Upgrade to 16" wheels ,seek opinions for tires (LT vs ST?)

donn0128 wrote:
Your first problem is trying to find 5 lug 16 inch wheels. From there LT tires would be your best choice.

XR4rider wrote:
I know this topic has been beaten into the ground, however, as I read forum after forum about the LT vs ST topic, I noticed a lot of people posting about changing to LT tires have heavier trailers with heavier axles (6,000, 7000lbs etc).

I just purchased a new light 29' 5th wheel. The dry weight is about 7300lbs and it came with 4400lb LCI axles. The trailer came with cheap ST225/75-15 load range D tires. The first upgrade I would like to do is take of the current 15" wheels and put on 16" wheels. After reading all the different opinions about LT vs ST tires and reading about what brand tires people are using, I think I have narrowed it down to either:
1) Michelin XPS Ribs LT225/75R16 weight = 50lbs
2) Bridgestone Duravis LT225/75R16 weight = 52lbs
3) Firestone Transforce HT LT225/75/16 weight - 34lbs

All those listed are load range E.

I have thought about sticking with the 15" but seems there are more, and better, tire options with 16"s.

So my question is will running the Michelin or Bridgestone tires cause more long term wear on other components because of their heavier weight? The Firestone Transforce is quite a bit lighter.

I have read through various forms that people have had good experiences with all three brands.

I will be traveling around the country for the next 2 years so I will be putting quite a bit of miles on the trailer, so trying eliminate as many blowouts and mechanical issues as possible.

Thanks for the thoughts and opinions

donn0128 wrote:
Your first problem is trying to find 5 lug 16 inch wheels. From there LT tires would be your best choice.