need new trailer tires .....

[Qapla]

On the way home with the tractor on the trailer we lost a tire. Didn't have a spare. It took us a while, but we ended up pulling the other front tire off the trailer and, after re positioning the tractor, headed home with tires only on the rear axle. We were 45 miles from home and drove no faster than 45 mph. Didn't want to heat up the only two tires left on the trailer. Besides, the electric brakes are only ob the front axle.

We made it.

Now, on to the question ......

the trailer has Carlisle ST 235/85 R16 tires on 8-hole rims.

They are more than 10 years old and all of them have quite a bit of cracking in the sidewalls .... so, we will need a whole set of 4.

We can get those same tires from Discount Tire. They also have some "bias ply" tires that are a bit less expensive.

Question is - what tires do those on this forum recommend? Should we stay with the Carlisle radials, are the bias ply OK, or is there a better alternative?

 

[handirifle]

Just based on MY PERSONAL experience towing 5th wheels, and using ST tires, I switched to LT tires and have had zero issues since. I bet I lost 10 tires over 4 years of towing. I ALWAYS kept tire pressures to max and checked tires before each trip. First time you hit a pot hole they weaken so bad they WILL blow, just a question of where.

Every rancher I know around here runs LT tires on their flat bed, goose neck, and horse trailers.

Some recommend the Maxxis ST tires, I never tried them. Got sick of replacing crap china tires. Straight from the DOT ST tires are NOT held to the same design parameters because you do not carry passengers on trailers. Read between the lines on that one.

Just my .02

 

[terryknight]

what rating on your trailer? I would go with a set of LT235/85-16s load range E, but they are only rated for 3042 per tire. that will not work if you have 7K axles

 

[RickB]

I started a thread on this topic a week or two back.
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/trailers-transportation/376803-tires-7k-car-hauler-4.html

Different size tire, but lots of opinion on brands, etc.

 

[Qapla]

Checked out thread ....... Will read through the entire thread ..... our trailer has two axles and 16" load range E tires so some of the information may not be the same.

 

[RickB]

The discussions about specific brands, LT vs ST vs P versions and other info presented make that thread one of the better trailer tire discussions here. There is also at least one other thread link imbedded in that one. I know I learned a lot.

 

[Sprinklerman]

Its a heated discussion on the rv websites . Me I run LT tires on my highway trailers . My local trailers , some have ST tires , but as they wear or blow I replace with LT tires

 

[coobie]

When get your new tires get metal tire stems plus make sure you get them balanced.Never used to do this but now I do.It made a believer out of me.

 

[Monster5601]

Its a heated discussion on the rv websites .

Boy-o-boy, is that an understatement. Reading the RV forums about trailer tires will make you walk away with your head-a-spin'en.

Most of the disagreements are between ST and LT tires. Despite manufacturers like Goodyear publishing papers why you do not want to use LT tires on trailers, there is a crowd that forces it. I've stayed with ST tires, metal valve steams, balanced, proper load range, and no China bombs, and have been problem free, so far.

 

[Gunny]

I have Maxxis on my fifth wheel, very pleased with them, but them I replace them at five year intervals. Only takes one blow out on an interstate to really screw up a trip. The RV forums are always debating ST vs LT but one thing just about all of them agree with is that even with LT, they need to be changed regularly, since trailer tires age out before they wear out.

 

[Diamondpilot]

First off 6 years are the max on tires. Secondly, you need 5 tires, not 4!

Carlisle tires are considered the worst of the worst. My recommendation would be Greenball Towmaster Radials or a close second is Maxxis Radials.

Metal valve stems, balanced, and inflated to max pressure is a must!

 

[bspeedy]

First off 6 years are the max on tires. Secondly, you need 5 tires, not 4!

Carlisle tires are considered the worst of the worst. My recommendation would be Greenball Towmaster Radials or a close second is Maxxis Radials.

Metal valve stems, balanced, and inflated to max pressure is a must!

You know, I've always heard that 5-6 years is max replacement interval. I checked the tires on my camper trailer last night. They are date code 3710, so almost 7 years old. They have been indoors in either the camper's showroom or inside an fully enclosed and dark barn / garage at all times (unless driving or camping) since new. The tires show no cracking or signs of being tired. I'm very inclined to run them for another year or -gasp- two with frequent inspection. Am I delusional? Asking for trouble? Just for information, in the last year I bought Michelins for my car, new Firestones for my wife's Expedition, and a total of 6 Maxxis radials for two of my trailers, so I'm not averse to buying quality tires. I am averse to throwing money away by replacing perfectly good tires.

I'm willing to listen - enlighten me.

 

[bspeedy]

By the way, I typically replace street motorcycle tires every 5-6 years. Since there's only TWO of them, it seems like a good idea for safety reasons...

 

[Qapla]

First off 6 years are the max on tires. Secondly, you need 5 tires, not 4!

Carlisle tires are considered the worst of the worst. My recommendation would be Greenball Towmaster Radials or a close second is Maxxis Radials.

Metal valve stems, balanced, and inflated to max pressure is a must!

I know we need a spare ... however, to get the trailer back usable, we only need the four that will meet the road ... I would hope none of the new tires would go flat the first time out .....

As for the Carlisle tires, they came on the trailer when it was new - that is the reason I posted this thread - to get an idea of the direction we need to take. It will be May before we can buy new tires.

Apparently, the TC40D with the 16LA FEL and the BH 70X backhoe weighs about 6700 pounds. The trailer is 22' with two 8-lug axles (I need to check and see what they are rated - but that will have to wait till the weekend)

Any thoughts on this tire (I think they are made here [US])
COOPER
DISCOVERER HT
LT235 /85 R16 120Q E1 BSW

 

[RBLapham]

Depending on usage but trailer tires go bad mainly from age, not wear. Always check the date code of new ones when buying, some tire dealers sell ones that are years old. Get ones less than a year old or better.

The date of manufacture is the last four digits of the DOT code. The first two digits are the week of manufacture, and the last two digits are the year. For example, if the last four digits of the DOT code are 0203, that means that the tire was manufactured during the second week of the year 2003.

 

[Diamondpilot]

I know we need a spare ... however, to get the trailer back usable, we only need the four that will meet the road ... I would hope none of the new tires would go flat the first time out .....

As for the Carlisle tires, they came on the trailer when it was new - that is the reason I posted this thread - to get an idea of the direction we need to take. It will be May before we can buy new tires.

Apparently, the TC40D with the 16LA FEL and the BH 70X backhoe weighs about 6700 pounds. The trailer is 22' with two 8-lug axles (I need to check and see what they are rated - but that will have to wait till the weekend)

Any thoughts on this tire (I think they are made here [US])
COOPER
DISCOVERER HT
LT235 /85 R16 120Q E1 BSW

8 lug axles are usually 6K HD version, most 6K are 6 lug, or 7K axles.

So your trailer is either rated at 12,000 or 14,000#.

There is no way I would leave my property with either of my 3 trailers without a spare, a decent bottle jack, and a proper lug wrench that fits the trailer. You are not talking that much money. Worst case you can get a wheel on eBay for about $30 and use your "best" old tire.

I am not a fan of LT tires on trailers. The sidewalks are not as strong as ST tires. In my are also all the dealers will not mount anything but ST tires on a trailer for liability reasons.

 

[CADplans]

I purchased my trailer a month after buying my 1999 Silverado,,,

The tires are original,,, all 4 valve stems failed one winter,,,
the stems were replaced,,

With the "replace every 6 years" belief,, I should be on my third set of tires, rather than the first.

 

[Diamondpilot]

I purchased my trailer a month after buying my 1999 Silverado,,,

The tires are original,,, all 4 valve stems failed one winter,,,
the stems were replaced,,

With the "replace every 6 years" belief,, I should be on my third set of tires, rather than the first.

Around here no tire shop will touch a tire over 6 years old except to dismount it.

 

[fried1765]

8 lug axles are usually 6K HD version, most 6K are 6 lug, or 7K axles.

So your trailer is either rated at 12,000 or 14,000#.

There is no way I would leave my property with either of my 3 trailers without a spare, a decent bottle jack, and a proper lug wrench that fits the trailer. You are not talking that much money. Worst case you can get a wheel on eBay for about $30 and use your "best" old tire.

I am not a fan of LT tires on trailers. The sidewalks are not as strong as ST tires. In my are also all the dealers will not mount anything but ST tires on a trailer for liability reasons.

I do carry a spare, jack, & lug wrench.
However: I am an old guy, and I also carry a cell phone.
"Towing & Labor" coverage, or AAA, will work, with much less effort, if you are willing to take the time to wait.

 

[kenmac]

Around here no tire shop will touch a tire over 6 years old except to dismount it.

they will around here. There are many used tire places around here. All they sell are used. No telling how old the tire is.

I buy all my 235 -85-16 E Rated tires from them. New ones seem to dry rot B-4 they wear out

The used ones I buy are $35-$40.00 mounted. I'm just not gonna pay big money for new trailer tires that dry rot in a few yrs

Yes, I keep a spare for every trailer I have