Trailer Tires: High Quality 16's vs. Swapping to 17.5's

If a E rated tire will work. I would highly recommend Bridgestone R250’s. Ours have been great . Very heavy duty.

Thanks for all the input so far, it's greatly appreciated.

I guess my concern really goes back to the construction of a 16" vs. a 17.5" tire? Does the 17.5" lend itself to brute durability because of how it's assembled? Again, not so much a weight issue, but more of a scrub and overall durability issue. Rolling down a smooth highway, I'm probably fine with what I've got. But, I get a little leery watching the tires fold all over themselves when I turn around in an asphalt parking lot... That can't be good for a tire carcass, and I'm really looking for the right answer to alleviate my concerns with that? And no, not making tight turns on asphalt isn't a viable option ;)

I did not do any specific sidewall study. But, pretty sure (as they were for commercial use) they have more material in sidewall ply. Not of any use to you now... but may have to find a hard, flat surface and let DW Drive in a tight turn while I observe!


Update: went to internet, and couldn’t find ply info on my Continental....no info.
So....got off my behind, went to the barn and looked at tires. These are “J” rated 17.5” Continental’s.....tread- 5 ply steel sidewall- 1 ply steel

As you go up in tire class, just like TV classes, the tires of the same OEM/model/size will weigh more. Because they are made differently and are rated to carry more weight

If anyone has ever cut apart tires like I did while working through college (part time tire monkey, welder, mechanic, designer, etc). You'd have found that ST, Passenger & LT class tires has a safety bead on both the tire and wheel. Commercial class tires do NOT have a safety bead.

Commercial class tire side walls are thicker than the lower class. ST, P, and LT class sidewalls are in fractions of an inch thick. Commercial class sidewalls are normally over an inch thick.

Why said do NOT air down commercial class. Been there, done that...even after working in a high end tire shop for years...lost the seal on all four while aired down crossing a river bed up in the Idaho Panhandle...took me almost two days to hike out and another day finding someone who would drive me back up with the stuff to re-seat & air up

Suggest reading up and this is a good starting point:

RMA, Replacement Guidelines for Passenger and Light Truck Tires

Cummins12V98 wrote:

eHoefler wrote:
When it was time for me to replace my 16" LT tires, I researched 17.5 options. I found a tire/wheel combination that cost $5.00 more per tire/wheel. Now I am good to 6,005 pounds per tire and wheel.

What tire are you running in a 17.5 that gives you 6,005# capacity? My GY "H" 17.5's have no where near that capacity.

Roadmaster RM170, made by Cooper Tire

http://roadmastertires.com/by-position/all-positions.aspx

Ok so you have 6,005# per tire capacity with a "J" tire where a "H" would have had 4,805#. Now the "J" only allows 62mph but the "H" allows 75mph.

Not sure but the only info I can find on a 40' Mt Rushmore 2006 is it's 38' and has a MAX GVWR of 16K if so that would have at a max weight of 3,200# per tire at 20% pin. Not sure the logic of 6K capacity and the rougher ride it will give and limiting your self to towing at 62mph in some of the Freedom States. But hey nice to have options.

Cummins12V98 wrote:
Ok so you have 6,005# per tire capacity with a "J" tire where a "H" would have had 4,805#. Now the "J" only allows 62mph but the "H" allows 75mph.

Not sure but the only info I can find on a 40' Mt Rushmore 2006 is it's 38' and has a MAX GVWR of 16K if so that would have at a max weight of 3,200# per tire at 20% pin. Not sure the logic of 6K capacity and the rougher ride it will give and limiting your self to towing at 62mph in some of the Freedom States. But hey nice to have options.

At less than 60% of the capacity of the tire and max pressure, I have very little to worry about running 70mph. Tires run very cool in 100* heat and realy no difference in ride noticed. The 62mph rating is for max loaded tire, which I am nowhere close to. I run them at max psi and have no issue in 3 years that they have been on there. I am very pleased with them and when it is time to replace them I will go with them again.

Your call but I feel sorry for your RV.

Cummins12V98 wrote:
Your call but I feel sorry for your RV.

Actually, trailer rides just fine. Items on the counters stay put and no issues.

For me, when I upgraded to 17.5" wheels (link), it came down to spacing between the tires. My 16" tires were extremely close- like < 2" of space between them. To upgrade to a better 16" tire meant a larger outer diameter than what I had and I just wasn't willing to risk putting the tires so close together. By going up to a 17.5" wheel, you have a lower sidewall height and therefore, a smaller outer diameter. I actually increased my space between tires.

If that's not a concern, maybe you'd like the shorter sidewall of the 17.5" tires. They do seem to roll on themselves less this way.