Dixie Flyer wrote: I have decided to go with the XPS Rib 235x85R16 Michelin tire. They are expensive at $300 each but I feel better with that tire than I do with the LT series. I still don't know the wisdom of this and the outcome this summer while traveling over 8,000 miles, but this is the way I am going. We leave in June for an extended trip so I hope I have made a good choice. If I find out before we leave in June that this is not a wise thing to do then I will change again. I will not however go with a 17 inch tire because of the expense of buying new wheels along with new tires.
Thanks for all the good input on this subject I will let you know how it all works out.
The regulation below needs your attention. It dosen't say what kind of tires must be used as long as they meet the axle's requirements. Don't put your safety in the hands of others. Do some more research, please.
LT265 require a 8" wheel. Lots of parasitic drag and those 8" - 8.5" wide treads + a 10"-11" section width, add much more side stress to the tire/wheel/bearings and axle U bolts as the tire slides sideways around cornors. Not the best choice for tire on a trailer IMO.
But several high end 5er's come from the factory and are stickered to take LT tires. My last 5er an Alpenlite was one and it had Goodyear Wrangler LT tires on it from the factory. The Montana I just bought had brand new Marathons on it and after the trip home it now has BFG/TA's. I think LT tires will handle more weight then they are marked at and will take more abuse then any ST tire out there. I think the right size is 235-85-16. You will have 1 inch less space between the tires but a BAL wheel chock still fits fine.
There not stickerd for LT265 size tires. Read all of my reply as you are misrepresenting what I have said. If you notice the tire size is LT265 which no trailer manufacture uses or is the 265 size a option. The 265 is simply not the best choice for a tire on a trailer.
Agree with the rest of your reply on ST vs LT.
Sorry, not sure where the 265 came in at but I was just saying that 235-85-16 is what most Montana owners have on their rigs and it is what I had on my Alpenlite and on my current Montana.
Nomadac wrote: I prefer to use ST tires vs. LT tires on any trailer be it TT, Fiver or enclosed car trailer. JMO
You really should take a night and do a search on here and other RV forums and read up on ST tires. It's not like it is just a couple of people that had problems, it is masses of folks that have had blowouts that have torn up a lot of TT's. The evidence is so overwhelming I really can't understand why the government has not stepped in, they do anyother time.. If you are just running a bumper pull TT or even a car trailer it's not a big deal. But if you get up into 5ers in excess of 10k lbs then you are playing with fire and sooner or later you will get burned. I really don't think the higher end coach's would come from the factory with LT tires on them for nothing.
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Snow_King wrote: Replacement tires should meet the GAWR weight rating noted on the vehicle placard. A reliable tire dealer should not install a 3042 rated tire on a axle placarded at 6750 pounds, as it falls short of the noted requirement!
X2 on this.
OP either needs the G614s or needs to do the 17.5 inch upgrade.
I went by the tire dealer's store and looked at both the Towmax STRST Radial 235 80R 16 and the Michelin XPS Rib 235 85R 16 tire and what a difference. The Towmax weighs 40 pounds and the Michelin weighs 54 pounds. When you stand over top of both tires and push down the Towmax gives a bunch while the Michelin doesn't give at all.
The Towmax is rated at 3500 pounds while the XPS is rated at 3040 pounds. I am still leaning toward the Michelin but I am getting weak. The difference in the price is almost $1,000. I talked with Michelin today and was told not to put their tire in the camper as it wouldn't be a correct application and they could not be held responsible for what ever happened.
I have until Thursday morning to make up my mind so I will give it a lot of thought until then.
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Dixie Flyer wrote: I went by the tire dealer's store and looked at both the Towmax STRST Radial 235 80R 16 and the Michelin XPS Rib 235 85R 16 tire and what a difference. The Towmax weighs 40 pounds and the Michelin weighs 54 pounds. When you stand over top of both tires and push down the Towmax gives a bunch while the Michelin doesn't give at all.
The Towmax is rated at 3500 pounds while the XPS is rated at 3040 pounds. I am still leaning toward the Michelin but I am getting weak. The difference in the price is almost $1,000. I talked with Michelin today and was told not to put their tire in the camper as it wouldn't be a correct application and they could not be held responsible for what ever happened.
I have until Thursday morning to make up my mind so I will give it a lot of thought until then.
Did you talk to Keystone and Goodyear about warranty and replacing the Marathon's with G614's. That is your best bet without having to buy new rims, if your rims are good to 110/3750. It is what Keystone should have install to start with. With credit for the failed Marathon's, the price of the G614's should become attractive. Work the system!
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I am a proponent of the LT tire for heavier 5ers. However, please do not put tires on your axles that are below the axle rating. As others have said, you may need to go to 17.5" rims and tires. Yes, it is more expensive, but I upgraded from 15" to 16" and bought 5 wheels. It was worth every penny. I had 4 failures in the first 2 years with 15" STs, zero failures in 6 years with 16" LTs. Do the math, it may be cheaper in the long run.
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Snow_King wrote: Replacement tires should meet the GAWR weight rating noted on the vehicle placard. A reliable tire dealer should not install a 3042 rated tire on a axle placarded at 6750 pounds, as it falls short of the noted requirement!
X2 on this.
OP either needs the G614s or needs to do the 17.5 inch upgrade.
X3 on this comment. Running a 3042 tire on a 6750 rated axle is russian roulette and quite possibly negligence.
Dixie Flyer wrote: I went by the tire dealer's store and looked at both the Towmax STRST Radial 235 80R 16 and the Michelin XPS Rib 235 85R 16 tire and what a difference. The Towmax weighs 40 pounds and the Michelin weighs 54 pounds. When you stand over top of both tires and push down the Towmax gives a bunch while the Michelin doesn't give at all.
The Towmax is rated at 3500 pounds while the XPS is rated at 3040 pounds. I am still leaning toward the Michelin but I am getting weak. The difference in the price is almost $1,000. I talked with Michelin today and was told not to put their tire in the camper as it wouldn't be a correct application and they could not be held responsible for what ever happened.
I have until Thursday morning to make up my mind so I will give it a lot of thought until then.
Just because you cant push a tire down, doesnt mean it's strong when it comes to holding the trailer up. The air pressure is what holds up the trailer, not the tire.
I would take Michelins advice over anyone else on here when it comes to their telling you it's the wrong thing to do.
Dixie Flyer wrote: I have decided to go with the XPS Rib 235x85R16 Michelin tire. They are expensive at $300 each but I feel better with that tire than I do with the LT series. I still don't know the wisdom of this and the outcome this summer while traveling over 8,000 miles, but this is the way I am going. We leave in June for an extended trip so I hope I have made a good choice. If I find out before we leave in June that this is not a wise thing to do then I will change again. I will not however go with a 17 inch tire because of the expense of buying new wheels along with new tires.
Thanks for all the good input on this subject I will let you know how it all works out.
The regulation below needs your attention. It dosen't say what kind of tires must be used as long as they meet the axle's requirements. Don't put your safety in the hands of others. Do some more research, please.
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