Options for TowMax oem tire replacement...

[Cjackg]

Yup.... I know that now but still feel much better with my 4805lb 17.5s every time I hit one of those rolling potholes on the Interstate! Money well spent for peace of mind, and safety!

 

[SeattleLion]

The info is stamped on the backside of one of the wheel's spokes. I doubt you can see it without removing a wheel as the brake drum will block your view. My '14 BH has 110# psi wheels even though it came with LR E tires.


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We crawled under the trailer with a flashlight. The rating isn't hard to find.

 

[Cjackg]

Taking the fiver on 2000 mile journey, will advise performance on new HiSpec Mod 03 8 on 6.5 17.5 in wheels and Goodyear G114s. Just locally I find a very much improved towing experience. AT 110 LBS the tires have a good contact patch but seems easier to tow. The trailer seems to be more stable. Backing is much easier as the tires don't try to roll off the rims. The fiver seems not to roll from side to side like it did before. The G114 are rated to 75 mph. Im not going to tow at 75 but at 65.
I am expecting/anticipating improved towing performance and better milage. We will see.

I just got back from our first real trip with the 17.5s, over 1900 miles on mountain roads through TN-KY-WV-VA. Your comments are right on as to handling and towing performance with the 17.5s. I run 115-120psi based on recommendation from TT&W. Your mention of (16") Tires trying to roll off the rim when backing is one of the reasons I did this upgrade. An experienced tire professional told me it only takes a couple of times twisting those 16" tires around into crazy angles to start tread separation that can later show up in catastrophic tire failure.

 

[For20hunter]

We also replaced ours with 17.5" Wheels and Tires from Trailertiresandwheels.com. They were the best priced (by far) and had great customer service. We went with the Goodyear G114's for MUCH higher weight ratings. Before I used to stress myself out checking the wheels and tires all the time, wondering when my next blowout was going to happen. Now, I never stress, have nearly 20,000 miles on these and they are going strong. I am not saying that a G or E rated tire can not do the job, but with most Bighorns and Landmarks, you are so close to their max capacities that it is no wonder there is all the failures. At least if you go with the Goodyear G614 G Rated tires, you have a company standing behind them that takes care of their customers.



Rod Ditrich

 

[JohnD]

Your mention of (16") Tires trying to roll off the rim when backing is one of the reasons I did this upgrade.

An experienced tire professional told me it only takes a couple of times twisting those 16" tires around into crazy angles to cause tread separation that can later show up in catastrophe tire failure.

So is this a problem with big heavy 5-wheel trailers?

Two and/or three axle trailers?

Or all trailers in general . . .

EDIT: Party time . . . this is my 600th post!

 

[SeattleLion]

So is this a problem with big heavy 5-wheel trailers?

Two and/or three axle trailers?

Or all trailers in general . . .

EDIT: Party time . . . this is my 600th post!

It's particularly with the big fifth wheels. My Bighorn weighs 13,500 loaded.

 

[Grey Ghost]

Just get rid of the TowMax tires all together they are rotten and dangerous. I've had three blowouts with them, I'm done with them forever!!

 

[porthole]

So is this a problem with big heavy 5-wheel trailers?

Two and/or three axle trailers?

Or all trailers in general . . .

EDIT: Party time . . . this is my 600th post!

The bigger and heavier the trailer the worse it is. 3 axles harder on tires then 2 axle.
Our problem comes from the axles being in the middle of the trailer. When you start backing and jacking the trailer around to those hard angles you have one tire trying to roll out and one trying to roll in.

If you don't mind stressing your tires try it some time on pavement and back into an almost 90 degree angle then look at your tires. Then try it on gravel.
I tried that when my trailer was brand new on the way over to MOR/ryde. Was curious to see just how bad it was - and it is. I stopped because I thought the tire was going to roll off the rim. And this was before the trailer had 37,000 pounds of our added items.

With 3 axles you do have less weight on each tire but now you have the front and rear axle twisting in opposite directions and the center staying neutral. But, the front and rear axles being farther apart now the problem is amplified.

Tractor trailers don't have this issue for several reasons, one being superior tires and another being the axles are at the end of the trailer (most of the time), so the axles don't see the same torque load that center mounted axles do.

The Goodyear G114's (17.5) have much stiffer sidewalls then many other tires and because of this and the increased pressure they do not exhibit the same sidewall roll that lesser tires do, but they still load up the sidewalls (and I do mean "lesser tires").

My trailer is parked on a rough surface cement driveway, and I have to back it in on an angle. Because of that, every time when I am done I use the LevelUp to raise the tires off the ground and unload them, then set it back down.

You would be surprised how much a tire moves when you can watch it like that.

That "un-load the tire" procedure I do for two reasons:
1) unload the tires
2) unload the MOR/ryde independent suspension rubber shear springs