Using truck tires on TT

[HJLowell]

Kind of like a consensus to determine the # 1 all time favorite pickup Truck ?

Ford
Chevy
Dodge

Or do you make more $$$s profit farming with Red tractors or green tractors ???

NEVER [emoji6][emoji848]

Originally Posted by RVPioneer

Yeah, but what about a consensus?

Wouldn’t having enough people who agree to disregard tire manufacturers recommendations, vehicle manufacturers recommendations and National safety regulations make it ok to use improper equipment?

[steve52]

A lot of people seldom check their trailer tire pressures, and a lot of trailer manufacturers fit tires (and axles) that are barely adequate for the intended load.

I think too that a fair number of the "exploding" tires we hear about simply picked up a nail or other piece of debris, and by the time the driver figured it out, the tire was shredded beyond recognition, and looked like it detonated.

[bneukam]

Agreed, I’ve got over 10k miles on Towmax brand. But I also increase air pressure by 20% while in storage. Use a TST TM-507 while in use. Covered storage and they still look new after 3 years. Will change out after 5. My guess is 90% of owners don’t know, or the need to take care of RV tires.
Had a class c with 11 year old tires that still looked great after taking the same steps.
Also look for cracking inside the treads just not on the sidewalls.

[FastEagle]

Originally Posted by RVPioneer

Yeah, but what about a consensus?

Wouldn’t having enough people who agree to disregard tire manufacturers recommendations, vehicle manufacturers recommendations and National safety regulations make it ok to use improper equipment?

NO!

[ktn1966]

I understand wanting to change tires to a LT over a ST, a LT can have better speed ratings especially for single axle trailers that only came with a C Rating and can withstand the flex. I don't understand where people go out and buy the expensive M&S rated tread LT tires designed for off roading to put on a trailer. It is a drag tire, no drive or gripping capabilities. It doesn't need to shed snow and mud, it just follows along.

I replace my trailer tires with the same Goodyear ST that have been doing fine. The weight and speed ratings are suited for my driving style, I run G rated ST tires because they handle the flex of my tandem axle rated trailer.

IMHO, I believe that trailer tires get a bad rap due to drivers. A tire designed to only go 55 MPH with a light load should not be put put on any RV. Especially when people overload and drive 75, continously. This is the main reason a trailer tire blows. Not shoddy workmanship. You overheat that tire up enough times it is going to deteriorate and blow.

[RVPioneer]

Originally Posted by FastEagle

NO!

Thanks. The question was rhetorical, possibly even humorous. However, posting the answer so boldly, may prove to be informative for some.

[tuffr2]

And I believe why most trailer tires blow is because they are shoddy and simply not made as well as passenger tires.

[jim6090]

Replaced Goodyears during first week of ownership Replaced with Michelin Defenders LT. 15k miles. wearing even. No issues at all. Could not be happier. Tires max pressure is 50. Soft ride for trailer.

[RVPioneer]

Originally Posted by tuffr2

And I believe why most trailer tires blow is because they are shoddy and simply not made as well as passenger tires.

Trailer specific tires are designed and manufactured to withstand the unique forces they will be subject to while in service. There is a wealth of information available should you decide to become more knowledgeable on the matter.

Not all tires are made of the same quality. This holds true for passenger vehicle tires as well. A few years ago I bought a used car that had 2 new (Chinese) tires and 2 original (Goodyear) tires that were 4 years old. With the 2 new tires on the front the car pulled noticeably to the right, even after having an alignment performed. With the original tires on the front it drove perfectly. I replaced the new tires.

To the best of my knowledge, all tires originally fitted to trailers, specifically RV’s, meet DOT standards and are rated to support the load of the vehicle. They will be fitted with trailer specific tires. A small amount of abuse, neglect and misinformation can go a long way toward producing disastrous results.

[FastEagle]

Rules, everyone seems to despise tire rules. Have you taken the time to break them down to find they are necessary?

This is the shortest message I can post without referring to and directly quoting from them.

NHTSA through FMVSS are the first set of rules most despised. Do you know FMVSS standards are written to minimum safety standards? What the vehicle manufacturer has provided with the federal certification label is minimum parameters for axles, wheels and tires. They do have a caveat from FMVSS; appropriate. That allows them to set a recommended inflation pressure found on a tire inflation placard.

Vehicle manufacturers have the sole responsibility for selecting and fitting the Original Equipment tires to your vehicle. They don’t use brand names because all brands of the same designated size conform to a single tire inflation chart.

Once the vehicle manufacturer has selected the OE tires for your vehicle and set the recommended cold inflation pressure, the load capacity provided from the recommended cold inflation pressures will always be the minimum acceptable load capacity for any/all future tire selections. The tire industry wording is; replacement tires must provide a load capacity equal to or greater than the OE tires provided.

In the tire industry it is acceptable for them to say “tire size”. However they are wording it from one professional to another. The proper nomenclature is, “designated size”. Designated sizes are not interchangeable unless the vehicle manufacturer makes a special provision like changing your truck tire designations from to LT from P.

Because brand “A” vehicle manufacturer has used LT tires as OE on some of their vehicles does not permit an owner of a similar brand “B” vehicle to use a like sized tire from another designation. The only alternative is to ask the vehicle manufacturer to approve the change. Otherwise, you’d be violating a safety standard. Why? Because your vehicle owner’s manual is going to tell you to ask. You know the saying, “not knowing is not an excuse”.

[theoldwizard]

LT tires CAN be used on trailers as long as you you NOT exceed the weight rating of the tire. IGNORE "ply ratings" and "Load Range x" ratings. Every tire has an actual weight rating imprinted on the side wall.

[Kurtsara]

Originally Posted by tuffr2

ST tires are designed to blow-up and have loose pieces of tire rip up your trailer.

That is about the dumbest comment I have read all day.

[JIMNLIN]

If this is a bad idea, what is the group consensus on decent trailer tires?

Ask the question on a RV website and you get answers all over the spectrum

Ask the question on a haulers forum and you find not many if any will use a ST tire on their road trailers. The ST simply can't match the long term high miles and no issues we get with a LT tire for this type of work.

ST tires are better suited for lawn service trailers...rv trailers.....utility trailers that don't see lots of all night and day operations at highway speeds and full loads.

ST tires have improved tremendously the past several years especially in the 15"/16" load range C/D/E ranges. The OP has a small trailer with 13"/14" tires. He won't find a LT that size.
There are a couple of 15" load C and load D LT tires from USA brands and is a good option for 2000 lb capacity per tire.

Going to LT 16" Load E will have the holy grail of 3042 lb capacity tires for 5.2 or 6k axles. These will be a commercial grade all steel ply carcass tire like the Bridgestone R-238 or the old stand by Michelin XPS Rib. These tires are giving us 60k-80k miles of trouble free service..

And of course their are the ST 16" load G tires at 4080 and 4400 lb capacity for heavy trailers.

From what I've seen on several rv and non rv trailering websites is the new and improved Goodyear Endurance and the new Carlisle HD seem popular. Both are ST class tires and have been out almost 3 years now. No issues on NHTSA tire complaints website have shown up.
Another new gen ST tires are the Providers. First came on equipment trailers and became popular with other trailer types including rv trailers. Some report they are OEM on their new TT or 5th wheel trailers.

Tire questions work best if the size and load range are given and the trailers GVWR.

[FastEagle]

Originally Posted by theoldwizard

LT tires CAN be used on trailers as long as you you NOT exceed the weight rating of the tire. IGNORE "ply ratings" and "Load Range x" ratings. Every tire has an actual weight rating imprinted on the side wall.

Read carefully. "Size Designation" is the driving force.

https://www.michelinman.com/changeSizeSpec.html

It's an industry wide standard. I just used Michelin because I have most of their information stored in computer files. They don't build RV trailer tires so their wording is for other designs. However, the standards for replacement tires are mostly universal across all Designated sizes. Without an approval from the vehicle manufacturer for replacement tire deviations, an owner's actions reflect directly back on the owner.