Any Consensus on Trailer Tire Brands???

[Skyco]

Ditto on carrying the shovel and rake...I do too now
The loader guys amaze me overall, I ask for 5 tons and 95% of the time they are within a few hundred pounds either way, maybe those giant loaders have scales, but then I wonder when sometimes they are off by a thousand pounds up or down. By giant I mean one scoop must be 12-15 tons from the looks of them...they get a corner full for me, I feel a little humbled sitting there in my F350/dump trailer surrounded by semi guys grossing out at 80,000 pounds, I cross the scales at around 23,000 when I'm loaded right.

 

[Rara Avis]

Secondly, nobody had one of those Goodyear G614 RST tires in stock to look at, but one place had something very similar in an LT Load Range G tire. He did not recommend I put them on a standard 16" (6" wide) trailer wheel nor use them on either of my 10K trailers. He called them serious overkill and a gross mismatch for the proposed wheel and trailers. His words, not mine... so please no dissing me here... but I understood his point quite well after he walked be through the extreme heavy-weight/heavy-duty construction. It's apparently an incredible tire, but he felt it was just way too much tire for my purposes. Dougster

Just in passing...the Goodyear G614s are the only 70+ mph rated trailer tire I've found...I use them on all of our trailers, including the Large Horse trailers...and yes...I agree with the comment about the rims...you need to get new ones (6.5") to use G614s

Goodyear G614 RST Data Sheet

 

[Skyco]

Overkill in a trailer tire? Naaah...from what I see on the side of the road I want overkill in a trailer tire
BTW if anyone is interested in the G614 tires they have a $20 per tire rebate going -
http://www.goodyear.com/rv/promotions/rebateg670_0307.pdf
ends Aug 30 so hurry!

 

[Dougster]

Just in passing...the Goodyear G614s are the only 70+ mph rated trailer tire I've found...I use them on all of our trailers, including the Large Horse trailers...and yes...I agree with the comment about the rims...you need to get new ones (6.5") to use G614s
Goodyear G614 RST Data Sheet

Overkill in a trailer tire? Naaah...from what I see on the side of the road I want overkill in a trailer tire BTW if anyone is interested in the G614 tires they have a $20 per tire rebate going -
http://www.goodyear.com/rv/promotions/rebateg670_0307.pdf
ends Aug 30 so hurry!

There is no question that the Goodyear G614 RST is an absolutely magnificent tire... perhaps the best that can be had today in its type and size. But it is not the perfect tire for every trailer. I started to listen when the non-Goodyear dealers told me I was on the wrong track for my two 10K trailers. I listened much more closely when Goodyear dealers told me I was on the wrong track for my two 10K trailers. Ironically, the reduction in legal net capacity alone (caused by the added tire/rim weight which would have been scaled) would have left me illegal on my already marginal equipment trailer. And Lord knows they are expensive, especially with the required 6.5" high-pressure rims and valves. Way more than double what I paid for same size Load Range E tires (which already give me a 40% tire load capacity safety factor). Where is one supposed to stop? Solid rubber tires??? And how much money is too much? $400 per tire? $500 per tire? A grand a tire? Is there any limit?

The fact is that for what I would have had to pay for the G614 RST tires, rims and valves... I could have gotten rid of my two 10K trailers and bought 12K or 14K trailers. If I had won the lottery and money was no concern whatsoever, that's what I would have done.

Oh yeah, and a new 4x4 diesel dump truck too so I could pull them around!!!

Dougster

 

[Skyco]

There is no question that the Goodyear G614 RST is an absolutely magnificent tire... perhaps the best that can be had today in its type and size.

Is it? I thought so reading the specs.
A quick internet search to find out just how much they cost yielded plenty of complaints about them too, same old story, throwing tread, blowouts etc.

It is pretty discouraging trying to find reliable tires - at any price. My open trailer is loaded with about $25K worth of tractor and UTV so I'm not real concerned about tire price in the big picture, yeah they are insured but still a huge PITA if a crash resulted from even a $300 tire letting go

I was at a huge trailer parts distributor picking up some parts a week or so back and asked which tires they recommended, the guy frowned and said they ALL had been crap lately
I have a theory about why trailer tires let go so often- on a car if there is a problem developing you feel it, hopefully stop and resolve it before the tire lets go...on a trailer you usually have no clue until you see flying rubber, and perhaps trailer parts, in the rearview....

Dougster I gotta tell you- if adding 1/2 inch wider rims and tires put you over the 10K weight rating of your trailers then -YES- you should go to a 12K or even 14K trailer

I sure wish Michelin made readily available trailer tires...here in SC we have a number of Michelin plants, they make IMO the best tire overall, it is all I run on my powered vehicles, SUV, pickup etc. I'd readily spring for their trailer tires if I could find any.....

 

[Dougster]

A quick internet search to find out just how much they cost yielded plenty of complaints about them too, same old story, throwing tread, blowouts etc.

I did not come across any outright failure complaints against the G614 RST tires. Mountains of failure complaints against other trailer tires, but not the G614 RST. I'll have to take a second, closer look.

I was at a huge trailer parts distributor picking up some parts a week or so back and asked which tires they recommended, the guy frowned and said they ALL had been crap lately

Sadly, I think that assessment is all too accurate.

Dougster I gotta tell you- if adding 1/2 inch wider rims and tires put you over the 10K weight rating of your trailers then -YES- you should go to a 12K or even 14K trailer

Yep... After the addition of a larger, heavier-duty FEL bucket, extra hydraulic components and a backhoe thumb, I was that close. The G614 RST tire itself weights 58 lbs. I never did find one of those special 16" high pressure trailer wheels (6.5" wide and 110 psig rated), but I estimated the weight from other special application steel wheels at about 45 pounds. That's 103 pounds each compared to 50 pounds each for the tires and rims they were replacing. That was 212 extra pounds to start before I started replacing and upgrading axle/hub parts to accommodate 8-lug wheels.

But yes, you are absolutely right. I should have bought 12K or 14K trailers and a diesel pickup or dump truck to tow them. No question about it.

Dougster

 

[AlanB]

Recap a bit for me please Doug now that it has settled in.

What brand and from where Tire did you go with?

Would you do it that way again today?

 

[Dougster]

Recap a bit for me please Doug now that it has settled in. What brand and from where Tire did you go with? Would you do it that way again today?

Well, I did end up buying eight 16" Chinese-made steel-belted radial trailer tires in size ST235/80R16LRE (Load Range E) with 6-hole rims. Each set of four has a grand total load capability of 14,000 lbs... far greater than necessary for my two 10K trailers. The tires did fit my two trailers, but the fit is very tight... almost too tight... on the dump trailer. The rims carry a lesser rating of 12,000 lbs per set of four, but only because of the 6-hole design. The exact same wheel in 8-hole is rated 14,000 lbs per set.

I did my research locally, but purchased the tires and rims through the Internet. The particular Chinese brand is not important (I think they switch factories/suppliers monthly) and I am loath to mention or recommend any Chinese-made tire brand to anyone. I will only say that I personally found this particular brand to be the least offensive of the bunch at the time I was shopping, but that really isn't saying much. The tires that arrived looked a little different from the ones I had inspected locally. Each person considering Chinese-made trailer tires should decide for himself or herself what brand out of a sorry bunch they wish to bet their equipment (and possibly their lives) on.

The 16" radial tires have taken some getting used to. They have a certain mushiness and bounce to them that I never felt in the 15" bias ply tires. The 15" bias ply tires seemed to ride better generally. They felt more secure and seemed to hold the road better. If I had to do it all over again, I'd want to test drive some larger, heavier-duty bias ply tires... recognizing that they might not have the very high load rating and puncture resistance of the steel-belted radials that I sought. But at least then I believe I could have found some American-made ones.

To address the mushiness and bounce, I intend to finally go with a load equalizing (load distributing) hitch... possibly one with anti-sway as well. I'm hoping that will restore the more secure feeling ride I felt with the smaller bias ply tires.

Dougster

 

[AlanB]

Well, I did end up buying eight 16" Chinese-made steel-belted radial trailer tires in size ST235/80R16LRE (Load Range E) with 6-hole rims. Each set of four has a grand total load capability of 14,000 lbs... far greater than necessary for my two 10K trailers. The tires did fit my two trailers, but the fit is very tight... almost too tight... on the dump trailer. The rims carry a lesser rating of 12,000 lbs per set of four, but only because of the 6-hole design. The exact same wheel in 8-hole is rated 14,000 lbs per set.

I did my research locally, but purchased the tires and rims through the Internet. The particular Chinese brand is not important (I think they switch factories/suppliers monthly) and I am loath to mention or recommend any Chinese-made tire brand to anyone. I will only say that I personally found this particular brand to be the least offensive of the bunch at the time I was shopping, but that really isn't saying much. The tires that arrived looked a little different from the ones I had inspected locally. Each person considering Chinese-made trailer tires should decide for himself or herself what brand out of a sorry bunch they wish to bet their equipment (and possibly their lives) on.

The 16" radial tires have taken some getting used to. They have a certain mushiness and bounce to them that I never felt in the 15" bias ply tires. The 15" bias ply tires seemed to ride better generally. They felt more secure and seemed to hold the road better. If I had to do it all over again, I'd want to test drive some larger, heavier-duty bias ply tires... recognizing that they might not have the very high load rating and puncture resistance of the steel-belted radials that I sought. But at least then I believe I could have found some American-made ones.

To address the mushiness and bounce, I intend to finally go with a load equalizing (load distributing) hitch... possibly one with anti-sway as well. I'm hoping that will restore the more secure feeling ride I felt with the smaller bias ply tires.

Dougster

Good greif Doug, when you wonder about the problems in your business, look back at this response.

4 paragraphs and you never answered a single question.

I was expecting something like,

Duro tires, from Shady Sams on E-bay, yes, I am still happy about the decisions.

Well, thanks anyway, I guess I will just duplicate your efforts while looking for some tires for myself.

 

[Dougster]

Good greif Doug, when you wonder about the problems in your business, look back at this response.
4 paragraphs and you never answered a single question.
I was expecting something like,
Duro tires, from Shady Sams on E-bay, yes, I am still happy about the decisions.
Well, thanks anyway, I guess I will just duplicate your efforts while looking for some tires for myself.

Good Lord Alan... You asked for a recap and I gave you a recap. You asked about whether I would do it again and I explained that I had some issues with the Chinese radials and that I might look harder at American-made bias-ply tires if I could do it all over again. I answer your request and you use it as another opportunity to bash my business. Why would you do that? Have I offended you somewhere along the line? If so, I apologize.

Dougster