Community Forums

RVNeophytes2 · 10-10-2018, 06:53 AM

In the nutshell, I had a custom enclosed trailer built last year and equipped with Wrangler II LT tires. In use, the tires carry a little more than half of their load rating.

They didn't make it to the 5,000 mile mark before a series of three internal failures prompted me to pull the set and replace them with Toyos, on the road.

Goodyear is reimbursing me 27 cents on the dollar for the cost, in the form of a rebate on my next Goodyear purchase.

A full account is posted HERE at FMCA.

60sumtin · 10-10-2018, 07:59 AM

Were they on a single axle or dual axle trailer?

TonyMac · 10-10-2018, 08:04 AM

Aired up to sidewall limits?

Hikerdogs · 10-11-2018, 12:18 AM

Sounds more like the wrong tire for the application. With the designation LT the tires are intended for use on Light Trucks not trailers. The only trailer tires Goodyear makes are the Marathon and the Endurance. They carry the ST designation meaning Special Trailer. Why would a trailer manufacturer put tires designated for light trucks on a trailer when the manufacturer makes tires specifically for trailers?

As for the Wrangler II LT mentioned on the FMCA forum a search of Goodyear tires doesn't come up with anything. Goodyear makes at least a dozen different tires with Wrangler as part of the title, but none I could find carried the Wrangler II designation. Please provide more information about the specific tire you are referring to.

tderonne · 10-11-2018, 07:04 AM

I'm curious about the tire and size too.

Pictures in your other thread look like a Wrangler HT? That it? What size? What weight rating? The 235/85R16 would have plenty of load rating for that at 3042 pounds.

SuperGewl · 10-16-2018, 02:28 AM

Sounds to me like the wrong tire for the application it was being used for. As someone stated, you need Trailer Tires. They need to be able to slide and take the side forces put on them from being on a trailer.

Grand Tour · 10-25-2018, 06:35 PM

More than 90% of all tire failures are cause by under-inflation and/or overloading.

I've been driving all over the world, for more than 40 years, to include a successful career in auto repair and extensive experience in multiple disciplines of motorsport, and I've never experienced the failure of a properly-inflated tire that was not overloaded.

moisheh · 10-28-2018, 06:14 PM

Grand Tour: That is quite a statement. Do you think that the only failures of tires is due to overloading and inflation? I had a Goodyear tire explode. It was not overloaded nor was it underinflated. Thousands of people have tires that are defective. Over the years millions have had problems. What about all the Firestone recalls? You must just be lucky!

ElCaminoManT · 11-04-2018, 10:01 PM

the only place ST tires belong is either on a steel fendered flatbed trailer that you don't care much about or in the trash. after having suffered numerous failures of 16" ST tires on my toy hauler, i switched over to 16" LT tires and never again had an issue. fortunately because i am such a freak about checking my tires and their pressures constantly, i was able to spot belt separation issues and bulges and avoid blowouts and expensive damage to the trailer. added bonus with the LTs was the trailer towed straighter and smoother than it ever did with the ST tires.

just my $.02

Hikerdogs · 11-05-2018, 06:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ElCaminoManT

the only place ST tires belong is either on a steel fendered flatbed trailer that you don't care much about or in the trash. after having suffered numerous failures of 16" ST tires on my toy hauler, i switched over to 16" LT tires and never again had an issue. fortunately because i am such a freak about checking my tires and their pressures constantly, i was able to spot belt separation issues and bulges and avoid blowouts and expensive damage to the trailer. added bonus with the LTs was the trailer towed straighter and smoother than it ever did with the ST tires.

just my $.02

It sounds like your trailer has more than tire problems if going to tires with more flexible side walls makes it tow straighter. The main difference between trailer and automobile tires is the strength and rigidity of the side walls. These symptoms indicate it's time for an inspection of the axles and mounting system along with a possible alignment

Trailers with closely spaced axles exert far more pressure on the side walls of the tires than do motor vehicles with more widely spaced axles. Often times in tight turns trailer tires are forced to scrub against the pavement rather than simply roll along on it.

Over the years I have had a number of trailers with weight ratings as little as 3,000 lbs. and as high as 20,000 lbs. In every case ST tires have out performed LT or other passenger tires. I currently have a 10,000 lb. trailer that is running on ST tires. They are rated for 2830 lbs. per tire. Comparable LT and P series tires are rated for 2,100 lbs. or less.

In the 7 years I've had the ST tires on this trailer it has gone over 30,000 miles without a problem. There are no signs of sidewall or tread problems. However given their age it's time to think about replacement.

ElCaminoManT · 11-06-2018, 01:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hikerdogs

It sounds like your trailer has more than tire problems if going to tires with more flexible side walls makes it tow straighter. The main difference between trailer and automobile tires is the strength and rigidity of the side walls. These symptoms indicate it's time for an inspection of the axles and mounting system along with a possible alignment

Trailers with closely spaced axles exert far more pressure on the side walls of the tires than do motor vehicles with more widely spaced axles. Often times in tight turns trailer tires are forced to scrub against the pavement rather than simply roll along on it.

Over the years I have had a number of trailers with weight ratings as little as 3,000 lbs. and as high as 20,000 lbs. In every case ST tires have out performed LT or other passenger tires. I currently have a 10,000 lb. trailer that is running on ST tires. They are rated for 2830 lbs. per tire. Comparable LT and P series tires are rated for 2,100 lbs. or less.

In the 7 years I've had the ST tires on this trailer it has gone over 30,000 miles without a problem. There are no signs of sidewall or tread problems. However given their age it's time to think about replacement.

everything was spot on with that trailer. never wore the tires unevenly and it tracked as well as a trailer could. also had the dexter ez-flex which helped it ride even better. i towed that thing for many miles over the course of 11 years. sold it last year and replaced with a motorhome.

the only thing i can really figure with my results was that because it was a triple axle trailer, it scrubbed the tires immensely when turning, even gentle turns. the stiffer sidewalls on the STs may have contributed to the belt issues because they did not flex much and eventually something has to give which was usually belts slipping/shifting. the LT tires flex more and allow some give. that said, the tread would show some chunking after they had some years on them but never did have belt issues with those tires.

the original tires were ST235/80/16E, i replaced them with LT245/75/16E so a little bit shorter and a little bit wider than the original. the trailer towed straighter and quite a lot smoother with the LT tires. only ever had 1 flat with the LTs and that was from a bolt that went through the tread while off pavement en route to our camp spot at the dunes.