Choosing a new tire

M

mesteve

Well-known member
So I am researching tires and have a question.

When buying new trailer tires, do you look for tires that can handle the entire GTWR or just what will actually be on the tires (GTWR - 15%-25%)?

I currently have LRD tires from the factory and am looking for LRE, just for a safety margin, but many LT tires seem to only have the Load Index numbers.

I am just curious what those that have been doing this a while think.
 
L

lwmcguir

Well-known member
Almost all blown out tires, other than road hazards, are from over loading and under inflating. Go with the extra margin and then you can run them a year or two longer without worrying about blowing tires. Many of us are going to the 17.5's to minimize tread loss (throwing the tread) and the down time for repairs.
 
caissiel

caissiel

Senior Member
If you look at LT tires they will be rated at lower capacity then the same trailer tire.
I had marathons 2257515 C tires on my last trailer and they were rated at 2450 Lbs and I had blowouts all the time.
I put on 2357515 LTs C rated at 1950 Lbs and they were much better tires with no problems for 6 years.

Because the LT tires are rated for passenger and truck usage the specs are more stringent then for trailer use.
And that is from the tire experts I got the information. As for the construction they are the same but longer exposure rubber on trailer rubber that may make them not as good in extreme service.
 
westxsrt10

westxsrt10

Perfict Senior Member
mesteve said:
So I am researching tires and have a question.

When buying new trailer tires, do you look for tires that can handle the entire GTWR or just what will actually be on the tires (GTWR - 15%-25%)?

I currently have LRD tires from the factory and am looking for LRE, just for a safety margin, but many LT tires seem to only have the Load Index numbers.

I am just curious what those that have been doing this a while think.
Click to expand...

Do you have stock factory 15" wheels on your Sundance? If so the wheel is the weak link, my stock 15" wheels were stamped 2540lbs- 60 psi max. You can buy a 15" E rated tire but its 80 psi. 16" wheels and E tires fit my Sundance without touching eachother. (3"+ clearance)
 
M

mesteve

Well-known member
I am familiar with the tire load indexes, that is what spawned my question. For a 10,580 GTWR, do I need a 115 (10580/4) = 2645 lbs/tire, or will a 109 do the trick (10580*.85)/4 = 2248 lbs/tire.

Surpisingly, that small difference makes large difference in tire availability with good quality manufacturers.
 
caissiel

caissiel

Senior Member
I would believe you have the 5200 lbs axles with 15" wheels. So the load requirements for trailer tires would be 2600Lbs each tires.

On my previous trailer with same loading I was able to install LT235/75/15 with load range C, and contrary to everyone telling me not to do it, I got great service though the tires were rated at 1950Lbs. I was able to drive in the dark for the first time without worrrying about ruining the trailer tire fenders with blowouts.

The 16" rims with E tires are also available for this axle because my friends SOB trailer has Load Range E on 6 bolt rims that are rated to 80PSI on 6K axles.
 
TireHobby

TireHobby

Well-known member
“To maintain tire safety, purchase new tires that are the same size as the vehicle's original tires or another size recommended by the manufacturer. Look at the tire information placard, the owner's manual, or the sidewall of the tire you are replacing to find this information. If you have any doubt about the correct size to choose, consult with the tire dealer.” - NHSTA

Your trailer’s owner's manual is your best reference when it’s time for tire replacement. The vehicle manufacturer - they are the experts in this matter - has set your axle (s) minimum load capacity when they selected the tires for it along with the minimum cold tire pressures to attain the desired load capacity. That information can be found in your owner’s manual and the tire placard affixed to your trailer.

Tire dealers will not knowingly sell or install tires on an RV trailer that have less load capacity than the axle (s) GAWR. The absolute minimum requirement a manufacturer must abide by is to match the axle (s) GAWR with their tire selection.

I’m not grinding an axe here. That’s all valid information and should be considered when making your final decision with replacement tire selection.

TireHobby
 
M

mesteve

Well-known member
I have no intentions of going with a lesser tire. And to be honest, I didn't even think about matching the tires to the axles as a minimum. Thanks for all the input.
 
TireHobby

TireHobby

Well-known member
caissiel said:
Here is the load index table

Might be of some help

http://www.discounttire.com/dtcs/infoLoadIndex.dos
Click to expand...


Load index charts/tables have “ballpark” load capacities. They may not marry-up with the actual load capacity printed on a tire’s sidewall. A good example would be to examine the sidewall of any LT235/85R16E tire. Almost all of them are rated for 3042# at 80 psi as opposed to the index chart (120) which will have 3086#

TireHobby
 
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