TOWMAX TIRES Get rid of them! HEARTLAND REPS READ THIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Miltp920]

I had only associated blow outs with heavier 5ers. NOW we have info that even very light campers (6900lbs) have had failures. Another post after mine, at around 13,500 lbs. My weight theory is blown (no punn intended). If you have these tires on your investment, you really should be looking for new tires.

My North Trail is only 6900 lbs gross, my tow max took a dump after just 1,000 miles. All four tires, so I disagree with the earlier post about being a light trailer helps. Tow max tires in my opinion, is a very bad product and should be banned from sale in the U.S. When a life is lost, maybe some one will wake up!

 

[Lobovista]

I agree that weight is not the issue. After two TowMax came apart on our trip to the keys, I bought 4 Transforce LT's. As soon as we got home, on the way to the trailer repair facility to get the $5,000 worth of damage fixed, I stopped by Love's and weighed the trailer. My two axles showed 7,700 lbs or a little over half of their 6,000 lb rating (7,700 vs 12,000). The Transforce at 3,040 are more than the axle rating so I am good and love these tires.

 

[jimtoo]

Lobovista,, would you please post the model number and year of your Elkridge?

 

[Lobovista]

Jimtoo, we have a 2011 275RLSS, at the scales we had 7.700 lbs on the axles and 1,800 lbs on the pin. Looks like we could load more stuff in the trailer but don't tell my wife.

 

[justafordguy]

So would the lt265/75/16" transforce @ 3415 lb each be enough tire for my 15500 gvwr gateway with 7000 lb axles?

 

[Jim.Allison]

If you do the math and 20% of the 15500 lbs is on the pin, then the rest is on the trailer axles.

.80 X 15,500=12,400

12,400/4=3100 lbs

3100 lbs NOMINAL. Individual axles and wheels could be loaded more or less depending on distribution.

Of course you won't be 100% loaded when you weigh, but you can interpolate the difference to simulate the rig being loaded to 15,500.

It would be way more tire than you have in the Towmax or any other E rated trailer tire. But I would encourage you to weigh your rig in the towing configuration to ensure that no wheel is abnormally loaded. The loading data on an passenger or truck tire is 100% duty cycle. Meaning it will run 24 hours per day at that load. Go to a tire dealer and look at a trailer tire (does not have to be a Tomax) then go look at a Transforce and you will be able to see the difference immediately.

So would the lt265/75/16" transforce @ 3415 lb each be enough tire for my 15500 gvwr gateway with 7000 lb axles?

 

[Kosanko]

So would the lt265/75/16" transforce @ 3415 lb each be enough tire for my 15500 gvwr gateway with 7000 lb axles?

I put Goodyear G614's on mine after my blowout with a Valor TPMS (best money spent in my books) on the 5th wheel

 

[katkens]

It seems with all the bad reports of problems with these tires , it should have been reported to NHTSA . If so they probably would have been off the market by now , no complaints no testing.

 

[Jim.Allison]

The Transforce idea comes from a post that I did for a $600 American tire solution to the Tomax tire problem. ITs a work around to the $1400 G614 solution. Some people are reluctant to put a $350 on the ground. Personally, I went with the G114 solution and would have gone for the G614 solution if I would have been more knowledgeable at the time. Today I would consider the Transforce solution. Its a heck of a tire and its capable of the service we expect, and they are available everywhere. It is being discussed on other forums as well. For a triple axle, the transforce would be the tire I would buy.

I put Goodyear G614's on mine after my blowout with a Valor TPMS (best money spent in my books) on the 5th wheel

 

[justafordguy]

If you do the math and 20% of the 15500 lbs is on the pin, then the rest is on the trailer axles.

.80 X 15,500=12,400

12,400/4=3100 lbs

3100 lbs NOMINAL. Individual axles and wheels could be loaded more or less depending on distribution.

Of course you won't be 100% loaded when you weigh, but you can interpolate the difference to simulate the rig being loaded to 15,500.

It would be way more tire than you have in the Towmax or any other E rated trailer tire. But I would encourage you to weigh your rig in the towing configuration to ensure that no wheel is abnormally loaded. The loading data on an passenger or truck tire is 100% duty cycle. Meaning it will run 24 hours per day at that load. Go to a tire dealer and look at a trailer tire (does not have to be a Tomax) then go look at a Transforce and you will be able to see the difference immediately.

I have noticed how much better the LT tires are constructed than the ST tires. They are even heavier because of more belt material/rubber. My actual weight is only just over 14k - pin weight of 2400 lbs so 11,600 lbs on the axles. I bet the 3415 lb rated LTs would hold up well but I would really love to find someone with a similar sized rig who has used the LT tires for a while and see what they think.

 

[Jim.Allison]

You can find others that are trying them out, search other blogs and you will find some information on the subject. IT does not have to be firestone either, the beauty of it is that once you get rid of that 6 inch rim almost any real tire company will have an LT for it. Personally I would not have heartburn mounting the transforce onto the OEM rims but some do. So that is why I offer the solution with a change of rims and selling the OEM rims and tires on craigslist, for a final out of pocket of around $600 and the added benefit of having a 7.5 inch wide rim. Once you ahve the rims there are a multitude of tires you can run.

I have noticed how much better the LT tires are constructed than the ST tires. They are even heavier because of more belt material/rubber. My actual weight is only just over 14k - pin weight of 2400 lbs so 11,600 lbs on the axles. I bet the 3415 lb rated LTs would hold up well but I would really love to find someone with a similar sized rig who has used the LT tires for a while and see what they think.

 

[BLHFUN]

Soooo. Should I feel bad that another RV owner just bought my 6 rims and towMax tires? Tandem axel 10k unit... Somehow makes me feel better??? Lory's says I'm a bad person.. Right after she took the cash to the bank.

 

[JohnD]

Soooo. Should I feel bad that another RV owner just bought my 6 rims and towMax tires? Tandem axel 10k unit... Somehow makes me feel better??? Lory's says I'm a bad person.. Right after she took the cash to the bank.

I probably would have sold the rims . . . left the tires on them and told the buyer the tires were free, but would have advised them not to use the tires for an RV.

 

[Jim.Allison]

Caveat Emptor!!!!!!

Why was he buying 8 on 6.5 rims?

 

[Kosanko]

I have noticed how much better the LT tires are constructed than the ST tires. They are even heavier because of more belt material/rubber. My actual weight is only just over 14k - pin weight of 2400 lbs so 11,600 lbs on the axles. I bet the 3415 lb rated LTs would hold up well but I would really love to find someone with a similar sized rig who has used the LT tires for a while and see what they think.

JustaFordGuy,

I have the same rig as you and just 2 weeks ago out of curiosity I loaded up with our normal camping load with a full fresh water tank and empty black and grey tanks and ran my truck and trailer over the CAT scales. My rig with the factory weight sticker showed a dry weight of #12872, but once on the CAT scales my trailer axles weighed a combined #13212, front truck axle #5089, rear truck axle #6180 which equates to about #2600 pin weight making a trailer weigh #15472

So, please run your rig over the scales before you purchase LT tires that you may overload

 

[BLHFUN]

Why was he buying 8 on 6.5 rims?

Dual 7000lbs dexters. Standard 8 lug 6 on 5. I asked him 3 times.. " you're sure you have 8 lug on a tamdem trailer?" Yup! Sold!

 

[justafordguy]

JustaFordGuy,

I have the same rig as you and just 2 weeks ago out of curiosity I loaded up with our normal camping load with a full fresh water tank and empty black and grey tanks and ran my truck and trailer over the CAT scales. My rig with the factory weight sticker showed a dry weight of #12872, but once on the CAT scales my trailer axles weighed a combined #13212, front truck axle #5089, rear truck axle #6180 which equates to about #2600 pin weight making a trailer weigh #15472

So, please run your rig over the scales before you purchase LT tires that you may overload

I did have it on the scales but it wasn't completely loaded. This whole tire thing is making me crazy, of course my dealer said don't worry we have no problems with the tow max tires. The more I read, the more it looks like all brands of tires are not up to the task of these heavy trailers. The only tire I have found that seems to get good reviews is the Sailun 235/85R16 tires in LR-G. I just don't know what to do at this point, I think I'll just go camping.

 

[Heathcote4]

So I am biting the bullet this week and upgrading to Goodyear G614's before the Heartland rally this weekend.

I have a price from a Good year store in my area at 325/ea.

I have seen $350+ on hear, so am I to assume that my cost is good? Has anyone seen better?

Thanks,

 

[bobca1]

I decided on the Sailun's after researching and reading the reviews. Yes they are made in China but clear difference in quality compared with tow max that came off. Much more solid tire, do not sag like the towmax did. Time and miles will tell how they hold up! I am doing a 1500 mi trip next week out to AZ so glad to have those towmax off. It took me a few weeks to sell them on CL, I got $200 for all 5 of them.

I did have it on the scales but it wasn't completely loaded. This whole tire thing is making me crazy, of course my dealer said don't worry we have no problems with the tow max tires. The more I read, the more it looks like all brands of tires are not up to the task of these heavy trailers. The only tire I have found that seems to get good reviews is the Sailun 235/85R16 tires in LR-G. I just don't know what to do at this point, I think I'll just go camping.

 

[justafordguy]

I decided on the Sailun's after researching and reading the reviews. Yes they are made in China but clear difference in quality compared with tow max that came off. Much more solid tire, do not sag like the towmax did. Time and miles will tell how they hold up! I am doing a 1500 mi trip next week out to AZ so glad to have those towmax off. It took me a few weeks to sell them on CL, I got $200 for all 5 of them.

Hey Bob, where your factory wheels rated for the LR-G tires (110 psi)?