LT Tire Question ???

[SmokeyWren]

Originally Posted by Skyline

ST ? Do you mean stock?

ST means "special trailer" as on tire size ST225/75R15D.

All new RV trailers with 14" and 15" tires come with ST tires. Most new RV trailers with 16" tires also come with ST tires, but some come with all-steel commercial LT tires rated for all-position sevice.

ST tires are for trailer use only, and cannot be safely run on tow vehicles. Most ST tires are speed-rated to not more than 65 MPH.

[Skyline]

Mine are trailer king 225/75R15D I think are these any good?

[SmokeyWren]

Originally Posted by Skyline

Mine are trailer king 225/75R15D I think are these any good?

Trailer King brand is one of the several brands of TBC Brands. I have Power King Towmax trailer tires on my TT, and they are excellent. I suspect Trailer King tires are identical to Towmax tires, with a different name for marketing purposes.

Trailer King Tires - Own The Road - TBC Brands

My TowMax tires are made in southeast Asia, but not in China. Be sure your Trailer King Tires are not made in China, else they are known as "China Bombs" because trailer tires made in China are known to frequently blow up for no apparent reason.

[Skyline]

Sutomoto corporation has shares in TBC, started. 2005.Sutomoto corporation is based in Japan.now I am confused.

[SmokeyWren]

Originally Posted by Skyline

Sutomoto corporation has shares in TBC, started. 2005.Sutomoto corporation is based in Japan.now I am confused.

SUMITOMO company was a Japanese tire company, but they sold out to TBC a few years ago. Sumitomo brand tires are still made in Japan, but other TBC brands are made in other countries, mostly in Southeast Asia. I don't know, but I suspect some of the TBC brands are China Bombs, but not Sumitomo, Towmax. or Power King.

If the tires are sold in the USA, there is a DOT number on the tire that shows where the assembly plant is located. Find a current DOT code translation table, and you can tell which country (and plant) your tires were made in. Check out the DOT NHTSA website.

For example, here is an old (no longer current) table that shows only the tire plants in the USA. But other DOT tables show other countries:

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) requires that all tires sold in the United States carry a code which identifies, among other things, the company and the plant that made each tire. It is molded into the sidewall of every tire. With rare exceptions the code -- found near each tire's wheel-bead -- looks like this:

DOT AC L9 ABC 036

The two symbols immediately following "DOT" are the ones we are looking for. They will be either two letters or one letter and one number. In the example here, the letters "AC" designate a tire made at the General Tire plant in Charlotte, North Carolina. In addition to company-name brands, many of the plants also produce "associate brand" or "private brand" tires. The codes on those tires will be the same as those on the company-name brands produced at each of the plants.

Thanks to Evan_in_CA for extracting this from the DOT NHTSA website in February, 2005, and cleaning it up into readable format.

CODE	COUNTRY	STATE		CITY		COMPANY NAME
01	USA	CALIFORNIA	VALENCIA	CHINA MANUFACTURERS ALLIANCE
0B	USA	NORTH CAROLINA	WILSON		BRIDGESTONE/FIRESTONE
0W	USA	ILLINOIS	DECATUR		BRIDGESTONE/FIRESTONE
1C	USA	OKLAHOMA	OKLAHOMA CITY	BRIDGESTONE/FIRESTONE
21	USA	OHIO		OAK HILL	ADKINS TIRE SERVICE
2C	USA	TENNESSEE	MORRISON	BRIDGESTONE/FIRESTONE
2M	USA	ILLINOIS	BLOOMINGTON	BRIDGESTONE/FIRESTONE
2X	USA	NEVADA		RENO		MICHELIN NORTH AMERICA, INC.
30	USA	OHIO		DUBLIN		COMMERCIAL TIRE SERVICE CO., INC.
3C	USA	ILLINOIS	MT. VERNON	GENERAL TIRE CO
3D	USA	GEORGIA		ALBANY		COOPER TIRE & RUBBER CO.
3G	USA	TEXAS		BROWNSVILLE	TITAN TIRE CORPORATION
3M	USA	ILLINOIS	BLOOMINGTON	BRIDGESTONE/FIRESTONE
3U	USA	TENNESSEE	UNICOI		SPECIALTY TIRES OF AMERICA
41	USA	NORTH COROLINA	CHARLOTTE	METRO TYRES OF NORTH AMERICA
4D	USA	TENNESSEE	MORRISON	BRIDGESTONE/FIRESTONE
4M	USA	SOUTH CAROLINA	GREENVILLE	MICHELIN NORTH AMERICA, INC.
5D	USA	TENNESSEE	MORRISON	BRIDGESTONE/FIRESTONE
63	USA	FLORIDA		HOLLYWOOD	TIRE CENTERS, LLC
6B	USA	ILLINOIS	MT. VERNON	GENERAL TIRE CO
7B	USA	ILLINOIS	DECATUR		BRIDGESTONE/FIRESTONE
7X	USA	SOUTH CAROLINA	GRANITEVILLE	BRIDGESTONE/FIRESTONE
8B	USA	IOWA		DES MOINES	BRIDGESTONE/FIRESTONE
8X	USA	SOUTH CAROLINA	GRANITEVILLE	BRIDGESTONE/FIRESTONE
9X	USA	SOUTH CAROLINA	GRANITEVILLE	BRIDGESTONE/FIRESTONE
A3	USA	ILLINOIS	MOUNT VERNON	GENERAL TIRE & RUBBER CO
A9	USA	OHIO		BRYAN		GENERAL TIRE CO
AC	USA	NORTH CAROLINA	CHARLOTTE	GENERAL TIRE CO.
AD	USA	KENTUCKY	MAYFIELD	GENERAL TIRE CO.
AJ	USA	MICHIGAN	DETROIT		UNIROYAL GOODRICH 
AK	USA	MASSACHUSETTS	CHICOPEE FALLS	UNIROYAL GOODRICH 
AL	USA	WISCONSIN	EAU CLAIRE	UNIROYAL GOODRICH 
AM	USA	CALIFORNIA	LOS ANGELES	UNIROYAL GOODRICH 
AN	USA	ALABAMA		OPELIKA		UNIROYAL GOODRICH 
AP	USA	OKLAHOMA	ARDMORE		UNIROYAL GOODRICH 
AV	USA	OHIO		BARBERTON	SEIBERLING TIRE & RUBBER COMPANY
B6	USA	SOUTH CAROLINA	SPARTANBURG	MICHELIN NORTH AMERICA, INC.
B7	USA	ALABAMA		DOTHAN		MICHELIN NORTH AMERICA, INC.
B9	USA	SOUTH CAROLINA	LEXINGTON	MICHELIN NORTH AMERICA, INC.
BA	USA	OHIO		AKRON		UNIROYAL GOODRICH 
BB	USA	OKLAHOMA	MIAMI		B.F. GOODRICH 
BC	USA	PENNSYLVANIA	OAKS		B.F. GOODRICH 
BD	USA	OKLAHOMA	MIAMI		B.F. GOODRICH 
BE	USA	ALABAMA		TUSCALOOSA	UNIROYAL GOODRICH 
BF	USA	INDIANA		WOODBURN	UNIROYAL GOODRICH 
BV	USA	KENTUCKY	JEFFERSONTOWN	INTERNATIONAL RUBBER INDUSTRIES
BW	USA	COLORADO	DENVER		THE GATES RUBBER COMPANY
BX	USA	TENNESSEE	NASHVILLE	THE GATES RUBBER COMAPNY
BY	USA	COLORADO	LITTLETON	THE GATES RUBBER COMPANY
C3	USA	MARYLAND	BALTIMORE	MCCREARY TIRE & RUBBER 
C4	USA	TENNESSEE	CLINTON		DICO TIRE, INCORPORATED
C7	USA	KENTUCKY	LOUISVILLE	IRONSIDES TIRE & RUBBER CO.
CA	USA	OHIO		AKRON		THE MOHAWK RUBBER COMPANY
CB	USA	ARKANSAS	HELENA		THE MOHAWK RUBBER COMPANY
CC	USA	VIRGINIA	SALEM		YOKOHAMA TIRE CORPORATION
CF	USA	IOWA		DES MOINES	TITAN TIRE CORPORATION
CH	USA	CALIFORNIA	HANFORD		PIRELLI ARMSTRONG 
CK	USA	TENNESSEE	MADISON		PIRELLI ARMSTRONG 
CV	USA	MISSISSIPPI	NATCHEZ		THE ARMSTRONG RUBBER COMPANY
CY	USA	PENNSYLVANIA	INDIANA		MCCREARY TIRE & RUBBER 
D2	USA	TENNESSEE	LAVERGNE	BRIDGESTONE/FIRESTONE
DA	USA	NEW YORK	BUFFALO		DUNLOP TIRE CORPORATION
DB	USA	ALABAMA		HUNTSVILLE	DUNLOP TIRE CORPORATION
DY	USA	OHIO		LEAVITTSBURG	DENMAN TIRE CORPORATION
E3	USA	TENNESSEE	LEVERGNE	BRIDGESTONE/FIRESTONE
F0	USA	MISSISSIPPI	NATCHEZ		FIDELITY TIRE MANFACTURING CO
HX	USA	OHIO		DAYTON		THE DAYTON TIRE & RUBBER CO.
HY	USA	OKLAHOMA	OKLAHOMA CITY	BRIDGESTONE/FIRESTONE
J1	USA	OKLAHOMA	BARTLESVILLE	PHILLIPS PETROLEUM COMPANY
J7	USA	INDIANA		LAKEVILLE	HOOSIER TIRE & RUBBER CORP.
JR	USA	GEORGIA		ROME		PARELLI TIRE LLC
K1	USA	OHIO		STOW		PHILLIPS PETROLEUM COMPANY
M3	USA	SOUTH CAROLINA	GREENVILLE	MICHELIN NORTH AMERICA, INC.
M6	USA	OKLAHOMA	LAWTON		THE GOODYEAR TIRE & RUBBER COMPANY
M9	USA	CONNETICUT	MIDDLEBURY	UNIROYAL GOODRICH 
MB	USA	OHIO		AKRON		THE GOODYEAR TIRE & RUBBER COMPANY
MC	USA	VIRGINIA	DANVILLE	THE GOODYEAR TIRE & RUBBER COMPANY
MD	USA	ALABAMA		GADSDEN		THE GOODYEAR TIRE & RUBBER COMPANY
MJ	USA	KANSAS		TOPEKA		THE GOODYEAR TIRE & RUBBER COMPANY
MK	USA	TENESSEE	UNION CITY	THE GOODYEAR TIRE & RUBBER COMPANY
N2	USA	NEW YORK	TONAWANDA	"HURTUBLSE NETREAD, INCORPORATED"
PJ	USA	NORTH CAROLINA	FAYETTEVILLE	THE KELLY-SPRINGFIELD TIRE COMPANY
PK	USA	ILLINOIS	FREEPORT	THE KELLY-SPRINGFIELD TIRE COMPANY
PL	USA	TEXAS		TYLER		THE KELLY-SPRINGFIELD TIRE COMPANY
U4	USA	OHIO		COLOMBUS	GEO. BYERS SONS, INC.
U9	USA	MISSISSIPPI	TUPELO		COOPER TIRE & RUBBER CO
UP	USA	OHIO		FINDLAY		COOPER TIRE & RUBBER CO
UT	USA	ARKANSAS	TEXARKANA	COOPER TIRE & RUBBER CO
UU	USA	PENNSYLVANIA	CARLISLE	CARLISLE TIRE & RUBBER 
V1	USA	OHIO		HUBBARD		LIVINGSTON'S TIRE SHOP
V9	USA	MASSACHUSETTS	GADNER		M & H TIRE COMPANY
VA	USA	OHIO		AKRON		BRIDGESTONE/FIRESTONE
VB	USA	OHIO		AKRON		THE FIRESTONE TIRE & RUBBER CO.
VC	USA	GEORGIA		ALBANY		THE FIRESTONE TIRE & RUBBER CO.
VD	USA	ILLINOIS	DECATUR		BRIDGESTONE/FIRESTONE
VE	USA	IOWA		DES MOINES	BRIDGESTONE/FIRESTONE
VF	USA	CALIFORNIA	SOUTH GATE	THE FIRESTONE TIRE & RUBBER CO.
VH	USA	TENNESSEE	MEMPHIS		THE FIRESTONE TIRE & RUBBER CO.
VJ	USA	PENNSYLVANIA	POTTSTOWN	THE FIRESTONE TIRE & RUBBER CO.
VK	USA	CALIFORNIA	SALINAS		THE FIRESTONE TIRE & RUBBER CO.
VU	USA	PENNSYLVANIA	LANCASTER	UNIVERSAL TIRE COMPANY
W1	USA	TENNESSEE	LAVERGNE	BRIDGESTONE/FIRESTONE
W2	USA	NORTH CAROLINA	WILSON		BRIDGESTONE/FIRESTONE
XX	USA	IOWA		MUSCATINE       BANDAG, INC
Y2	USA	NORTH CAROLINA	WILSON		BRIDGESTONE/FIRESTONE
Y3	USA	NORTH CAROLINA	WILSON		BRIDGESTONE/FIRESTONE
Y7	USA	TENNESSEE	LAVERGNE	BRIDGESTONE/FIRESTONE
YA	USA	OHIO		AKRON		THE DAYTON TIRE & RUBBER CO.
YB	USA	OHIO		AKRON		THE DAYTON TIRE & RUBBER CO.
YC	USA	GEORGIA		ALBANY		THE DAYTON TIRE & RUBBER CO.
YD	USA	ILLINOIS	DECATUR		BRIDGESTONE/FIRESTONE
YE	USA	IOWA		DES MOINES	BRIDGESTONE/FIRESTONE
YF	USA	CALIFORNIA	SOUTH GATE	THE DAYTON TIRE & RUBBER CO.
YH	USA	TENNESSEE	MEMPHIS		THE DAYTON TIRE & RUBBER CO.
YJ	USA	PENNSYLVANIA	POTTSTOWN	THE DAYTON TIRE & RUBBER CO.
YK	USA	CALIFORNIA	SALINAS		THE DAYTON TIRE & RUBBER CO.
YM	USA	OHIO		AKRON		SEIBERLING TIRE & RUBBER CO.
YN	USA	OHIO		AKRON		SEIBERLING TIRE & RUBBER CO.
YP	USA	GEORGIA		ALBANY		SEIBERLING TIRE & RUBBER CO.
YT	USA	ILLINOIS	DECATUR		BRIDGESTONE/FIRESTONE
YU	USA	IOWA		DES MOINES	BRIDGESTONE/FIRESTONE
YV	USA	CALIFORNIA	SOUTH GATE	SEIBERLING TIRE & RUBBER CO.
YW	USA	TENNESSEE	MEMPHIS		SEIBERLING TIRE & RUBBER CO.
YX	USA	PENNSYLVANIA	POTTSTOWN	SEIBERLING TIRE & RUBBER CO.
YY	USA	CALIFORNIA	SALINAS		SEIBERLING TIRE & RUBBER CO.

[R2Home]

Most major tire shops will not mix 'P' and 'LT' tire on the same vehicle if it is a four wheel drive. Even the 'minor' differences in size can mess with the four wheel drive. While the 'P' & 'LT' tires may have the same weigh rating, they do not have the same PSI rating and that is where some of the differences come to play.
When it comes to trailer tires with the 'ST' rating, they are designed so they will handle the side wall stress that goes along with pulling/turning a trailer. Will other tires work for a while, yes, but if/when something goes wrong, you are at fault. Tires are one of those things that I am not willing to take a short cut on, too much at stake!

[timetogo]

I hadn't heard of anyone mixing P and LT tires on a vehicle. I wouldn't.

[JIMNLIN]

Actually many experienced/knowledgeable tire shop will mix P and LT on a 1/2 ton truck. Its done every day.
Many owners may run a taller heavier tire on the rear of a 2wd or 4wd. If 4wd they may carry two spares.

Same with many 3/4 and one ton SRW trucks with 17" or 18" OEM on the front and 19.5" tires on the rear especially carrying a 4k-6k truck campers.
Its done safely and with no legal issues or non of the other internet myth about lawsuits/etc some like to through around.

Now if they have mounted a lessor capacity tire per the vehicles highest axle rating then internet myth may become a reality.

[Rivetations]

ST tires signify Special Trailer. They are made differently -- and behave differently -- than P automobile tires. What's more, they age out in 3-5 years, so don't cheap out on tires. And don't tow much faster than 55 mph. ST tires are not rated to carry their load designation at speeds above 60 mph. Catastrophic tire failure on a travel trailer under tow is best avoided by running fresh tires at full inflation under 60 mph.

[Mr_D]

Originally Posted by SmokeyWren

Nonsense. The weight capacity of the tire is included on the sidewall markings. If your tire is rated for 2,100 pounds, then it doesn't matter if that is a P-Series tire or an LT tire or a "real=truck" tire, it's designed to handle up to 2,100 pounds - regardless of whether those pounds are people, cargo, or hitch weight.

If that was so then why bother making ST tires at all? The ST tire is designed to survive the extreme twisting forces a trailer puts on the tires during a tight turn, the LT's are not.

[Franka548]

SmokeyWren,
I don't understand why not LT tires on back and P tires on front. As long as they are both radials or bias ply. I realize on a 4x4 that they have to be the same diameter. I also realize that you should use matched tires on the same axle, especially the steer.
Frank

[Rivetations]

Some on this thread may find the attached file called "Separation Anxiety" instructive or useful reading. I collected it off a user-group years ago. It's valuable reading.

(Author: Robert Eckhardt, reproduced with permission from Camping Life.
America's Family Camping Magazine, July/August 2001)

[SmokeyWren]

Originally Posted by Mr_D

If that was so then why bother making ST tires at all? The ST tire is designed to survive the extreme twisting forces a trailer puts on the tires during a tight turn, the LT's are not.

You answered your own question. ST tires have stronger sidewalls designed to handle the extreme forces on the tires when turning a sharp corner with tandem axle or triple-axle trailer, when the tores are literally dragged sideways around the corner. Very few LT tires can also handle those dragging-sideways forces, and they are commercial truck tires for all-purpose use. "All Purpose" means steer, drive or trailer axles. You'll find that all=purpose LT tires are more expensive than other tires in the same size.

The only all-purpose LT truck tire Michelin makes in 16" sizes is the XPS. They don't make any in 14" or 15" sizes. Other manufacturers may also make all-purpose truck tires in 16" sizes, but the only one I have found is Goodyear.

[JIMNLIN]

If that was so then why bother making ST tires at all? The ST tire is designed to survive the extreme twisting forces a trailer puts on the tires during a tight turn, the LT's are not.

Do you have a credible source or a credible link from RMA or a LT tire maker that the LT is not designed to survive twisting forces on a trailer as the tire side scrubs around corners.

No..... Discount tire webpage or a ST tire makers webpage advertising isn't a credible source.

I've used dozens LT/P and ST tires on my equipment/flatdeck/enclosed trailers/ RV trailers over the last 57 years with 14"/15"/16"/16.5"/17.5" and 19.5" tires and I've found the LT tire will better with stand long term ply shear as the tire side scrubs around corners, than any brand/size or load range or bias ply or radial ST tire, just as my truck tire dealer told me.
Yeah.... he sold ST tires also.