What are the best trailer tires?

[gordon2]

I looked at the Goodyear LIMIT chart... and noted that Goodyear also says this:

IMPORTANT: It's a common practice for RV owners to lower tire pressure in their search for a smoother ride. This is not only dangerous, it's relatively ineffective, as the difference in ride quality is not significant. When minimum inflation pressure requirements are not met, tire durability and optimum operating conditions are compromised. Tire inflation pressure should always meet at least the minimum guidelines for vehicle weight.

Make of that what you will.

[Raspy]

Originally Posted by gordon2

I looked at the Goodyear LIMIT chart... and noted that Goodyear also says this:

IMPORTANT: It's a common practice for RV owners to lower tire pressure in their search for a smoother ride. This is not only dangerous, it's relatively ineffective, as the difference in ride quality is not significant. When minimum inflation pressure requirements are not met, tire durability and optimum operating conditions are compromised. Tire inflation pressure should always meet at least the minimum guidelines for vehicle weight.

Make of that what you will.

I'd call this especially important in summer heat on the highway. Err on the side of more, instead of less. I towed mine at 60 psi for some long trips and the tires were about the same temp as the outside air. Then I tried 50 and they ran about 10 degrees warmer. Then after airing down and coming out of the desert and rutted dirt trails, I had a hard time getting them up over 40 with the equipment available. They were still fine, but ran warmer yet on the last leg home on the highway.

Airing down for off road is still a good idea because it enhances traction and improves ride. I have no intention of towing in the snow, but reduced pressure always helps my truck with traction on frozen snow or rough ice over blacktop. It reduces the pounding and skating.

It may be hard to judge the improvement in the trailer with soft vs hard tires, but it is very clear in the TV and no reason to think it's different for the trailer. When you have to go about 60 miles in, on a rocky, rutted road, any improvement can be important. Low off-road speeds won't overheat the tires even when running at very low pressures.

[WaltP]

Originally Posted by Alf S.

Hi: WaltP... Happy BDay. Mine's coming soon. I have no 60's left either!!!
BTW... The best tires are round and black and hold air.
Alf S. North shore of Lake Erie

I agree. None of that nitrogen scam.
Happy New Year Alf, and all.

Walt

[Glenn Baglo]

Air is 78 percent nitrogen and just under 21 percent oxygen,

[Spongelander]

Originally Posted by Bruce H

Under inflated tires reduce fuel economy.

But are they in fact underinflated? I guess the best way to tell would be to run them at GY's recommended pressure for the weight and see 1) if they get hot (TPMS system or IR thermometer) and 2) whether the wear is even.
For our Casita, the E-load tires CAN be run at 80 PSI, but we run them at 55-60 per the Casita's placard. Wear in 10,000 miles has been uniform across the tread.

[floyd]

Originally Posted by Spongelander

But are they in fact underinflated? I guess the best way to tell would be to run them at GY's recommended pressure for the weight and see 1) if they get hot (TPMS system or IR thermometer) and 2) whether the wear is even.
For our Casita, the E-load tires CAN be run at 80 PSI, but we run them at 55-60 per the Casita's placard. Wear in 10,000 miles has been uniform across the tread.

Did you see the chart?

Do you think the word "minimum" has the same meaning as the word "recommended"?


Notice the OP's trailer is a 16, do you believe an "E" rated 15" tire is right for that application?

[ShelbyM]

Bless your heart, Floyd

[floyd]

Originally Posted by ShelbyM

Bless your heart, Floyd

Thank you so much, and rest assured that I have been blessed all the days of my life.
Bless your heart as well... no really!

[WaltP]

Originally Posted by Glenn Baglo

Air is 78 percent nitrogen and just under 21 percent oxygen,

Sure, but how many people are bamboozled into paying big bucks to replace that 21% with more nitrogen (And pretty green valve caps) to no demonstrable benefit (according to Consumer Reports).

Walt

[Bruce Olive]

Well, I had an AS owner inform silly old me that nitrogen molecules are much larger than “air” molecules (a new element, apparently), and were too big to escape from the valve stem. How they get in is another matter....
But those green caps are kind of nice.

[gordon2]

Originally Posted by ShelbyM

Bless your heart, Floyd

I think the reason for the "head banging on wall" is that it is really two very different concepts.

limit (noun)
1.
a point or level beyond which something does not or may not extend or pass.
"the limits of presidential power"

recommend (verb)
1.
put forward (someone or something) with approval as being suitable for a particular purpose or role.

That being said, it seems that the chart is close to also being the recommended pressure as well as the limits. According to Goodyear, this is how you use their chart:

1. Determine the heaviest end of each axle and use that load to select the inflation pressure for all tires on that axle.

2. Refer to the appropriate Goodyear load and inflation table and select the inflation pressure for the load that is nearest to, but not less than, the load you measured, by moving up the table to the pressure line. Note that load and inflation tables include separate information for single and dual applications. For single applications, you can use the measured information directly, while for dual applications, you will need to divide the wheel position load you measured by two, then enter the table.

As an example, using the ST205/75R14 tires in the below chart excerpt, lets say the weight on the left tire is 1620 and on the right it is 1650. In that case, according to Goodyears instructions, the correct tire pressure for both is 50 psi. But the tire load limit at 50 PSI is 1760! Thats well over the actual load, so the limit is different from the recommended, but in practice the concepts are quite close. In theory, the true best pressure would scale according to the load at the same rate instead of in steps, and might be 47 or so in this example (instead of 50). But the chart is easy to use and less likely to result in user error and under inflation.

A few other considerations

• Most people don't have the luxury of weighing individual wheels, only getting the total axle weight. Dviding the axle weight in half (assume two tires) can result in overloading (AKA under pressurizing) one of the tires.
• People also tend to accumulate weight so even if properly weighed with all normal gear, weight tends to creep up over time.
• The downside to under inflation is much more severe than the downside from over inflation. Its best to err on the high side, up to the limit of of the tire's allowed pressure.

But back to the original question. The best RV tires are ones with a TPMS.

The three tires on my current shopping list are:

1. Maxxis M8008 ST RADIAL
2. Carlisle Radial Trail HD
3. Good Year Endurance

(Mounted with metal valve stem and TST TPMS)

No, I wont have a Maxxis on the right side, a Carlisle on the left, and a Good Year as spare.. I will make the choice from the three in about two months and after I talk to my retailer, get prices, etc. I think any of the three should be good and won't suggest which is best. I do worry about quality control but quality control does not always equate to country of origin.

[Alf S.]

Originally Posted by WaltP

Sure, but how many people are bamboozled into paying big bucks to replace that 21% with more nitrogen (And pretty green valve caps) to no demonstrable benefit (according to Consumer Reports).

Walt

Hi: WaltP... If you can't make enough money on the tires... make some on the filling Eh?
Alf S. North shore of Lake Erie

[Jon in AZ]

I agree with Gordon regarding the brands. Your best of the three is probably the one your preferred dealer stocks and sells. That generally means you'll get fresh stock. Speaking of which...

Be sure to check age before they mount. Limited use means trailer tires typically age out before they wear out, so it matters. The date of manufacture is stamped on the sidewall as WWYY (week and year). I'd prefer new tires less than 6 months old and would reject any over a year (or ask that they be discounted).

I discovered after my last set was installed that they were "new old stock" because my dealer was phasing out Carlisles. The oldest was 14 months based on date of manufacture. I figured I lost roughly 15% of use based on time. I pointed it out to the manager next day and got an immediate 25% discount. Now I ask to look before they install.

[ShelbyM]

Thank you gordon2 for the additional info from Goodyear. I think this should resolve the pressure discussion. Good point from Jon about tire age.

[CasitaMiner]

I personally would only use the Goodyear Endurance tires now that they are available, made in USA, only drawback is they do not give you a full 11/32 of rubber on these tires, its about 8/32 or 9/32 from the factory which is kinda chinsy.

[John in Santa Cruz]

Originally Posted by WaltP

Sure, but how many people are bamboozled into paying big bucks to replace that 21% with more nitrogen (And pretty green valve caps) to no demonstrable benefit (according to Consumer Reports).

Walt

the main advantage of nitrogen as a tire fill is it is inherently 'dry' (no moisture). water vapor, even a few percent, can make a drastic pressure drop if the temp gets low enough for the vapor to condense inside the tire.

[Jack L]

Originally Posted by CasitaMiner

I personally would only use the Goodyear Endurance tires now that they are available, made in USA, only drawback is they do not give you a full 11/32 of rubber on these tires, its about 8/32 or 9/32 from the factory which is kinda chinsy.

WOW! And when you consider that when the tire tread depth is worn down to 2/32 it is no longer legal to use, so a tire that started with 8/32 has only 6/32 of useable tread.


Maybe this tire uses a harder rubber compound to get a longer tread life, or Goodyear just wants to keep the cost down.

[ShelbyM]

I've never come close to wearing out the tread on a trailer tire before it ages out. I'm sure there are folks who travel many miles more than I do, maybe their experience is different.

[Raspy]

Originally Posted by WaltP

Sure, but how many people are bamboozled into paying big bucks to replace that 21% with more nitrogen (And pretty green valve caps) to no demonstrable benefit (according to Consumer Reports).

Walt

I don't know about the "big bucks" part, or the Consumer Reports credibility part. But, the main advantage of nitrogen is that it is a dry gas. Air compressor tanks gradually fill up with condensed water that must be drained off or it goes out the air line and into tires. I found about two cups of water in one of my car tires where it must have been filled with a waterlogged compressor. In airplanes that fly in sub-zero temperatures, they could end up with rocks in the tires that could cause serious problems on landing. Tires filled from dry compressed nitrogen bottles, have no water in them except for a very small amount of humidity in the air that was in the tire before it was inflated.

All the talk about larger molecules is just annoying to listen to. Mainly it's a fear based sales pitch and reminds me of the "10 Ply tires" pitch. Or how about the commonly heard refrain that "you should always run trailer tires at the maximum inflation pressure so they won't blow out".

I won't pay extra for 100% nitrogen, but I don't mind if it's in there. The green caps are a bit comical though. But drier is better, unless you're talking about tractor tires. My tractor tires are filled to about 80% full with water and topped off with air that contains about 78% nitrogen.