*UPDATE* ST tires any better nowadays?

[BurbMan]

It seems like all the ST tires you can get here on the East coast are cheap no-name brands, Maxxis not available out here last time I checked. I upgraded to LT tires (225/75-16) after my last blowout and haven't looked back. Now at 5 years old it looks like one slipped a belt and is seriously egg-shaped, so time for replacements.

I see that Goodyear has come out with a "new generation" ST tire. I do like to tow at 70 mph so the ST 65 mph speed limit doesn't work for me.

Before I buy another set of LT's thought I would check and see if I should be looking at ST's again.

[JBarca]

jaycocamprs wrote:

JBarca wrote:

I know money is always tight, but I'll pass this along on the tires you have now. Starting at year 3 of them, do a spin test looking for an out of round tire at the start of every spring there after. Just because they are LT tires does not mean excessive interply shear is not lurking in the background.

I went with the Bridgestone Duravis R238's LT225/75R16 LR E's after the BFG Commercial TA's failed. Not the less expensive way, but after flying tread tore the camper apart, and already doing a 16" LT upgrade, going as bullet proof as you can is worth it when the pain gets high enough. Here is that post. I need to give an update. LT Tire Replacements - All season

Happy camping this year.

John

I got just over 4 years with the BFG Commercial's before one failed. I saw the bulge and got it off before it let go. After 5 1/2 years (6 from date of manufacturer) running the Bridgestone Duravis R250's in LT235/85R16 without a issue I replaced with the Sailun S637. Hope the Duravis R238's serve you as well as Duravis R250's did us.

Thanks, good to know

[jaycocamprs]

JBarca wrote:

I know money is always tight, but I'll pass this along on the tires you have now. Starting at year 3 of them, do a spin test looking for an out of round tire at the start of every spring there after. Just because they are LT tires does not mean excessive interply shear is not lurking in the background.

I went with the Bridgestone Duravis R238's LT225/75R16 LR E's after the BFG Commercial TA's failed. Not the less expensive way, but after flying tread tore the camper apart, and already doing a 16" LT upgrade, going as bullet proof as you can is worth it when the pain gets high enough. Here is that post. I need to give an update. LT Tire Replacements - All season

Happy camping this year.

John

I got just over 4 years with the BFG Commercial's before one failed. I saw the bulge and got it off before it let go. After 5 1/2 years (6 from date of manufacturer) running the Bridgestone Duravis R250's in LT235/85R16 without a issue I replaced with the Sailun S637. Hope the Duravis R238's serve you as well as Duravis R250's did us.

[JBarca]

BurbMan wrote:
UPDATE:

Thought I would come back here and close the loop on this. The new Goodyear ST tires are VERY pricey, so I opted for another low-budget set of LT225/75-16E from the local Mavis Tire. The Brand is Taiga, made by Vee Rubber, made in Thailand. Even still it was $600 out the door, about $200 cheaper than a set of the Goodyear Endurance STs.

Taking the old tires off was a real eye opener...I got new rims, so I had the tire shop mount the new tires on the new rims, and put them on the trailer at home. I also replaced the Trail Air equalizers and greased the suspension.

This is what the suspect tire looked like on the trailer:



Once I got it off and put it next to the rear one you get a different view:



Hard to believe these two tires are the same size. The other front tire was starting to do the same which was why I replaced the equalizers, they were worn out and shifting too much of the load to the front axle and overloading the front tires.

I also saw this from my TPMS, where the front tires were running 10* hotter than the rear ones. Now back in business and ready for the next trip!

Hi Don,

From what I have seen on my ST and LT tire failures of detachment of the belts and tread, I'm not seeing how the worn out equalizer caused the belt to let go in that tire. How did you come to that conclusion? May learn something new here and looking forward to it.

I would point more to an interply shear issue from the tandem axle turns trying to rip the treads off the tire.

Have you weighed the camper lately?

I know money is always tight, but I'll pass this along on the tires you have now. Starting at year 3 of them, do a spin test looking for an out of round tire at the start of every spring there after. Just because they are LT tires does not mean excessive interply shear is not lurking in the background.

I went with the Bridgestone Duravis R238's LT225/75R16 LR E's after the BFG Commercial TA's failed. Not the less expensive way, but after flying tread tore the camper apart, and already doing a 16" LT upgrade, going as bullet proof as you can is worth it when the pain gets high enough. Here is that post. I need to give an update. LT Tire Replacements - All season

Happy camping this year.

John

[solismaris]

I just upgraded from Goodyear Marathon LR C to Goodyear Endurance LR D. From the reviews and from the talk here I am expecting good performance.

But don't be so negative about the Marathons! Mine lasted 9 years without an issue. I'm embarrassed to say that I forgot how old they were and would have replaced them a few years ago as a precaution. But they served me well.

(But by the looks of one of them, it was probably ready to blow any day. I spotted the protruding belts just in time and got lucky. But for 9 year old tires loaded to 100% of their carrying capacity I'm not complaining.)

[Huntindog]

trail-explorer wrote:

SoundGuy wrote:
I don't think this has anything to do with it at all. Rather, Goodyear had been the subject of so many poor reviews over their Marathon trailer tire, NOT built in the US, that they finally pulled it entirely from the market and directly replaced with the US manufactured Endurance.

Where is the evidence to support this idea?

I could probably dig up some reciepts..

I owned several sets from load range C, D, and E.
None of them were any good. It did not seem to matter which country they were made in. Even the USA ones were bad.

No I think they retired the Marathon name, as it just wasn't a name with a good reputation.

Many others on this forum felt the same way.

As for myself... I will not be buying any Endurance tires. They may or may not be good now. But I moved on to LTs in 2006. Zero tire issues since then. I actually replace them due to AGE! None of my many sets of STs made it to thier second birthday.

Whether this new Endurance is a good tire or not,,, is not my big issue. The plain fact of the matter is that it is made by the same company that cheerfully took my money back then selling me tires that they knew were junk,,, while telling everyone how great they were.
Those companies do not deserve any more of my money.

I will let others be the beta testers for these tires.

I will continue to buy what has proven to work for me. Michelin LT XPS RIBs. They are not cheap.... But compared to the TT damage from a steel belt whipping around at highway speed..... They are much more afordable.

[trail-explorer]

SoundGuy wrote:
I don't think this has anything to do with it at all. Rather, Goodyear had been the subject of so many poor reviews over their Marathon trailer tire, NOT built in the US, that they finally pulled it entirely from the market and directly replaced with the US manufactured Endurance.

Where is the evidence to support this idea?

[time2roll]

LT s/b good to go.

[BurbMan]

No, the Vee Rubber Taigas are the new tires. The failed tire(s) were Commodore Commercials, purchased from Ken Towery's in Louisville ( we lived there 2011-2015). The Commodores were made in China.

[Lynnmor]

So the failed tire in the photo is a Taiga and you bought another set, is that correct?

[time2roll]

Best of luck with the new shoes. Take offs are shot.

[BurbMan]

UPDATE:

Thought I would come back here and close the loop on this. The new Goodyear ST tires are VERY pricey, so I opted for another low-budget set of LT225/75-16E from the local Mavis Tire. The Brand is Taiga, made by Vee Rubber, made in Thailand. Even still it was $600 out the door, about $200 cheaper than a set of the Goodyear Endurance STs.

Taking the old tires off was a real eye opener...I got new rims, so I had the tire shop mount the new tires on the new rims, and put them on the trailer at home. I also replaced the Trail Air equalizers and greased the suspension.

This is what the suspect tire looked like on the trailer:



Once I got it off and put it next to the rear one you get a different view:



Hard to believe these two tires are the same size. The other front tire was starting to do the same which was why I replaced the equalizers, they were worn out and shifting too much of the load to the front axle and overloading the front tires.

I also saw this from my TPMS, where the front tires were running 10* hotter than the rear ones. Now back in business and ready for the next trip!

[NWnative]

In the Airstream world, Endurance tires have been standard now for a few model years (previously were the Marathon's). Many that were running Marathon's have swapped them out for the newer GY Endurance. Lots of happy campers with the Endurance. I got 3 years out of my Marathon's with no issues but didn't want to push my luck any longer. Running Endurance now....pretty happy with them.

[Lantley]

SoundGuy wrote:

Lantley wrote:
My take on all of this is that since the Sailun 637 hit the market and began to make a name for themselves. Goodyear decided to up their game.

I don't think this has anything to do with it at all. Rather, Goodyear had been the subject of so many poor reviews over their Marathon trailer tire, NOT built in the US, that they finally pulled it entirely from the market and directly replaced with the US manufactured Endurance. I bought a set of Endurance when one of the China bombs that came stock on our Freedom Express split for no apparent reason. Comparing the two, there was NO comparison at all. I also compared an unmounted Carlisle HD LR D tire to an unmounted Goodyear Endurance LR D in the same size and there was no comparison there either - when I put my full body weight on the Carlisle the sidewalls collapsed noticeably, did the same with the Endurance and it hardly deflected at all. I thought that might result in an excessively stiff ride but such was not the case, the trailer towed much better with very little body roll. I'd have no hesitation recommending the Endurance to anyone looking for a quality trailer tire. :B

I have no real evidence. My comments are based on my observations'
Sailun is a real player in the heavier ST market' 110 PSI G rated. Essentially the most expensive RV use ST tire class.'
Sailun came from nowhere with a tire as good as the venerable Goodyear G614, but at 1/2 the price!
The revolution had begun. Rather than drop the price of the G614, Goodyear released a new improved line of ST tires called Endurance.
Endurance went after the D and E rated market which I imagine is larger than the G rated market. Endurance also changed the market by ending the cycle of junk ST tires, which also reduced the need to upgrade to G rated tires in order to find a reliable tire.
Call it coincidence,or call it competitive pressure. It all happened at the same time.
Sailun created a buzz in the 110 PSI G rated ST world in the same way Endurance has changed the marketplace. Without pressure from Sailun the G614 would still be the premier pricey tire in its class and the ST market would not have shifted.

[SoundGuy]

Lantley wrote:
My take on all of this is that since the Sailun 637 hit the market and began to make a name for themselves. Goodyear decided to up their game.

I don't think this has anything to do with it at all. Rather, Goodyear had been the subject of so many poor reviews over their Marathon trailer tire, NOT built in the US, that they finally pulled it entirely from the market and directly replaced with the US manufactured Endurance. I bought a set of Endurance when one of the China bombs that came stock on our Freedom Express split for no apparent reason. Comparing the two, there was NO comparison at all. I also compared an unmounted Carlisle HD LR D tire to an unmounted Goodyear Endurance LR D in the same size and there was no comparison there either - when I put my full body weight on the Carlisle the sidewalls collapsed noticeably, did the same with the Endurance and it hardly deflected at all. I thought that might result in an excessively stiff ride but such was not the case, the trailer towed much better with very little body roll. I'd have no hesitation recommending the Endurance to anyone looking for a quality trailer tire. :B