Tire Blowout Questions

JIMNLIN wrote:

E&J push'n wind wrote:
Of all of the pro/cons on tires for TT's, I was one that was gonna go with the Maxis tires as well. I bought one as a replacement tire when I got a flat on my original Goodyear's. With the second flat (blow out this time) inside of 6 months, I decided to go with LT's. I had to go from a 15" rim to a 16" to make the load range in a LT for my TT. I've heard of no reports on this board of folks having problems with LT's. I could be wrong but I'll wait to see if someone does report.

The power of the internet works best for researching tire issues when you look around at all the different RV websites or do a broader search among all the different websites that use some type of trailer. We get literally hundreds of owners input vs 1-2 owners input on RV.net.

One mistake some folks make is run out and buy a tire from just a couple of posters recommended without checking the net or even all the trailer forums on just RV.net.

The world has been using the LT on trailers since the beginning and many years before the tire makers came up with a ST tire. I wouldn't make a decision about any tire on just 2-3 owners reports. A little research across the net can make a difference.

I would agree with what you are saying about researching tires. Unfortunately, it's not just RV.net that I base my decision on. My brother has a 5er that he had a blow out on as well. I've seen it in my traveles and I have yet to hear about a failure on an ST tire under a TT. That's not to say it hasn't happened or that it can't happen, I'm not so naive as to believe that.

I was telling the owner of the place that I'm going to have repair my TT about the blow out and he's been in business for better than 30 years, anyhow.., he says he sees it all the time. A lot of their work comes from blow outs. So, in the end I think it just prudent to go with a LT.

Now, as far as maintenance on tires. I may not be as diligent as the one poster that states he weighs each tire. That is fine if he wants to do that, I'm not gonna knock him if that's what he wants to do. I however don't think it is necessary any more than one weighs each tire on their car or truck before going on a long trip. Sufficient enough to make sure the air pressure is where it should be and that the tires have no visible cracks or seperations. If you have to weigh each tire to make sure you are not over the wieght limit on a tire then maybe it is time to go up a load range. Yeah, the trailer should be ballanced pretty much but not to the exact pound per tire. That IMHO is a bit over kill, but to each his own.

My experience with the two flats inside of 6 months are on tires that were about 5 years old. While that may be get'n up there on ST's as far as age, they should have done better. And I'm no where near over or even near heavily loaded. As mentioned, the first was just a flat. I didn't drive 6 miles from one point to another before I discovered the flat while going through a left turn and glancing in the mirror to see where the TT tires where tracking. Discovered the flat and changed it. 6 months later on our way back from Las Wages I had a major blow out and that is after stopping for potty break and visually inspecting the tires with a fluke Ti 100 thermal imager. EVERYTHING was in order, tires & hubs on TT, diffy, brakes & hubs on TV. I drove about 5 to 7 miles down the highway before I heard the boom.

Most folks, not all but I'd think most take care to check out their setup before venturing on a trip. Some have zero problems, I would venture to say that LT tires would probably have got me home with much less of a risk. One mans opinion.