Flogged to death but require info on tires

I put 35K miles on the ST tires (OEM TowMax - a cheap Chinese tire) on my old trailer before replacing them. I replaced them even though they still had about half their tread depth left because they were 7 years old (from date code) and I didn't want to push my luck. Both ST and LT tires dry rot and should be replaced at 6-7 years.

If the tires are used within their rated limits (not overloaded, not driven over rated speed) and if the trailer doesn't have axle issues (bad alignment or the like) and is towed level ST tires will last just fine.

X 2

I put 35K miles on the ST tires (OEM TowMax - a cheap Chinese tire) on my old trailer before replacing them. I replaced them even though they still had about half their tread depth left because they were 7 years old (from date code) and I didn't want to push my luck. Both ST and LT tires dry rot and should be replaced at 6-7 years.

If the tires are used within their rated limits (not overloaded, not driven over rated speed) and if the trailer doesn't have axle issues (bad alignment or the like) and is towed level ST tires will last just fine. If not used within those limitations, both ST and LT tires will have a shortened lifespan.

IMO, many people don't know the limitations of their tires (e.g. 65 mph) or how much their trailer really weighs, and then blame the tires.

I use LT and P tires on all my rv and non rv trailers. I can expect 40k-60k miles and 8-9 years of service. I've had LT tires on my flatdeck service trailers run up into the 70k-80k mile range in a years time.

The run of the mill load C D and E ST tires will not deliver that kind of performance or reliability.
The new gen 16" ST/all position load G tires are all steel ply carcass commercial grade tire and have nothing in common with those run of the mill ST tires.
Some like to blame made in china however we had problems with ST tires when they were all made in the usa.

One thing I've noticed on the TT forum is folks bragging about their tires lasting 6k-10k miles and 4-5 years. ......... but what the hay...if it works for them I see no reason to change.

I've also noticed some like to poo poo info on this subject that they read on rv.net. My suggestion to them is expand your knowledge and search around the net (dozens) on all the different rv and non rv trailering websites on this subject.

The OP asks why should he go to a LT tire vs a ST tire ??
Not knowing any specific's on his trailer weight/tire size or load range requirements I'm not guessing. Hell the OP may be better off with P tires if he has a small 4k-6k tandem axle or single axle trailer.

IMO, there is no need. If you stay 5 mph below the speed rating of the tire and 10-15 percent below the weight ratings of the tire, keep it inflated, andeither one will work fine.

Some people anecdotally prefer LT and see the smaller number of complaints on here as evidence. There have been threads here with examples of tread separation and other failures of LT tires as well though, and of course, one has to watch out for selection bias. (If you never see a Tesla broken down beside the road but do see Ford and Chevy, is that evidence of the reliability of Tesla? Probably not. There are just fewer of them.) Most people here, and elsewhere, use ST tires, so most complaints are about ST tires. Unfortunately, there isn't a good source of testing or true statistical data.

Also keep in mind that just because a tire fails with tread separation doesn't mean that tread separation was the cause of failure. The tire could have been punctured by road debris, then had the tread separate as a result of running with low pressure. People in this forum seem to assume that any failure is a result of manufacturing issues and never possibly road debris or other damage.

(FWIW - I've had one ST tire failure in 30 years. On that same trip I also lost two TV tires. All of these were on the same side of the vehicle, and all of them were caused by the same type of metal bits puncturing the tires. I blame a bridge crew for spilling something. :) Made for a fun trip.)

LOFAT36 wrote:
Okay my question is why should I go to light truck tires as opposed to trailer tires ? I do no off roading unless you consider a 1/8 mile of gravel off road. I don't get it, better ride, stability, price ? Please explain.

Some information about your trailer would help a lot, also current tire size.

Here is a link describing the difference between P, LT and ST tires as it relates to towing a trailer.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r6SwwRnmp1Q

Okay my question is why should I go to light truck tires as opposed to trailer tires ? I do no off roading unless you consider a 1/8 mile of gravel off road. I don't get it, better ride, stability, price ? Please explain.

Supposedly ST tires have stronger sidewalls, are built to sit for longer periods of time than other tires, and often carry a higher load rating for the same size. But, many here like LT tires and they don't seem to have any real negative issues.

coolbreeze01 wrote:

LOFAT36 wrote:
Okay my question is why should I go to light truck tires as opposed to trailer tires ? I do no off roading unless you consider a 1/8 mile of gravel off road. I don't get it, better ride, stability, price ? Please explain.

There is no need. Some theories for sure, but that is all it is.........

x2. I have seen people bang into curbs while turning etc, never get out to check the tire for possible damage. Then the tire blows and they blame China .

is nice to have at least 10-15% extra carrying capacity from your tires be it ST or LT's . I have had that reserve on every trailer i have owned and never had an ST issue.

IF you swap tires, make sure the wheels will handle the job. Wheels might have PSI ratings , check into that. Also watch your clearances, take measurements .

Doesn't matter about the road being gravel or pavement. Most ST tires are made in China, so that is a no-go right there for me. I use Cooper LT tires stamped made in the USA. Higher quality and easier to find at most tire shops.

I have yet to hear the term American bomb on this forum.

There are some who insist that LT's are the only way to go. There are others, myself included, who have had no problems at all with ST's. Newer designs of ST's allows for greater speeds, which was one argument for the LT's. Do some research and decide for yourself based on your situation. Lots of info here.