Tires- LT or ST

Huntindog wrote:

StirCrazy wrote:

Huntindog wrote:

The fact is that the govt. LT tire testing standards are much more demanding than for ST tires. That being a FACT, it is not hard to understand why STs fail so often.
On another note: LT tire choices in the 16" rim size are many. In fact most if not all manufacturers offer Good, Better, Best models to choose from. Such selection just isn't availible in ST tires. There is a choice of ONE from each manufacturer...So if one wishes to buy a premium ST tire,,,There are none availible....But as an observation of the testing standards, the cheapest LT tire is tested to higher standards than any ST tire.

didn't we have a thread a while ago where we found that the testing standard for both tires is virtually the same, but the LT does one test to a higher speed (partially loaded I believe it was at 60PSI) where the ST does a higher max load test? doesn't sound like it is much more demanding, or a fact.

This is the part you missed:But now the endurance testing diverges significantly.

The ST tire is tested at this pressure, time and load profile at 50 mph. After that, the ST test is over.

The LT tire is tested at this pressure, time and load profile at 75 mph. This is a 50% increase over the ST and will induce significant additional load and heating on the tire during testing. After that, the LT test is not complete. Next a “Low Inflation Pressure Performance” test is performed for the LT tire only. The tire pressure is decreased to 46 psi and the tire is immediately run for an additional 2 hours at 75 mph and 100% of rated load.

Thus, the LT tire endurance test is drastically more intense than the ST endurance test.

but what you are missing is if a ST tire is rated for a higher speed, then it had to be tested at that speed. I know some of the tests are more stringent for a LT tire as they carry people, where as a ST tire carries well nothing that can't be replaced so if you drive over the tested design speed that's on you. The ones I just put on my 5th are rated up to 75MPH so they would have to be tested at that to get that rating. do I ever drive that fast, no. I just finished a 1000 mile round trip and locked the speed control in at 60mph.

the biggest reason for blowouts with ST tires is User error, I know we hate to hear that stuff is our own fault or road hazards. 9 out of 10 are people not checking pressure, not inspecting their tires, driving too fast on lower rated tires, buying the cheapest of cheap tires to save a buck, or just plain old road hazards. Potholes, for example, can put a week spot in the tire a year later when you are traveling on a hot day at close to the capacity in speed or weight and all of a sudden it blows. You can't explain it as the damage happened last season and just held till now.

Just like LT tires you don't go out and look for the absolute cheapest one that isn't rated for your truck when loaded or the speed you drive at, but why do we do that with our RV's. Yes, the manufacturer will put the cheapest ones they can get that are legal for the weight and they don't care about speed as the paperwork for the tires says 50mpg and that's on you if you drive it faster. the tires that came on my rv were capable of hauling the weight and close to the speed I drive but not quite. I had one blowout after 6 years of use. my old trailer I never had a blow out till 10 years of use (yes those tires should have been changed but I didn't know much about inspecting them at that point in time.) On my 5th wheel I found a broken bead and changed that one out two years ago, last year I had a blow out, then for this year I changed all 4 out so they were matching, and I found one of the other older ones had tread separation starting. the factory tires had a 2-2-1 belt design and used nylon and polyester as well as steel belts. My new ones are rated to 75mph, use a 2-2-2 construction and are all steel construction. so I got these ones figuring I would kick the major upgrade down the road another 5 or 6 years as to move to the sailun I need new rims also. These ones are rated at 1300 lbs higher than the weight that will be on them so there is buffer on the speed and the capacity.

LT or ST is a personal choice and people will argue about it all day, throwing facts to skew the discussion one way or another to suit them selves. in the end if you have cheap tires and one blows upgrade to a better tire that suits how you drive and the weight you have on them. if you drive 80mph then ya probably no ST tire is rated over 75mph so you need to look at LT tires. if you drive 70 then there are options in both.