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.