Tire Dilemma

[Harvey]

I have a dilemma with tires on My 2001 Casita 17SD. All 3 tires, ST205/75R14, including the spare, are of different mfg. Driver side tire is a Maxxis M8008 & the DOT marking is 20S4 1411, mfg date 1st full week of April 2011. The passenger side tire is a Tow-Master from Costco with DOT 9DKC 2810, which I believe translates to mfg date of 2nd full week of July 2010. The spare is a DYNATRAIL mfg'd in China & is marked DOT OUKK 2912, mfg date 3d full week of July 2012. I received lots of paperwork from P.O. including an invoice (walk-in, mount only on rim) from Costco Tire Center, Southlake, TX for a Tow-Master ST205/75R14 trailer tire. The invoice is dated 7/27/2009 which of course does not match the mfg date of my Tow-Master tire which is a year newer. The spare tire appears to be brand new, never on ground, the Maxxis has tread depth of well over a quarter inch, & the Tow-Master has tread depth of a quarter inch. PO told me when I bought the trailer last January that tires were new but if so, the Tow-Master had been sitting 'on the shelf' for several years. Even if the Maxxis & the Dynatrail ARE nearly new, I still have 3 different brands & the Tow-Master just turned 5 years old so I think it's about time for a replacement, & since I don't like to run different brands I'm thinking of buying at least 1 new Maxxis 8008 to replace the Tow-Master. My current Maxxis is just over 4 years old & has another year to run, conservatively. Also, since we're not exactly rolling in money, I'm thinking that the 3 year old 'new' DYNATRAIL will do as a spare for another couple of years. I'd of course prefer to have 3 new Maxxix M8008s but that's a pile of money. Any comments, recommendations, welcome

[Bob Miller]

I'd bit the bullet and buy two new tires. If not, in a few years you have the same situation where you have to buy one tire to match an existing tire, which may not be all that easy as the brands age and change out available tire lines.

[stevebaz]

If it were mine there would be 2 new tires on the trailer. The best of the rest becomes the spare. Anything less I would loose sleep over. I know its easy to spend someone else's money. If you must keep the old tires pop in some nice new valve stems their cheap. I had this very same issue when I bought my Scamp 3 years ago. 2 odd ball different make trailer tires and 1 A78-13 passenger car tire as a spare. It drove me nuts. But if you have tires issues with a 13" tire in the middle of no place your stuck with what you can find until you can get that new piece of crap replaced. At least start out on solid rubber.

[FRED SMAILES]

Originally Posted by Bob Miller

I'd bit the bullet and buy two new tires. If not, in a few years you have the same situation where you have to buy one tire to match an existing tire, which may not be all that easy as the brands age and change out available tire lines.

Bob and I seldom agree when it comes to tires, but I agree this time.
Fred

[Steve Outlaw]

I agree with everyone's opinion on two new tires to put on the ground. If it were me, I'd buy light truck tires and not worry about them blowing out and having to use your spare.

[Bob Miller]

As it turns out there are 6 & 8 (equivalent) ply 185R14 LT tires, as well as 185R14 6 ply ST tires out there. And if you look real hard there are 195R14 LT tires as well. These are all "80" profile


Load Range "C" old 6 ply rating (50 PSI)
Load Range "D" old 8 ply rating (65 PSI)

[Harvey]

Thanks folks; appears the consensus is to put new tires 'on the ground'. Makes sense to me even at the cost of another tire. I'll check with the local Maxxis dealer for new M8008s, & also see about LT tires available.

stevebaz - The 'best of the rest' is probably the 'new' 3-yr old DynaTrail spare but I may use the 4-yr old Maxxis as a spare?? I have lots of confidence in the Maxxis tires & am totally unfamiliar with the DynaTrails... Looks good tho.

[stevebaz]

Best of the rest can only be judged by you. I have never had good long term results with spare tires. They are usually only good enough to save your bacon if you have a bad day. When you get to a tire store to replace your new found flat I would always buy 2 new tires and move the best of the rest to the spare. Always putting down 2 new matched tires on the road. For me the fully inflated spare sitting on the back of the trailer year after year never run is more harmful to the tire than using it. Its done its job usually sitting there 3 to 5 years longer than the tires on the road. I don't trust spare tires and if stuck and using one I slow way down and take my time until I can get the tires replaced.

[redbarron55]

Tires have to be run to keep the oils distributed properly in the rubber compound. If a tire sits the compound deteriorates and the tread may well separate from the carcass due to this. There are several different rubber compounds that make up a tire and the magic that holds them together can weaken with age and disuse.
For example I have never worn out a Goodyear tire, they have all come apart long before that!

Sent from my SCH-I605 using Fiberglass RV mobile app

[Bob in Mb]

As pointed out in a previous thread by another member a good quality trailer tire is designed for the maximum performance when used on a trailer . That is maximum lateral traction not torque traction , and firmer sidewall construction , all to give more stable control. Both tires on the ground should be the same , the spare can be something good enough to get you to help ,and since it is going to deteriorate from inactivity you may not wish to invest a lot in it since hopefully you will never use it .

[Mike Magee]

I would not worry much about a spare tire being aged, since it's not likely to be used much (just enough to get me to a tire store) if at all. For tires on the ground, 6 years is my limit. You could get by for a year with the 2 most recent-dated tires, probably. But there's nothing wrong with erring on the side of caution, if you can find the $$$ for 1 or 2 new tires. JMO.

[Harvey]

Stopped by our local tire shop yesterday (He has a Maxxis sign wired to his storage area fence) & asked about a new pair of M8008 tires for my Casita. He tried really hard to sell me a pair of Tow Masters (maybe 15% cheaper than the Maxxis) which he stocks. He gave me comparison prices & then said he could get the Maxxis out of Little Rock by 1pm so I told him to go ahead & get 'em & I'd be back with my trailer by 1:30. Called before I hitched up the Casita & the girl said the truck was running a little late & I should come at 2:15 or so. Got there about 2:20, they jacked up my Casita (properly, on the frame), mounted & balanced the new Maxxis (used the old Maxxis as a spare), put the old tires in back of my truck, & I was outta there by 3pm for total of $222. Sold the old tires (including the 'new' DynaTrail spare) today, to a school teacher out of Little Rock who wanted 'em for a barbeque/smoker trailer that doesn't move much, for enough to make a serious dent in the new tire cost. Sooo, I have 2 new Maxxis (mfg 0715) on the ground & a 4-yr old (still nearly new) Maxxis spare on the back, & I'm happy & feel a lot more confidence in my Casita's 'shoes'...

[Byron Kinnaman]

Originally Posted by Steve Outlaw

I agree with everyone's opinion on two new tires to put on the ground. If it were me, I'd buy light truck tires and not worry about them blowing out and having to use your spare.

Light truck tires are designed for light trucks NOT trailers. ST tires are designed for trailers NOT light trucks. That is unless you're smarter than the engineers that design tires.

[Borrego Dave]

Originally Posted by Steve Outlaw

I agree with everyone's opinion on two new tires to put on the ground. If it were me, I'd buy light truck tires and not worry about them blowing out and having to use your spare.

Have to agree with you Steve. After 30 plus years of RVing all my buds have always run truck or car tires on all their trailers, utility, cargo, 5er's or TTs, me too. Not one has ever had a problem with them. Stock trailers run radials for ease on the animals legs and comfort because of a softer ride. After all those road miles without problems, I really have to wonder why folks are so adamant to not run a truck/car tire when you have so many more options for weight and speed ratings. Even staying at the 55 mph limit we have here in Ca. The most prevalent reason I've seen here is side wall strength of STs ???. From my own experience with both types on a wide range of trailers, 100 lbs to 20,000+ lbs, I've never felt or seen any difference to how the trailer tows or reacts on the road because of tires.
I'm not an engineer Byron, but I do have 1000's of miles with my own trailers and have never experienced anything to back up or prove the engineers/designers reasons for STs only on TTs. Dang, I've had more trouble with the LTs on my truck.
It probably does look good on paper though for sales.