Time to Buy New Tires

[rfloyd99]

I need new tires on my Jay Feather 26' TT. It weighs about 6,000 lbs loaded. Original tires are ST205/75/R14 6PR LR C (max load single 1760 lbs)

I've read several tire threads here, and still have some questions. Of course, I want to spend as little as I can but still get good quality. I put 19,000 miles on the original tires in three years, and plan to put on 5 to 7,000 miles each year. So, quite a bit of use.

Questions:

1. Seems like I can get C or D rated tires for not much price difference - should I definitely get one or the other? There seem to be more choices in the C rating.

2. Most are 6 ply, a few 8 ply. Again, is one a clear choice?

3. I see a few good choices that are 215 vs 205. Can I go up to 215 with the rims I have, and are there any advantages?

4. Any thoughts on price range/brands? Seems like I can get Greenball Transmaster D/8ply from Walmart for $49 ea, or Carlisle C or D or Maxxis C for about $85, or Goodyear Endurance D for $103.

Anybody care to answer/opine on these questions? Any help will be greatly appreciated!

[CALandLIN]

colliehauler wrote:

CALandLIN wrote:

trail-explorer wrote:

Gulfcoast wrote:
I'm keeping the size that Jayco wanted me to have.

Never heard of an RV manufacturer dictating to customers what size tires "they should have"

Read your owner's manual, it's in there.

To funny, I have bought several new trailers through the years and NEVER received a owners manual. Just a collection of literature from the various manufacturer's of products used in the trailer. Maybe you can point out just where the manufacturer stated exclusively to use only the tire size that it came with. I could understand a manufacturer not wanting a lesser tire to meet maximum load capacity.

Vehicles are calibrated to use a certain size tire. Trailers clearance is usually the limiting factor along with cost to the manufacturer.

To maintain tire safety, purchase new tires that are the same size as the vehicle’s original tires or another size recommended by the manufacturer. Look at the Tire and Loading Information label, or the sidewall of the tire you are replacing to find this information.

That statement/similar statement is mandated by NHTSA to be in all RV trailer owner manuals.

[CALandLIN]

Sorry, wrong place.

[Westcoasting]

Lynnmor wrote:

2112 wrote:
I went through this same exercise last year and bought the Goodyear Endurance for a piece of mind. They are WELL within their load limit, I can speed up to 70-75mpg to pass slower vehicles if needed without worrying about my tires

Just curious, why is it necessary to speed up to pass vehicles that are already going slower? :h

You just learn how to drive recently? If someone is going 3 mph slower than you and you are catching up to them do you just pull into the passing lane and take a long time to pass them?

[Atlee]

Huntindog wrote:

Lynnmor wrote:

2112 wrote:
I went through this same exercise last year and bought the Goodyear Endurance for a piece of mind. They are WELL within their load limit, I can speed up to 70-75mpg to pass slower vehicles if needed without worrying about my tires

Just curious, why is it necessary to speed up to pass vehicles that are already going slower? :h

Two lane roads, passing zones and oncoming traffic.
If you always drive on the interstates... Not an issue

Even on the interstates, I speed up when passing an 18 wheeler. I do it because 1) I want to clear the big truck as soon as possible. If I'm only doing 5 mph faster relative, then it would take a while to clear the truck. Also, 2) I don't want to clog up the left passing lane any longer than I have to. I'm sure my 65 mph is much slower than most of the traffic in the left lane is going.

[Atlee]

Lynnmor wrote:

2112 wrote:
I went through this same exercise last year and bought the Goodyear Endurance for a piece of mind. They are WELL within their load limit, I can speed up to 70-75mpg to pass slower vehicles if needed without worrying about my tires

Just curious, why is it necessary to speed up to pass vehicles that are already going slower? :h

Simple really. If a 18 wheeler is going 60 mph in the right lane, and I'm going 65, eventually I will pass him if we both maintain our respective speed.

However, I much prefer to get by an 18 wheeler faster than slower. In this case, I would drive at a faster speed in order to go by the big truck. Once safely ahead, I would slow back down to 65.

[Gulfcoast]

Now, you can sleep good tonight. smile

[rfloyd99]

OP here with an update. I went with the Goodyear Endurance, had them installed today. Since I couldn't see very much of the inside of the rims to find a stamp showing the PSI rating I called Jayco. They assured me that the rims were okay with the higher PSI for the D load rating of the new tires (the originals were LR C; 50 PSI).

I looked carefully for a PSI rating once a rim was removed but there wasn't one, BTW.

A local store had them in stock and I was able to get them for only a few dollars more than Walmart or Discount Tire Online would have cost, with less inconvenience. Plus the satisfaction of using a local merchant. Even though it was a chain, they still employ people locally, and I can deal with them for warranty or service issues, etc.

I am happy to report that the tires performed perfectly on the 1.25 mile drive back to my home!

Thanks to all on this great forum who took the time to contribute!

[seaeagle2]

You need to find out what psi your rims are rated for.

[Westcoasting]

deltabravo wrote:
I wrecked one of the tires on my cargo trailer last year.
I replaced them with Goodyear Endurance and did a video comparing the old tires to the Endurance

Do you get paid to make videos?

[time2roll]

+1 for Endurance.

[deltabravo]

I wrecked one of the tires on my cargo trailer last year.
I replaced them with Goodyear Endurance and did a video comparing the old tires to the Endurance

[temccarthy1]

trail-explorer wrote:
Goodyear Endurance.

X2-- Buy GOODYEAR ENDURANCE and not have to worry about China bomb blowouts ruining your trip and RV!

[Gulfcoast]

That's when they go bad... on the hottest day of the year at 3pm, in heavy traffic.

[campigloo]

I’ve run Carlisle radial trails for the last few years and have gotten good service from them. I may change to Endurance because of the sidewall construction.
To your question, buy the cheapest possible tire you can find, then, while you’re on the side of some crowded highway in the hottest part of the day changing a tire, ask yourself if it was worth the hundred or two dollars you saved on the low cost tire.
Just sayin.