best tire ? - Page 2 - Hi-Lo camper travel trailer forum

PopRichie77 · 08-02-2011, 05:18 PM

The new Goodyear Marathon tires now have an additional nylon ply, I was told by a tire place, that all manufactures of steel belted trailer tires have now added the nylon ply. He didn't say why but I would think it to be an improvement. Here is a link to the addition of the nylon ply. This type came on my 2209 Hi-Lo, I see that it is only added on selected sizes. Click on product description.

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires....R6V2&tab=Sizes

Rolff · 08-02-2011, 05:52 PM

Thanks for the Link NDgent - I just got new trailer tires from Discount and they didn't point me to that one.

captbobster · 08-23-2011, 08:02 PM

Well I got to northern Ohio, Indian Lake near Lima, and had no more problems with tires. I still think it would be a good idea to step up to 225/75 x 15 and possibly to the D rated tire so I could run 65 lbs and have no worries of overloading the tires, plus I would think the extra pressure would give you a little better mileage. I might try that, if any of these tires blow in the next year. We are headed to East Harbor State Park Thursday for 4 days then over to Cleveland at Punderson SP till Labor Day. Oct 1st headed back south thru DC and Santee S.C. and Ocala National Forest. Hope to meet up with some of you guys this winter in the west.

JackandJanet · 08-23-2011, 08:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by captbobster

Well I got to northern Ohio, Indian Lake near Lima, and had no more problems with tires. I still think it would be a good idea to step up to 225/75 x 15 and possibly to the D rated tire so I could run 65 lbs and have no worries of overloading the tires, plus I would think the extra pressure would give you a little better mileage. I might try that, if any of these tires blow in the next year. We are headed to East Harbor State Park Thursday for 4 days then over to Cleveland at Punderson SP till Labor Day. Oct 1st headed back south thru DC and Santee S.C. and Ocala National Forest. Hope to meet up with some of you guys this winter in the west.

I agree with your reasoning - totally! Provided the tires will fit. I could not have mounted these before I had my axle moved forward. Now, with the axle moved forward 3 inches, and the axle dropped 1 1/2 inches from the frame, there's no problem at all.

- Jack

captbobster · 08-24-2011, 05:53 AM

I've looked at my wheel wells and spacing and I can't see a problem with going to the next size tire. They are only 1.2 inches bigger in diameter and .8 inches wider and I seem to have plenty of room all around on my 2807. My car tires are way oversized for my car and that is from the factory, so I am thing about the same kind of safety factor on the trailer.

JIM L · 08-24-2011, 07:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by captbobster

Well I got to northern Ohio, Indian Lake near Lima, and had no more problems with tires. I still think it would be a good idea to step up to 225/75 x 15 and possibly to the D rated tire so I could run 65 lbs and have no worries of overloading the tires, plus I would think the extra pressure would give you a little better mileage. I might try that, if any of these tires blow in the next year. We are headed to East Harbor State Park Thursday for 4 days then over to Cleveland at Punderson SP till Labor Day. Oct 1st headed back south thru DC and Santee S.C. and Ocala National Forest. Hope to meet up with some of you guys this winter in the west.

HI Bob
See you are headed toward DC. If you get near Charlottesville VA, we live just off I64 and have full hook-ups if you are looking for a overnite stay. Enjoy meeting HiLo owners. We are in Novia Scotia now but plan to get back home around 9/5.

sam · 08-24-2011, 11:05 PM

The tires looked real good when we got our 90 HiLo. The previous owner has a tire shop. Further down the road one tire was defective and we had no claim for reimbursement as we did not origionaly purchase them. Finaly our HiLo dealer noticed the tire was rubbing on the underside of the wheel well and they repaired the damage so we didn't get water intrusion. Even though the tire was slightly wider it caused dammage. PopRichie expressed this concern. If you want a second opinion maybe you can call or e-mail JR repair in Ohio. We have all new tires on the trailer. Just want you to get your tire upgrade done correctly. Tires aren't cheap.

diddysmith · 10-12-2011, 09:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by campthewestcoast

Which is best for trailer tires, radial or bias ply?

Depends what you intend to use your trailer for. I've had better luck with radial trailer tires on my boat trailer since we haul the boat several hundred miles on our annual fishing trip to Canada. Radials seem to sway less when travelling at high speeds. I've used Carlisle, Duro and Towmaster radial trailer tires over the last 10 years. When I keep them at maximum air pressure, they all seem to last about the same amount of time/miles. Bought my last pair of trailer tires at boattrailertires.com. Seemed to be great pricing and they arrived in 2 days. Hope my posting helps a good vendor....doesn't seem like there are many vendors online that I'd call "good" these days!

NDgent · 10-12-2011, 03:59 PM

Trailer Tire Facts - Discount Tire
Trailer Tire Applications:

Trailer tires are designed for use on trailer axle positions only. They are not built to handle the loads applied to, or the traction required by, drive or steering axles.
An "LT" designation on a trailer tire size specifies load range only. It is not designed for use on light trucks.
Do not mount "ST" or "LT" trailer tires on passenger cars or light trucks.

Inflation

Always inflate trailer tires to the maximum inflation indicated on the sidewall.
Check inflation when the tires are cool and have not been exposed to the sun.
If the tires are hot to the touch from operation, add three psi to the max inflation.
Underinflation is the number one cause of trailer tire failure.

Load Carrying Capacity:

All tires must be identical in size for the tires to properly manage the weight of the trailer.
The combined capacity of the tires must equal or exceed the Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) of the axle.
The combined capacity of all of the tires should exceed the loaded trailer weight by 20 percent.
If the actual weight is not available, use the trailer GVW. If a tire fails on a tandem axle trailer, you should replace both tires on that side. The remaining tire is likely to have been subjected to excessive loading.
If the tires are replaced with tires of larger diameter, the tongue height may need to be adjusted to maintain proper weight distribution.

Speed:

All "ST" tires have a maximum speed rating of 65 mph.
As heat builds up, the tire's structure starts to disintegrate and weaken.
The load carrying capacity gradually decreases as the heat and stresses generated by higher speed increases.

Time:

Time and the elements weaken a trailer tire.
In approximately three years, roughly one-third of the tire's strength is gone.
Three to five years is the projected life of a normal trailer tire.
It is suggested that trailer tires be replaced after three to four years of service regardless of tread depth or tire appearance.

Mileage:

Trailer tires are not designed to wear out.
The life of a trailer tire is limited by time and duty cycles.
The mileage expectation of a trailer tire is 5,000 to 12,000 miles.

Why Use An "ST" Tire:

"ST" tires feature materials and construction to meet the higher load requirements and demands of trailering.

campthewestcoast · 10-12-2011, 11:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NDgent

Trailer Tire Facts - Discount Tire
Trailer Tire Applications:

Trailer tires are designed for use on trailer axle positions only. They are not built to handle the loads applied to, or the traction required by, drive or steering axles.
An "LT" designation on a trailer tire size specifies load range only. It is not designed for use on light trucks.
Do not mount "ST" or "LT" trailer tires on passenger cars or light trucks.

Inflation

Always inflate trailer tires to the maximum inflation indicated on the sidewall.
Check inflation when the tires are cool and have not been exposed to the sun.
If the tires are hot to the touch from operation, add three psi to the max inflation.
Underinflation is the number one cause of trailer tire failure.

Load Carrying Capacity:

All tires must be identical in size for the tires to properly manage the weight of the trailer.
The combined capacity of the tires must equal or exceed the Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) of the axle.
The combined capacity of all of the tires should exceed the loaded trailer weight by 20 percent.
If the actual weight is not available, use the trailer GVW. If a tire fails on a tandem axle trailer, you should replace both tires on that side. The remaining tire is likely to have been subjected to excessive loading.
If the tires are replaced with tires of larger diameter, the tongue height may need to be adjusted to maintain proper weight distribution.

Speed:

All "ST" tires have a maximum speed rating of 65 mph.
As heat builds up, the tire's structure starts to disintegrate and weaken.
The load carrying capacity gradually decreases as the heat and stresses generated by higher speed increases.

Time:

Time and the elements weaken a trailer tire.
In approximately three years, roughly one-third of the tire's strength is gone.
Three to five years is the projected life of a normal trailer tire.
It is suggested that trailer tires be replaced after three to four years of service regardless of tread depth or tire appearance.

Mileage:

Trailer tires are not designed to wear out.
The life of a trailer tire is limited by time and duty cycles.
The mileage expectation of a trailer tire is 5,000 to 12,000 miles.

Why Use An "ST" Tire:

"ST" tires feature materials and construction to meet the higher load requirements and demands of trailering.

Nice write-up, what size tire and load rating are you running on your towlite?

captbobster · 10-13-2011, 05:16 AM

Hi Jim and thanks for the invite. We stayed at Big Meadows in the Shenandoah from the 3rd to the 8th of Oct and then at Greenbelt DC for 2 days and now at Pokomoke River SP at Snow Hill MD checking on some ancestry. Sorry we missed you but had reservations. Tires are still doing good, but before the next big trip, think I am going to 225 75/15 for added safety. Have been hitting a lot of bad chuck holes in our poorly upkept national highways. The nice thing was the Skyline Drive was newly paved and the park was great, deer and turkey everywhere. Going to Medoc Mountain SP, NC this Sat. for overnight stay and then to Santee SP, SC for a week. Hope to catch up with you, especially in Nova Scotia one of these days.

NDgent · 10-13-2011, 10:41 AM

Les

I am still rolling on the original 205/75R 15 Goodyear Marathon tires that came with the 2207T. I haven't given any thought to replacements as they have less then 3000 miles on them although they are now almost 4 years old. I hope to put a couple of thousand on them and then replace them before the hoped for Alaska trip.

NDgent · 10-13-2011, 11:17 AM

Captbobster

Your 205 75r15 tire fits 15" x 5-1/2" wheels and has a maximum load capacity of 1,820 lbs at 50 psi whereas the 225 75r15 tire fits 15" x 6" wheels and has a maximum load capacity of 2,540 lbs at 65 psi. Granted you get a higher rated tire but to run properly you may need new rims and there also may be a clearance issue. Are you really loading your 28C Hi-Lo to a Gross Vehicle Weight of over 7,280lbs?

captbobster · 11-01-2011, 07:18 AM

I have already reserched the tires and rims and yes I am fully loaded. I think I have plenty of clearance, even with the new rims and tires. I am planning a trip to Alaska and would just like the idea of having a little more leeway on the tire capacity because of possible road conditions. Still haven't made up my mind and might just try it and see how it goes and if it doesn't work then consider myself the test dummy.

Will keep you posted.

sayhonkmon · 06-22-2012, 09:26 PM

Cooper tires are made in the USA. Support our country first.

sayhonk · 12-03-2012, 11:40 AM

Well, I've been searching for made in America Cooper tires and I am not finding any available! It looks like China or Korea has the market??
One of my Goodyear Marathons exploded yesterday on a toll road. That was fun! I had purchased a 12 volt jack which included a torque wrench in the package ( bought at Pep Boys) and it saved the day. I had that wheel changed in 15 minutes. Anyway, I hate to keep using the Goodyear brand and the Carlisle brand has bad reviews; anyone have any suggestions for the ST 205/75R15 replacement?? These being replaced are the originals off of a 2206t.
I miss the good old days when the American product lasted longer!

JackandJanet · 12-03-2012, 12:43 PM

I like and recommend Maxxis brand tires. They can be had in your size and it looks like they now market an 8-ply rated version: Maxxis TL15703000 St205/75r15 8pr Tl M8008

If you do a search on Maxxis tires, you'll see a lot of good reviews. I've not seen a bad one. But, I've seen plenty of bad ones for Goodyear and Carlisle.

- Jack

jcurtis95 · 12-03-2012, 04:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sayhonk

Well, I've been searching for made in America Cooper tires and I am not finding any available! It looks like China or Korea has the market??
One of my Goodyear Marathons exploded yesterday on a toll road. That was fun! I had purchased a 12 volt jack which included a torque wrench in the package ( bought at Pep Boys) and it saved the day. I had that wheel changed in 15 minutes. Anyway, I hate to keep using the Goodyear brand and the Carlisle brand has bad reviews; anyone have any suggestions for the ST 205/75R15 replacement?? These being replaced are the originals off of a 2206t.
I miss the good old days when the American product lasted longer!

sayhonk,

I just replaced my goodyear marathons also. I had a blowout too; only thing it was sitting in my driveway and had been for the past 3 months when it blew out! They were the original tires but were two years older than the RV!

I researched several tires as you evidently have and went down to a local dealer and he told me most of the ranch trailers were buying Gremax trailer tires. He said they provided great service and wear and he never had any complaints about them. He said they were by far his best selling trailer tire here in the Texas Hill Country. I ended up buying Gremax 8-ply Load Range "D" ST205/75R/15. They were reasonably priced and I could find no bad feedback information about them. I have no idea where they are made but since they the use the word 'tyre', I suspect maybe Great Britain?

We just returned from a month outing yesterday and did the normal heat checking of the tire after 100 miles on the way back. They were running very cool to the touch but it was only 80 degrees out. I am running only 50 pounds in the 65 pound maximum air pressure rating this tire carries. I figure my loaded weight for our 2406 T to be between 5500 to 5900 pounds and the scale stated I could get by with 40 pounds of air pressure; to be safe I went up to 50 but not the recommended 65 pounds. The 8-ply rating was just another reason for buying this tire. They trail good and I suspect I will be very pleased with them.

You might want to get online and check them out.

Jerry Curtis
2406T 2000 F250 4x4 ext. cab 7.3L Diesel

sayhonk · 12-03-2012, 10:06 PM

Thanks for the replies; I will look in the Tampa area for this tire; sounds good to me. Maybe one day, we will have some politicians or a president that will bring back our plants to America. I can only dream of that day!!!!

sam · 12-03-2012, 10:30 PM

I second the motion for the good old USA to manufacture everything we need on our own turf.