Tires, what are you using? Trailer? Truck?

[twodownzero]

I just bought a used 5th wheel and I need to replace the tires. I'm not new to trailering but I know that trailer tires can really be a pain. I am used to using truck tires on trailers, however, LT235/85R16E tires won't have much cushion at max load for me; my trailer weighs about 9k pounds empty and has a GVWR of 13,500. It's a toy hauler and the empty pin weight is around 2,300 lbs.

Normally I'd go with an inexpensive, U.S.-made, E rated truck tire. I'm inclined to do that anyway, since they're rated for over 100 mph and I would not ever "overload" them although if I were to load my trailer to GVWR, they would be loaded to capacity.

Now I see there are trailer tires rated for 75 mph (Carlisle Radial Trail HD) that come in load range F, American-made trailer specific tires (Goodyear Endurance), and all steel construction tires in both Chinese brands (Tow-master, Sailun) and Michelin/Goodyear.

If money was no object, I'd be running the Michelin XPS Rib ($250) or Goodyear G614 ($320) tires. These are out of budget for my current setup.

Does anyone have any suggestions for a tire under $150? I'm inclined to stick to U.S. made, E-rated truck tires, but the F rated and G rated trailer tires that are made in China and rated for 75 mph, and especially the all steel ones, seem like something I should consider. Either way they will be replaced in 4-5 years, because they will age out before they wear out. I am religious about tire pressure, so it's really just a matter of wondering if I can trust a Chinese tire in 2019 and if not, I can probably live with a truck tire on my 5er.

I have searched and not much recent discussion on this topic; I'm trying to put some key words in my post here so that this thread may benefit others.

[JIMNLIN]

No I'm not going to balance the trailer tires. I'm sorry I hadn't replied to you earlier. I have read the supposed pros and cons on this forum, but unless I observe some strange wear, I don't see the need to balance trailer tires. If something seems seriously out of whack back there, I may reconsider my decision.

Another wise choice.
Just be aware most odd wear patterns on a trailers tire come from bent axles or axle alignment issues/worn wheel bearings/worn suspension pins and bushings/broken spring hangers or leaf springs. And especially tires; ie; .... partial tread belt separations/out of round tire or wheel runout (radial and lateral).

[Cummins12V98]

Too funny! Don't care about proper inflation for the load being carried and is "anal" and does not think balancing a trailer tire has merits.

At least you bought quality tires.

If you are actually "anal" you would be doing both mentioned above.

Hey your rig and your $.

FWIW, Discount Tire balanced both sets of GY ENDURANCE tires without giving me the option. If a waste of time why would they do that??? OH and no extra $, thats just what they do.

[twodownzero]

Grit dog wrote:
After all this care, discussion and consternation for your tires are you going to balance them?

No I'm not going to balance the trailer tires. I'm sorry I hadn't replied to you earlier. I have read the supposed pros and cons on this forum, but unless I observe some strange wear, I don't see the need to balance trailer tires. If something seems seriously out of whack back there, I may reconsider my decision. I am certainly anal about rotating and balancing my tires on my car and trucks, but I don't see the need for balancing on a trailer. It seems like a complete waste of money to me (along with the supposed benefits of filling a tire with pure nitrogen when the air is already 80% nitrogen).

[twodownzero]

JIMNLIN wrote:

I'm not running my tires at 50 psi. That might be great, but not for me. Trailer tires take too much of a beating for me to go down the road like that, just simply is not happening.

Wise choice.

Every time I've did a 1-800 or a email to Goodyear about tire recommendations over the years for a specific job they gave me this from their RV tires website and brochures before the net;

Goodyear Tire and Rubber .... weighing RVs
Special Considerations

**Unless trying to resolve poor ride quality problems with an RV trailer, it is recommended that trailer tires be inflated to the pressure indicated on the sidewall of the tire. Trailer tires experience significant lateral (side-to-side) loads due to vehicle sway from uneven roads or passing vehicles. Using the inflation pressure engraved on the sidewall will provide optimum load carrying capacity and minimize heat build-up.**

My point exactly.

[JIMNLIN]

I'm not running my tires at 50 psi. That might be great, but not for me. Trailer tires take too much of a beating for me to go down the road like that, just simply is not happening.

Wise choice.

Every time I've did a 1-800 or a email to Goodyear about tire recommendations over the years for a specific job they gave me this from their RV tires website and brochures before the net;

Goodyear Tire and Rubber .... weighing RVs
Special Considerations

**Unless trying to resolve poor ride quality problems with an RV trailer, it is recommended that trailer tires be inflated to the pressure indicated on the sidewall of the tire. Trailer tires experience significant lateral (side-to-side) loads due to vehicle sway from uneven roads or passing vehicles. Using the inflation pressure engraved on the sidewall will provide optimum load carrying capacity and minimize heat build-up.**

[Cummins12V98]

twodownzero wrote:


Yes, the empty weight of my trailer would allow me to run pressure that low. No thanks. Trailer would wander all over the place and the tires would get hot.

Simply NOT true!

Add weight to that and YES those both will happen. Whey publish a chart if it's not ok to use?

Call GY Tech, or not.

I have had my say.

[twodownzero]

Cummins12V98 wrote:


If you say so, I guess GY Tech does not have a clue??? I am assuming your psi of 50 means the chart says that based on your load requiring 45psi???

Yes, the empty weight of my trailer would allow me to run pressure that low. No thanks. Trailer would wander all over the place and the tires would get hot.

[Cummins12V98]

Thanks Barney!

[BarneyS]

Please keep all personal remarks out of this discussion if you wish it to remain open.
Barney

[Cummins12V98]

twodownzero wrote:

Cummins12V98 wrote:
twodowzero, you invested your $$$ well!

I HIGHLY advise running your air pressure based on actual weight plus 5psi.

https://www.goodyearrvtires.com/pdfs/rv_inflation.pdf

I'm not running my tires at 50 psi. That might be great, but not for me. Trailer tires take too much of a beating for me to go down the road like that, just simply is not happening.

If you say so, I guess GY Tech does not have a clue??? I am assuming your psi of 50 means the chart says that based on your load requiring 45psi???

[twodownzero]

Cummins12V98 wrote:
twodowzero, you invested your $$$ well!

I HIGHLY advise running your air pressure based on actual weight plus 5psi.

https://www.goodyearrvtires.com/pdfs/rv_inflation.pdf

I'm not running my tires at 50 psi. That might be great, but not for me. Trailer tires take too much of a beating for me to go down the road like that, just simply is not happening.

[Cummins12V98]

twodowzero, you invested your $$$ well!

I HIGHLY advise running your air pressure based on actual weight plus 5psi.

[Grit_dog]

After all this care, discussion and consternation for your tires are you going to balance them?

[twodownzero]

CapriRacer wrote:

twodownzero wrote:
So I checked my wheels and I can't find a psi rating anywhere on them. Also checked my spare wheel for my other trailer and found nothing on it either, just a weight rating. If I had tires rated higher than the factory pressure, I'm not sure what I'd do.

It is my understanding that the max pressure is NOT required by the regulations - and after asking the question of various people who might know (wheel engineers and the like!), the best information is that load, not inflation pressure, is what is critical - that inflation pressure hardly matters when it comes to wheel failures.

So I installed my Goodyear Endurance tires this weekend with my manual tire machine. I had all of the tires off, including the spare, and I couldn't find a psi rating anywhere on my wheels. I guess if I have the money next time, I might consider an all steel tire with a higher pressure rating. Wheels are rated for 3800 pounds if I recall correctly (enough for full trailer GVWR for 4 of them). I inflated them to 80 psi and I intend to leave them there even though there's only about 8000 pounds on the 4 tires of the empty trailer. I'd rather have the best chance to keep these tires cool and have them last a few years.

The Goodyear Endurance are rated for the full GVWR of my trailer and they're made in USA. I paid about $120 a piece for them delivered after rebate. The sidewalls were much stiffer than the truck tires they replaced. This is the first time I've ever bought trailer tires. I've always been skeptical of trailer tires because most of them are only rated for 65 mph. These are rated "N" which is 87 mph. I probably won't ever pull my trailer faster than 75 mph so 87 is just fine.

I would have paid $225 for the Michelin XPS Rib or $250-320 each for Bridgestone/Goodyear all steel tires. Chinese all steel tires can be had in the $550 range for 4, delivered, but I do not trust Chinese tires on anything, so I passed. I'm not really a made in usa sort of guy for everything, but when it comes to tires, I just refuse to take any chances with a company that doesn't have a solid brand name and a full line of tires. It makes me think that they only make trailer tires because they can't make tires of sufficient quality to be on passenger vehicles.