Community Forums

Crasher · 05-23-2016, 04:24 PM

I need to replace the tires on my enclosed trailer. Everywhere I look, I can only find tires "Made in China" or some other eastern Asia country. I have not had good luck with Carlisle, Hercules, Marathon (by Good Year but Made in China) and a couple other ones. They are just cheap and flimsy. Does anyone have a trailer tire size 235X80/R16 that is "Made in America" ?

tuffr2 · 05-23-2016, 05:10 PM

In 16" you can buy the Michelin XPS Ribs. They are not flimsy at all and will be much heavier than the other tires you mentioned. They are not cheap either.

lynnmor · 05-23-2016, 05:51 PM

You are real lucky! With 16" wheels you have a large variety of light truck tires available. Now quit looking at the cheap junk.

V3600 · 05-23-2016, 06:09 PM

LT235/85-16E is what you're looking for in a truck tire. Michelin XPS Ribs are made in the United Kingdom and are a commercial grade truck tire that are also approved for trailer use. Got six of them on my triple-axle trailer and swear by them.

Airbiscuit · 05-23-2016, 06:58 PM

Why is it that the Ribs are not intended to be driven in temps close to freezing according to the sites that sell them?

JIMNLIN · 05-23-2016, 08:31 PM

The XPS Ribs along with the Bridgestone R-250 are both a commercial grade all steel ply carcass tire. The R-250 are quite a bit cheaper per tire than the XPS tire. Both seem to be the holy grail of the 16" LT load E tire 3042 lb capacity because mainly of the steel carcass.

LT tires like the Firestone Transforce HT..
Cooper HT-3
BFG Commercial TA 2.
Goodyear Wrangler HT
all are a fabric carcass tire and are popular with commercial haulers and rv folks for their trailers with 6k axles and smaller.

For 7k axles the Sailun S637 ST235/80-16 G at 4080 lbs and and the Goodyear G614 LT235/85-16 G at 3750 lbs capacity are the two more popular tires for these axle loads.
Another ST G tire is the Provider comes OEM on several commercial trailers and seems to have a good track record the last 4-5 years.

The Tirerack says the
"Sometimes used as Original Equipment (O.E.) on medium and heavy-duty 2WD trucks, vans and pickups, Highway Rib Summer tires are not intended to be driven in near-freezing temperatures, through snow or on ice."

However if the truck owner can have a XPS Rib in a traction tire if needed.

Michelin web says nothing about the tire not suitable in freezing weather as it is a commercial grade tire.

tuffr2 · 05-23-2016, 08:40 PM

My guess why the XPS Ribs are not for cold weather is the tread pattern is not aggressive and if on snow or ice I imagine they would suck.

SmokeyWren · 05-23-2016, 10:00 PM

Warning! Most LT tires are NOT suitable for use on a trailer. For use on a trailer, it has to be rated as a trailer tire, or more common is an "all position" tire, which includes trailer service.

Michelin XPS Rib is rated as an all-position commercial truck tire, suitable for trailer service. Michelin makes several different LT tires, but only the XPS is rated for all-position service. Michelin LTX are great tires for a pickup or SUV, but they are not rated for trailer service.

The only other 16" tire I know about that is rated for trailer service is a Goodyear commercial truck tire, the G614 RST.

Other 16" tires suitable for all-position and trailer service may be available, but double-check the commercial truck tire website of the manufacturer to be sure it is an all-position or trailer tire.

(The car/SUV/pickup tire website will not mention whether an LT tire is suitable for all-position or trailer service. You have to go to the commercial truck tire website to find out. For example, Michelinman.com includes the XPS, but it doesn't mention whether is is suitable for trailer service. You have to go the michelintruck.com to get that info. Same with Goodyear. Goodyeartires.com won't tell you, but GoodyearTruckTires.com will.)

Airbiscuit · 05-24-2016, 04:40 AM

That's what I was wondering as well. There are many tires that would fit the size on my fiver but they are not marketed for a trailer. I'm not sure what exactly is different in the build of the tire that allows it to be designated a trailer tire. It may very well be even more dangerous driving on a good brand names tire not designated for use as a trailer tire than driving on one of the common "China bomb" tires that are.

Does anyone know what the difference is?

tuffr2 · 05-24-2016, 05:06 AM

There are many threads on tires. There are those that will not cross over from an "ST' tire. ST means ' Special Trailer' tire and are rated for a max of 65mph. I am not in the group.

Then there is another group that will only use 'LT' tire which means 'Lite Truck'. These tires have a few hundred lbs. less carrying capacity but are rated for around 98mph.

Because of 'ST' tire failures I have switched to 'LT' tires.

Someone gave a good example for tires on 6,000lb. trailer axles and 7,000lb trailer axles.

If you are in an area that sells Airstream trailers you will see in their 'Classic' line they are now using 'LT' tires. Now the odd thing that I saw was they were using Michelin LTX M/S 2 tires. These are the same tires I use on my wife's SUV.

caissiel · 05-24-2016, 05:12 AM

I will overload an LT tire for trailer application any day. I certainly have no desire to use an ST tire for my trailers.
After 24 years of towing my Trailers on the highway at 10K miles per year, I do not want to experience the problem of ST tires caused me.
My LT tires on the present unit are 7 years old and I have no plans on changing them soon.
I had LT's that replaced ST's and lasted past 7 years with no problems while overinflated and overloaded by 20%.
ST tires are mostly Garbage and not safe to use on my utility trailer.
My Honest Opinion, after many ST tire failures that caused trailer damage and fear of driving at night.

tuffr2 · 05-24-2016, 07:15 AM

Forgot to share that I have had 3 ST tire blowouts. None were fun and all three changed my travel plans.

I have never had an LT tire blowout.

Tireman9 · 05-24-2016, 07:36 AM

With the exception of ST type tires and a couple of special LT tires almost no tires will specifically say "Trailer " application on them. There are a number of RV companies that realize the problems that have been caused by selling the cheapest tire possible and the more responsible companies are moving to LT type tires due to the use of the latest and best materials and practices in tire construction. The DOT testing requirements for LT type ties are about 45 years newer than the requirements for ST type tires so these new requirements have forced significant improvements in tire construction for LT type tires.

If you are like most RV companies selecting a tire is easy. Find the smallest, cheapest tire that barely meets the load rating of the axle and send the unit out the door with a warranty that expires when the RV is driven off the dealer lot

However when selecting a tire for YOUR RV you have a few items to consider.

1. Load capacity. When properly inflated is the MAX load capacity of every tire on the RV at least 15% higher than the actual measured tire loads? The 15% is needed to account for cornering and wind side load transfer

2. Do you have at least 3" clearance on all sides of the tire?

3. Is the wheel rated for the MAX load of the tire when the tire is inflated to the sidewall MAX inflation?

4. After selecting your tires you should set the cold tire pressure to be the MAX on the sidewall. Install a TPMS on metal valve stems so you are not depending on passing motorists to flag you down when you have a leaking tire. Set the warning pressure on the TPMS to be equal to the MINIMUM pressure needed to carry the measures load on your tires. All tires on a trailer should carry the same inflation.

Crasher · 05-24-2016, 12:11 PM

So, are you saying that I can use a the LT tire of my choice or does it have to be specified for trailer use? I also noticed that the commercial grade trailer tire 235X85/R16 from GY has a max load a little more than 3000# @ 110 psi while the ST 235X80/R16 LR E Marathon also from GY has a capacity of 3420# @80 psi. Why the lower rating for a better tire??

FWIW. The 235X80/R16 LR E tires on my trailer were carrying 2850# each with a rating of 3420#. Had a blowout yesterday on one tire dated 43rd week of 2011.