Tires for Trailer or Truck?

[ahlkey]

I have a set of four older M & S Goodyear 7.5 16 LT Workhouse tires and rims with extra off-load grip (see attached photos). They are basically unused in excellent shape even though they are old. The problem is that they only have a D load rating of 2540 at 60 PSI. What I would prefer to do is use them on my F250 for mostly off-road logging and trailing of lumber short distances since they have much better off-load grip. My my F250 uses M & S 235 LT 16 tires rated at 3500 at 80 psi so I am concerned that putting these lower capacity tires on this truck could be problematic? However if I am using my V-10 F250 for pulling heavy loads off-road or very short distances am I ok with the lesser weight capacity tire? The truck itself would have very little load in the bed but the trailers I would be pulling would be rated at 14K. I would be using a weight distribution unit so some of the weight of the trailer would be redistributed to the truck.

If this is not possible I am then considering just using them as spare trailer tires or just sell them at this point.

Appreciate any thoughts. Thanks

 

[Carykong]

You say these tires would be used "mostly" for off road. As long as you stay off the road and remain at lower speed and gear,you should be safe. On the otherhand,I would avoid using any tire that does not meet the spec for your truck for use on hard pavement at highway speed. Murphy's law would be in full effect.

 

[Diamondpilot]

Any modern tire that is 6 years old or older is a grenade waiting to go off. I would not put them on my truck or trailer because with my luck I would not make it 5 miles down the road. Especially on the truck since you will be losing load capacity.

Chris

 

[crashz]

With those 4 tires, your allowable load would be just over 10,000 pounds. Probably OK for an F250, but still on the edge even for new condition. However you say they are older. How much older? There should be a production date on them. A few years are fine. More than 6 is not good. Age and oxidation will make a good "looking" tire into a time bomb.

14K pounds is a lot of trailer. If a tire blows on the trail, will the truck be stabile enough not to roll? I'd be concerned about damaging your truck. If its a just an off-road beater truck, then have at it.

 

[ahlkey]

Thanks for the responses. I will follow your advice and not put them on my truck or trailers at this point. I am not sure of the age but am sure the tires are at least six years old. I bought them at an auction two years ago thinking I would use them somewhere around the farm. They were owned by the city and apparently only used a few months for off-road work and then it just sat in their garage. Online I see they are listed as a "Workhorse Extra Grip tire - Studdable On-/Off-Road Work Truck Tire For Commercial And Farm Applications".

What I was thinking was using them in an area this winter with the F250 4X4 where I will be logging. The problem of course is switching back and forward between the tires when I want to go over the highway. On the trails I go very slow and everything is pretty flat so even with a tire failure can't see a big problem.

I see new tires that are similar to ones I have going for around $190 a piece. So if I sell them I would hope I could get at least $300 for a set of four with rims. For someone considering just off-road farm work might not be a bad deal.

 

[blueriver]

Any modern tire that is 6 years old or older is a grenade waiting to go off. I would not put them on my truck or trailer because with my luck I would not make it 5 miles down the road. Especially on the truck since you will be losing load capacity.

Chris

So ... my trailer that was bought in 2000, the tires on it are grenades?

 

[Diamondpilot]

Not trying to start a augment but any tire over 6 years old is on borrowed time, especially trailer tires. I have come to this conclusion after years in the trailer business and currently maintaining about 75 pieces of equipment. When they blow 50% of the time I see fender, brake, or cargo damage. So yes, old tires are grenades.

Chris

 

[blueriver]

No argument intended ... I just never gave it a thought. Got me thinking about my trailer tires.

 

[Ken]

3 yr's ago bought a New/used for 6 months rv 5th whl. camper. On first trip to La. a tire blew removing fender and part of the side of camper. 300 miles. Returning to dealer the 2nd tire blew nothing to rip off since the previous tire had already taken it off. No warrenty since 2nd. owner Dealer was the first. Took to tire dealer and had all 5 replaced he pointed out 3rd tire had a large bubble on inside so was about to fail. This was a costly repair and learned a lesson. If orginal camper tire. replace anyway it is a cheap usually chinese and will fail with expensive results.
Now on my cattle trailer seldom have a problem. Flat bed trailer almost never. can wear to where the tread is almost bold. with out a flat. Just now starting to hear albout the 5/6 year and change out. are the new 200 buck tires much cheaper in construction? that just sitting will fail.
Just changed out the Michian tires on 2500 Dodge good tread but the dealer wouldn't rotate because over 5 years of use. figured out it is .16 cents per tire per mile of use on tires.
just thinking.
ken

 

[JESSE1]

My dual wheel tandem gooseneck's tires looked brand new at six years old. Loaded the trailer with hay one day and headed home down the interstate. By the time I got home one tire had blown and the tread had come off another tire. I replaced all eight tires and left the best as the spare. A few weeks later the spare's tread had ruptured and separated from the carcass. This was on a tire that wasn't even touching the ground. Don't trust old tires even if they look new.