My local tire shop which I have bought several sets of car/truck tires through and does install tires on trailers told me that due to liability reason associated with the lower weight rating on an LT tire they can't install them. Said I would have to take the tires/rims off the trailer and take them in separately was the only way they could do it.Obvious reply is going to be to go find another tire shop which is what I will likely have to do. Just trying to get an idea if this is a common theme with tire shops and putting LT tires on trailers?

Is the load rating (not load range) on the LT tires you're wanting to purchase at least as high as the load rating on the ST tires you're replacing as shown on the tag on the pinbox/front right side of the 5th wheel? The tire shop may be saying that they can't install a tire rated for any less than the tire load rating requirements shown on the tag. In other words, they can't install an LT235/85R-16E rated at 3042 lbs @ 80 PSIG to replace an ST235/80R-16E rated 3450 lbs (or whatever) @ 80 PSIG if the latter is what's shown on the tag.If the total GAWR of your 5th wheel in the above example is 6000 lbs, then you may have to take the tires and wheels to a tire shop to have the tires mounted. If it's higher than 6084 lbs, you'd need to move to an LT235/85R-16G such as the Goodyear G614 RST that's rated 3750 lbs @ 80 PSIG - more than the original ST tire - to meet the GAWR.Rusty

Yes tire shops like RV parks are having to put on more and more restrictions mandated by their insurance carriers. I had to jack up my 5th wheel in the parking lot at Sears to have new Michelin tires put on. I would jack up one wheel take off the tire and rim and the tire guy would roll it into the shop and put on the new tire. It took about 90 minutes to take care of all 4 tires.My new Medium Duty truck had no spare and I couldn't order one from the dealer. The reason given too many injuries from folks improperly jacking up a heavy truck and getting squished when it fell off of the jack. Insurance restriction to prevent liability.

the bear II wrote:Yes tire shops like RV parks are having to put on more and more restrictions mandated by their insurance carriers. I had to jack up my 5th wheel in the parking lot at Sears to have new Michelin tires put on. I would jack up one wheel take off the tire and rim and the tire guy would roll it into the shop and put on the new tire. It took about 90 minutes to take care of all 4 tires.My new truck had no spare and I couldn't order one from the dealer. The reason given too many injuries from folks improperly jacking up a heavy truck and getting squished when it fell off of the jack. Insurance restriction to prevent liability.Ive seen it first hand , when I was in the V.F.D we had to pull one young man out from under his car after he used bumper jacks to lift it up at the back, took the wheels of, then went under the car and got crushed from the diff when the jacks let go. We had to use the Vetter bags to lift the car up & get the body out , it was a big old 1970's Malibu or something, full size car.

shepstone wrote:the bear II wrote:Yes tire shops like RV parks are having to put on more and more restrictions mandated by their insurance carriers. I had to jack up my 5th wheel in the parking lot at Sears to have new Michelin tires put on. I would jack up one wheel take off the tire and rim and the tire guy would roll it into the shop and put on the new tire. It took about 90 minutes to take care of all 4 tires.My new truck had no spare and I couldn't order one from the dealer. The reason given too many injuries from folks improperly jacking up a heavy truck and getting squished when it fell off of the jack. Insurance restriction to prevent liability.Ive seen it first hand , when I was in the V.F.D we had to pull one young man out from under his car after he used bumper jacks to lift it up at the back, took the wheels of, then went under the car and got crushed from the diff when the jacks let go. We had to use the Vetter bags to lift the car up & get the body out , it was a big old 1970's Malibu or something, full size car.Darwin in action and there, but for the Grace of G*d... Given the abuse I've done to my truck tires over the years, I'd have ZERO problems putting on LTs, even with a lower rating than an ST, as there's a helluva lot more margin in anything rated for passenger use than there is in one that's not. Just as a large shop will not fix a flat that's got a hole in the sidewall, which is why places like Discount rake in huge $$ by selling the road hazard warranty. OP, find a local "llantera" and have them mount your tires.Lyle

N-Trouble wrote:My local tire shop which I have bought several sets of car/truck tires through and does install tires on trailers told me that due to liability reason associated with the lower weight rating on an LT tire they can't install them. Said I would have to take the tires/rims off the trailer and take them in separately was the only way they could do it.Obvious reply is going to be to go find another tire shop which is what I will likely have to do. Just trying to get an idea if this is a common theme with tire shops and putting LT tires on trailers?What is the current ST size tire on your 5er?What is the listed GVWR of your 5er, I see a dry weight of about 8,700# Likely a GVWR around 12,000# So a set of LT 235/85-16 will have a total rating of 12,168#. I have a 5er with a GVWR of 12,360# subtract 2,200# of pin I only carry at GVWR about 10,000# on the axles.

Tire shop wont install LTs on my trailer | Good Sam Community

the_bear_II
Explorer
Mar 09, 2016
Yes tire shops like RV parks are having to put on more and more restrictions mandated by their insurance carriers. I had to jack up my 5th wheel in the parking lot at Sears to have new Michelin tires put on. I would jack up one wheel take off the tire and rim and the tire guy would roll it into the shop and put on the new tire. It took about 90 minutes to take care of all 4 tires.

My new Medium Duty truck had no spare and I couldn't order one from the dealer. The reason given too many injuries from folks improperly jacking up a heavy truck and getting squished when it fell off of the jack. Insurance restriction to prevent liability.
RustyJC
Explorer
Mar 09, 2016
Is the load rating (not load range) on the LT tires you're wanting to purchase at least as high as the load rating on the ST tires you're replacing as shown on the tag on the pinbox/front right side of the 5th wheel? The tire shop may be saying that they can't install a tire rated for any less than the tire load rating requirements shown on the tag. In other words, they can't install an LT235/85R-16E rated at 3042 lbs @ 80 PSIG to replace an ST235/80R-16E rated 3450 lbs (or whatever) @ 80 PSIG if the latter is what's shown on the tag.

If the total GAWR of your 5th wheel in the above example is 6000 lbs, then you may have to take the tires and wheels to a tire shop to have the tires mounted. If it's higher than 6084 lbs, you'd need to move to an LT235/85R-16G such as the Goodyear G614 RST that's rated 3750 lbs @ 80 PSIG - more than the original ST tire - to meet the GAWR.

Rusty

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