When a TT gets delivered from a plant in Indiana to the West Coast, the tires get over 2,000 miles on them. Then the dealer sells the TT as a new unit. Given all the problems with ST tires that owners post all over the place, is it right to sell the tires as essentially being new? It means that they have a substantial head start on the road to failure. And there's the question of how well the tires were treated during delivery. Over 65 mph most of the way? Hitting lots of potholes and bumps? Tire pressure set right? I'm sure the drivers aren't taking a leisurely scenic drive to the coast. It just doesn't seem right. Our TT has a 2 year warranty but there is no separate warranty for the tires and don't know what is specifically covered on them. Haven't seen this discussed anywhere before.Perhaps this is one factor contributing to premature tire failure?

That was my thinking when I replaced the Tow Max tires on the two year old used trailer the year after I bought it. The tires had a bad reputation and I didn't know how they were treated before I got them. I put Carlisle Radial Trail and went from a load range E to a load range F. I weighed the trailer and was well under the load rating, ran at max. pressure (checked every trip),drove under the speed rating and never abused them. At three years I blew two of them. I think they are poor tires and age is more of an enemy than abuse.Brian

Don't know what tires came on your unit, but my fiver came with three-ply tires having a single sidewall ply. When the blowout came, the damage was more than $1,000. Since I replaced all four with good-quality tires after the blowout, it would have been much cheaper to have put good tires on the unit at the very beginning.

ST tires are warranted for 3 years from the date of purchase of the new trailer, or until the tread depth reaches 3/32', which ever comes first.

The tires have been used as well as the brakes and bearings. Guess who's brakes the delivery folks use the most. Probably those on the trailer. IMO, tires, brakes and bearings should be inspected/maintained by the dealer prior to delivery to the new owner. Ever see a new trailer sitting on the lot with a flat tire? I have........

I look at more of an added benefit. If you really took a good look at the tires when picking up the trailer its easier to determine problems with axels, locking brakes through uneven tire wear.

New tires are used already? | Good Sam Community

18 Replies

Terryallan
Explorer II
Jul 15, 2013
myredracer wrote:
That's a very good point on the trailer's brakes. The driver can crank up his b/c setting to the max that works for him?
.

No he can't. Why? IF he did the tires would lock up every time he hit the brakes, and your trailer tires would have flat spots on them. Did your trailer tires have flat spots? If not. The brakes were not dialed up to max.

Don't know why folks hate the delivery guyes so much. They prolly don't even use the trailer brakes to much, as they have way overkill trucks to tow with.
vermilye
Explorer II
Jul 15, 2013
You also have to wonder if the deliver kept the tow speed under 65mph. The heat caused by high speed does more damage than mileage...
myredracer
Explorer II
Jul 15, 2013
That's a very good point on the trailer's brakes. The driver can crank up his b/c setting to the max that works for him? Our last trailer had major brake problems that took over a year to get fixed including out of round drums and what they said was cosmoline on the brake parts( may have been grease).

Also a good point on the bearings. We have Ultrulube bearings and I am reading that some have problems with the grease-able axles.

Is the 3 year, 3/32" warranty an industry "standard" or does it vary? With over 2K miles already, the warranty doesn't help if they all fail at 3 years and 1 month. I wonder how much 2,000 would equate to roughly in terms of tread depth wear? There is nothing at all on tire warranty with our trailer and dealer says nothing and the tires are Freestar which I can find little info. from owners on the internet.
chevor
Explorer
Jul 15, 2013
I look at more of an added benefit. If you really took a good look at the tires when picking up the trailer its easier to determine problems with axels, locking brakes through uneven tire wear.
coolbreeze01
Explorer
Jul 15, 2013
The tires have been used as well as the brakes and bearings. Guess who's brakes the delivery folks use the most. Probably those on the trailer. IMO, tires, brakes and bearings should be inspected/maintained by the dealer prior to delivery to the new owner. Ever see a new trailer sitting on the lot with a flat tire? I have........
harold1946
Explorer
Jul 15, 2013
ST tires are warranted for 3 years from the date of purchase of the new trailer, or until the tread depth reaches 3/32', which ever comes first.
RoyF
Explorer
Jul 15, 2013
Don't know what tires came on your unit, but my fiver came with three-ply tires having a single sidewall ply. When the blowout came, the damage was more than $1,000. Since I replaced all four with good-quality tires after the blowout, it would have been much cheaper to have put good tires on the unit at the very beginning.
samandtheduck
Explorer
Jul 15, 2013
That was my thinking when I replaced the Tow Max tires on the two year old used trailer the year after I bought it. The tires had a bad reputation and I didn't know how they were treated before I got them. I put Carlisle Radial Trail and went from a load range E to a load range F. I weighed the trailer and was well under the load rating, ran at max. pressure (checked every trip),drove under the speed rating and never abused them. At three years I blew two of them. I think they are poor tires and age is more of an enemy than abuse.
Brian

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New tires are used already?

18 Replies

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