Another Subj . . . TIRES

[ken_burke]

All . . . .A very worn out subject.
I really need your help in buying a new set of 5th wheel tires. We have a heavy (3000 #s per wheel) Cedar Creek. We bought 5 GY Marathon tires within the last year. ST235/80/r16. Pressure of 80 #s. 2 of the 5 tires have blown out within less than a year. Don't want to buy more Marathons.
Questions . . . . Will LT tires work better than ST tires for heavy 5th wheel? Can we use 235/85/16 tires, and would that help carry the load. I see that "Me Again" recommends Michelin XPS tires, and Duval R250 tires. Any other recommended tire for a heavy 5th wheel??
Which tires have a stronger side wall??

thanks . . . . ken and sue.

[B_O__Plenty]

bucky wrote:
ST2358016 sidewalls are far stronger than any LT tire. That's what they are made for, to minimize sway. I got Firestone Transforce LT2358516Es om my Jayco when I got it used and they gave me no trouble for 2 years. One started losing air, and the pinhole was in a bad spot. The 09 date code persuaded me to not replace just one.
I started shopping tires, load ratings, reviews, ratings, comments here, etc. I must admit I have an advantage with all of this as I am in the tire and auto repair business.
I went with Carlisle ST2358016E RHs. Rated at 3520 lbs, with the highest satisfaction rating there is in trailer tires in this size. I was considering the Marathons until many many contacts in the tire industry suggested otherwise. I was concerned with the speed rating of ST tires but I never tow at 80 anyway. Actually ST tires do not have speed ratings like Ps and LTs do.
The cost difference also surprised me, as the Carlisles cost me $99 per tire, and the 2358516 LTs were in the $190 range each. Discount Tire Direct has the Carlisles at $122 with free shipping. That was the best price I found online. I'm buying at pretty deep wholesale, but you can get close.
My Jayco is sitting at 9000lbs on the axles/2700 pin loaded for camping, so I have 5,080 lbs of "extra" capacity.
I'm sure that many will disagree, so have at it. I'm a big boy, you won't hurt my feelings.

ST tire sidewalls are like rags compared to the sidewall on an LT. You obliviously haven't compared them side by side...I have. The LT tires also weigh at least 10# more each...

B.O.

[larry_barnhart]

Cummins12V98 wrote:

larry barnhart wrote:
Just ordered the new tires today. Dealer called to say the build date was 1515. Alpenlite gets the bearing greased the 6th of July and then I will remove one at a time and get them installed on the wheels. I do not have a way to carry 4 61 lb tires.

chevman

What your truck can't handle 4 61lb tires?

You have not seen the bed of our truck. I was thinking the GMC not the chev.

chevman

[Cummins12V98]

larry barnhart wrote:
Just ordered the new tires today. Dealer called to say the build date was 1515. Alpenlite gets the bearing greased the 6th of July and then I will remove one at a time and get them installed on the wheels. I do not have a way to carry 4 61 lb tires.

chevman

What your truck can't handle 4 61lb tires?

[larry_barnhart]

Just ordered the new tires today. Dealer called to say the build date was 1515. Alpenlite gets the bearing greased the 6th of July and then I will remove one at a time and get them installed on the wheels. I do not have a way to carry 4 61 lb tires.

chevman

[Cummins12V98]

larry barnhart wrote:
We bought our 2001 alpenlite with G-159 tires and last 2 sets were G-614's and will soon buy another set of 4 G-614's. Plus 2 G-614's for the spare that never hit the road. 74 years old and only one flat tire when driving solo.

I better be very careful.

chevman

You ever come to the Rainy side? I would be interested in your old GY G's.

[Wiley75]

Bought a set of Geostar G574 a few years ago. Love them. Balanced nicely, wearing like iron, holding up well in the sun, very heavy duty tires. Worth checking out! Cheers

[larry_barnhart]

We bought our 2001 alpenlite with G-159 tires and last 2 sets were G-614's and will soon buy another set of 4 G-614's. Plus 2 G-614's for the spare that never hit the road. 74 years old and only one flat tire when driving solo.

I better be very careful.

chevman

[Cummins12V98]

My GY "G"'s that came on our 07.5 Mobile Suites were awesome. Never a flat the spare did not see pavement. The set I put on our Avion Platinum same story. The GYH's I put on our 07.5 had thousands of miles with only 105psi and traveled thousands of miles at 75mph never even a flat.

GY stepped it up in 07 and they have been extremely trouble free

I will only run GY's on my RV's and Michelins or BFG's on my TV's.

[Cummins12V98]

bigdon68 wrote:
Goodyear G614's. A lot of people seem to like the Goodyear G614's and I wish them the best.
Before I would buy them I would do an INTERNET SEARCH (not just RV.net) to read about the many tire failure experiences for other RV'ers.

I speak from tire failure experience --- $6,000 dollars worth.

The best consumer is the most informed.

Enjoy the road. We do.

Bigdon68

What were the date codes from the tires you had problems with?

[RustyJC]

bigdon68 wrote:
Goodyear G614's. A lot of people seem to like the Goodyear G614's and I wish them the best.
Before I would buy them I would do an INTERNET SEARCH (not just RV.net) to read about the many tire failure experiences for other RV'ers.

Our experience with the 2004-vintage OEM Goodyear G614 RSTs on our 2004 Mobile Suites 36RE3 included two (2) tread separations within a 3-month period in late 2007, the second doing ~$2500 in damage to the 5th wheel. Goodyear replaced the tires with the "new, improved" (their words) G614s and repaired the damage at no charge to us. The replacement 2007-vintage G614s provided flawless service. My point - yes, the early G614s used under heavy 5th wheels had some problems, but the latest iteration of G614s are much more reliable.

I've also used the Michelin XPS Rib under our 2000 Jayco Designer XL 3610RLTS where they provided absolutely trouble-free service. There's a reason that these all-steel-construction commercial grade tires are favorites of the oil field hot-shotters for their gooseneck trailers. They provide long life and reliable service under the toughest conditions you can imagine.

Rusty

[bigdon68]

Goodyear G614's. A lot of people seem to like the Goodyear G614's and I wish them the best.
Before I would buy them I would do an INTERNET SEARCH (not just RV.net) to read about the many tire failure experiences for other RV'ers.

I speak from tire failure experience --- $6,000 dollars worth.

The best consumer is the most informed.

Enjoy the road. We do.

Bigdon68

[Ohio_Engineer]

Sidewall strength and stiffness are two different things.
It is the strength that holds the air pressure. It is the air pressure that supports the load.
Radial tires have more flexible sidewalls than bias tires but that doesn't mean the bias tire is stronger.

I can have a steel rod that is much stiffer than steel cable but the cable can be much stronger than the rod.

The above are engineering and scientific facts.

Sometimes it is easy to misinterpret what you are measuring.

[Ohio_Engineer]

up2nogood wrote:

ACZL wrote:
GY G614's= $250-$300/tire.
Sailun= <$200/tire (only competition for the GY 614's) and high praise so far.

I would love to see a G614 in in a 235/85/16 for $250 per tire , maybe $300 at best. Please post a link to that price of $250

Sailun on the other hand can be had for around $170 per tire. Simple Tire is one source .

Careful there are TWO different Sailun tires
LT235/85R16 LR-G with a 3750 @ 110 psi
and a
ST235/85R16 LR-G with 4080 @ 110 psi

Some of the sales people don't really know their tires.
the ST p/n is 5540992
the LT p/n is 8244393

both have Speed Symbol "L" which is 75 mph

Took me weeks to confirm this info and there is still some confusion with the info on some of the Sailun / Simple Tire web pages but the p/n and load info has been confirmed.

I do not sell or work for or have been paid by Sailun or Simple tire. Just trying to help fellow RV owners.

[Ohio_Engineer]

ken burke wrote:

snip
. . .
Thanks, but I don't think that the "G" rated tires will fit on a 16 inch wheel. As for tire ratings, the Marathon's are rated for 3400#s, while our 5th wheel weighs 3000# per tire. I think that the Marathon's are under-rated.

Why would you think a LT235/85R16 LR-G would not fit a 16" rim but an LT235/85R16 LR-E or an LT235/85R16 LR-E would fit a 16" rim?

[gmw_photos]

ckwizard777 wrote:

Me Again wrote:

bucky wrote:
ST2358016 sidewalls are far stronger than any LT tire. That's what they are made for, to minimize sway.

Could you link to the data that documents those statements.

Chris

He wont be able to because I just replaced my Marathons with XPS Ribs and there is no comparison the Ribs are much more hefty and considerably heavier.
I fondled both the old Marathons and the new Ribs while they were installing them and there is no way you would walk away thinking ST are better tires.
In fact I kept thinking that the ribs must be the most under rated tires in history or they have a ton of reserve capacity.

I found the same thing when comparing the ST tires that came off my trailer when I was replacing them with Kumho LT tires. The sidewall of the dismounted ST tire could be easily flexed and manipulated with just my fingers. The Kumho 857 has a much stiffer sidewall that can barely be deflected by hand.

Tows in a more stable manner also with the Kumho tires. Part of that I am guessing is the stiffer sidewall controlling side to side flex better.