I have been reading posts that many of you are going to truck tires rather than trailer tires. Is this safe ? If so, why are some tires designated for trailers only ?
I now have goodyear marithon tires(china) and I want to change to a safer tire as we are going on a long trip this spring.
Also my tires are ST225 75R 15. Several people on this site are going to 16". I checked the space between tires and I could use the 16" with good clearance.
Truck tires (LT rated) have been used on trailers since the first trailer was built. In fact, in the "bad old days", we had the choice of 4 ply, 6 ply, 8 ply, and 10 ply tires (yes, there were heavier ones for special applications, some large aircraft tires were 28 ply!). Now, all tires are basicly 2 ply sidewalls with added belts under the tread, and they have "ply ratings".
A heavy trailer will do just fine with "Load Range E" LT tires.
When my trailers need tires, that's what they will get.
Oh, yeah, for the popcorn crowd, I will add this: there is NO need to inflate your LT tires to the maximum indicated on the sidewall, UNLESS you also are running them at the maximum LOAD indicated on the sidewall!
There, that should give adequate ammunition for responses to keep the popcorn munchers entertained!
ST special trailer tires are only speed rated for 65 mph, while LT tires can easily exceed that. The weight rating for ST tires is greater than the same size LT tire. LT tires have less problems than ST tires (apparently due to the heat and speed rating) and most ST tires are manufactured overseas. LT's are easier to find on the road also.
The increased weight rating for ST vs LT tires is due to the fact that the ST tires use their entire reserve as part of the max weight rating. LT tires are built with a reserve beyond the max rating on the tire. This is why LT tires are rated for use on passenger vehicles. ST tires are not passenger rated and must never be run over 65 MPH.
kedanie wrote: The increased weight rating for ST vs LT tires is due to the fact that the ST tires use their entire reserve as part of the max weight rating. LT tires are built with a reserve beyond the max rating on the tire. This is why LT tires are rated for use on passenger vehicles. ST tires are not passenger rated and must never be run over 65 MPH.
Keith
Can you provide a reference from a tire company to substantiate your claim ? Having just purchased 5th wheel a few months ago, after over 35 years of motor home ownership with only a couple of brief interludes of 5th wheel and TT ownership, I am researching this tire issue. One piece of data I have would not support your comment. A Tim Fry at Goodyear is quoted in the following :
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Modern ST tires feature materials and construction to meet the higher load requirements and unique demands of trailering.
"The major difference is reflected in the polyester cords used in ST tires," said Tim Fry, senior development engineer with Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. in Akron, Ohio. "These cords are bigger than they would be for a comparable P or LT tire. Typically, the steel wire also has a larger diameter or a greater tensile strength to meet the additional load requirements.
"Because of the heavier construction for an equal volume of air space, an ST tire is designed to carry more load (than a P or LT)," says Fry.
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I have asked Goodyear to confirm this statement and am going to contact other tire manufacturers for comment as well.
kedanie wrote: The increased weight rating for ST vs LT tires is due to the fact that the ST tires use their entire reserve as part of the max weight rating. LT tires are built with a reserve beyond the max rating on the tire. This is why LT tires are rated for use on passenger vehicles. ST tires are not passenger rated and must never be run over 65 MPH.
Keith
Can you provide a reference from a tire company to substantiate your claim ? Having just purchased 5th wheel a few months ago, after over 35 years of motor home ownership with only a couple of brief interludes of 5th wheel and TT ownership, I am researching this tire issue. One piece of data I have would not support your comment. A Tim Fry at Goodyear is quoted in the following :
_____________________________________________________________________
Modern ST tires feature materials and construction to meet the higher load requirements and unique demands of trailering.
"The major difference is reflected in the polyester cords used in ST tires," said Tim Fry, senior development engineer with Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. in Akron, Ohio. "These cords are bigger than they would be for a comparable P or LT tire. Typically, the steel wire also has a larger diameter or a greater tensile strength to meet the additional load requirements.
"Because of the heavier construction for an equal volume of air space, an ST tire is designed to carry more load (than a P or LT)," says Fry.
______________________________________________________________________
I have asked Goodyear to confirm this statement and am going to contact other tire manufacturers for comment as well.
If this is true, then wy is everybody preferring LT? My toyhauler is using rather large LT tires.
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