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vladio's avatar
vladio
Explorer
Apr 21, 2018

Another Tire Blowout

I bought Jayco Jay Feather hybrid new in 2014. It had 4 Towmax ST185/80R13 tires from the factory. Since owning the camper I've blown out 3 tires. Took the camper out for the first time this year last week and ended up on I81 between York and Harrisburg during rush-hour. The front passenger tire blew and took the plastic skirt with it. I've replaced each blown tire with Goodyear Marathon's so the rear axle has two new GY's and now I'm going to replace the blown tire from last week and the one remaining Towmax but I'm unsure what to put on it. I've not had probs with the Marathon's but have read nothing good about these tires. I'm just exhausted with being along the road with cars wizzing by - the camper before this Jayco was a pop-up that I had 2 blowout on it - and want to good tire, would hate to have to take off the two new Marathon's.

Anyone have experience with some good tires in the st185/80r13 size? I did search on here and go through a bunch of threads but I'm looking for some new info on newer tires - some of the threads were old and the tires mentioned are no longer in production.

Thanks in advance! From my research, this is a big problem. These Chinese tires aren't holding up.
  • old_guy's avatar
    old_guy
    Explorer
    Apr 21, 2018
    I had bad tires on my forest river. every time we went out camping we blew a tire. we even blew the new replacement tires. I had 14 and 15 inch tires from factory on the forest river and the company would not stand behind their mistake. so I went to the tire store and put over sized tires on the
    TT and never had a blow out again . we sold that mistake and got a keystone and the first thing we did was change out the tires for larger hauling tires. never had a blow out on this set of tires
  • guidry's avatar
    guidry
    Explorer
    Apr 21, 2018
    Manufacturers put the cheapest tires they can get away with. Try upgrading to a higher load range tire. You may want to invest in a TPMS. Just realize their benefits and limitations.
  • Atlee's avatar
    Atlee
    Explorer II
    Apr 21, 2018
    You put on a "new" GY Marathon within the last year? If so, it was already an old tire. They haven't been made for a while. The bad Marathon's were replaced with what apparently, so far, a far superior GY Endurance trailer tire.

    I would agree with the other posters. If the Endurance isn't available in 13" tire, then the next best choice I feel is the Carlisle Radial Trail HD.

    vladio wrote:
    I bought Jayco Jay Feather hybrid new in 2014. It had 4 Towmax ST185/80R13 tires from the factory. Since owning the camper I've blown out 3 tires. Took the camper out for the first time this year last week and ended up on I81 between York and Harrisburg during rush-hour. The front passenger tire blew and took the plastic skirt with it. I've replaced each blown tire with Goodyear Marathon's so the rear axle has two new GY's and now I'm going to replace the blown tire from last week and the one remaining Towmax but I'm unsure what to put on it. I've not had probs with the Marathon's but have read nothing good about these tires. I'm just exhausted with being along the road with cars wizzing by - the camper before this Jayco was a pop-up that I had 2 blowout on it - and want to good tire, would hate to have to take off the two new Marathon's.

    Anyone have experience with some good tires in the st185/80r13 size? I did search on here and go through a bunch of threads but I'm looking for some new info on newer tires - some of the threads were old and the tires mentioned are no longer in production.

    Thanks in advance! From my research, this is a big problem. These Chinese tires aren't holding up.
  • Tvov's avatar
    Tvov
    Explorer II
    Apr 21, 2018
    Have you checked that the axles on your camper are properly aligned? And... just to ask, what is your average speed when towing?
  • SoundGuy's avatar
    SoundGuy
    Explorer
    Apr 21, 2018
    vladio wrote:
    Anyone have experience with some good tires in the st185/80r13 size?


    JMO, but I think you have just 2 options - either replace all tires with Carlisle HD which are available in your 13" size OR if the trailer will take larger 14" tires replace the wheels and install Goodyear Endurance ST205/75 R14 tires on them. I, like many others, am now running these exact tires and so far am quite pleased with them, especially how much better the trailer tows with much less wiggle. :B
  • jfkmk's avatar
    jfkmk
    Explorer
    Apr 21, 2018
    I never had a blowout (knock on wood) but put the Carlisles on my current single axle trailer. They've been great, and seem to track better than the old tires.
  • JIMNLIN's avatar
    JIMNLIN
    Explorer III
    Apr 21, 2018
    The Carlisle HD and the Endurance have been out just over a year now so we don't have any long term pros or cons to report. They are the new gen higher speed rated. Their shaped better and look more like a automotive tire instead of a rounded wheel barrow like previous Marathons.....Radial Trail express......Tow Max (blow max as their known around the trailer industry).

    The Providers ST have been out about 8 years now and is one of the first new gen tires to hit the highway. Check out their ST185/80-13 C load range.

    On my boat trailers and other small speciality trailers that use 13" tires I sell the OEM may pops on CL to lawn service trailer users. I then find a P tire with 44-51 psi with around 20 percent reserve capacity above the trailers axles ratings. P tires can be ran at any speed all day and nite with years of service. With 44-51 psi no issues with the beads unseating like the old P tires at 32 psi.
  • lenr's avatar
    lenr
    Explorer III
    Apr 21, 2018
    Surprised that Maxxis ST tires were not mentioned. They were a very popular answer here a few years ago. My sons and I have used them on 4 different trailers over the last 7 years with zero blow outs. I'm also impressed with how good they look after 5 years of service with no dry rotting. The ones that we purchased were only 65 mph rated, however. The new higher speed rated tires will be considered for our next replacements.
  • SidecarFlip's avatar
    SidecarFlip
    Explorer III
    Apr 21, 2018
    Think it would have been much more prudent to replace all of them when the first one exploded., What I would have done, but then, I'm not you.

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