both. I've had Goodyears on a Class-C and I replaced brand factory new 5th wheel tires with the Sailun's. Literally, drove a new 5th wheel off the lot straight to the tire store. The amount of damage an 85 series tire can do to a trailer is amazing and the risk wasn't worth it to me.

The Sailuns were literally 100% more weight than the tires they replaced. They're built like 22.5" Michelins that you'd see on a diesel pusher. Heavy.

You can get Sailun's in LT also.

Go with the Sailun's for a trailer - you can get them in 80 series too, if that's more in line with your trailer specs. Make sure the wheels are up to the tire rating and never worry about tires again.

TucsonJim wrote:
Okay, I know this will open a can of worms. I am changing the tires on my FW next week.

Goodyear - LT235/85R16 G614 tires - Purchase price for four = $1421.19
Sailun - ST235/85R16 S637 tire - Purchase price for four = $736.68

Which would you go with? And why?

Jim

The Sailun S637 ST235/85-16 G at 4008 lb capacity is a regional all position commercial grade tire that was originally designated and sold as a LT tire.....but later rebadged as a ST tire to get around high tarrif costs on P and LT tires.
This tire has nothing in common with a special trailer C/D/E/F tire as we know them in the USA.
I have six S637 LT235/85-16 G on a triaxle trailer with 7k axles. For a short period they were sold as a ST or a LT with the same Sailun part number.

This from a Sailun tire dealer;

sailun s637
rustybore

Perkiomenville PA

New Member

Joined: 02/14/2015

Posted: 10/04/15 03:51pm Link | Quote | Print | Notify Moderator
Here are some more observations on these LRG S637 tires...

Over the last 6 years or so, we have sold HUNDREDS of Sailun S637 tires in the 235/85R16G size. First the LT version, and more recently, the ST version.

Same tire, different designation.... and yes this change in designation was indeed done to beat the tariff on LT tires and keep them reasonably priced. The tire was not changed.

We have sold these tires for all kinds of trailers, Stock trailers for ranchers, Toy Haulers, RV trailers, Stacker car trailers for race cars, Open car trailers for hot shot haulers. There have been a bunch of repeat customers over the years, and for many commercial type users, this is the only tire they will buy.

My point is, if your considering the Sailun S637, do it. A year from now, you will be back on this forum telling others about how well these tires have worked for you!

One note of caution: be sure your wheels are suitable for the higher load capacity and 110 PSI pressure. This is important.

30 years in business on my own, with over 40 years of doing tires!

Here's my conundrum. I've got 7300lbs+/- on my axles. I currently have ST 225/75/15 GY Marathons. I only have around 2.25 -2.50 between the tires for spacing. I'm running 5200lb axles and 6-6.5 rims.
I could run an LT tire size 225/75/16. They have around a 29.3 dia. About 1" larger than my OEM 28.3" GY. So I would end up with 1.25-1.50" between the axles.
That may or may not work. If I drop down to a 235/75/15 D rated LT then I only have 160lbs in reserve for each tire. Running D rated STs I have 715lbs in reserve for each tire. I could jump to E rated STs and have even more in reserve. Which ones better?
I have plenty of clearance between the top of the tire and the 5er body.
Believe I've looked at plenty of RVs and the number one factor right now after floor plan is tire size. 16" is a must have.

boshog wrote:
Here are a few highlights from an article I found, read this over and see if you agree. You can find the complete article by Mark Polk here;
rvingwithmarkpolk.com/2012/11/08/trailer-towing-st-tires-vs-lt-tires/

"Let me begin by saying when it comes to the type of tires to use on a travel trailer or 5th wheel trailer I think there is a lack of information and understanding on the topic. If you head over to the RV forums and type in ST vs. LT tires be prepared for a good deal of debate and varying opinions.

ST stands for Special Trailer tire. ST tires are designed for use on trailer axle positions only. They are not designed for the load or traction requirements of a drive or steering axle. ST tires have strengthened sidewalls to prevent the tire from rolling under the rim in turns and when cornering. All ST tires have a maximum speed rating of 65 mph. ST tires feature materials and construction designed to meet the higher load requirements and demands trailer towing presents.
Tim Fry, senior development engineer with Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company stated, The major difference is reflected in the polyester cords used in ST tires. These cords are bigger than they would be for a comparable P or LT tire. Typically, the steel wire also has a larger diameter or greater tensile strength to meet the additional load requirements. Because of the heavier construction for an equal volume of air space, an ST tire is designated to carry more load than a P or LT tire.
Chinese Manufactured ST Tires:
Several years ago it was discovered that numerous brands of Chinese manufactured LT and ST tires had defects that resulted in premature tire failure. RV owners towing travel trailers and 5th wheel trailers were experiencing excessive tire blowouts and other tire failures long before the tire’s life expectancy was reached. The defective Chinese tire fiasco, from say 2005 to 2008, left a bad taste with RV owners and many resorted to replacing their ST tires with LT tires. Despite my feeling towards all things Chinese, it seems that U.S. brand tires manufactured in China since 2010 have been fine. This does not however apply to any of cheap priced Chinese brand ST tires being exported to the U.S."

So given a reputable tire, major causes of tire failure come from over-loading, under/over inflated, and improper weight distribution. I can say this looking around the travel areas, the only leveled fifth wheel/truck combination I’ve seen to date is mine. Every other one is tail heavy putting addition load on the back axle. Look at the pictures of blown tires, most are from the rear axle.

There are several misstatements in this article:

1. Not all ST tires are rated for 65mph. In fact my last set of Westlake ST tires with a 4914 date code were rated "L", 75mph. Sailun S637 tires are rated for 75mph.

2. My last failure was on the front axle, not the back.

3. The defective Chinese tire fiasco did not end in 2008. That is a complete line of BS. They are still popping and throwing tread and being the typical CHINA BOMBs they always have.

What is really a shame is that when there is a failure and you try to report it to the NHTSA, quite often the brand that failed is not listed as a drop down on the reporting menu, and you can't proceed from there. So without a way to report the failures and subsequent damage and accidents these CHINA BOMBs cause, there is a significant lack of data for the government to make decisions.

Here are a few highlights from an article I found, read this over and see if you agree. You can find the complete article by Mark Polk here;
rvingwithmarkpolk.com/2012/11/08/trailer-towing-st-tires-vs-lt-tires/

"Let me begin by saying when it comes to the type of tires to use on a travel trailer or 5th wheel trailer I think there is a lack of information and understanding on the topic. If you head over to the RV forums and type in ST vs. LT tires be prepared for a good deal of debate and varying opinions.

ST stands for Special Trailer tire. ST tires are designed for use on trailer axle positions only. They are not designed for the load or traction requirements of a drive or steering axle. ST tires have strengthened sidewalls to prevent the tire from rolling under the rim in turns and when cornering. All ST tires have a maximum speed rating of 65 mph. ST tires feature materials and construction designed to meet the higher load requirements and demands trailer towing presents.
Tim Fry, senior development engineer with Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company stated, The major difference is reflected in the polyester cords used in ST tires. These cords are bigger than they would be for a comparable P or LT tire. Typically, the steel wire also has a larger diameter or greater tensile strength to meet the additional load requirements. Because of the heavier construction for an equal volume of air space, an ST tire is designated to carry more load than a P or LT tire.
Chinese Manufactured ST Tires:
Several years ago it was discovered that numerous brands of Chinese manufactured LT and ST tires had defects that resulted in premature tire failure. RV owners towing travel trailers and 5th wheel trailers were experiencing excessive tire blowouts and other tire failures long before the tire’s life expectancy was reached. The defective Chinese tire fiasco, from say 2005 to 2008, left a bad taste with RV owners and many resorted to replacing their ST tires with LT tires. Despite my feeling towards all things Chinese, it seems that U.S. brand tires manufactured in China since 2010 have been fine. This does not however apply to any of cheap priced Chinese brand ST tires being exported to the U.S."

So given a reputable tire, major causes of tire failure come from over-loading, under/over inflated, and improper weight distribution. I can say this looking around the travel areas, the only leveled fifth wheel/truck combination I’ve seen to date is mine. Every other one is tail heavy putting addition load on the back axle. Look at the pictures of blown tires, most are from the rear axle.