Time to Buy New Tires

[rfloyd99]

I need new tires on my Jay Feather 26' TT. It weighs about 6,000 lbs loaded. Original tires are ST205/75/R14 6PR LR C (max load single 1760 lbs)

I've read several tire threads here, and still have some questions. Of course, I want to spend as little as I can but still get good quality. I put 19,000 miles on the original tires in three years, and plan to put on 5 to 7,000 miles each year. So, quite a bit of use.

Questions:

1. Seems like I can get C or D rated tires for not much price difference - should I definitely get one or the other? There seem to be more choices in the C rating.

2. Most are 6 ply, a few 8 ply. Again, is one a clear choice?

3. I see a few good choices that are 215 vs 205. Can I go up to 215 with the rims I have, and are there any advantages?

4. Any thoughts on price range/brands? Seems like I can get Greenball Transmaster D/8ply from Walmart for $49 ea, or Carlisle C or D or Maxxis C for about $85, or Goodyear Endurance D for $103.

Anybody care to answer/opine on these questions? Any help will be greatly appreciated!

[Huntindog]

Lynnmor wrote:

2112 wrote:
I went through this same exercise last year and bought the Goodyear Endurance for a piece of mind. They are WELL within their load limit, I can speed up to 70-75mpg to pass slower vehicles if needed without worrying about my tires

Just curious, why is it necessary to speed up to pass vehicles that are already going slower? :h

Two lane roads, passing zones and oncoming traffic.
If you always drive on the interstates... Not an issue

[2112]

Lynnmor wrote:

2112 wrote:
I went through this same exercise last year and bought the Goodyear Endurance for a piece of mind. They are WELL within their load limit, I can speed up to 70-75mpg to pass slower vehicles if needed without worrying about my tires

Just curious, why is it necessary to speed up to pass vehicles that are already going slower? :h

My guess is you don't drive I10 or I45 in Texas where they are two lanes. When you have a convoy of 6-10 18 wheelers going ~60mph in the outside lane, and the speed limit is 80, you need to get up to speed to pass them in a timely manner or you will have several raceway drivers waving their finger at you once you finally free up the inside lane.

I use to limit my speed to 65mph regardless. Now I do not have to.

[Clockman]

Duro's are a good Taiwan made tire, of all the Trailer Tires ive had over a 15 year period, they were the best...

[SoundGuy]

CALandLIN wrote:
There is a basic minimum industry wide standard for replacement tires; they must provide a load capacity equal to what the Original Equipment tires provided.

All this debate over tire rating is moot for the OP if he takes the recommendation of many of us to simply buy a set of Goodyear Endurance tires which in his size of ST205/75 R14 carry a load rating of 2040 lbs per tire when inflated to the recommended maximum inflation pressure of 65 p.s.i. K.I.S.S. :W

[Grit_dog]

Lynnmor wrote:

2112 wrote:
I went through this same exercise last year and bought the Goodyear Endurance for a piece of mind. They are WELL within their load limit, I can speed up to 70-75mpg to pass slower vehicles if needed without worrying about my tires

Just curious, why is it necessary to speed up to pass vehicles that are already going slower? :h

Just curious how to pass a vehicle without going faster than it...
Weight cops, speed cops, campground bitschers, we got em all here!

[Grit_dog]

Been rolling a set of C and a set of D load Kenda Karriers for a few years on differnet trailers. They are a good mid price range tire imo. No issues.
I’d definitely get d load tires.

[colliehauler]

CALandLIN wrote:

trail-explorer wrote:

Gulfcoast wrote:
I'm keeping the size that Jayco wanted me to have.

Never heard of an RV manufacturer dictating to customers what size tires "they should have"

Read your owner's manual, it's in there.

To funny, I have bought several new trailers through the years and NEVER received a owners manual. Just a collection of literature from the various manufacturer's of products used in the trailer. Maybe you can point out just where the manufacturer stated exclusively to use only the tire size that it came with. I could understand a manufacturer not wanting a lesser tire to meet maximum load capacity.

Vehicles are calibrated to use a certain size tire. Trailers clearance is usually the limiting factor along with cost to the manufacturer.

[SoundGuy]

NWnative wrote:
Goodyear Endurance. If you can get a Load Range D then you should consider it. The extra margin for weight carrying would be a benefit.

In the size the OP needs the Goodyear Endurance is LR D.

[GrandpaKip]

Went from Maxxis to the Endurance late last year. Got about 3000 miles on them so far. My Dexstar rims can go up to 65psi. I didn’t notice any better handling with the new tires, but they do run noticeably cooler than the old ones.
Discount Tire had the best price in our area.

[Lynnmor]

2112 wrote:
I went through this same exercise last year and bought the Goodyear Endurance for a piece of mind. They are WELL within their load limit, I can speed up to 70-75mpg to pass slower vehicles if needed without worrying about my tires

Just curious, why is it necessary to speed up to pass vehicles that are already going slower? :h

[Iraqvet05]

When I bought Maxxis tires for our old TT, the Goodyear Endurance was only offered in a load range D. You can run LR D if your rim can handle the pressure. I tried to identify the manufacturer and model of the rim and I ran out of time before a long trip to Colorado so I just stayed with LR C tires.

[DustyR]

SoundGuy wrote:

rfloyd99 wrote:
Anybody care to answer/opine on these questions?

Just buy a set of Goodyear Endurance tires which in your size will be LR D and be done with it. 😉

X-2

I went with Goodyear Endurance. I had considered Carlisle or Hercules. The Endurance is pricey, but have a good record.

[2112]

I went through this same exercise last year and bought the Goodyear Endurance for a piece of mind. They are WELL within their load limit, I can speed up to 70-75mpg to pass slower vehicles if needed without worrying about my tires, and pot holes are less of a concern now but I still don't like hitting them. To me, that piece of mind was worth the extra money.

You plan on traveling 7000 miles/yr. Think about it.

[LarryJM]

trail-explorer wrote:

Gulfcoast wrote:
I'm keeping the size that Jayco wanted me to have.

Never heard of an RV manufacturer dictating to customers what size tires "they should have"

Look at your FMVSS tire load label and the recommended size tire size is right there and is what the manufacturer supplied as OEM.

Larry

[CALandLIN]

rfloyd99 wrote:
I need new tires on my Jay Feather 26' TT. It weighs about 6,000 lbs loaded. Original tires are ST205/75/R14 6PR LR C (max load single 1760 lbs)

I've read several tire threads here, and still have some questions. Of course, I want to spend as little as I can but still get good quality. I put 19,000 miles on the original tires in three years, and plan to put on 5 to 7,000 miles each year. So, quite a bit of use.

Questions:

1. Seems like I can get C or D rated tires for not much price difference - should I definitely get one or the other? There seem to be more choices in the C rating.

2. Most are 6 ply, a few 8 ply. Again, is one a clear choice?

3. I see a few good choices that are 215 vs 205. Can I go up to 215 with the rims I have, and are there any advantages?

4. Any thoughts on price range/brands? Seems like I can get Greenball Transmaster D/8ply from Walmart for $49 ea, or Carlisle C or D or Maxxis C for about $85, or Goodyear Endurance D for $103.

Anybody care to answer/opine on these questions? Any help will be greatly appreciated!

There is a basic minimum industry wide standard for replacement tires; they must provide a load capacity equal to what the Original Equipment tires provided.