Tires - What to Get?

Nomad

Searched and after 4-pages of returns, found a thread from 2014 - Know Verna got new ones last year...

Need new tires on the TV and my T@Bs aren't down to the wear nubs yet but figured since I had the flat and have to visit a tire shop would start fresh. What are the latest recommendations...

RZRBUG

Verna swears by Carlisle.  I switched my originals for a set of Maxxis ST205/75R14 M8008 ST Radials.  Just checked and I have 15,300 miles on them (Holy Cow, more that I thought).  I have not noticed any signs of wear, have added one or two lbs of air after setting between trips.  They are what I will buy when I replace.

Verna

Yup, Carlisle tires for me. I got mine at Discount tires. 

Nomad

Thanks - Am out in middle MT so will see what the two tire shops in the small town can do/get.

RZRBUG

Availability can be limited in a small town.  Our local shop could not get the tires I wanted through his normal sources, so I asked to order them online and let him put them on.  Of course, I had more time to wait than you probably do.

Nomad

Could be a problem :-(
What did you two pay if I might add? 

RZRBUG

I believe it was $262 for the pair, with free shipping.

Nomad

Thanks - so far in my travels I've never felt I'm getting screwed as I passed thru - no take advantage of the stranger - always a first time though.

Verna

$286/pair. Mounted, balanced, valve stems, disposal of old ones, all that other stuff they charge you. Plus the guy did put the spare tire back on the bracket underneath. I was quoted $99/tire plus balancing.   I chuckled because I knew it would be about $40/tire more than the quote. 

And the Discount Tire I went to said the Airstream travel trailers are like our T@B's in that you can't put a jack under the axle. 

Nomad

Thanks - Will run into town (20 miles) in the morning and see what they have or can get.
Haven't looked at the spare that came with the T@B, could get a match and use the good tire as a spare till I get back to a big town and familiar territory. Mental noodling :-)

wizard1880

Maxxis is definitely the premium brand, at least by opinion across multiple RV forums over the last several years.  I hear more war stories about Goodyear Marathons, oddly enough.

Honestly, I don't think it matters what you get, as long as you replace them after 6 years or the tread wears out.

Nomad

With the mileage I put on, I'd never make it 6 years - 2 1/2 maybe :-)

ericnliz

PXL, Trailer choices: Carlisle, or Maxxis, both really good choices. For your TV, Bridgestone Dueller is the best, a little spendy, but worth the $ in the long run. Good luck, and if 'ya can't get what 'ya want, I'd wait until you are in a larger area as well. Good luck, and Happy Trails!

Nomad

Well, not a whole lot of choice in this little town - Checked into ordering and that could be a week. All they carry is Rubbermaster so that's what it'll have to be for this set :-(

ericnliz

Sometimes 'ya gotta do what 'ya gotta do>

ericnliz

PXL, 'Ya must have made it out of the tire shop in one piece, and back on the road again since 'ya been kinda quiet today. Hope you got everything patched up okay.

Nomad

Yep - $175 - Tires, mounting, balancing and old tires on the trash heap.

ericnliz

That's not a bad deal, glad 'ya got it taken care of & escaped in one piece!

Nomad

I'd never heard of that brand but guess they make all kinds of vert market tires - trailers, tractors, fork lifts, etc. - And they didn't screw the stranger passing thru is the best part :-)

ericnliz

PXL, that's always the way I treated folks when I was in the business. Treat 'em like friends, and they become one. had a LOT of out neighbors from Canada come to my stores, and they sent their friends to see me 'cause I treated them so well. They're only priority was not to "spiffy" up their tires & wheels so they didn't have to pay the "luxury" tax. Nice folks. Glad everything went well, I've heard horror stories from others who were stranded and got taken advantage of. Just really glad you weren't one of them!

EllenZ

Verna. I just bought the carlisles. Discount tires were adamant about keeping them at maximum pressure 65 psi. Is that what you do?  When I kept the original tires at max (50 psi) the trailer bounced so I took it down to 38 and it drove like a dream. 

Verna

@EllenZ, it depends on which Carlisle tire you purchased. I think I keep mine around 40 lbs because 45 was too bouncy (I'm not at my T@B right now). Look at the sidewall and see what the manufacturer recommends, and try it from their recommendation and adjust for a ride of your comfort. 

ericnliz

EllenZ, One needs to bear in mind that tires in one size/brand will fit a lot of different applications with different weight, and or speed requirements. If you put 65 psi in your T@B tires, I can almost promise you it will bounce down the road like a kid's ball. A lot of tire distributors/shops use maximum air pressure, rather than the recommended application [trailer, or vehicle] pressure.  Quite frankly, I NEVER followed the practice of doing that for the simple fact, in most applications it will cause premature tire wear/replacement to happen. First of all doing this, if you have an application with a lower load requirement than the maximum stated on the sidewall of the tire, you WILL wear the center of the tire out first, rather than a flat across the tread pattern as it should be. Depending on how much weight you add to your T@B while traveling, 40 to 45 psi will more than suffice for the application, with minimal bouncing. I would NOT, under any circumstances go below the 38 psi as you mentioned above, as this will cause wear from under-inflation, and both the inner, and outer sides of the tire will wear out prematurely, the opposite of over-inflation. Almost all vehicles have a sticker attached stating a recommended pressure for the tire size, and load, and speed requirements. This sticker acts as a guideline for inflation, to be adjusted for the required application of the vehicle. If I remember correctly, you are right when you say the T@B sticker says 50 psi, which again, is a starting point to be adjusted accordingly. Personally, I run between 40 and 42 psi depending on how much "stuff" I pack in the trailer as far as weight/ load. Always check, and set your tire air pressure when cold to get an accurate reading, as when they warm up, the pressure will increase 10-15, sometimes 20%. I hope this helps you out.

Nomad

Get one of those white tire marking sticks, draw a line across the tread, travel. Check to see if it's worn evanly. If not, you're over or under.

EllenZ

Great information everyone. Thanks. Eric Liz would you use the same tire pressure even if one tire has a max psi of 65 and another has a max psi of 50?

Nomad

You don't have matching tires?

wizard1880

Hmm, a difference in max pressure, as long as they're both either radial or bias-ply, means they have a different load rating.

Here's a little technical dive into the matter, and how I look at it.  The tires are somewhat over rated, by design, for the T@B when it is at maximum cargo limit (GVWR).  For example, if you have a model with the 3500 lbs axle, your tires are probably rated near 2000 lbs each.  Our campers come anywhere from 1400-1800 lbs empty, roughly, depending on model.

Let's say you've got your water and waste tanks full, plus a full compliment of gear, and your camper now weighs 2600.  That's 1100-1500 on each tire, depending on how it's loaded side to side.  Tongue weight also reduces tire load, but let's just leave this out for simplicity sakes.

Your tires, then, are only using 75% of their rating.  It varies from tire to tire, but you can reduce the tire pressure to accommodate the load.  This way, they're not bouncing down the road and showing over inflation wear.  This is why many of us choose to lower our pressure proportionally to weight.  I do this, but add 5-10% as a buffer, by personal choice

Most T@Bs out there have the 2700 lbs axle I believe, so if you're fully loaded check your tire max load and do the math, to see where you should keep your pressure safely.  I keep mine at 42 lbs (max 50).

It's also a good idea to check your tires often during your trip.  At each fuel up or rest stop, etc, put your hands on the tire treads.  If the outdoor temperature is winter or spring-like (60s), your tire tread should feel lukewarm to cold.  If the weather is warmer or even hot (80+), the tires will be warm, but they should never be hot enough to burn your hand, or smell like hot rubber (unless your tires are less than a year old).

It's also a good idea to test your bearings temp by feeling the lug nuts.  They should be the same as the outdoor temp, or warm if you braked down a large hill or did a lot of city driving just before testing.  If they're hot, or especially if one side is hotter than the other, get your axles inspected and greased ASAP.

This is what I've learned from personal experience and Internet forums research over the years.  My gospel ain't everyone's gospel, but I hope to help anyone who's curious.

Michigan_Mike

I've heard that they make a trailer tire that is rated for 70 mph travel.  Do any if you have them and if so, please post up specs and tire size/manufacturer, etc.?

RollingBnB

Michigan_Mike said:

I've heard that they make a trailer tire that is rated for 70 mph travel.  Do any if you have them and if so, please post up specs and tire size/manufacturer, etc.?

Our 2017 T@B tires have a speed rating of 75 molded into the sidewall. I wouldn't trust them at that speed.

Trailpixie

I think 75 mph is probably a bad idea.

On the tire brand and model issue, I have heard people say you must get trailer-rated tires. I think this is bunk. If you buy a tire with the right load rating, any road or AT tire should be fine.

What do you think?

RollingBnB

I agree as long as it's a single axel trailer. Two axels create much more tire scrub when turning.