Forum Discussion

Jbechtoldt's avatar
Jbechtoldt
Explorer
Mar 29, 2014

LT tires on TT

I was telling a buddy of mine how I upgraded my TT tires from ST's to LT's (Michelin RIBS) and he would like to upgrade to LT's also. He asked if he could go to any LT tire as long as they had the correct load carrying capability. I don't know the answer and thought I'd post it here for your opinions. Thanks in advance for you comments.
  • BurbMan's avatar
    BurbMan
    Explorer II
    Mar 31, 2014
    Reading this thread is like watching girls fight...LOL....

    I'll throw in another dimension...when my Terry TT (GVWR 10,000 lbs) was new, it came with Duro BIAS PLY ST tires. Do you think that the bias ply tire is better for this application that a radial tire? Or did Fleetwood spec that particular tire because it cost less???

    I installed TowMaster ST radial tires in the same size when the TT was new. Did I void the warranty on the radial tires because I used them in an application where the mfr had spec'd bias play as OEM fitment?

    Now I run LT tires on that trailer...am I a risk to public safety???

    While I appreciate that folks are digging to find what is "approved" from a perceived higher authority like a tire manufacturer, sometimes we as consumers get to make decisions for ourselves using what used to be called "common sense" (I say used to because it is far from common anymore.)

    Why does an ST tire have a higher load rating than the same size LT tire? because it has a lower safety margin in its design...it can't be a stronger tire if it weighs less, unless they used some space-age materials to make it...but if that were true it wouldn't cost less too...

    Let's face it, tire mfrs deal with OEMs not consumers. No tire mfr is going to advise anyone, much less in writing, to use tire type A in place of type B. Even though A may be functionally equivalent or even superior to B, the mfr knows that after you hit 25 curbs, exceed the speed limit, and run underinflated, when it blows you will return with that email saying "See? You said it was OK to run type A and it blew."

    You have to consider how long you guys have been discussing this...usually indicates that in the absence of irrefutable proof by either side that what this boils down to is a difference of opinion...and it's not about tires.

    What this discussion amounts to are those that trust their ability to look at the available data and make a decision about what tire they want to run on their trailer, and those that are afraid to do anything that has not been expressly authorized by someone who they perceive to have the authority to do so.

    I put myself in the former camp and run LT tires on a TT that was spec'd by the OEM for bias ply ST tires, as do several others here. Good luck to the rest of you.
  • Francesca_Knowl's avatar
    Francesca_Knowl
    Explorer
    Mar 31, 2014
    gmw photos wrote:

    And yes FE, I do understand there are other considerations in tire construction beyond tread design.


    You may understand this simple first precept per tire design, but there are many others following this (endless) debate that don't. One can't expect them to grasp the finer differences if they can't understand this first very basic and visible design parameter.
  • gmw_photos's avatar
    gmw_photos
    Explorer
    Mar 31, 2014
    bmj11 wrote:
    G26 are good for Caravaning , that RV trailer in Europe
    G26 GoodYear Europe


    And yes, if you look at them, the GY G26 has an almost identical tread pattern to the Kumho 857. Both of those tires are marketed for vans, trucks and trailers in UK, Europe and Pac rim countries.

    And yes FE, I do understand there are other considerations in tire construction beyond tread design.
    It makes sense to me that Good Year would not market the G26 for trailers in the North American market, considering they also make the Marathon ST tire. One would simply be stealing sales from the other. As an example though, Kumho does not make a ST tire, so it makes perfect sense to market the 857 as suitable for trailer use.

    EDIT: ....and with that, I'm done. We've been over this all a million times, and all we really know for sure is that no one here is going to change their mind about how they view this whole subject. The most surprising thing to me is ... I can't believe I let myself get suckered into this discussion .... again...:)

    "get round black hoopy looking things....mount 'em up and go camp..."
  • FastEagle's avatar
    FastEagle
    Explorer
    Mar 31, 2014
    gmw photos wrote:
    Huntindog wrote:
    .....snip....

    Hogwash. I have owned MANY sets of ST tires for short periods of time. Most of then had tread designs comparable to any all season tire P or LT.
    Yet none of them were good enough to be legally mounted on a automobile.... States it right on the sidewall.

    The Michelin XPS RIBs I have been using since 2006 have a tread pattern that looks a lot like what is often considered as "steer" axle tires. Yet those tires can be run in any position.


    I would agree with that. A GoodYear G26, and a Kumho 857 have a tread design that is very close to what we see on most all the generic oriental ST tires, and yet both the G26 and 857 are intended to be used in all positions on vans and commercial vehicles.


    A tires tread is just a single element in its construction.

    Kumho, the manufacturer, advertises the 857 as suitable for trailer service. I have found no such advertisement for the GY G26 Cargo.

    Kumho 857

    FastEagle
  • gmw_photos's avatar
    gmw_photos
    Explorer
    Mar 31, 2014
    Huntindog wrote:
    .....snip....

    Hogwash. I have owned MANY sets of ST tires for short periods of time. Most of then had tread designs comparable to any all season tire P or LT.
    Yet none of them were good enough to be legally mounted on a automobile.... States it right on the sidewall.

    The Michelin XPS RIBs I have been using since 2006 have a tread pattern that looks a lot like what is often considered as "steer" axle tires. Yet those tires can be run in any position.


    I would agree with that. A GoodYear G26, and a Kumho 857 have a tread design that is very close to what we see on most all the generic oriental ST tires, and yet both the G26 and 857 are intended to be used in all positions on vans and commercial vehicles.
  • Francesca_Knowl's avatar
    Francesca_Knowl
    Explorer
    Mar 31, 2014
    SprinklerMan wrote:
    Francesca Knowles wrote:
    SprinklerMan wrote:
    I look at it this way , I havent seen a " LT" tire stamped with anything saying truck use only , or do not use on trailers . BUT I have seen on " ST " tires for "trailer use only"

    This makes me wonder are they not made good enough for a truck ?

    ST tires are unsuitable for any vehicle's drive/steer axles for exactly the same reason that commercial tires are selected/chosen according to the application:

    In both the commercial and private market, trailer tires are designed only to follow a tow- they are not equipped with tread design that will work for drive/steer axles.

    Here's a link to a Michelin site for commercial tires that illustrates the difference. You will note that those tires designated for "trailer axles" are NOT named there as suitable for all position or drive axles.




    I dont think that tires know whether they are pushing , pulling or following . Tires roll in a circular motion around the axis .


    That's where you're mistaken. Tires act as they are designed to do, and "follow" tires like ST's and those designed for Michelin's commercial trailer line do that efficiently.

    Would you put racing slicks on the front axles of your street rod? Well, maybe you would. But those folks that understand that the design is wrong for that position would not.
  • JIMNLIN's avatar
    JIMNLIN
    Explorer III
    Mar 31, 2014
    JJ says wrote:
    Jim how about this,
    how about you craft the question for me to use, using whatever information you want me to ask for replacing my ST 225x75R15 LRD tire… 5200 pound axles, 9500 pound trailer with a 10,000pound GVWR 1100 pound tongue weight…

    however the question must also contain full disclosure on my intended use for a RV trailer in the US, and that it came originally equipped with ST tires…

    or craft the question for me to ask, and to make it easy for you plug any numbers you want into the equation, but again the question must have full disclosure with nothing hidden…

    Why would I want to load the question to gain another canned answer ??

    You've already did that with Vanco so why do we need more of the same load the question to get a know answer ??


    Or ask the simple question like this poster;


    Hello,
    I am needing to replace the tires on my travel trailer. My trailer weighs right at 6000 pounds ( on the CAT scale ) with 5350 pounds on the tandem axles. I am looking at Vanco 2 LT tires. I see that the Vanco tire in my size would be a 225/70R-15C, with a load capacity of 2470 pounds at 65 psi. This would give me 9880 pounds of load capacity, while I have an actual load on the axles of 5350. This leaves me with over 4400 pounds of extra capacity.

    My wheels are load and pressure rated for 2820 pounds at 80 psi, so I have more than adequate capacity to inflate to 65 psi. They are 6" rim width, which falls into the appropriate width for this tire as I read the chart.
    This seems like a good match for my use, as I would like to have the quality advantages of a light truck, commercial tire.

    Is this a good choice ? Thank you,

    Answer:Thank you for contacting Customer Relations at Continental Tire the Americas, LLC.

    The Vanco 2 tires would be a great choice. The Vanco 2 tires have reinforcement that allows it to perform well on travel trailers. Thank you for your interest in our products and we appreciate your business."

    It simply depends on ones agenda.









    .
  • Huntindog's avatar
    Huntindog
    Explorer
    Mar 31, 2014
    Francesca Knowles wrote:
    SprinklerMan wrote:
    I look at it this way , I havent seen a " LT" tire stamped with anything saying truck use only , or do not use on trailers . BUT I have seen on " ST " tires for "trailer use only"

    This makes me wonder are they not made good enough for a truck ?

    ST tires are unsuitable for any vehicle's drive/steer axles for exactly the same reason that commercial tires are selected/chosen according to the application:

    In both the commercial and private market, trailer tires are designed only to follow a tow- they are not equipped with tread design that will work for drive/steer axles.

    Here's a link to a Michelin site for commercial tires that illustrates the difference. You will note that those tires designated for "trailer axles" are NOT named there as suitable for all position or drive axles.
    Hogwash. I have owned MANY sets of ST tires for short periods of time. Most of then had tread designs comparable to any all season tire P or LT.
    Yet none of them were good enough to be legally mounted on a automobile.... States it right on the sidewall.

    The Michelin XPS RIBs I have been using since 2006 have a tread pattern that looks a lot like what is often considered as "steer" axle tires. Yet those tires can be run in any position.
  • Huntindog's avatar
    Huntindog
    Explorer
    Mar 31, 2014
    Francesca Knowles wrote:
    SprinklerMan wrote:
    I look at it this way , I havent seen a " LT" tire stamped with anything saying truck use only , or do not use on trailers . BUT I have seen on " ST " tires for "trailer use only"

    This makes me wonder are they not made good enough for a truck ?

    ST tires are unsuitable for any vehicle's drive/steer axles for exactly the same reason that commercial tires are selected/chosen according to the application:

    In both the commercial and private market, trailer tires are designed only to follow a tow- they are not equipped with tread design that will work for drive/steer axles.

    Here's a link to a Michelin site for commercial tires that illustrates the difference. You will note that those tires designated for "trailer axles" are NOT named there as suitable for all position or drive axles.
    That's a link to 18 wheeler tires. Since you are constantly talking about Apples and oranges....Is this the best you can do?

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