Planning wrote:
azdryheat wrote:
Why should my trailer be any different?
Because it is a different type of vehicle with different types of forces impacting the tires. With tires on multi-axle trailers, like RV trailers, the belt (interply) shear forces can be 24% higher than the belt shear forces of identical size, load and inflation tires on a motorized vehicle.
The internal structural forces are different for torque than for high "slip angle" which is the situation in trailer application. Front tires on cars, motorhome or tow vehicles experience slip angle usually in the 1° range while trailer tires are subject to angles in the 10° and greater range. The forces are NOT linear. 10° can generate significantly more shear than 1°.
Here is a large amount of data compiled by tire engineers regarding this issue: http://www.rvtiresafety.net/search/label/Interply%20Shear
What I know is I've had two 5th wheels in the last eight years running Michelin truck tires, traveling all over the US in the heat of summer and have yet to have a tire issue. I don't baby my tires and I don't run them at max pressure. My current Michelins are five years old and are wearing fine. So called tire experts can talk about shear and degrees and such but I'll talk from actual tire usage and the 100% reliability of my truck tires. Truck tires are tough and can take the abuse, Chinese trailer tires can't.