Goodyear Marathon Trailer Tires
Been talked to death I know, but I need an update on the current status of Goodyear Marathon tires. I had great luck with GY Marathons for many years on many trailers, but then I got a couple of the ...
Forum Discussion
Here is a comparison :
both tires are 235 ( one is 80 = 80% and the other is 85 = 85% ) aspect ratio width to height .
Wheel diameter is 16 inch .
Readily available information :
From the tire rack website here is a comparison between ( nearly ) identical 235/80R16E tires :
From the tirerack website :
Goodyear ST 235/80 R 16 E
price = $ 135 each
weight = 34 # each
rated 3420 # at 80 psi on ST scale (weaker standard )
Goodyear LT 235/85 R 16 E
price = $ 157 each
weight = 50 # each
rated 3042 # at 80 psi on LT scale
So the Goodyear ST tire is placarded for 112.4 % higher load rating than the equivalent Goodyear LT tire .
And they will sell this ST tire for only 86 % of the LT tire .
And the ST tire has less mass for cordage , plys , caps and so forth
because it weighs 76 % of the Goodyear LT tire .
This is very telling as to how much lower the ST standards are in relation to the LT standards .
Further the ST tire has plainly stamped on the sidewall " for trailer use only " .
The LT tire has no disclaimer .
The LT tire is rated for 99 mph .
The cheaper ST tire is rated for 65 mph .
to recap : the manufacturer is the same.
both tires are 235 ( one is 80 = 80% and the other is 85 = 85% )
both tires are load range E or 80 PSI .
The ST tire is cheaper ( 86% cost ) .
The ST tire has less rubber and cords .
The ST tire weighs 76 % of the LT Tire .
The LT tire only gets a 3042# rating on the LT scale .
The cheaper / lighter ST tire gets a 3402 # rating on the less demanding ST scale .
This is very clear .
Goodyear , the manufacturer , has to build a much tougher tire for LT use such as on our heavy duty pickups .
The ST tire is UPRATED in sidewall weight rating due to the weak / cheap ST standard .
No way baby does the 34 # ST tire outperform the 50 # LT tire .
No way baby does the $ 135 ST tire outperform the $ 157 LT tire .
No way baby does the 65 mph tire outperform the 99 mph tire.
The ST scale is so weak that the placard on the side of equivalent size tires shows the ST tire at a higher weight rating than the similar sized LT tire .
even though the LT tire is plainly more tire from the same manufacturer.
The ST scale was installed to allow a much cheaper tire to be shipped from the RV factory as OEM .
This does not mean that we cannot upgrade our tires just like we do on our pickups .
As shown above :
The LT Tire definitely a more substantial tire than the same size ST tire .
both tires are 235 ( one is 80 = 80% and the other is 85 = 85% ) aspect ratio width to height .
Wheel diameter is 16 inch .
Readily available information :
From the tire rack website here is a comparison between ( nearly ) identical 235/80R16E tires :
From the tirerack website :
Goodyear ST 235/80 R 16 E
price = $ 135 each
weight = 34 # each
rated 3420 # at 80 psi on ST scale (weaker standard )
Goodyear LT 235/85 R 16 E
price = $ 157 each
weight = 50 # each
rated 3042 # at 80 psi on LT scale
So the Goodyear ST tire is placarded for 112.4 % higher load rating than the equivalent Goodyear LT tire .
And they will sell this ST tire for only 86 % of the LT tire .
And the ST tire has less mass for cordage , plys , caps and so forth
because it weighs 76 % of the Goodyear LT tire .
This is very telling as to how much lower the ST standards are in relation to the LT standards .
Further the ST tire has plainly stamped on the sidewall " for trailer use only " .
The LT tire has no disclaimer .
The LT tire is rated for 99 mph .
The cheaper ST tire is rated for 65 mph .
to recap : the manufacturer is the same.
both tires are 235 ( one is 80 = 80% and the other is 85 = 85% )
both tires are load range E or 80 PSI .
The ST tire is cheaper ( 86% cost ) .
The ST tire has less rubber and cords .
The ST tire weighs 76 % of the LT Tire .
The LT tire only gets a 3042# rating on the LT scale .
The cheaper / lighter ST tire gets a 3402 # rating on the less demanding ST scale .
This is very clear .
Goodyear , the manufacturer , has to build a much tougher tire for LT use such as on our heavy duty pickups .
The ST tire is UPRATED in sidewall weight rating due to the weak / cheap ST standard .
No way baby does the 34 # ST tire outperform the 50 # LT tire .
No way baby does the $ 135 ST tire outperform the $ 157 LT tire .
No way baby does the 65 mph tire outperform the 99 mph tire.
The ST scale is so weak that the placard on the side of equivalent size tires shows the ST tire at a higher weight rating than the similar sized LT tire .
even though the LT tire is plainly more tire from the same manufacturer.
The ST scale was installed to allow a much cheaper tire to be shipped from the RV factory as OEM .
This does not mean that we cannot upgrade our tires just like we do on our pickups .
As shown above :
The LT Tire definitely a more substantial tire than the same size ST tire .
