Hard to Pick a tire for TT

[sgrizzle]

I have asked general questions before on tires. It is easy to confuse me with all of the symbols and codes...I currently have:

Radial ST 225/75 R15D (F-108)? They are 6 years old and we are headed out this spring on about a 3,000 mile camping trip over the rockies and to the Moab area...I have heard trailer tires need to be replaced every so many years, whetherthey look worn or not.

I am considering replacing them with LT tires.

My Trailer:
GVWR is 7900 lbs.
GAWR (each Axle) is 4,400 lbs.
Max Cargo is 1,460 lbs.

How do I choose the best match in a LT tire. I have tried looking at Tire Rack and michelin sites and it gets pretty confusing. Thanks for your help!

[atwowheelguy]

Sport45 wrote:

atwowheelguy wrote:

sgrizzle wrote:
I see the Maxxis M8008, with the 10 ply that is rated at 80 psi...

How do I know if my rims are compatible?

This information was on my cast aluminum wheels. Note that the wheels are rated for 2830# load, which corresponds to load range E, 80 psi. When they were 5 years old, I replaced the original ST205/75R15C (1820# load) with ST225/75R15D (2540# load).

I bought the Maxxis tires.

You sure about that 2830# load rating? I only see 5 lugs.

Thanks. You're right. I just saw

MAX LOAD
GIBBERISH
2830 LBS

I didn't decipher the middle line until you corrected me. I don't understand why they would put a 6 lug weight spec on a 5 lug wheel. Maybe just to confuse me. So, I deduce that this wheel is rated for 65 psi and a max load of 2150 pounds.

The camper has two 3500 pound rated axles. Fully loaded, the two axles carry 6000 pounds, as weighed. If equally loaded, each tire carries 1500 pounds.

[CKNSLS]

Maxxis Faliure

ScottG wrote:
Get the Maxxiss' and forget about them.

[Sport45]

atwowheelguy wrote:

sgrizzle wrote:
I see the Maxxis M8008, with the 10 ply that is rated at 80 psi...

How do I know if my rims are compatible?

This information was on my cast aluminum wheels. Note that the wheels are rated for 2830# load, which corresponds to load range E, 80 psi. When they were 5 years old, I replaced the original ST205/75R15C (1820# load) with ST225/75R15D (2540# load).

I bought the Maxxis tires.

You sure about that 2830# load rating? I only see 5 lugs.

[sgrizzle]

Thanks for all of your help guys! I believe I'm going with the Maxxis Load E's, unless I take the tires off and find I can't handle 80 psi.

This will be good. This May we will be taking off to Moab, UT and I look forward to seeing how this improves our handling. I felt a fuzz bouncy at times, even at 65 psi.

Merry Christmas!

[atwowheelguy]

sgrizzle wrote:
I see the Maxxis M8008, with the 10 ply that is rated at 80 psi...

How do I know if my rims are compatible?

This information was on my cast aluminum wheels. Note that the wheels are rated for 2830# load, which corresponds to load range E, 80 psi. When they were 5 years old, I replaced the original ST205/75R15C (1820# load) with ST225/75R15D (2540# load).

I bought the Maxxis tires.

Moderator edit to re-size image to forum limit of 640px maximum width.

[JIMNLIN]

Here is Michelin LTX M/52
Size: P235/75R15

Does this sound like a decent LT? The 2,200 per tire, would be at my axle limit of 4,400 lbs. Is that ok?

Also, would this be firm enough to help reduce any sway?

Just to add to Johns reply: This per fed regs:
P tires mounted on a trailer shall have the tire's load rating reduced by dividing by 1.10 before calculating the sum....so those 2200 lb Michelin are now at 2000 lbs per tire.

And the P tire may have but one or two ply tire but with a 4 ply rating. Although P tires work on smaller trailers its not a good idea on a trailer the size you have.

Most 6 lug 15" wheels I've seen are rated up to 80 psi.

[sgrizzle]

Thanks JBarca!

Maxxis M8008 ST Radial BS Trailer Tire
ST225 /75 R15 117 E1 BSW

Is this the correct Maxxis size? my wheels have 6 lugs, so there is a chance they are ok for 80 psi?

When they go to remove the current tires, I assume my mechanic will be able to tell me for sure that 80 psi will work with my rims?

[JBarca]

sgrizzle wrote:
Here is Michelin LTX M/52
Size: P235/75R15
Sidewall Style: Outlined White Letters
Serv. Desc: 108T (2200 lbs per tire) T - 118 MPH uhhhh, no)
Load Range: XL (42 psi??)

Does this sound like a decent LT? The 2,200 per tire, would be at my axle limit of 4,400 lbs. Is that ok?

Also, would this be firm enough to help reduce any sway?

Heads up sgrizzle,

You miss read the tire type. You selected size P235/75R15. The P is the tire type aka Passenger type tire. They will not work well in a trailer situation and sway will very likley be an issue with the softer P tire side wall. You also picked the 235 width which is wider the the more standard 225 tire width on campers. You rims may be too narrow and you may not have wheel well clearance left to right

You are looking for a LT aka Light Truck, in that location tire sizing number. I do not believe Michelin makes a LT225/75R15 in either a load range D or E

The Michelin LTX label is a tire brand so to speak. Not the tire type.

I had to jump to 16" tires (LT225/75R16) to replace my ST225/75R15's. New rims and had to deal with the increased tire OD and wheel well clearance. See may reply on this thread a page back. There is a link there with all I needed to do to convert.

Good luck and hope this helps

John

[sgrizzle]

Here is Michelin LTX M/52
Size: P235/75R15
Sidewall Style: Outlined White Letters
Serv. Desc: 108T (2200 lbs per tire) T - 118 MPH uhhhh, no)
Load Range: XL (42 psi??)

Does this sound like a decent LT? The 2,200 per tire, would be at my axle limit of 4,400 lbs. Is that ok?

Also, would this be firm enough to help reduce any sway?

[sgrizzle]

passin Thru, what model numbers? 15 inch?

[Passin_Thru]

I went with Michelin LTs. Smoother ride and pulls straighter on high crowned roads. I Love them, your mileage may vary.

[GeoBoy]

Maxxis 8008's.

[dodge_guy]

ScottG wrote:

dodge guy wrote:
They don`t make an "D" or "E" rated LT tire in a 15". I went with Carlisle ST "E" rated tires. very glad I did despite what people post about them. all the failures in my research were in the "C" rated tires.

All 5 that came with my TT were LR D and failed on their own.
I've read plenty of posts about the higher LR's failing.

Good luck.

I`ve had 2 sets so far. the first set went 5 years and approx. 20k miles with half of those miles in excessive heat (90+deg) on the highway. I just put the new set on this spring. no problems what so ever!

No luck needed!

[dodge_guy]

Carrier wrote:

dodge guy wrote:
They don`t make an "D" or "E" rated LT tire in a 15". I went with Carlisle ST "E" rated tires. very glad I did despite what people post about them. all the failures in my research were in the "C" rated tires.

With the E tires what pressure do you have in them? If you went from C to E tires did you find the trailer has less sway?

I run 75 psi with a 9200lb loaded trailer weight. the trailer came with cheapo "D" rated Chinese tires, the trailer has an 11,200lb GVWR! cant believe they put "D" tires on something like that. and yes my rims are rated to 80psi and are 6 lug.

And yes, I had some sway, that almost disappeared with the new tires.

[JIMNLIN]

I am considering replacing them with LT tires.

My Trailer:
GVWR is 7900 lbs.
GAWR (each Axle) is 4,400 lbs.
Max Cargo is 1,460 lbs.

How do I choose the best match in a LT tire. I have tried looking at Tire Rack and michelin sites and it gets pretty confusing. Thanks for your help!

Your ST225/75-15 D are rated at 2540 lb each which is plenty of capacity for your trailers wheels and 4400 axles.

There simply isn't many 15" LT tires left anymore. Years ago 1/2 ton trucks/large wagons/vans used 15" tires so we had many sizes and load ranges to choose from for our trailers.

Maxxis has a commercial grade U-168 Bravo in a couple of 15" LT sizes that will work for 4400 lb axles.

Vanco 2 from Continential has 15" at 665 psi and 2469 lbs capacity that work great on 4400 lb axles. This tire is a euro all position tire for vans/trucks and trailers.

If you have to have a LT tire the best all around bet is move up to a 16" trailer wheel with a LT225/75-15 E or a LT215/85-16 E both at 2680 lbs capacity. These sizes are very common and just about every USA tire makers has them and they are available every where in the USA and Canada.

Most 15" trailer wheels I've seen with 6 lugs will handle up to 80 psi.