Yep this happened. Hard to believe the way the tread rolled off and sidewall split. Max air at 65psi was checked b4 leaving, about 20 miles into trip, going between 55-65 in 85 degree temps. Tires are 3 years old with just under 2k on them. These are Load D, Max GVW on trailer is 10600, upgrading to Load E now just to give the tires some capacity room.

Interesting enough, the GVW is 10600, but these Load D Towmax that came on my Jayco Eagle show a max spec of 2560lb. So that comes to 360lbs under the rated GVW for the trailer. Am I right or missing/misunderstanding that these tires were placed under the GVW of the trailer and really should be upgraded by Jayco? Or does the tongue weight of 945lbs allow for lowering the tires to load D?

Is Jayco Eagle a 5er? Something over 2,000 lbs would be supported by the truck.If TT, then probably something in the range of 1,000 lbs supported by truck.Oops. Missed the last sentence. Yes, the weight on the truck reduces the amount of weight on the TT tires.

This is a Travel Trailer. 36.2', dry: 945 tongue, 8500, 10600 GVW.Got it, makes perfect sense that the tongue weight would allow more room for the tires to meet weight. I am still going on caution to upgrade to Load E with the thinking of stiffer sidewalls and more room to allow the tires not to be so close to load. Taking the theory of towing with 80/20 capacity, probably wouldn't hurt to have the same mindset for the tires.

Yes, Jayco got away with the D's because the truck carries some of the weight of the trailer...(the tongue weight). I'm one who is in favor of reserve tire payload...LRE's would be much better and give you that reserve.

If they went minimal on the tires then the rims are probably rated for 65 psi like the tires. I think load range E tires require 80 psi.

Towmax PowerKing blow out pics | Good Sam Community

37 Replies

dodge_guy
Explorer II
Aug 24, 2016
rdrector wrote:
Ordered 4 of these. We'll see how they do. Provider ST225/75R15 Radial Trailer Tire - Load Range E

Never heard of them! good luck!
Huntindog
Explorer
Aug 24, 2016
hohenwald48 wrote:
gmw photos wrote:
hohenwald48 wrote:
....snip....

Not everybody can change to LT tires even if they wanted to.

....snip...

Anybody with 14", 15" or 16" ( the majority of travel trailers and fifth wheels ) can easily buy LT tires to fit.

Those who choose ST tires do so because they want to, not because they have to.

Well, point me in the right direction. I need new tires I have ST 225/75R15 Load range E (2830 lbs) and I've been looking for some LT tires as it's time to replace this year. I haven't been able to find any LTs that are rated to carry that much.
A lot of people get hung up over Load range C,D or E etc. They also get hung up over tire size. IE: exact size for exact size...In each case a ST tire will be rated slightly higher.
Both of these hang ups are not really important.
What is important is that the tire have the capacity to carry the load, with an appropriate reserve... ST tire proponents generally want a much higher reserve due to the well deserved reputation for ST tires failing. LT tires, not so much.
The 14, 15, 16 question is not all that important other than the tire selection gets much better as the size increases... Of course you need room for them. But don't focus on the rim size, as that doesn't always determine the diameter of the tire. The diameter is the determining factor. Since most TTs use the same components as far as springs and axles go, then most will be able to fit the same tires.. IE, I was able to go from 15 to 16 with my 6 lug axles and standard springs,,, Someone else with the same components should be able to as well.

In short, a lot of ST tire proponents like to make excuses.
IE: ST tire failures are caused by operator error such as curbing, over speeding, low inflation, road hazards etc..

And then they like to make excuses for why it is impossible to use LT tires. IE: My shop won't mount them. the tire placard doesn't call for them, I can't find a suitable tire in the exact size I am now using, The manufacturers recommend STs, LT tires will cost more, etc.

It is a mind set of what I have is what I am stuck with.

I have a different mind set. When something fails me, I do something about it so it won't happen again. When my TTs water lines froze up at 6 degrees, that was unacceptable to me. I made a lot of modifications so that I can now have running water at 40 below. When my propane regulator/changeover failed at a remote campsite, leaving us without any heat, stove etc.I looked into different types, and finding the selection lacking, I now carry a spare.

In short, I look to solutions, not excuses.

The same thinking applies to tires. If your ST tires are working for you.... Great. If you ever find that they are not, you do NOT have to be stuck with using them. Where there is a will, there is a way.

You just gotta wanna.
gmw_photos
Explorer
Aug 24, 2016
hohenwald48 wrote:
....snip.....

I don't really need a long dissertation on what your opinion is of the tire capacity you think I should install on my trailer. .....snip....

Well gee mister friendly, I reckon then you are So-Outta-Luck.....destined to use a ST tire,

Best of luck to you.
Trackrig
Explorer II
Aug 24, 2016
rdrector wrote:
Trackrig wrote:
Did you feal or hear the tire suddenly blow? Could it have gone flat shortly after leaving the house and then ran flat for fifteen miles causing the tire to fall apart?

I ask because the TT I just bought has one year old Towmax PowerKing tires, 235/80R16 load range E tires, rated at 3,520#. My TT has a GVW of only 10,000# so I have 4,000# of lee way.

I just put 3,000 miles on them on not the best of roadways that included a fair amount of gravel. I've gone over them and don't see any problems with them.

Bill

Tire went off like a shotgun. Heard it before I felt it. My daughter was driving behind me at the time, she said everything looked fine, then there was a second of smoke, then bang she blew.

If I have problems with mine, I think I'll get some Sailuns shipped up from the States or find someone coming through to bring them up.

Bill
hohenwald48
Explorer
Aug 24, 2016
gmw photos wrote:
hohenwald48,

Snip .. . . . .

CAT scale tickets....show 'em if ya got 'em...

There is a whole lot of guessing going here by me until we see your actual weights.
Maybe it's just me, but personally, on a 9K trailer, I'd want 16" tires.

You said I could replace my ST tires (6 lug wheels) with LT tires if I want to. I just asked you where I could get them. I don't really need a long dissertation on what your opinion is of the tire capacity you think I should install on my trailer. If I can replace my Load range E ST's with a similar capacity LT tire I would. Either you know where I can get them or you don't. I'm guessing, from your response that you were in error and you have no idea where I might purchase such a tire.
rdrector
Explorer
Aug 23, 2016
Ordered 4 of these. We'll see how they do. Provider ST225/75R15 Radial Trailer Tire - Load Range E
rdrector
Explorer
Aug 23, 2016
Trackrig wrote:
Did you feal or hear the tire suddenly blow? Could it have gone flat shortly after leaving the house and then ran flat for fifteen miles causing the tire to fall apart?

I ask because the TT I just bought has one year old Towmax PowerKing tires, 235/80R16 load range E tires, rated at 3,520#. My TT has a GVW of only 10,000# so I have 4,000# of lee way.

I just put 3,000 miles on them on not the best of roadways that included a fair amount of gravel. I've gone over them and don't see any problems with them.

Bill

Tire went off like a shotgun. Heard it before I felt it. My daughter was driving behind me at the time, she said everything looked fine, then there was a second of smoke, then bang she blew.
gmw_photos
Explorer
Aug 23, 2016
dodge guy wrote:
....snip.....

I agree. I looked the last time I needed tires. There are no 15" LT tires in an "E" rating.

Here is a "guess" ( and that's all it is, a guess ) as to why we typically don't see LR E in 15", and that is, most vehicles in the USA that have 15" wheels, are 5 lug hubs.

Although, some trailers with 15" do in fact have six hole wheels ( my Titan horse trailer does ).
Here's an interesting tidbit on this new Titan horse trailer. All the Titan advertising, and also the sticker on the trailer itself, says it will be fit with load range D tires. And yet, when I got it, I noticed it had load range E ( ST ) tires on it. On this trailer, it meant that I had over 5600 pounds of tire load capacity on each 3500 pound axle.

My replacement choice was Wrangler HT in LT 235/75-15, 1985 pounds capacity. So I now have LT tires that still exceed the axle capacity by 12%, and far exceed the actual load on them ( 44% margin ).
gmw_photos
Explorer
Aug 23, 2016
hohenwald48,

what are your axles rated at, what is the GVWR of the trailer, and what is the actual weight on the axles according to the scales ?

As an example that ought to be pretty close to what your trailer is, if it actually weighs 8520 pounds, and has just 10% tongue weight, that leaves 7668 on the axles. Assuming for the sake of argument ( although this is NOT likely the case ) that all four trailer tires have equal weight, that is 1917 pounds per tire.

A good year cargo g26 commercial truck tire in 225/70-15, has a capacity of 2470 pounds at 65 psi. That is a 23% reserve margin, well above the 15% our tire engineer friends on the forum recommend. You likely have more than 10% tongue weight, if so the reserve amount is slightly higher than what I stated.
Also, do you really have it loaded to 8500 pounds ?

EDIT: I found online the specs for your trailer. Roughly 6000 empty. Almost 9K GVWR.
Here is my prediction what you are going to say the actual scaled numbers are:

approx 7000 actual
tongue 900
on axles 6100
average on each tire 1525 if perfectly balanced ( it's not though )....
if it's 600 pounds heavier on one side, no more than 1650 on the heaviest tire, or roughly 33% reserve with a 2450 pound GY Cargo G26, and obviously a greater reserve on the remaining three.

If you are loading it out to:

actual 9000
tongue 1100
on axles 7900
average on each tire 1975
if 600 pounds heavy on one side, then 2275 on heaviest tire. Leaving only an 8% reserve.

CAT scale tickets....show 'em if ya got 'em...

There is a whole lot of guessing going here by me until we see your actual weights.
Maybe it's just me, but personally, on a 9K trailer, I'd want 16" tires.
dodge_guy
Explorer II
Aug 23, 2016
hohenwald48 wrote:
gmw photos wrote:
hohenwald48 wrote:
....snip....

Not everybody can change to LT tires even if they wanted to.

....snip...

Anybody with 14", 15" or 16" ( the majority of travel trailers and fifth wheels ) can easily buy LT tires to fit.

Those who choose ST tires do so because they want to, not because they have to.

Well, point me in the right direction. I need new tires I have ST 225/75R15 Load range E (2830 lbs) and I've been looking for some LT tires as it's time to replace this year. I haven't been able to find any LTs that are rated to carry that much.

I agree. I looked the last time I needed tires. There are no 15" LT tires in an "E" rating.