Trailer Tire Replacement - LT Tire Recomendations

[Beltzington]

My 16' tandem trailer tires are shot, I am done with ST trailer tires and looking for recommendations for economical LT tires. I can have them mounted and balance for $15/wheel so don't need to use a tire dealer. Size is 225/75 15" looking for radials. Appreciate advice on durable tires at a good price point, don't care where they are manufactured. Thanks

 

[jaxs]

"don't care where they are manufactured."
Oooh but you should. There's remarkable difference in tires and I don't understand how some imported tires are allowed to be sold in the USA.
I sold Michelin as well as 5 other brands for 8 years and never had one Mechelin that was defective. Unbelieviable when you see how many other tires are warrantied for defects. Personally,I pull tires from my trucks at about four 32nds and use them on trailers. A couple of times I've bought tires off a friend's truck and they were happy to change before tires were worn down. The important consideration is knowing how old tire is. Since the year 2000,every tire has the equivelant of a vin branded into sidewall near bead. It always begin's with DOT followed by other numbers and letters then always end's with the four numerals we are interested in. First two is week of manufacture (01=Jan,08=Aug,12=Dec) last two are year of manufacture ( 10=2010,16=2016 ). A lt tire is usually good for 40k and new one's would rot off my trailers before I pulled them that far. Which bring's us back to ageing tires. Age is far more important on a trailer than tread depth. Some might argue that deep tread is necessary for breaking but I'm not one of those. 15" tires are becoming a thing of the past,I long ago switched to 16" wheels so that I could have choices when buying tires.

 

[sandman2234]

Most of the times ST tires get a bad name due to a couple of issues. Age, air pressure and overloading are the main reasons people have trouble with them. If you keep a good check on the air pressure, change them every six years, and never approach the load rating max, most people don't have issues with them.
However, and this is "not recommended" by tire manufacturers... I run LT tires made for a pickup truck on my trailer. In fact, I run the exact same tire on my trailer as I do my dually, so I only need to carry a single spare. (Bolt pattern is the same, by design). Most tire manufacturers don't want you to run car or truck tires on a trailer. Something about linear direction or pulling only... instead of being a drive tire or some mess like that.
If you are having issues, take a close look at the tare weight of your truck, and what the load is your putting on it. (Gross weight). Make sure it isn't approaching max on the tires. (Most trailer companies (especially RV trailers) like to cheap out on them, giving the new owner problems. Spend the extra money that you are spending on ST tires and buy a higher load rating tire. Calculate the highest load you will put on your trailer, and add as much of a buffer as you can find!
If you can't find better tires (15's are much for load rating).. look into adding a larger sized tire and rim. 16 inch rims offer a lot better tire assortment and higher load range tires. You have to make sure that tire clearance between each other and also under the fender (especially when loaded) but once you do, you will not have nearly the tire issues you are currently having.
However, as bad as ST tires are, going up in load range and or size is never cheap...
HTH,
David from jax

 

[sandman2234]

Jaxs,
Good post, lots of truth to that. You posted while I went and ate dinner before I finished my post, so I didn't see your post. The DOT date stamp has been going on long before that, at least several years, as I have bought vehicles with "older" tires. Maybe just some manufacturer's went to it at first???
We were both agreeable that 16 inch tires will last him longer, and I do exactly what you do, when I need a trailer tire, I replace some of my truck tires (usually the steer tires) move those two to the rear and put the two that come off onto the trailer. Works out great for me.
David from jax

 

[jaxs]

" The DOT date stamp has been going on long before that, at least several years,"
You are correct. But back then it didn't use the same format and I almost talked about it,then considered highlighting the word always. I wond up saying to myself " Surly if anyone examine's a tire more than 17 years old they will pass on it because of weather checking."

 

[Beltzington]

Appreciate the comments but have already decided to stop using ST tires on trailer tires where there is a LT size. Anecdotally, over the years I have had half a dozen ST tires blow out on me and not one LT tire, ST tires are not regulated and who maintains their speed at less than 60 MPH on the freeway. If you believe ST tires are manufactured to any standards please provide a speed rating for any ST tire. You like tomato I like potato, I have run Michelin, BFG, Cooper and Firestone and most brands with various level of success on my vehicles, right now if I could find a good price I would buy Michelin LTX but I was hoping for some specific experiences with a cheap LT tire on a trailer. How many of us feel the need check tire pressures on the truck pulling the load but be less than max pressure on a hot day and expect to be changing a trailer tire on the side of the road. I am not sure why anyone would want to defend ST tire failures to lack of maintenance, they are clearly substandard tires.

 

[3Ts]

If you believe ST tires are manufactured to any standards please provide a speed rating for any ST tire.

Here is an ST tire with a speed rating of "L"
Power King Towmax STR II | ST25/75R15

There are ST tires with a higher speed rating. However, I've had lots of problems with ST tires as well. I've not been able to find LT tires in 15" and I don't have the clearance to go to 16" tires. When I have to replace my ST tires, I do it every 5 years, and check the date code and speed rating before I buy them. I've not had failures with the speed rated tires, but it's still early yet.

 

[Deere Dude]

I understood that trailer tires were able to stand up to scrubbing from turning trailers very sharp and dragging them around where LT tires don't have as stiff of sidewalls that won't allow that. I cannot prove that.

I just rotated tires on my dually and noticed I have 4 tires from 0813 whereas I have two from 2008 and 2009. Sucks.

 

[sandman2234]

" The DOT date stamp has been going on long before that, at least several years,"
You are correct. But back then it didn't use the same format and I almost talked about it,then considered highlighting the word always. I wond up saying to myself " Surly if anyone examine's a tire more than 17 years old they will pass on it because of weather checking."

Since tire expected lifetime is about 6 years, running anything prior to 2000 would be a way to spend an afternoon changing a tire on the side of the road. I bought a truck that was 10 years old, and had decent tires on it. When I had a blowout, I checked the date code, and the tires were two years older than the truck. They were not the original tires, and the previous owner said he bought them "on the road" on the way to Illinois for a tractor show. Somebody pawned off some old tires on him, no doubt!
Beltzington, I was not siding with ST tires, they are what they are. I don't run them, never have for long when I did get a trailer with them on it. I prefer to buy better tires than "marginal" as far as weight rating. As far as speed rating, I don't pull a trailer fast, so not too worried about speed as much as capacity.
Good luck finding a good tire. Someone makes it.
As far as where a tire is made, I got a trailer with a China tire on it. Didn't like the looks of it, because it didn't match the rest. Put it as a spare, and of course the first time I needed a spare, it went on the trailer (loaded of course, 1000 miles from home). It made it 50 miles from home before it blew. Dangit!! Had to buy another Firestone on the road...
David from jax

 

[War Eagle 2]

Here is an ST tire with a speed rating of "L"
Power King Towmax STR II | ST25/75R15

I have Hartland ST tires and they have a speed rating 'N' which is 87 mph. Mine are Radial and load rating E. They are on a tandem axle trailer with axle rating or 5.2k each. Never a problem one in 3 years thus far.

There are ST tires with a higher speed rating. However, I've had lots of problems with ST tires as well. I've not been able to find LT tires in 15" and I don't have the clearance to go to 16" tires. When I have to replace my ST tires, I do it every 5 years, and check the date code and speed rating before I buy them. I've not had failures with the speed rated tires, but it's still early yet.