Tires

[Carol H]

Originally Posted by gmw photos

Carol,
I am curious, what were the LT tires you had ? It's generally hard to find LT tires in diameters smaller than 16" in the US market. Kumho, Hankook and couple of others are available, but they can be hard to locate.

george

George the LT's were Kumho's and where purchased in the the US by the previous owner.

[David Tilston]

Since tire inflation pressure is specified, on the Trillium data sheets, at 28psi. I wonder what has changed between now, and then.

There have been several comments about this on this thread:
http://www.fiberglassrv.com/forums/f...ium-56121.html

[floyd]

Originally Posted by Jim Bennett

I do have to wonder, would car tires have the same 5 year recommended life too. I don't think I have ever had a vehicle that went more than 2 or 3 years without requiring the tires to be changed.

The tread on my car tires is guaranteed for 90,000 miles.
The car is 5 years old with 54000 miles on it. The tires were installed on the day the car was bought new, so the tread warranty is the only warranty left on the car and is good for another 36000 miles.At this rate we're talking about three more years before replacement.

[Francesca Knowles]

Originally Posted by David Tilston

Since tire inflation pressure is specified, on the Trillium data sheets, at 28psi. I wonder what has changed between now, and then.

There have been several comments about this on this thread:
http://www.fiberglassrv.com/forums/f...ium-56121.html

I s'pose tire construction has changed- but you raise a very important point, it being vehicle manufacturer specs per tire pressure.

Tire pressures stamped on sidewalls are maximums for that tire, which has obviously been designed for a wide variety of vehicles. Without exception, tire makers tirelessly tell folks to use the pressure recommended by the vehicle maker, who specifies the pressure according to its function on the vehicle. Running maximum sidewall pressure is very common, not just on trailers but on vehicles of all kinds- often to the detriment of ride and possibly even increased wear on other parts of the suspension.

But trying to convince anyone used to running the max that he shouldn't do so is usually a losing proposition, as I was muttering to myself the last time I let out the excess that my husband had put into my car tires...

Trillium's pounds-recommendation is probably very near the weight-related number for the 13 inch ST's I'm running on mine today. I don't run mine that low, but thanks to an earlier go-round on this subject and inspired by one member's posting of weight/pressure charts, I did recently conduct a road test of about 500 miles and determined that at least in my case, at 40 pounds the trailer ride was smoother, it handled the same as always, and gas mileage was affected very slightly if at all.

The most impressive "result" I inadvertently came away with:
I forgot to latch the fridge door at some point, an oversight that would usually result in the door being banged open in transit. A hundred miles later on the reduced pressure, I was delighted to find it still closed and the contents intact!

I'm a believer...

Francesca

[Jim Bennett]

Originally Posted by Roy in TO

OK, from the same link I posted before, I see an explanation.
http://www.carlisletransportationpro..._Practices.pdf

Good reading, thanks for posting.

Originally Posted by floyd

The tires on my car are guaranteed for 90,000 miles.
The car is 5 years old with 54000 miles on it. The tires were installed on the day the car was bought new, so the tire warranty is the only one left and is good for another 36000 miles.At this rate we're talking about three more years before replacement.

Is the possibly something in the fine print that says "or 5 years, whichever comes first"? I would hope not, but you never know these days.

[floyd]

Originally Posted by Jim Bennett

Good reading, thanks for posting.


Is the possibly something in the fine print that says "or 5 years, whichever comes first"? I would hope not, but you never know these days.

Defect in materials and workmanship is 6 years, but treadlife continues for the life of the tire. I clarified my post to reflect my original intent.

"These days" you say? ...
As the great Kingfish pontificated some 65 years ago....
" Yes Suh Amos, ya know thuh BIG print giveth and the fine print taketh away!"

[floyd]

Originally Posted by Francesca Knowles

I s'pose tire construction has changed- but you raise a very important point, it being vehicle manufacturer specs per tire pressure.

Michelin says to follow vehicle manufacurer's tire pressure specs for original equipment tires,but to follow tire maker's pressure recommendations for replacement tires with the caveat that the vehicle manufacturer's tire pressure specs should be retained as minimum pressures.

[Francesca Knowles]

Originally Posted by floyd

Michelin says to follow vehicle manufacurer's tire pressure specs for original equipment tires,but to follow tire maker's pressure recommendations for replacement tires with the caveat that the vehicle manufacturer's tire pressure specs should be retained as minimum pressures.

Hmmm...where does Michelin say that? At the tire pressure page of the Michelin website, it says otherwise-?

Here quoting from Michelin/How to check tire pressure

Compare the measured psi to the psi found on the sticker inside the driver’s door of your vehicle or in owner’s manual. DO NOT compare to the psi on your tire’s sidewall.
If your psi is above the number, let air out until it matches. If below, add air (or have a Michelin retailer help you) until it reaches the proper number.

Francesca

[gmw photos]

Originally Posted by honda03842

George,

I've used Goodyear Marathons for the last 6 years and we are now on our second set. We have never had a failure and are on the road 7-11 months a year with a fair percentage on rough roads.

Goodyear's warranty is for four years. I have never read that they need to be derated by 30% after 3 years. As a user I would appreciate it if you could document this claim. I have not found that statement on their RV tire site, one that is well worth reading in its entirety.

Goodyear RV Tires

There are various guides and FAQ on this site. For people who do not use their tires frequently, there are many good suggestions on how to maximize tire life.

I found the following particularly interesting because we are people who regularly use our tires and this promotes longer life.

• Usage per year - more frequent usage will result in longer life
• Vehicle storage practices (6 months loaded with little or no rotation is not good!)
• Usage in warmer climates can also impact a tire's overall life due to greater extreme ozone exposure

Like everyone else on the site I do not want a tire failure on my trailer. I pay careful attention to them including the mounting of tire pressure and temperature sensors.

Goodyear Marathons have worked for me.

Norm,
I found that I had copied the text of it and saved it as an email draft. Looking on the goodyear site briefly I was not able to find the document again, but with some more digging it's probably there somewhere. Anyway, the following is the quote from Tim Fry that I had saved:

Tim Fry, senior development engineer with Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. in Akron, Ohio. Says: "As an estimate, in about three years roughly one-third of a tire's strength is gone, just because of the normal process of aging," Fry claimed. "We believe three to five years is the projected life of normal trailer tires."

FAILURE ANALYSIS
Even properly rated tires can fail. The No. 1 cause is underinflation. This is particularly true of an ST tire, which relies on proper inflation to live up to its load rating. Without enough air pressure, an ST sidewall will not function as designed, and will eventually fail, usually in the form of a sidewall blowout. Tires lose approximately 1 psi per month as well as 1 psi for every 10-degree drop in temperature.

Overinflation is also hard on a tire, causing irregular wear and possibly a blowout. Yet, you can't always spot improper inflation with a visual inspection, so check your tires frequently with an accurate air-pressure gauge.

Long-term fatigue can also weaken a trailer tire. There are a number of factors that accelerate fatigue, but heat buildup from towing at high speeds is one of the main culprits, according to Fry.

"If you trailer nonstop from Phoenix, Arizona, to Las Vegas, in 100-degree temperatures at 65 mph, you use up much of the resources of that tire, and you don't realize it," said Fry.

Fry is not talking about wearing out the tread. It is the tire's construction that is breaking down. As heat builds up, the tire's structure starts to disintegrate and weaken. Over the course of several trips, this load-carrying capacity gradually decreases, according to Fry. Incidentally, all ST tires have a maximum speed rating of 65 mph.

One key to extending tire life on a tandem- or tri-axle trailer is to ensure that the trailer is riding level, thus distributing the load equally among all the tires. If the trailer tongue sits too high, the rear tires may bear the brunt of the load: with the trailer tongue too low, the front tires may be unduly stressed.


OLD MAN TIME
Time and the elements can also weaken a tire. The structural components and bonding agents slowly break down. This is due primarily to internal air pressure forcing oxidation of the tire materials. Ultraviolet rays also attack the rubber on a tire left exposed to the sun. As a result, a 15-year-old tire that was rarely used may look virtually new, but because of the ravages of time and elements, it does not have the same strength as when it was new, according to Fry.

[Francesca Knowles]

Good ol' "Tim Fry, Product Development Manager for Goodyear Tire and Rubber"! I wonder if he actually exists...I've seen that quote, word-for-word, on many forums/blogs and never with an attributed source! Try Googling the above words and find out for yourself.

I don't doubt the accuracy of the statement itself, but as far as its provenance: no link to Goodyear that I've ever been able to find.

Onward through the fog!

Francesca

[carlkeigley]

As a side note, when I air up my riding mower tires, I lay my hand across the tread. When it feels as tight as a bow string, I quit airing it up.

I will probably use a gauge on my camper tires..............lol.

[floyd]

Originally Posted by Francesca Knowles

Hmmm...where does Michelin say that? At the tire pressure page of the Michelin website, it says otherwise-?

Here quoting from Michelin/How to check tire pressure



Francesca

Here....
http://www.discounttire.com/Michelin...nersManual.pdf

Then scroll down to where it says.."driving on any tire that does not have the correct inflation pressure is dangerous"

Probably should say "which"

[Francesca Knowles]

If this is the language you're talking about, Floyd (here quoting from the page you posted):

s. For replacement tires, the correct inflation pressure will be provided by your Michelin tire retailer; if not, refer to the vehicle decal. These inflation pressures must be maintained as a
minimum.

Noting that it doesn't say to inflate to the tire's labeled max pressure... did your retailer provide you with tire pressure numbers different from those on your vehicle decal?

Francesca

[Byron Kinnaman]

Sometimes I wonder why all the fuss about tire pressures and towing speeds. The answer is quite simple. Cold inflated to side wall printed pressure, tow well under 65 mph. Replace your trailer tires at least every 5 years. Simple things make or stress free towing and more enjoyment.

[Daniel A.]

You guy's are really into this happy travels .

[gmw photos]

Originally Posted by Carol H

Norm raises a good point regarding tire life. Personal experience with current trailer using a set of LT's and ST's is they have failed long before the tread showed much sign of wear. In both cases there was no blow out - simple tire inspection while getting gas showed they were starting to crack badly between the treads & had I carried on there was a good chance they would come apart very soon. In both cases the tires had been checked by a tire shop prior to the trips and balanced and deemed to be fine. I also do check the air pressure often.

In the case of the LT's they were on the trailer about 4.5 years. In the case of the ST's they were on the trailer 3 years and 3 months..........

Carol,
not to put too fine a point on it, but for you to say these tires failed because they had weather cracking, is actually incorrect. If you read good years service bulletin, they actually have a measurement for tire cracking ( sometimes called weather cracking ) and in that spec, there is a limit below which it is not considered a reason to take the tire out of service.
Now then, if you simply did not feel safe having tires with visible cracks, that may have been a good reason for you personally to go ahead and replace then. But that is not the same as a tire failure.

And for anyone who thinks it is incorrect to use LT tires on a trailer, then I would suggest you research good year g614 tires. They are a LT tire that good year reccommends for trailer use.

Ok y'alll, I had promised myself I'd stay out of this discussion, and yet I let myself get suckered in. So this is all I'll say on it, because of all the things I know about tire, or pretend to know, or hope to know, there honestly is ONE thing that I know FOR SURE.....and that is no matter what any of us say on thos or any other forum, we each are not going to change ANYBODY'S mind. Folks with RV trailers are most definitely the most opinionated and stubborn group I have ever hung out with ! . And I thought horse lovers were stubborn !!!

over and out y'all.....have a good weekend, see you all on the road...

george

[floyd]

Originally Posted by Francesca Knowles

If this is the language you're talking about, Floyd (here quoting from the page you posted):


Noting that it doesn't say to inflate to the tire's labeled max pressure... did your retailer provide you with tire pressure numbers different from those on your vehicle decal?

Francesca

I have never advocated inflating to maximum sidewall pressure on a passenger tire and AFAIK Michelin doesn't sell trailer tires(at least not in the U.S.)
My retailer does suggest different (higher) numbers from those on my vehicle's sticker, however...
I make the final decision based on vehicle application, tire choice, and driving habits. The OEM tires were replaced on the same day on which the car was purchased new.

I have a question for you... Did you copy&paste that quote from the PDF,or did you read it and type it? For some reason I can never Copy/Paste from a PDF and I sure would like to know if/how it is possible.

[Glenn Baglo]

My tires are going to outlive this thread.

[Jared J]

Originally Posted by Glenn Baglo

My tires are going to outlive this thread.

Yep. Car tires go by the door (except the pickup, different size/load range from factory), trailer tires are set at max.

[Carol H]

Originally Posted by Francesca Knowles

Good ol' "Tim Fry, Product Development Manager for Goodyear Tire and Rubber"! I wonder if he actually exists...I've seen that quote, word-for-word, on many forums/blogs and never with an attributed source! Try Googling the above words and find out for yourself.

Why not just contact him through LINKIN and ask him if he ever said any of that & where - Tim Fry - Production Manager at Goodyear Tire & Rubber -no mention on his profile have ever having the Development Manager though.