Replacement tire questions: PUP

If staying with ST tires you can go up to load range D if it makes you more comfortable. The originals are probably load range C.

Definitely get radials.

For such a light load any brand is probably fine.

The P tire on a single axle trailer is a excellent move. Their very popular with the boating crowd and other PUP owners.
I use them a small 12' tilt bed flat deck trailer with a 1750 lb axle. I also use 15" P tires on a tandem axle trailer. Their not speed restricted as the speed limit on the interstates around here is 75 mph.

Yes a P tires capacity is reduced per fed regs... S4.2.2.2 When passenger car tires are installed on an MPV, truck, bus, or trailer, each tire's load rating is reduced by dividing it by 1.10 ...... .

FYI in case you didn't know your ST185/80D13 is a bias ply tire and not a load range D at 65 psi. The D at that spot is a bias ply designation.

Maxxis has a couple of 13" commercial grade LT tires in the U-168 Bravo. Check them out to satisfy your wheels pressure and width requirements.

good luck on your search.

SIngle axle trailers do not have near the tire issues as tandems or triples, so IMO the brand of tire is not as important. That said, trailer tires for some reason dont seem t o last more than about 5 years before they become time bombs.
DO not get P rated tires and good luck finding ST tires in a 13" wheel. I dont think they exist.
ST tires are what you want. Yes they are rated to 65mph only, however myself and thousands of others tow much faster for long distances without issue on ST tires. Don't worry about it. Drive as you normally would or feel comfortable with and dont worry about the tires (unless you're rollin at like 90mph or something.......). More importantly, make sure the bearings are well greased.

fickman wrote:
Here's where I'm at:
- Definitely going to replace tires
- Staying with 13" ST (no room in wheel well to upsize)
- Staying with 185/80d

That helps narrow the options.

I guess I'm basically down to brand opinions and trying to find the max load capacity for the size. It looks like most of these just come mounted on a wheel, which is new to me.

Options:

Carlisle Sport Trail ST185/80D13 Product No: 5193531 weight rating: 1710 lbs. at 65 psi

Kenda Loadstar Part No. AM3S331 weight rating: 1725 lbs. at 65 psi

Greenball Tow-Master - ST185/80D13(C78-13) weight rating: 1650 lbs. at 65 psi

I think I'm leaning against the Hi Runs unless somebody here convinces me to reconsider.

Anybody else with an opinion on brands? Rank them? One shines as the best? One sticks out as the obvious one to avoid?

Carlisle
Kenda Loadstar
Greenball Tow Master
Gladiator

Those three are all bias ply, not radials.

Here's where I'm at:
- Definitely going to replace tires
- Staying with 13" ST (no room in wheel well to upsize)
- Staying with 185/80d

That helps narrow the options.

I guess I'm basically down to brand opinions and trying to find the max load capacity for the size. It looks like most of these just come mounted on a wheel, which is new to me.

Options:

Carlisle Sport Trail ST185/80D13 Product No: 5193531 weight rating: 1710 lbs. at 65 psi

Kenda Loadstar Part No. AM3S331 weight rating: 1725 lbs. at 65 psi

Greenball Tow-Master - ST185/80D13(C78-13) weight rating: 1650 lbs. at 65 psi

I think I'm leaning against the Hi Runs unless somebody here convinces me to reconsider.

Fickman,

I'm going to give you my popup story. Bought a used popup (10 years old) that was in great shape. Tires all looked great. Not a crack, blemish, bulge, blister or scratch on them, good tread depth. Took it on a couple local trips, less than 70 miles. All was well. First week long trip planned, going to the smokeys, 5 hours away, get up at 6am, leave at 730am, on the side of the road at 830am. Blew a tire, tore up the bottom of the popup right above that tire. Tire changed, gorilla tape applied, onward we go. Enjoyed the trip, get home, start reading about dates on tires and go check mine and find they are 5 years old. Took the tires off, bought some new ones and had them mounted and balanced and lived happily ever after with the popup until she was traded in on the TT I have now.

Stick with the ST's or go over kill with the LT if you like but change the tires. 5 years are ticking time bombs and tires that blow at highway speeds can do a lot of damage to plywood and vinyl flooring found in most popups when they go.

Maxxis Tires at Discount Tire

Don't mind me. . . I'll just keep thinking out loud here as I keep doing research. :B

The load capacity on the stock tires are actually LESS than the GVWR!!!

I found some Carlisle tires here that are the same size and get my closer to GVWR (the PUP is not at max weight):
Carlisle Brochure

The tires I found are Carlisle Sport Trail st185/80d13 (product number: 5193531) with a load capacity of 1710 lbs. each.

My BIL can order
Triangle brand (never heard of them) that are load range C, so I'm not really interested in those.

He also has:
STC High Run Boat Trailer Tire st185/80d13 at 1730 lbs. each

Any experience with Triangle or STC? Thoughts on Carlisle?

I'm feverishly doing research as I'm posting this stuff. I'm having a heck of a time finding 13" tires with a load range E, even in ST.

I think I've ruled out P tires.

Reading this thread for the third time:
RV.net thread: ST vs LT

If I stick with ST to keep it simple, are Maxxis still considered the gold standard of ST tires? I don't see a Maxxis 8008 that matches the specs of the current tires we have (1,620 lbs. at 65 psi).

Maxxis 8008 Specs

Just trying to get a little direction to narrow the decision down some. I don't want to take trailer tire advice from an auto tire store. . . my questions in the past demonstrate they rarely have sound opinions. I've found it's better to know what you want and tell them to find it for you.

beemerphile1 wrote:

fickman wrote:
....- Better brand ST tires with 65-75 mph speed rating?
- P-rated tires?
- LT tires?...

All ST tires are rated for 65 mph max. I thought there was one new one that rated for 75. I could definitely be mistaken.
P tires have softer sidewalls but can be used on a single axle, I would never recommend for a tandem axle. We have a single axle. Would you prefer P tires to SST? Are the sidewalls on a P tire softer than even an ST?
LT tires are probably overkill I know, but I'm hoping to get safety and something to last. I'm not even sure I could get LT without changing to a 15" wheel, and that starts to get silly pricey.

I bought Greenball tires at Sam's Club last year. So far so good.

To clarify, I'm not trying to set any speed records. When towing, I hang in the right lane and try to stay at or just under the speed limit, but sometimes that is 70 or 75. Going 60 in an 80 doesn't seem safe.

If I'm going to have to buy new tires (do you think I should even if mine pass a visual inspection at 5 years old?), I just want to investigate the most bang for my buck and consider an upgrade.

I do buy into the thought that towing at 65 mph on a tire rated for 99 mph is better than towing at 65 mph on a tire rated for 65 mph. The latter is running at its max, presumably with no room for error.