tire wall separation
I just have had 2 front tires side walls split . The brand is Powerking Towmax, on a 2011 fifth wheel estimate less than 4k miles on them. Anyone have any experiences with this?
Forum Discussion
33 Replies
gitane59 wrote:
correct weight capacity and tread pattern
I have long thought the ST tread pattern (like a M&S) is completely wrong for trailer service. To much traction may be ripping the cap loose! Chrisbigblueok wrote:
I just have had 2 front tires side walls split . The brand is Powerking Towmax, on a 2011 fifth wheel estimate less than 4k miles on them. Anyone have any experiences with this?
Yep, had my Maxxis LRE's do the same after a couple years on my 10K lb trailer. Had two go within miles of each other and was told the other two were looking bad. All were replaced under warranty but not with Maxxis since they were special order.
After another bad experience with ST's, I've switched to LT's.
Good luck.FastEagle wrote:
Keep in mind this is a newish trailer and the damage could have been down on the way to the dealer and continued while at the dealership.
FastEagle
This the first time you have made a statement I have been in complete agreement with, Calvin:). This is one reason why I have started to call most all of the standard equipment towable tires "delivery tires" for the following reasons.
No 1. They are the lowest cost sub's bidder's cheapest junk tires that the manufacturer hopes gets the trailer from the factory to the dealership. This is why all the minimum gov spec's and reg's (there has to be someway to force the manufacturers to put on a tire that has a chance at a reasonable lifespan) Can you imagine the even junkier tires they would use to save a few more buck's if there was no reg's
No 2. You have no idea if the factory bothered to check the tire pressure before a trailer left a factory and you have no idea what speed the RV transport company delivery driver towed those 65mph max China bombs at during delivery.
Considering how many obvious things the factories miss during a rv build do you really think they check the tire pressures accurately in the Quality Assurance stage before they leave the factory? If they have a QA department!
I know it's going to cost some bucks, but get those delivery tires off and a high quality known brand tire of the correct weight capacity and tread pattern installed a soon as you can after purchasing a new trailer from a stealer---- oops! I meant dealership.
This way you can tow with confidence and peace of mind that you won't be a victim of the mysterious unexplainable sudden loss of air caused by all those dreaded road hazards that disappear and never bother you again once you get quality tires installed.FastEagle wrote:
If you were to be involved in an accident and the tires on your trailer were suspected to be the cause, where will the hammer land?
If the trailer owner had tires with no dot number or less capacity than the trailers axle ratings or less tread depth than the fed minimum or other criteria then the hammer could land on the owner. Type of tire does not enter in legal issues regarding tires on a trailer involved in a wreck.
Before making the weight cops will get ya' comments you really need to know something on the subject. What ever state your from please educate yourself on what a actual roadside size and weight enforcement officer will look at.
Chris has always recommended a safer tire than the OEM junk the trailer manufacturer gave us. Much safer recommendations than your insisting folks are required to use the trailer mfg OEM types.- Fasteagle. The OP of this thread has had 2 ST tires fail in two years and 4k miles and according to you he should continue to replace his tires with more of the same. For a rational person that is similar to kneeling in the middle of the highway and bashing their head into the pavement. At some point they figure they are dealing with a product and manufacturers that are not looking out for their best interest as our Cardinal Club members have done and do something about it.
What have you been doing about it? Chris Tireman9 wrote:
Chris,
Glad to hear you were able to get your RV mfg to change their wheels. Do they also provide the LR-G tires on all units?[/qoute]
As I stated it is now a factory option for LRG tires when ordering a new trailer. Chrisbigblueok wrote:
The only tires I can find local are the goodyear marathon...how well do they hold up.
I would trust the newest Marathon but again look to cover the entire GVWR to give some safety margin. Large trailer may need to go to larger LT.Ezbagr wrote:
CapriRacer, I know that you have alot of knowledge about tires but I cannot believe what you posted about Chris.
I would take Chris`s recommendations before Calvin`s any day of the week.
I read alot about how a majority of these ST tire failures are because the owner did not properly take care of them. I say BS to this.
There are 10`s of millions more car and truck tires going down the road
compared to ST tires. I will guarantee that percentage wise the car-truck tires that fail are a fraction of the ST failures. Why is it?
Do the car-truck tire owners meticulously take care of their tires-I highly doubt it.Even you say that the ST tires are 20% over rated.
Whats funny is Calvin produces all these government papers that require a person to use such and such a tire that is specified on the PLACARD or you are breaking the law. I say HOOEY-person needs to find out what weight they have on their tires-make sure that it is not over axle rating and then buy LT tires to cover their load that they have on them.Yes, you may be breaking the law by having tires that cover your load and not being PLACARD equivalent, but what is safer-a ST tire that we KNOW are prone to failure or LT tire that is rated for the load that you are putting on that tire.
Also one other question, does anyone know of ANYBOBY that has been ticketed for not using PLACARD equivalent tires. Chances are it is not going to happen.
I post references to regulations and tire industry standards. I may have said so and so is in violation of regulations but I don't recall ever saying they were breaking the law. That's a completely different subject. Only DOT federal and state inspectors can determine if laws are broken and to what extent.
The only guidelines for replacing RV trailer tires come from applying the regulations and industry standards. Getting tires for RV axles are not like getting tires for your car, SUV, pick-up truck, etc.. The Tire and Rim Association publishes lists of acceptable replacement tires for those applications. All tire retailers will have copies of those lists. The T&RA also provide the industry standards for plus sizing those applications.
Apply some factual personal knowledge about tire safety. If you were to be involved in an accident and the tires on your trailer were suspected to be the cause, where will the hammer land?
FastEaglebigblueok wrote:
The only tires I can find local are the goodyear marathon...how well do they hold up.
The GY Marathon is no better or worst than the other ST tires available with the possible exception of the Maxxis ST.
The thing that Goodyear has over the other manufacturers is that if you keep a failed tire and you submit is to them, they will pay for a new tire (somethings all four) and pay the repair bill to fix a damaged trailer. The issue as I see it is that your trailer will never be actually like it was before the failure.
If you can get away from ST tires and go to a LT that is rated for your axles and fits you are way better off.
ChrisEzbagr wrote:
snip
There are 10`s of millions more car and truck tires going down the road compared to ST tires. I will guarantee that percentage wise the car-truck tires that fail are a fraction of the ST failures. Why is it?
snip
One major reason PSR failure rate for most brands made in almost any country is less than 0.05% is because the vehicle manufacturer isn't buying the smallest, lowest cost tire that will meet the minimum standards for load capacity.
Most cars when they leave the factory have 20% to 50% reserve load (excess capacity). All cars made over the past 7 years or so also come with TPMS. Many car companies warranty the entire vehicle for 3, to 5 years with drive train at 5 to 10 years while RV manufacturers can't seem to hook up a 12 volt system that is good for more than a few months.
IMO US RV manufacturer's quality make Harbor Freight tool quality look like the best tools in the world. Even China Bombs last longer than a new RV before something fails.
Most cars never see 60% of the tire max speed capability either.
Finally the side loading of tires on passenger and pickups runs about 24% lower than the side loading of multi axle trailers.
Add all of these facts together and I think you may understand part of the reason ST tires have a higher failure rate.
If you have a complaint about the old, out of date load formula and guidelines used for ST tires, that ignores the unique tandem axle loading I would suggest a few hundred letters to
The Tire and Rim Association, Inc.,
175 Montrose West Avenue, Suite 150,
Copley, Ohio, 44321
and
NHTSA Headquarters
1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
West Building
Washington, DC 20590
telling them that the tables and guidelines that were OK for trailer design in the 60's needs updating.
Of course NHTSA will look at its records and see almost zero actionable complaints on file so they will probably dismiss your letters.
