But here is my question -- the manufacturers, such as Goodyear, strongly recommend ST tires for trailers. They know that they could be sued if their products are defective, so it seems to me that they have a strong incentive to recommend the safest alternative. That tips the scale for me -- I give a lot of weight to that recommendation, on the theory that they know more about tires than I do. I am not an expert in this area.
Old topic and has been answered many years ago many times over and been rehashed a couple of times a year since....but here we go again.
You've come to a erroneous conclusion as Goodyear also recommends the Wrangler HT and the G614 both a LT tire for using in a trailer position. And both came OEM at times on various brands of rv and non rv trailers.
Michelin recommends the XPS Ribs for commercial trailer service and rv trailers also.
Uniroyal LT235/85-16 E at 3042 lbs came OEM on HH II trailers for years until HH II axle ratings jumped to the 6750-7000 lb range.
Other rv mfg have used and some still use a LT as OEM.
Their is no liability issues with using a P or LT tire on a trailer as OEM or replacement.
So for those of you who use LT tires, do you have a theory as to WHY the manufacturers do not recommend LT tires for towing? Note that I am not asking whether LT tires are better -- I assume that those of you who use LT have carefully concluded that they are superior to ST.
My question is why don't the manufacturers reach the same conclusion?
I have no idea where you get your information ......or what you mean by they don't recommend them for towing...... but once again you have come to a erroneous conclusion.
All the major USA LT and P tire makers have recommended their tires for trailer service...... when we ask them.
Why don't the trailer makers use the LT as OEM ?? They do and always have just as they did before the ST tires hit the streets.
Keep in mind the trailer maker may pay 87 bucks for a ST235/85-16 E vs 135 bucks for a LT235/85-16 E. Now multiply that several thousand and its not hard to see why most rv makers may choose the cheaper cost ST tire.
ST and LT prices above were given me from a equipment trailer mfg I deal with.
