RV Tires?

[5001craig]

I also had a blowout on the way home from the dealer. I didn't know it at the time but my tires were WAY old.


Replaced all five with Sailun's. These tires ride great and have a safety factor regarding the load rating. LOVE them and found a local RV tire/wheel supplier that had great pricing.

[mlynch001]

Originally Posted by JIMNLIN

Its been this way since FastEagle started his one man campaign trying to force his opinions on everyone else since he started pulling a RV a few years back.

........only on a RV website does the lawsuit pop its head up if 'cause someone didn't have the same tires on his trailer as the tire placard but did have enough tire capacity for the trailers GAWRs.

I've always found it odd why its a lawsuit to do so on a rv website for this or that....... but out here in the real haulers world as long as the vehicle has enough tire capacity for the trailers GAWRs there is no lawsuits.


if you want a roadside dot enforceable weight code with GAWR wording most codes don't carry a GAWR but goes like this.... I've snipped particulars such as states name and code #s to keep down arguing.

— Size and Weight
Maximum gross weight for tires
1.. A person must not, without an overload permit, drive or operate on a highway a vehicle loaded or configured so that the gross weight on a tire exceeds either

(a) the manufacturer's rated capacity for the tire, or

(b) the tire load specified for that vehicle or vehicle combination


Maximum gross weight for axles
(1) A person must not, without an overload permit, drive or operate on a highway a vehicle loaded or configured so that

(a) the gross weight on an axle exceeds the manufacturer's rated capacity for that axle or for the brake or suspension system with which the axle is equipped, ...........
;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;; ;;;;;;

Most state codes simply say the vehicles mfg axle rating or just axle rating and not a actual GAWR wording.

Yes, the bottom line is that a sane person would not use tires and wheels that will not carry the load, in order to save a few bucks. I don't know about the RV community, since I am a newcomer to this forum, I do know human nature and the litigious nature of our society. All that I was saying is that a person who is dumb enough to use a tire or wheel combination that does not meet the load requirements of the vehicle is opening themselves up to disaster should something bad happen. You are correct, use the proper load capacity tires and there will not be a lawsuit, because there will likely not be a serious incident involving tires. This is where this subject needs to be dropped.

[Just Don]

Goodyear Endurance ST235/R80 16
I've had these for a under a year replaced two because of wear. I don't trust there and I"M going to just buy a whole new set of something else. These tires to me aren't worth buying.

[consolenut]

tbose of you looking to replace 16 inch tires. michelin or sailun both good choices. if you have by definition a heavy 5ver. DRV, Teton, Newmar, New Horizons. Dont waste time and money on 16. Go to 17.5 in 235/75/17.5 i think is size i use and others. and save your self alot of hassle and tire and rv damage. they are alot stronger tire. laugh at the weight of the rv. also they in most cases are same height and width as the 16. 37-3800 weight rating on a 16 vs 6000 for 17.5....so laugh at 4k or so the rv places on the tire is fairly true.

[wingnut60]

consolenut,
True words, upsizing to 17.5s probably best tire insurance in existence. On most trailers, tho, the 215s would be plenty of tire at 4805lbs. I did just upgrade my 215 GYs to 235 Coopers, after finding 2 of 4 with tread separations at 3 years old.

[1960C182]

What pressure are ya'll running your 14 ply Sailun's at ? My dealer put in 100 lbs and now my rv bounces all over the place. The GY 's I replaced ran 65.
Is there a pressure chart somewhere to reference ?

[wingnut60]

What is the weight of your trailer? If the 'bounce' is so noticeable, yes you probably have too much psi for the weight of your unit. Assume you have the 16" tires? Why did you get new tires--wear or a failure?

[1960C182]

Originally Posted by wingnut60

What is the weight of your trailer? If the 'bounce' is so noticeable, yes you probably have too much psi for the weight of your unit. Assume you have the 16" tires? Why did you get new tires--wear or a failure?

I had GY st235/80R16 which were old, old, old. Did I mention they were old but looked nearly new which gets us in trouble.My dry wt is 10500 and with our stuff scaled at 12234 with gvwr 14500 and YES I'm a dually guyeven tho my truck will take on way more trailer.

[wingnut60]

Got it. Might try running at 5psi lower increments to see if it gets smoother.
And,you can never have too much truck....

[FastEagle]

Originally Posted by 1960C182

I had GY st235/80R16 which were old, old, old. Did I mention they were old but looked nearly new which gets us in trouble.My dry wt is 10500 and with our stuff scaled at 12234 with gvwr 14500 and YES I'm a dually guyeven tho my truck will take on way more trailer.

The starting inflation pressure for your Sailuns will depend on which size you got. The ST235/80R16 would be 80 PSI and for the ST235/85R16 it would be 75 PSI. Those inflation pressures will mimic the load capacity the LRE tires provided. Personally I’d start them at 85 for the 4080# tire and 80 for the 4400# tire and work-up from there.

Here is a Sailun load inflation chart.

https://fifthwheelst.com/documents/C...T-Modified.pdf

Observation: You described your OE tires as being ST235/80R16. Were they LRD? 65 PSI for LRE would be dangerously close to 20% under inflation for LRE tires.

My calculations above were for LRE tires. GY did at one time build that size in a LRD. I’m not sure when they stopped.

Note: Tire industry standards for replacement tires fitted under the guidance of FMVSS (standards) require them to provide the load capacity the OE tires provided when inflated to vehicle manufacturer recommended inflation pressures found on the tire placard.

[Tireman9]

Don't forget it's the air pressure that supports the load not the tire. If you bought LR-G tires but only run LR-E inflation, you only have LR-E load capacity and are not benefiting from the more expensive tire.

[billgburns]

My Montana came with Goodyear tires made in China - experience two blow outs within 3 months - replaced with Cooper tires made in US. Had exactly the same problem - left front and right rear tires blew out within a year (same two Goodyears failed at same positions)

Turns out I was breaking down the sidewalls by jack-knifing the 5er into a parking place on concrete surface - I store unit on a store lot that is very tightly packed. The tires dragged sideways during this procedure - damaging the sidewalls. My solution was to buy all steel radials - I bought BOTO G rated tires (made in China) - had no more problems for 5 years)

[1960C182]

Originally Posted by FastEagle

The starting inflation pressure for your Sailuns will depend on which size you got. The ST235/80R16 would be 80 PSI and for the ST235/85R16 it would be 75 PSI. Those inflation pressures will mimic the load capacity the LRE tires provided. Personally I’d start them at 85 for the 4080# tire and 80 for the 4400# tire and work-up from there.

Here is a Sailun load inflation chart.

https://fifthwheelst.com/documents/C...T-Modified.pdf

Observation: You described your OE tires as being ST235/80R16. Were they LRD? 65 PSI for LRE would be dangerously close to 20% under inflation for LRE tires.

My calculations above were for LRE tires. GY did at one time build that size in a LRD. I’m not sure when they stopped.

Note: Tire industry standards for replacement tires fitted under the guidance of FMVSS (standards) require them to provide the load capacity the OE tires provided when inflated to vehicle manufacturer recommended inflation pressures found on the tire placard.

I honestly don't know what GY they were other than they had made in USA. The 65 lbs is the Jayco sticker inflation number. I will go over chart & next trip try a lower psi.