Tire time! No china bombs

JIMNLIN wrote:

walker111 wrote:
Keeping an eye on this as I may buy tires soon. Bought a 2014 Voltage 3305 recently and is in great shape as it should be. The tires are 235/80R16. Name escapes me but starts AK......

They show some wear but ok. Trailer weighed is 12700 and know I will have 1500 more in there towing and will upgrade tires in the future. It is double axle.
Keep recommendations coming....

Were hijacking the OP tread here but maybe he can benefit from your trailers completely different tire needs.

The OP has ST225/75-15 D tires rated at 2540 lbs and 28.3" diameter.
He can upgrade to 16" trailer wheels and a LT225/75-16 E at 2680 lbs @ 29.2" diameter. His tri axle trailer probably has 5200 lb axles.

Your tire needs are different.
Your ST235/80-16 E has around 3400-3600 lbs capacity and your tandem axle trailer may have 7k axles.
If this is the case the only LT tires that will work is the Sailun S637 G load range at 110 psi or the Goodyear G614 LT235/85-16 G load range at 110 psi both are a commercial grade all steel ply carcass and tread.
Now if your trailer has 6k axles the LT235/85-16 E at 3042 lbs capacity tire will work for you. If your trailers gross weight is close to 3000 lbs per wheel I would stick with the Michelin XPS RIB or the Bridgestone R-250 both are a commercial grade all steel ply carcass tire.

Ordered a set of sailuns 235/80R/16 this morning.

If you're referring to the crease in the 225, that's not unusual, and is part of the manufacturing process. My marathons had those also. I can't speak to the quality or performance of the Towmax tires as I've never owned them. Only giving you my experience with MIC Marathons. Good luck!

brirene wrote:
Sorry, but I think the whole "China bomb" thing is overblown (no pun intended), especially in the last several years. When was the last time you saw a post about it? I got 5 years and many thousands of miles from my previous MIC Marathons, have replaced them with Carlisle R/H. Tows nicely and I expect good service from these as well. Get a load range higher than the originals, maintain and cover them. YMMV.

I was hoping that you were right.... but after taking delivery of my new 5th wheel, I am astonished at the tires. Powerking Towmax. The sidewalls have creases (I was expecting) and bulges, that I was not!

I just replaced the tires on the triple axle raptor we bought new in 2008 with Maxxis. Knock on wood, I've never had trouble with tires. I believe part of my luck lyes with the fact that both my trailers have had 16" rims/tires. I don't know anyone personally who has had problems if the tire/wheel size is 16", but I know many who have had problems with 15".

walker111 wrote:
Keeping an eye on this as I may buy tires soon. Bought a 2014 Voltage 3305 recently and is in great shape as it should be. The tires are 235/80R16. Name escapes me but starts AK......

They show some wear but ok. Trailer weighed is 12700 and know I will have 1500 more in there towing and will upgrade tires in the future. It is double axle.
Keep recommendations coming....

Were hijacking the OP tread here but maybe he can benefit from your trailers completely different tire needs.

The OP has ST225/75-15 D tires rated at 2540 lbs and 28.3" diameter.
He can upgrade to 16" trailer wheels and a LT225/75-16 E at 2680 lbs @ 29.2" diameter. His tri axle trailer probably has 5200 lb axles.

Your tire needs are different.
Your ST235/80-16 E has around 3400-3600 lbs capacity and your tandem axle trailer may have 7k axles.
If this is the case the only LT tires that will work is the Sailun S637 G load range at 110 psi or the Goodyear G614 LT235/85-16 G load range at 110 psi both are a commercial grade all steel ply carcass and tread.
Now if your trailer has 6k axles the LT235/85-16 E at 3042 lbs capacity tire will work for you. If your trailers gross weight is close to 3000 lbs per wheel I would stick with the Michelin XPS RIB or the Bridgestone R-250 both are a commercial grade all steel ply carcass tire.

Madhatter1 wrote:
Wow, thanks for all the responses. I checked the trailer today and I have plenty of room for 16" wheels so may just do that. As for china bombs, well........been china bombed and never again. Maybe they are better now but I'll give then 20 years to prove that out. Going to look at the Firestones. E rating is max I need.

Any sites that sell decent 16" wheels?

Thanks again.

Make sure you buy wheels appropriate to the offset requirements of your axles. Specs should be easy to find on axle mfg. website.

Trailer-wheels.com is where I got mine because they had the factory looking wheel in the 16". $70 each and free shipping, plus he was in Southern California which made the delivery quick for me.

WW 16" Wheel

funny the tires that ive had the worse luck with were the GY marathons that were on my previous trailer, all were only a few years old, in one month two had tread separation.

Madhatter1 wrote:
Wow, thanks for all the responses. I checked the trailer today and I have plenty of room for 16" wheels so may just do that. As for china bombs, well........been china bombed and never again. Maybe they are better now but I'll give then 20 years to prove that out. Going to look at the Firestones. E rating is max I need.

Any sites that sell decent 16" wheels?

Thanks again.

When I upgraded both my RVs from 15" to 16" I found wheels on ebay new 6 lug rims for $45 each...not sure if he still has some but it would be a place to look. I run the Maxxis on both with no issues.

Thanks guys. They are ST.