Decent non-China trailer tires ?

[Diamondpilot]

Like I said the Greenballs are my favorite but that is mainly due to availability. I can get any size any day of the week at my local tire store. They keep tons in stock and they treat me well on price. On one of my trailers I have Gladiators and they have been excellent also. I have also used Maxxis in the past with good results also.

No matter what you do if the tire is a load range D or above make them put metal valve stems in to handle the pressures. Most rubber valve stems will not handle the pressure. Also make them balance them. When I bought my car haul trailer new it had Goodyear Marathons on it. Loaded it was fine but unloaded it would shake my F-350 like crazy. I took it and had it balance and it was fine after that. I now balance all trailer tires, not matter what the tire guy trys to tell me.

Chris

 

[3930dave]

Hi Chris,

Thought I replied to this already, but it seems the Holidaze interfered !

I may not be able to escape LR C w/o changing rims, but, point taken on the metal stems. I'd followed that earlier discussion here on LR E truck tires.

Bad valve stems coming from...... PRC.

Bad trailer tires coming from.... PRC.

You'd almost think there was a trend (acknowledging your pt. about USA Marathons though...) here.

My prior trailer experience is with a homebuilt utility trailer I've had a long time, running with passenger car tires quite successfully. Always balanced those tires on the util trailer, just seemed like the right thing to do.

Now that I realize how fragile (negligent, lethal....) many trailer tires are today, I wouldn't dream of NOT balancing them !

Best Wishes to all TBN'ers, for 2012 !

Rgds, Dave.

 

[3930dave]

In sorting through the usual Non service options for Canada, I tracked down a company (recommended by Greenball) that will drop ship to the lower 48.

(I thought I had a shot at working with a regional tire chain I've dealt with in Upstate NY, but it sounds like they only deal with Greenball for Wholesale customers, definitely not at the retail counter.)

For the 5 tires I want, will be about $70/tire, and they have free Fedex Ground on orders over $99 USD to the lower 48.

Their site says they also ship world-wide, may check Canadian shipping next (OK, I need a laugh).

I was beginning to think I'd have to drive to Indiana to get my Greenballs ! (I would too, at least w/o my trailer).

I don't recall the rules about posting commercial info on TBN - will do if I get an OK from a Mod, or anybody can PM me if they want the company info.

Just wanted to post this, in case anybody is as challenged as I am to find decent trailer tires locally.

Rgds, D.

 

[George2615]

I bought Maxmiler radial trailer tires from tirecrawler.com. Thought the price was pretty good. Cheaper than local stores including shipping. Havent looked on the tire to see where they are made though.

 

[3930dave]

1 vote for Maxmiler ! Thnx George.

Delivery to my (Canadian) home for 5 tires is $199 USD. (Laugh).

Needless to say, I will be taking a drive to the USA.

D.

 

[ultrarunner]

Took a look around the yard today to see what tires I have on the trailers...

Most are Highliner 6.70-15 6 ply highway rib and made in USA...

Never had an issue and some are over 20 years old and get used weekly...

Can't understand why it's so hard to get a decent tire today when it wasn't a problem in the past...

All have metal stems... didn't even know it could be an issue.

Bought all at a commercial independent tire dealer... about 7 years ago the place was sold to build a strip mall... sure miss that shop because they carried rims, tubes and and accessories.

 

[Diamondpilot]

Took a look around the yard today to see what tires I have on the trailers...

Most are Highliner 6.70-15 6 ply highway rib and made in USA...

Never had an issue and some are over 20 years old and get used weekly...

Can't understand why it's so hard to get a decent tire today when it wasn't a problem in the past...

All have metal stems... didn't even know it could be an issue.

Bought all at a commercial independent tire dealer... about 7 years ago the place was sold to build a strip mall... sure miss that shop because they carried rims, tubes and and accessories.

Just like paint you can think the EPA. They took all the good stuff out of them.

Chris

 

[ultrarunner]

Just like paint you can think the EPA. They took all the good stuff out of them.

Chris

It's a shame when building a good product is undermined or sent offshore... often by the stroke of a pen...

I have an old 1957 boat and trailer my uncle bought new and has been garaged at Lake Tahoe for 50 years... it had been in the SF Bay a few times the first year.

The trailer still has the original Goodyear 5.30-15 with 4" whitewalls... for over 40 years we towed to launch and back... about 1/2 mile with an occasional trip down the mountain to Oakland and the tires have never needed anymore then topping off at the beginning of each season... similar to to all my old cars with tube tires...

The boat has been banned from just about all CA water because it has a 2 stroke motor... so now has been sitting the last 10 years in the garage.

If a law is ever passed like Europe where tires are retired solely due to age... I will be in a world of hurt... over 50 vehicles of one kind or another with tires...

One of the best Model A Ford tires are Riverside made by Montgomery Wards... they were less than $20 each and last forever... basically a lifetime in Model A years... also made in USA.

As a kid I would sometimes walk across the street to a recapping tire shop... some of the tires that were scrap looked good to me... Neil Roberts would tell me he wouldn't put a questionable casing on the road because someone could get killed... wonder if the import makers feel the same?

 

[3930dave]

Social cohesion - your Neil Roberts recollection is definitely from a different time.

I started out trying to buy some trailer tires at the start of this thread.... but we all seem to get regularly caught by what's been sold off/out/offshored the last 25 years or so.

Let's see if I have this right:

PRC Manufacturers are insulated from us by geography, an alien zero accountability political system, and no legal system in any real sense. After a casual glance at what they do to their own people/country.... well, I'd say what happens on this side of the world means less than zero.

The US or Canadian shell companies that pulled the trigger on this decades ago have

1) an offshore "partner" to blame,

and if all else fails,

2) they all have the big $$$ lawyers on staff. No real fear of court cases in most corporations, as peasants like us can't afford to play that game.

I'm usually a glass half full guy, but I've been down this product quality road WAY too many times the last 10 years.

I don't really expect any social or ethical values to come into play at a corporate level (just realistic, not whining here). What I don't understand is the market analysis. Do the overpaid Marketing Depts have no other strategy than driving the price into the ground ?

Let's look at RV market, for just a second - a guy lays down $70k for a pickup and $40k for a trailer (definitely not in my case, but there are plenty out there) - Do you think that person really cares if his trailer tire retails
for $80 vs. $108. I'd say no, that person just wants the job done, reliably, for at least 6-8 seasons.

If I won a major lottery, I'd just make all my own parts - Leno is my hero.

Until then.... I'll be back here begging for data on parts, and sharing what I know.

Thanks TBN'ers. Rgds, D.

 

[orezok]

Out here Costco sells the Greenballs at a very competitive price.