Tire Manufacturer Recommendations?

[dacraven]

Hi,


We have a 2013 Skyline Mountain View Joey Select (TT), currently with 225/75R15 Power King Tow Max tires load range D's. About 2 months ago we had a blow out that caused significant damage to the wheel well and I always check pressure, never overload and travel usually about 65-70mph when pulling. The GVWR is about 8500. The tires appeared to be in great shape when it blew and I've subsequently found a lot of bad reviews for those tires.

I have been looking to replace the set before we leave on a trip that will be roughly a 1400 mile trip in December and I want to have a dependable set of tires.

I am also fairly intent on buying a load range E set this time.

I have found some Trailer Kings on amazon with mostly good reviews but wanted any opinions on reputable tire manufacturers.

Any suggestions?

[jadatis]

tinner12002 wrote:
I'd also recommend the Maxxis tires, have had great luck with mine. As for deflection, part of the reason ST tires don't have as much deflection as LT tires is because the ST tires are designed to be scooted sideways when turning and backing so sidewalls are generally stiffer to keep tires from rolling off the rim, thus the higher weight rating of ST tires. Manufacturers use STs predominantly for a reason, and its not so you'll have more blowouts. They just haven't made good choices in the brands that they use. I've seen LTs used on car trailers and when they turn it looks like the tire is ready to roll off the rim...not a pretty site for sure! In my opinion, a lot of people use the LTs just so they can run as fast as they want without having to worry about the speed rating on the tires. Of course some will argue that comment too.

Experiënce with ST tires is that they blow more often then LT tires, let it be 3% instead of 1% , so the gross of TT users drive without problems. And those cases are written down in fora, so it looks a lot.
My conclusion of ST tires is yust that they deflect more, if you put the pressure in acording to Pressure/loadcapacity lists.
If you always put "Maximum"pressure in as often is adviced by TT makers , you give the tire for the lower load then maximum load, a lesser deflection.
And a stiffer sidewall produces more heat at the same deflection , and sertainly at that more deflection the ST tire has when filled to P/LC lists for the lower speed they are calculated for in their maximum load.

The tires wont come of the rimm by the more sideward shifting, that only happens at a pressure of below 20 psi, and then not even on the nowadays rimms with 2 humps on them to prefent that.

In the 1980s I read a story about a Canadian vehicle that could drive over the yust unfrosen mudd. Remember GVW of 10000kg/22000lbs, and a tirepressure of 0.8bar/12psi? and a special construction of the rimm to prefent the tires from going of them in curves. Think that special construction to be that 2 humps( 2 times PANG when tire mounted to rimm) wich where not always used in those times.

Question to KBOntheroad, what pressure do you keep, always "maximum cold"of tire or going from P/LC lists.
Mayby there the difference is , that OP uses second and you first.

But also for LT tires its better to give them a deflection that dont produce to much heat.

The tire on the pictures of OHIO Engeneer, are tore at the overgoing from sidewall to treath , where they bend the most so produce more heat , and so that ring is probably getting to hot.
To my opinion a to much deflection for that tire and speed related damage.

[KBOnTheRoad]

I have put 20 thousand miles this year on those exact same tires the OP has with ZERO problems. This includes a trip to and from Alaska. The tires are fine tires. Dont be stampeded into buying unnecessary stuff by ONE blowout. Keep them inflated and not overloaded and they will serve you well.

[tinner12002]

I'd also recommend the Maxxis tires, have had great luck with mine. As for deflection, part of the reason ST tires don't have as much deflection as LT tires is because the ST tires are designed to be scooted sideways when turning and backing so sidewalls are generally stiffer to keep tires from rolling off the rim, thus the higher weight rating of ST tires. Manufacturers use STs predominantly for a reason, and its not so you'll have more blowouts. They just haven't made good choices in the brands that they use. I've seen LTs used on car trailers and when they turn it looks like the tire is ready to roll off the rim...not a pretty site for sure! In my opinion, a lot of people use the LTs just so they can run as fast as they want without having to worry about the speed rating on the tires. Of course some will argue that comment too.

[ghiotom]

I had a 2 year old Tow Max blow like your photo of the belt separation example above. I admit when I'm on the interstate I travel at 68-69 MPH, but never over 70 MPH, unless to get out of the way. I guess there isn't much spare capacity when it comes to speed rating.

[Ohio_Engineer]

dacraven wrote:
Hi,


We have a 2013 Skyline Mountain View Joey Select (TT), currently with 225/75R15 Power King Tow Max tires load range D's. About 2 months ago we had a blow out that caused significant damage to the wheel well and I always check pressure, never overload and travel usually about 65-70mph when pulling. The GVWR is about 8500. The tires appeared to be in great shape when it blew and I've subsequently found a lot of bad reviews for those tires.

I have been looking to replace the set before we leave on a trip that will be roughly a 1400 mile trip in December and I want to have a dependable set of tires.

I am also fairly intent on buying a load range E set this time.

I have found some Trailer Kings on amazon with mostly good reviews but wanted any opinions on reputable tire manufacturers.

Any suggestions?

If the failure was in the mid to upper sidewall then you had a Run Low Flex Failure. A TPMS should have provided warning of the air leak. It only takes a few miles of driving at highway speed to end up with a tire that looks like this.


or this



If the tire looked like this


Then you suffered a belt separation which comes from excess load, heat and speed (faster than 60 - 62 mph)

[jadatis]

Reaction to 3 above from atwowheelguy. did not quote to prefent to long quote with all the pictures.

When you change to much more maximum load of tire, and you use the pressure/loadcapacity lists of ST tire maker as you give,

You then could end up with to low pressure, and so still overheating tires so tiredamage.
The ST list you give is made with the formula that was introduced in 1928 for diagonal tires.
This is what I discovered a few years ago, and wrote Goodyear about.

ST tires are calculated in maximum load for 65m/h, wich allows more deflection.

Better would be to give the ST tire the same deflection as an LT tire with same loadrange and sises would need.

And you already wrote that you now use 60% of the given maximum load. so if I would calculate it for you , compensating for the lesser deflection, it could lead to the AT-pressure given on sidewall .

This is what the tiremaker and TT maker also give nowadays, and needed to prefent damage to tires the missery that can come of it.

[Ivylog]

I own over a dozen of different types of trailers... several being RVs. When I need tires, all I buy are used takeoffs from various vehicles. While a LT 225/75R15 is not a very common size, they are out there. Usually I can find a nice matched set of takeoffs that are less than three years old... mounted for less than $50 each. At 10 years of total age I start to think about replacing and these trailers are rarely lightly loaded.

Cannot remember the last time I had a blowout... OK, 15+ years ago on a three year old 5er. Put a set of LT 245/75/16 off a Chevy PU and ten years later because they where almost bald, I put another set on.

[Dtank]

YnotTurbo wrote:
I only run Goodyear tires on my fiver. They are made in the USA. I do not trust any tire made in China. Get some good LT tires and make sure they have a load rating of more than you need.

The OP has a TT (Travel Trailer).

IF tires supplied from the factory were Goodyear, they most likely will be Marathons, mfg in China.

Unfortunately, GY Marathons had a bad rep - including when they were mfg in the USA.

Your lack of trust in "Made in China" is misplaced.
The Chinese are capable of manufacturing quality products - including tires. (even Michelin has mfg facilities in China).

The bad rep for Chinese tires is due to/ for ST tires mfg for the USA.

OP - Maxxis (Cheng Shin Rubber Co.) has an excellent reputation, and mfgs tires with a plethora of applications in several countries, including mainland China, Taiwan (the "other" China), Thailand, and Vietnam.
Tenth largest tire mfgr in the world.

BTW - for my 5th wheel I prefer Michelin XPS Ribs - although thee are now some additional excellent choices (at less $$).

Follow "JIMLIN"(s) tire advice (and experience) -
he is usually "spot on"!

:C

[atwowheelguy]

I replaced the Chinese tires on my used camper when they got to be 4 years old. I like the Maxxis ST tires so far. Made in Thailand. I went up one size, 205 to 225, and up one load range, C to D, from the OEM tires. I have 6,000 lbs. on the two axles, so the tires are loaded to 60% of their rated capacity.

[lbrjet]

Going up a load range is great move. Your rims are already rated for the 'E' so do it.

[coolbreeze01]

dacraven wrote:

coolbreeze01 wrote:
I had good luck with Maxxis but if buying today, I would probably go with the Carlisle HD load range E.

ya it looks like a lot of people have been happy with the maxxis. Did you upgrade to the E from a D load range? if so, any noticeable changes with ride, traction, etc? and are you running at 80psi?

thanks!

When I bought the Maxxis, I went from C to E and ran 80#. I have since sold that trailer.

[YnotTurbo]

I only run Goodyear tires on my fiver. They are made in the USA. I do not trust any tire made in China. Get some good LT tires and make sure they have a load rating of more than you need.

[nevadanick]

I run Maxxis E rated on all my trlrs and run 70 psi. I have never had a tire issue.

[jadatis]

Often on TT's tires are used for lower speed , sometimes ST-tires that are calculated in their maximum load for 65m/h.
So see if your tires are like that.

Then the tires are calculated for more deflection allowed because of the low speed.

So what you have to do is read next topic of mine about this.
Was developing the system , during the topic, so can be what confusing in the beginning.

http://forums.goodsamclub.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/thread/tid/27477930.cfm

In short , you first have to converse the maximum load of all the tires you compare , to 160km/99m/h, then you can compare aples to aples and it will show that an E-load LT tire ( maxspeed 99m/h) with a bit lower maxload, can still be better then a D-load ST tire .

This is probably the reason why your tires blew, that they had to low reserve and so you , wihthout knowing, used to low pressure, and the tires overheated and the structure of rubber damaged.
Once the damage to structure is done, the mechanical forces do the rest, and your tires will be that damaged at a sertain point that they blow.

EDIT: reding back I saw that your treath came loose.
This begins at the sides mostly , where the thicker rubber has more isolation, so in the middle , closer to the inside , the rubber gets to hot and hardens , and there the treath comes loose.
On the outside you see nothing but when hamering the treath , it sounds different then an undamaged tires, because there are cavaties.