Does anyone know what makes a tire "trailer specific"? The only thing I have heard (unsubstantiated) is that 5th wheel tires need to resist the side loads imparted by severe jack knife turns. I'm not sure I buy that given the side loads on a truck tire while turning at speed. My experience with trailer tires seems to indicate that "trailer specific" simply means an inferior tire that should not be used on a car/truck.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BCDave
I'd love to know who are the moderators (Yes Frederick, I know you are one, but you are the only one I know of) so I could PM all of them with a suggestion to establish a "products recommended by members" section. I'd even volunteer to be the moderator of it!
No Carol - Hate to break it to ya, but there are several that are rated as high as 160kph (100 MPH) and are trailer rated - usually with a load range D as well. Several have been posted on here as well, but since there is no "products recommended by members" section it is next to impossible to find them!
Nope Dave I am not confused - you and several others missed that I referred to "ST" marked trailer tires -which I do understand come in different load ratings but they are still limited to 65 mph.
Its ok though as the poster who I was questioning going fast than 65 isnt running ST tires.
Does anyone know what makes a tire "trailer specific"? The only thing I have heard (unsubstantiated) is that 5th wheel tires need to resist the side loads imparted by severe jack knife turns. I'm not sure I buy that given the side loads on a truck tire while turning at speed. My experience with trailer tires seems to indicate that "trailer specific" simply means an inferior tire that should not be used on a car/truck.
Stiffer sidewalls supposed to prevent sway. Also, it's hard to find for 13" rims "non trailer tires" that would have sufficient load rating. Car tires are just not capable of withstanding the axleweight of even small trailers. Well, not with any margin of safety.
Personally, I did away with "trailer tires" that kept on delaminating at highway speeds and got used Goodyear Intrepids which (I think) are light truck tires. Main thing for me was that they had sufficient load and more than sufficient speed rating. Not a single problem since!
YMMV
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soooo. I'll take the better fuel consumption and keep it at 60 mph. Knowing that I have at least 10 to 15 mph of rapid smooth acceleration at my disposal should I need it.
Besides it's less taxing to drive at a speed that does not force one to "handle" the road situation and directions at hyper speeds. The 10 mph difference in speed between 60 and 70 mph is 16% faster that I have to respond to conditions I'm driving toward. If I was doing 75 mph I would have to react 25% faster. Me too lazy
According to the Kumho web sit those tires are rated for an RPM of 817. When you calculate that it comes slightly less than 65 mph. Unless you have some other information those tires are rated for the same maximum as all other ST tires.
In the parlance of tire specifications, RPM means "revolutions per MILE" (not per minute) and is provided to assist with speedometer calibration. Rev per Mile is a measure taken under load, tire is deformed by the load with tire inflated to spec. It is not a simple measurement of circumference calculated vs length of a mile
So these tires will revolve, under load, at max pressure, 817 times in one mile.
At whatever speed, up to their rated safe maximum speed of approx 100 mph!
I've noticed that every time the question of towing speed is breached, it is treated as if tires were the only factor.
I can think of no case where a travel trailer actually adds to the safe speed which a vehicle can be driven.
While generalities are always false, I think it safe to say that some reduction in speed is in order while towing any trailer even if someone were to produce a "Z" rated trailer tire.
However, just to play the gadfly.....
Using the "Logan's Run" method of tire replacement could actually be detrimental to speed tolerance, since a tire at half tread is actually more stable and retains less heat than one with full tread.
Also, it has been repeated regularly here that trailer tires are rated to 65MPH... Near as I can tell... this is a labeling restriction not a speed rating.
Speed ratings involve rigorous testing standards which trailer tires are not required to meet since they are held to the labeling standard.
Anyone know better??
I've noticed that every time the question of towing speed is breached, it is treated as if tires were the only factor.
I can think of no case where a travel trailer actually adds to the safe speed which a vehicle can be driven.
>>>>>
IMHO when road conditions are poor, safe speed would be normally lower when towing than for the same vehicle without a trailer. However, in good driving conditions, it's the factors like driver skill, technical state of the trailer and the TV and most often the law that are speed limiting factors. Trailer tires seem to be most often the weakest link in that scenario so, they become hot topic of discussions.
Naturally, things like economy and individual driving styles are also playing a role but, there isn't much to discuss there; we all know than the faster you go, the more fuel you burn and that people who enjoy sightseeing when driving slowly are not going to be pushing the speeds to the limit.
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IMHO when road conditions are poor, safe speed would be normally lower when towing than for the same vehicle without a trailer. However, in good driving conditions, it's the factors like driver skill, technical state of the trailer and the TV and most often the law that are speed limiting factors. Trailer tires seem to be most often the weakest link in that scenario so, they become hot topic of discussions.
Naturally, things like economy and individual driving styles are also playing a role but, there isn't much to discuss there; we all know than the faster you go, the more fuel you burn and that people who enjoy sightseeing when driving slowly are not going to be pushing the speeds to the limit.
I assume your driving skills,and your tow vehicle's condition would be the same under any conditions. Add to that, a trailer in perfect shape and properly loaded in perfect weather conditions on our best highways in broad daylight.
Given all that, allow me to reiterate...
" I can think of no case where a travel trailer actually adds to the safe speed which a vehicle can be driven."
Also let me add...
I can think of no case where a travel trailer would not detract from the safe speed which a vehicle can be driven.
Notice, I did not mention a particular speed in either case, but if your Tow vehicle alone has a safe limit of "S" then that same vehicle pulling a trailer would have a safe limit of something less than "S".
Driving habits would need to be modified as well as I mentioned in post #7 in this thread.
Really I thought these things were non-controversial statings of the obvious...No??
In the interest of science a number of speed tests have been done over the years.
At test locations all of these combinations reached speeds of 90 to 100 MPH. Note the Merc and Dodge had less than 200HP. The FWD caddy had 300HP. I do know the Airstream behind the Caddy had high performance car tires on the trailer. Not sure what tires were used in the older tests, bias ply something tires for sure.
Guess the theory is that if the combination is stable at very high speed then the chances are it would be extra stable at lower speeds (as in 60 MPH).
I assume your driving skills,and your tow vehicle's condition would be the same under any conditions. Add to that, a trailer in perfect shape and properly loaded in perfect weather conditions on our best highways in broad daylight.
Given all that, allow me to reiterate...
" I can think of no case where a travel trailer actually adds to the safe speed which a vehicle can be driven."
No argument with the above statement.
Quote:
Originally Posted by floyd
Also let me add...
I can think of no case where a travel trailer would not detract from the safe speed which a vehicle can be driven.
Notice, I did not mention a particular speed in either case, but if your Tow vehicle alone has a safe limit of "S" then that same vehicle pulling a trailer would have a safe limit of something less than "S".
Driving habits would need to be modified as well as I mentioned in post #7 in this thread.
Really I thought these things were non-controversial statings of the obvious...No??
Traffic doesn't care whether you tow or not. It flows at it's own pace. In my book, in most cases, unless the traffic is speeding, safe speed is the speed of the traffic and that is regardless of whether I'm towing or not.
YMMV
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Cool!! What was the stopping distance or the effect of a decending radius turn?
Here's another view of trailering on a closed circuit race track...
It looks like Briley Parkway on Memorial Day weekend (only without the road construction),Check this out...
Traffic doesn't care whether you tow or not. It flows at it's own pace. In my book, in most cases, unless the traffic is speeding, safe speed is the speed of the traffic and that is regardless of whether I'm towing or not.
YMMV
Cool!! What was the stopping distance or the effect of a decending radius turn?
Here's another view of trailering on a closed circuit race track...Check this out...
Cool!! What was the stopping distance or the effect of a decending radius turn?
Here's another view of trailering on a closed circuit race track...
It looks like Briley Parkway on Memorial Day weekend (only without the road construction),Check this out...
I didn't find anything about tire side loading in corners in 20 second search. However, it seems to me that high speed cornering is greatly effected by the trailer. Light trucks and autos have sway control systems to keep the vehicle flat, (static like torsion bars or active via computer). I believer those help keep the tires on the ground. Where's the same system in the trailer. It seems to me that the trailer tires will break traction at a much lower speed than the autos or light trucks.
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