Why ST tires?

Huntindog wrote:

JJBIRISH wrote:

JIMNLIN wrote:

The rules are pretty simple, the replacement tires must equal or better the tires listed on the vehicles tire placard…

JJ, knows as well as most folks that the tire placard is a recommendation only. When you use the word "Rules" it implies some kind of law. There is no enforcement law that says the replacement tires have to be the same type listed on the placard.
The only enforceable law is roadside. They look for a DOT number and the tire capacity to match the vehicles axle ratings.

if your trailer came with ST225x75x15 in LR D @ 2540 lbs. capacity on the placard you can’t just say you can use a Wrangler HT in LT215x15 LR D @2090 lbs. capacity or in a LT 235x75x15 LR C @ 1980 lbs. capacity, which is what is often recommended in the forums for this situation…

Incorrect.
What I and others have recommended and are actually using is those two 1980-2080 lbs capacity LTs you mention for replacing a ST205/75-15 C at 1820 lbs capacity.

Actually you are incorrect, I know you insist this is not true and have posted so even for my state…
“Jack, you and FastEagle are playing to the tire placard liability thing simply by constantly bring up the issue just like your last post referring to certain tires that have been mentioned wouldn't pass your state inspection. Baloney. FastEagle has tried that trick also.
As long as the tire has enough tread depth and enough load carrying capacity/etc it will pass anyones state safety inspection requirement or even pass the annual fed safety inspection required for a commercial trailer/all vehicles regardless of tire type.”

The PA inspection say… the mfg. that being the trailer mfg. as the one required to correctly placard the vehicle… there are other provisions in the law pertaining to the trailer tires condition and tread also, but I am not about to search them all out right now…

(g) Tires and Rims - The axles of a vehicle
specified under this subchapter shall be
equipped with the number and type of tires
and rims which have a load rating equal to
or higher than those offered by the
manufacturer.

If the placards are only recommendations why do they deserve to be safety recalled so often for having the wrong information on the placards…

There have been recommendations made on the forums based on claimed trailer weights only that have had nothing to do with the trailers placard weights or even the axle weights…

While I haven’t ever made the claim that the tire type must be the same and that is misquoting me, the inspection law does in fact say the same number and type and load rating equal to or higher than…

You consistently accuse myself and others of boxing the tire builders into a corner when they are asked for information only because it don’t agree with your personal positions…
One posters response
We do not recommend using light truck tires on trailers that specify ST tires. If the trailer manufacturer calls for ST tires, it is important to replace with ST tires in order to maintain the load requirement.

Thank you for choosing BFGoodrich.

Your reply
“The OP backed BFG into the liability corner with that type question. He will get the same answer from any LT or P tire maker by asking for a direct replacement for a ST tire.”
And
“If your really interested in using LT tires don't back the tire makers or their dealers into the liability corner. “

Obviously you don’t think these are big boys that know how to answer for themselves…


My e-mail reply from continental tire
Thank you for contacting Customer Relations at Continental Tire the Americas, LLC.

We no longer manufacture ST tires, and the Vanco line is not a suitable alternative.
We would recommend searching for a dedicated ST tire line.

And your reply
“You badgered Vanco with the more canned questions until they gave you the answer you were looking for”
None of these people according to you know how to answer normal questions to their help line… no badgering, no pushing… the answers just don’t back up your opinions...

If you want the answer you are looking for according to your words, be sure to softball your questions

If these companies can’t stand tall on their own feet and recommend a LT tire, no, their LT tire even one with sufficient load capacity as a replacement tire for a ST tire why should I or anyone else assume it’s the thing to do, or assume you and others are their secret information outlet…

And this coming from me someone that generally don’t like the ST tire or their specifications, or their DOT certification requirements, and have voiced this many times, and believe the LT tire is a better tire… someone that if not for the Maxxis brand having proven itself to me, would be faced with a serious personal dilemma….

Stop the nonsense already. You pretty much admit that LTs are generally a better tire...Except for the beloved Maxxis, which has availability issues....
What will you do when Maxxis lowers their standards to the same as the rest of the ST crowd.
They seem at the present time to build to a higher standard...But all corporations are under constant pressure to increase profit. You say yourself that the govt. standards for ST tires are much weaker than for LT tires... That means at any moment that Maxxis can, and one day likely WILL lower their standards in order to remain competitive.... And they will do this overnite with telling you or all the people you are trying to convince to use those tires.

Anyone that actually bothers to read the testing standards required of LT tires and then reads the standards for ST tires, will be amazed at the difference. And all this debate will be over for those that do.
The only way to be sure that a tire will meet the higher LT standards is to BUY LT tires.

There is no nonsense here… I have not generally admited the LT is a better tire… I have stated that before and have never stated any ST tire was a better tire including the Maxxis… I have said Maxxis is the best ST tire...
No one has complained about the testing and certification requirements of the ST tire more than I, including you… or the fact that Maxxis is voluntarily building well above those minimum standards, leaving me with my last choice in a ST tire since no Chinese tire of any type will ever grace my trailer… in my last post I also admitted if not for the Maxxis I would have a real dilemma… reading only what you want again…

I did actually read all the testing procedures for both the ST tires and the LT tires and have posted my interruption of the results many times…

Have you actually read them yourself or only what myself and a few others much smarter than I have posted about them… I assure you it’s not fun, interesting, or light reading….

Your and you cohorts that just profess to buy and change to LT tires are merely putting words in a post, because for the TT there just aren’t a lot of good choices for us like there are for the bigger trailers and 5ers, and when you find a tire for many more it just won’t fit under the trailer with the correct clearances…

You guys know all of this of course, and just try to display your superior wisdom because you were fortunate enough to be able to switch but lacked the wisdom to buy the trailer with them already…

Like it or not, there are both legal and liability concerns that you choose to ignore and deny even exist, but I will continue to point them out and we can continue to disagree, and that’s ok… readers need to hear all sides and make their own informed decisions on what risk they are willing to accept…

It doesn’t matter if the LT is a better tire if it isn’t made in the right size, installed on the right rim, or don’t fit under the trailer correctly…