B.O. Plenty wrote:
gmw photos wrote:
Note to the original poster: everybody is beating around the bush here. Let's cut to the chase: junk the crummy ST tires, and do not replace them with yet more junk ST tires. Buy LT tires, and then go drive at normal highway speeds, and not worry.
Lets make it simple:
ST= junk
LT = good
EDIT: if those are the typical 205/75-14, then what I did was went to a 185-14 Kumho 857. This a commercial LT tire, in a load range D, that is marketed for trailer use also. Tire rack sells them. They work well.
Totally agree. Get rid of the junk tires!
B.O.
Here is an excerpt from a Carlisle Transportation Group information paper: It clearly and succinctly puts forth the facts about ST tires. Please stop passing off your opinions as fact. You do everyone a disservice when you replace Facts with MYTHS.
The entire paper can be read at:
http://www.carlisletransportationproducts.com/cms_files/original/Trailer_Tires__Tips_Best_Practices.pdf
Trailer tire requirements differ greatly from automotive or light truck tires. Trailer tires are designated “ST” for Special Trailer tires.
Automotive tires are designated “P” for Passenger or “LT” for Light
Truck and are not designed for trailer use. Passenger or truck tires,
with their more flexible sidewalls, can result in trailer sway problems.
The stiffer, heavy duty sidewalls of ST tires are designed to control
and reduce sway problems. Trailer sway is dangerous at higher
speeds, with top heavy loads or on vehicles with inadequate
tongue weight.
– Trailer tires are designed for use on trailer axle positions only.
– Do not use P Passenger or LT Light Truck automotive tires
on trailers.
– Do not use ST trailer tires on passenger cars or light trucks.
– An "LT" designation, when shown on a trailer tire size specifies load range only, it is not designed for use on light trucks.
The ST Difference
The construction, design, materials and testing used in ST Special
Trailer tires meet the higher load requirements, duty cycles and
special demands of trailering.
– Polyester cords in an ST tire are bigger than in a comparable P or
LT tire.
– Steel cords used in ST tires have a larger diameter and greater
tensile strength to meet additional load requirements.
– ST tire rubber compounds contain chemicals to resist weather and
ozone cracking, particularly conditions resulting from extended
storage and the unusual duty cycles of trailer tires.
– The slightly shallower tread depth of a trailer tire reduces sway and
rides cooler, which adds to tire longevity.
– ST tires feature stiffer sidewalls, especially in the lower
section which:
– Reduces sidewall flexing causing the trailer to track straighter.
– Diminishes the risk of trailer sway.
– Lessens the risk of sidewall puncture and blowout.
– ST tires generally offer approximately 10% percent more load
capacity than a similar LT tire and nearly 40% more than a passenger tire.
