User Cooper's Blowout - 2006-October

[Tom of Ypsi]

Jim_1899,

Not trying to be the speed police or anything but 70 to 77 mph pulling a trailer is too fast. The ST tires are only rated for 65 mph, you have 10,000 plus pounds behind you and if you have to stop real quick good luck. I pull between 60 and 65, mostly 62, the tach is at 2000 rpms. Slow down, take a look at what you are driving by you will be surprised at how much you have missed by driving fast.
Off of my soap box now.
Tom

 

[jpmorgan37]

Well said Tom; I spent too many years driving by stuff at high speed and now I'm going slowly and enjoying a lot of what I missed.

John

 

[tdharley]

I really do not think that it is a problem only our Heartlands have.

My rig before this Bighorn was a 2005 Keystone Raptor toyhauler . At the begining of last camping season I experienced a blowout, with approx. 3,000 miles. It of course did some damage. I know I was running the proper inflation & I was not even close to top weight, that rig was a toy hauler and I was not carrying any motorcycles. They were Mission tires. There is the same talk on the Keystone site about crappy tires.

I for one do not know the answer . I am going to replace my tires because the "trailer only" markings on my tires baffle me. Can anybody tell me what "trailer only " means & why? The mechanic at Boat n Rv in Penn. could not give me a real answer.

I will be keeping close watch on this site and others for more info. It is scary to have a blowout at 65 mph.

 

[ct0218]

I know on 18 wheelers, etc., their tires are designated for drive axles and steer axles. I suppose different tread patterns, compounds, even construction, could be the reason. Maybe that is why--the trailer tires are "drive axle only". My landmark listed at well over 90K, and I would have gladly had it list for a little more if I had been offered an upgraded tire. I do wish they would !

 

[Cooper]

I may be wrong but Trailer Only means non-drive axle. I am replacing mine with G614 Goodyears and they or non-drive axle tires. They made sure that the tires were not going on a motorhome. They or design for RV's and are not cheap $260.00 per. They weight twice as much as the Trail America's tire.
My trailer is now in the body shop I hope to have it by Friday (just dreaming).
I am still looking for wheels made in USA very hard to do with 3750 weight rating, 110 PSI rating. Alcoa wheel is the closest, but they do not have the correct backspacing.

 

[tdharley]

Well that makes sense about the drive axle.

BUT if that is true wouldn't a regular road tire rated for a drive axle be BETTER quality? And probably cheaper since it is more mainstream?

Things that make you go......Hmm

 

[ct0218]

No problem with the size, but its the load rating that is the problem. Plenty of tires available in that size but the load rating is D and E. You could use that size and LR, but you would have to add another axle. That means more weight, more maintenance, more tires (say more money). LR G tires are not for cars and trucks, the 3750 lb rating is far beyond what they need. The other limiting factor is the 16 inch wheel size, a size that is too small for most trucks that need that load rating. There are a lot of tires available in LR G, for truck use, but they are the larger wheel sizes, which would make the trailer sit too high (therefore the center of gravity too high). Offering an upgraded tire as an option would be a good solution but that would only help units ordered that way. I guess it could be done like a few car and truck options--what the industry calls "mandatory options".

 

[BluegrassMan]

Hi All:
The "trailer" tires are designed for just rolling down the road under heavy loads. If you notice, the "G" tires do NOT have a wrap around tread or sipes on the edge of the tread and sidewall. As the needs of this tire is not for traction in corners,(like the "E" truck tires). I had "E" tires on my Sea Breeze (6 of them). When turning tight corners, they bit in to the pavement and grass. I plowed many a' furrow with the front axle, and the tire scuffing was horrendous. The wide grooves in out G tires are similar to commercial truck tires, they are "supposed" to have less rolling resistance than regular tires. I tend to believe this, I feel that my GC pulls easier than my Sea Breeze did. (4 tires @ 110lbs. air VS 6 tires @ 80lbs.) This is just my thoughts, no scientific data backing me up.

 

[ct0218]

Very true Denny, and if you look at a closeup on the Goodyear G614 you will see different ribbing on the outside edge and shallow grooves--so that they slide when used in tandem and making a tight turn.

 

[tdharley]

I just compared tires on my truck & rig. What you say makes sense.

Thanks for the answer.

 

[phranc]

Say Cooper... I wonder if you could get the wheels from the factory ??
or perhaps Tredit in Elkhart ?? Scott replyed on another post a short time ago and listed the phone numbers for Tredit co. Here is what I got from a google search http://www.tredit.net/ look for the elkhart number

Just a quick edit I see the have a Arlington Tex number .. Might be nearer to you

 

[Cooper]

Thanks I will give them a try.

 

[Cooper]

I check out Tredit Tire all they handle or wheels made in China but, thanks for the info. The factory wheels or made in Indonesia.

 

[Cooper]

Still waiting on parts.
The body shop I am using was going to put a patch panel in and not replace the hole panel like it said on the estimate. So I had to have a little heart to heart with them and now they will replace the hole panel.
I grew up in a bodyshop I know most of the tricks of the trade, how to cut corners.

 

[Cooper]

My trailer is still in the body shop, now over a Month. Their excuse is they are still waiting on parts from Heartland. So I called the dealer and they are still waiting on the parts. This is not acceptable *&******

 

[jbeletti]

Cooper - give Jim Fenner a call to see if he can give you the scoop on what is going on. From one of his posts on this forum, I found his information as follows:

James Fenner
Heartland Customer Service
RVIA/RVDA Certified Tech
574-262-8030 ext.110

 

[Cooper]

Thanks Jim I will call him right now.

 

[svd]

Wheels

I stopped at Discount Tire (they are national chain also known as Americas Tire in some states) this evening and ask about wheels. They said most 8 lug rims were standard and interchanged with vehicles (like my F-350) and that they could get them rated for 110 psi. I didn't ask for pricing, I was there for a rotation on the car.

 

[Cooper]

Thanks, but I have been that route the highest weight rating for most OEM wheels 3250 and my trailer needs 3750.

Thanks for trying

 

[Cooper]

Jim the parts came in today thanks for the info