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agesilaus's avatar
agesilaus
Explorer III
Feb 09, 2020

LT tires on your TT? Let the fight begin

The long Honeymoon just released a blog entry advocating using LT tires not ST. I have to admit I don't even know what brand of tires my TT has on it. They have been problem free. But I have had plenty of trouble in the past. They especially dislike marathons, no surprise. Take a look, you don't have to watch the whole thing they make their argument in the fir 6 or 7 minutes the rest is just doing it over and over.

But I'll say they make sense to me. Airstream is supply Michelin LT tires on their units as an option.

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  • JIMNLIN's avatar
    JIMNLIN
    Explorer III
    Feb 11, 2020
    From the Michelin website FAQ

    Must I replace my present tires with the same size tires?

    Never choose a smaller size than those that came with the car. Tires should always be replaced with the same size designation, with approved or greater load carrying capacity or greater load carrying capacity -- or approved options -- as recommended by the vehicle manufacturer or authorized dealer.

    The way the question is asked puts Michelin or any tire mfg into a liability corner. So sure Michelin answer to this specific question will always be the same as the Q&A answer.

    Now if the question is worded differently such as in many emails from Michelin that have been posted on this website over the years we get a different answer such as this....

    **In regards to the email you sent stating:
    I have a 2006 Montana 5th wheel Trailer that has two 6,000 lb Dexter axles and 4 deluxe aluminum Rims each rated at 3,042 lbs. I would like to install your Michelin XPS® Rib™ LT235/85 R16/E's on this 5th wheel. Will the tires be fully waranteed in this application?
    Answer..---------------------------------------------
    We appreciate your request for information regarding the Michelin XPS Rib. The XPS Rib, size LT235/85R16/E, part number 13080 would be a good fitment for your 5th wheel. The tire carries 3042Lbs at 80-psi max pressure. For best pressure recommendation, run at maximum pressure until you can weigh your axles either call or reply to this email for a pressure recommendation.
    It is a good application, so there are no warranty issues. Your tires are covered under applicable warranty.
    We appreciate your business and thank you for choosing Michelin.**

    This is old stuff and this website has been through all this many times before with Cal who was posting same non sense as FastEagle back then.
  • GrandpaKip's avatar
    GrandpaKip
    Explorer II
    Feb 11, 2020
    Kinda interesting that I have never heard of anyone that I can remember going from LT back to ST on a trailer.
    I can understand how the marketing types keep their jobs because of what I read here and in other forums.
    From what I’ve seen, there are many more ST’s on trailers than LT’s. Probably due to cost and availability. I couldn’t find an LT in 14”. Seems to be no demand. So, I drank the koolaid, and got the Endurance. So far, it’s pretty tasty.
    Anyway, all this bloviating just shows the various opinions on tires with usually a very small database to back up said opinions.
  • Curly2001's avatar
    Curly2001
    Explorer II
    Feb 11, 2020
    I really don't know what has happened over the years....I mean back in the late 60's and 70's to tires. My folks had an Ideal 19' travel trailer in Tucson for many years. Took trips to Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and California with no tire issues. I am sure there were no China bombs back then and for sure there were no radial tires then on trailers......so.....what changed? Back then the trailers were very heavy compared to today, the speed limits were about the same in many cases, in most areas the roads were just as crappy, and we didn't have the tire issues with non-radial tires. Come to think about it, I am not sure we had ST tires either but ran bias ply tires.
    Curly
  • Mike134's avatar
    Mike134
    Explorer
    Feb 11, 2020
    CALandLIN wrote:
    Mike134 wrote:
    CALandLIN wrote:
    "Tires should always be replaced with the same size designation, with approved or greater load carrying capacity -- or approved options -- as recommended by the vehicle manufacturer or authorized dealer."

    The preceding quote is a tire industry standard. It's the primary reason reputable tire dealers and tire installers will not deviate from a designated size if the have to fit the replacement to a vehicle.

    The proper nomenclature description for any tire is on its sidewall. Therefore, a ST235/85R16 is not compatible with a LT235/85R16. Those are both completely different tires. The prefix (LT, ST, P) are officially part of tire's size designation.


    You don't believe that do you? People have been swapping sizes and tire types for as long as cars been on the roads. I was always putting bigger fatter tires on my GTO trying to get them to hook, all D.O.T. tires yet no one blinked an eye putting a different size tire on the car. Just did it last year to my truck. I will say they will not go smaller than OEM unless you sign a waiver. Bigger no hesitation!


    You don't believe that do you?

    Sure I do. Its a quote right off the Michelin replacement tire pages. You'll also find it at GY, Bridgestone, General, Maxxis or any other major tire builder. Because its not adheared to doesn't make it disappear.

    Here's how it works. The vehicle builder selects tires that are appropriate for that vehicle and sets a recommended cold inflation for them. Then they say not to use tires that are smaller or have less load capacity than the OE tires, UNLESS the replacements are approved by the vehicle manufacturer. A tire manufacturer is not going to knowingly trump the OE tire size without repercussions. Every time they have tried it and for some reason ended-up in court defending their decision, they have lost.


    From the Michelin website FAQ

    Must I replace my present tires with the same size tires?

    Never choose a smaller size than those that came with the car. Tires should always be replaced with the same size designation, with approved [COLOR=]or greater load carrying capacity or greater load carrying capacity -- or approved options -- as recommended by the vehicle manufacturer or authorized dealer
  • Mike134's avatar
    Mike134
    Explorer
    Feb 11, 2020
    CALandLIN wrote:
    Mike134 wrote:
    CALandLIN wrote:
    "Tires should always be replaced with the same size designation, with approved or greater load carrying capacity -- or approved options -- as recommended by the vehicle manufacturer or authorized dealer."

    The preceding quote is a tire industry standard. It's the primary reason reputable tire dealers and tire installers will not deviate from a designated size if the have to fit the replacement to a vehicle.

    The proper nomenclature description for any tire is on its sidewall. Therefore, a ST235/85R16 is not compatible with a LT235/85R16. Those are both completely different tires. The prefix (LT, ST, P) are officially part of tire's size designation.


    You don't believe that do you? People have been swapping sizes and tire types for as long as cars been on the roads. I was always putting bigger fatter tires on my GTO trying to get them to hook, all D.O.T. tires yet no one blinked an eye putting a different size tire on the car. Just did it last year to my truck. I will say they will not go smaller than OEM unless you sign a waiver. Bigger no hesitation!


    You don't believe that do you?

    Sure I do. Its a quote right off the Michelin replacement tire pages. You'll also find it at GY, Bridgestone, General, Maxxis or any other major tire builder. Because its not adheared to doesn't make it disappear.

    Here's how it works. The vehicle builder selects tires that are appropriate for that vehicle and sets a recommended cold inflation for them. Then they say not to use tires that are smaller or have less load capacity than the OE tires, UNLESS the replacements are approved by the vehicle manufacturer. A tire manufacturer is not going to knowingly trump the OE tire size without repercussions. Every time they have tried it and for some reason ended-up in court defending their decision, they have lost.


    that is EXACTLY how it works they say don't go smaller............bigger is OK whether it's diameter width or load rating. never seen a warning not to go larger
  • CALandLIN's avatar
    CALandLIN
    Explorer
    Feb 11, 2020
    Mike134 wrote:
    CALandLIN wrote:
    "Tires should always be replaced with the same size designation, with approved or greater load carrying capacity -- or approved options -- as recommended by the vehicle manufacturer or authorized dealer."

    The preceding quote is a tire industry standard. It's the primary reason reputable tire dealers and tire installers will not deviate from a designated size if the have to fit the replacement to a vehicle.

    The proper nomenclature description for any tire is on its sidewall. Therefore, a ST235/85R16 is not compatible with a LT235/85R16. Those are both completely different tires. The prefix (LT, ST, P) are officially part of tire's size designation.


    You don't believe that do you? People have been swapping sizes and tire types for as long as cars been on the roads. I was always putting bigger fatter tires on my GTO trying to get them to hook, all D.O.T. tires yet no one blinked an eye putting a different size tire on the car. Just did it last year to my truck. I will say they will not go smaller than OEM unless you sign a waiver. Bigger no hesitation!


    You don't believe that do you?

    Sure I do. Its a quote right off the Michelin replacement tire pages. You'll also find it at GY, Bridgestone, General, Maxxis or any other major tire builder. Because its not adheared to doesn't make it disappear.

    Here's how it works. The vehicle builder selects tires that are appropriate for that vehicle and sets a recommended cold inflation for them. Then they say not to use tires that are smaller or have less load capacity than the OE tires, UNLESS the replacements are approved by the vehicle manufacturer. A tire manufacturer is not going to knowingly trump the OE tire size without repercussions. Every time they have tried it and for some reason ended-up in court defending their decision, they have lost.
  • deltabravo's avatar
    deltabravo
    Nomad
    Feb 11, 2020
    Boon Docker wrote:
    Could be that there are umpteen times more ST tires on travel trailers than there are LT tires. So you are going to hear about more failures with ST than LT.


    I think it's more like "eleventy-billion" more....

    :)
  • Mike134's avatar
    Mike134
    Explorer
    Feb 11, 2020
    CALandLIN wrote:
    "Tires should always be replaced with the same size designation, with approved or greater load carrying capacity -- or approved options -- as recommended by the vehicle manufacturer or authorized dealer."

    The preceding quote is a tire industry standard. It's the primary reason reputable tire dealers and tire installers will not deviate from a designated size if the have to fit the replacement to a vehicle.

    The proper nomenclature description for any tire is on its sidewall. Therefore, a ST235/85R16 is not compatible with a LT235/85R16. Those are both completely different tires. The prefix (LT, ST, P) are officially part of tire's size designation.


    You don't believe that do you? People have been swapping sizes and tire types for as long as cars been on the roads. I was always putting bigger fatter tires on my GTO trying to get them to hook, all D.O.T. tires yet no one blinked an eye putting a different size tire on the car. Just did it last year to my truck. I will say they will not go smaller than OEM unless you sign a waiver. Bigger no hesitation!
  • CALandLIN's avatar
    CALandLIN
    Explorer
    Feb 11, 2020
    "Tires should always be replaced with the same size designation, with approved or greater load carrying capacity -- or approved options -- as recommended by the vehicle manufacturer or authorized dealer."

    The preceding quote is a tire industry standard. It's the primary reason reputable tire dealers and tire installers will not deviate from a designated size if the have to fit the replacement to a vehicle.

    The proper nomenclature description for any tire is on its sidewall. Therefore, a ST235/85R16 is not compatible with a LT235/85R16. Those are both completely different tires. The prefix (LT, ST, P) are officially part of tire's size designation.
  • Huntindog's avatar
    Huntindog
    Explorer
    Feb 11, 2020
    Boon Docker wrote:
    agesilaus wrote:
    CALandLIN wrote:
    The builders of ST tires advertise them as having stronger sidewalls than like sized LT or P tires. To counter that, one would have to get a tire engineer to unequivocally dispute that so called “theory”.


    Until you can explain why they catastrophically fail at much greater rate than passenger or LT tires, I'll assume they are lying.


    Could be that there are umpteen times more ST tires on travel trailers than there are LT tires. So you are going to hear about more failures with ST than LT.


    Well to counter that..... There are many times more LT tires on the road than there are STs...
    Yet LT tire failures do not seem to be all that common.
    And I quit believing that LT tires live a eaiser life than STs a long time ago.
    Just observe whot gets loaded into pickups at Home Dept on a daily basis.
    Fact is, most do not give their LT tires a second thought, they just expect them to work.

    Unike here, where every ST tire failure is said to be the operators fault.

    Point: TTs follow TVs. The tires on both travel the same roads. Yet the STs seem to fail a lot more often.... And those that have swapped to LTs..... Well their problems stop.

    We have at least one member here that even after at least SEVEN ST failures, still posting drivel to scare people away from the LT tire swap.

    I was hard to convince that the ST tire thing was a sham... But I did eventually learn.

    My advice? Don't drink the koolaid. It gets really expensive.

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