Wow! This video is over 8 years old and I got all the questions answered that I was looking for in a simple straight to the point way. Thank you so much. 💓
I never use ST tires on my trailers anymore. After 25,000 miles they start coming apart and if they're past three years old the risk of a blowout increases, and then they tear your fenders apart. Trailer tires are made in China/ overseas and are all junk. I use Michelin LT tires on my triple axle 21,000 lbs trailer, I usually get over 60,000 miles on them and have never had a blowout. Just don't go making extremely tight turns, that's bad on the sidewalls for any tire. Age is a big factor. Most people only use their boat or Utility trailers once or twice a year and time flies by, before you know it there old and unsafe. Just a note, Tires for larger trailer's are in another class. Be safe and always check the date code.
For local use people overlook bias tires, I used them on a fleet of pup trailers that never went over 55 mph or more than 15 miles from the yard, in my estimation once you get in to longer distances and higher speeds it makes sense to use all steel G rated truck tires on trailers, especially when you get in to sizes over 16 inches.
Ron, I came across your educational video on proper tires. I was about to buy regular car tires for my pop-up trailer thinking it'll run better, quieter, smoother and long tread life. You showed me the foolishness of that thinking! Now I can go to a correct tire dealer for the right tire application. Thank-you so much for saving me from wasting money and time, avoiding a lot of misery especially when on a trip. Doug
I've never had a blow out on an LT tire but I've sure as hell had more than a few on the infamous "China Bomb" tires that come with most all trailers including RV trailers
I've never had a ST tire blow out but have heard a lot of people have. I read somewhere that while P and LT tires are 'good' for 10 years, ST tires, because of the chemical difference, are only good for about 6. So I changed one of my trailers over to LT and will do so with the rest of them as the tires age out.
Thanks for the tire info. It has really cleared up several things for me. I Just bought a 25' used travel trailer. Took it out to the lake for a 3-day campout to look for bugs...not those bugs, there were plenty of those Lol! Made it back home and park it in my driveway before taking it to a storage lot. Three days later one tire went flat and the other one blew up with separation of the threads... all this with the trailer just sitting there! What surprised me was the threads on all the tires were good. The tires were St 20575R15. Upon a closer look at the tires, I saw where the rubber was starting to crack and checking the dates on those tires I found out that some of them were made years ago. Learned a valuable lesson today.
I found that Goodyear Endurance is the only trailer tire manufactured in the US, which is what I mounted in my car trailer (15”). Most are made in China. There might be ones made in other countries, but that information is difficult to research.
There is a real problem currently that many owners are experiencing with ST tires blowing- even on new camping rigs. The treads seem to stay intact but the poly-only sidewalls fall apart and blow. OEM tires, new rigs, proper inflation, etc.
Excellent info but I just watched another video that suggests LT tires for an RV instead of ST. Said Airstream installs LT's as standard? I still have 30yr old GY ST Marathons (made in USA) on my trailer and never had a problem other than age...cracked between the thread and should be replaced.
Buy brand name trailer tires (or any tires) from a reputal tire shop/outlet. They are experts and will sell you the correct tire. Avoid at all cost any good deal non brand internet tires regardless of the ratings on them . I had some China Bomb trailer tires come literally come apart on a new boat trailer, and I have since learned that this is a common problem. The tire shop told me that they see them come in all the time on new trailers and RV's. They sold me Goodyear Endurance. Good video.
Just a stiffer compound. Because ST are not needed for traction, the compound is significantly stifffer. Unlike a winter tire where the rubber is much softer and more pliable
Had a trailer tire going flat from sidewall leak and wanted new one put on. Could NOT find ANYONE local that put on new tires !!! Ended up buying an entire brand new wheel !!!
Very good info that I did not know before, especially that a trailer tire rubber compound was different and used to dissipate heat more efficiently. I wonder if they're a harder compound? I would imagine that they are since they aren't really needed for a lot of traction like a car, truck or motorcycle is. And the stiff sidewalls is probably why they were a pain to mount with just 2 tire mounting tools/irons.
I currently have r12 trailer tires on the back of my geo metro, as I was unable to find any other tires, my old back p tires are now on the front as it was my front ones that needed to be replaced. I will need to replace them but fear I wont be able to find p tires, on a small car like the geo what are the dangers of using trailer tires in the front,
I’m converting a 2007 Ford Expedition into a towable camper, by stripping it down to just the body and rear wheels as idlers. Total weight should only be around 3000 lbs when I’m done. I only plan on traveling in and around the metro Detroit area with it, so no long trips. I’m trying to get the biggest OD (i.e. tallest) tire I can fit in the rear wheel wells, but not sure what tire type makes most sense for my unique application. I don’t care about most stuff others care about (e.g. ride comfort, heat buildup, super load capacity, etc.) with their stereotypical applications, since my duty cycle is pretty light in comparison. Any thoughts, anyone?
Homesteader 6x12 box trailer single axle. Replaced 205-75-15 bias-ply trailer tires with LT 215-75-15 radials and got 3x longer tread life WITHOUT sacrificing load capacity. In my opinion, if you are going to use a LT tire on a trailer, go a size bigger. I also like the fact that my trailer tires & vehicle tires match for identical traction characteristics.
Did you listen to the video? Why would anyone in his or her right mind listen to a couple of amateurs like you and Chris rather than a professional? Are the guys whose info you've been reading professionals or just more dimwits with opinions? I'm sure you know more about tires than DOT - not. Give me science over bar talk any day.
@@ravenfeather7087 Many high end trailers come factory with LT tires or are an upgrade that you pay more for if you choose to spec it that way. Not just bar talk by any means.
Proof? I see this comment frequently but have not been able to verify this at all. Virtually every authoritative source on tires (TireRack, e-Trailer, the guy in this vid, etc) confirm that an ST tire is the way to go. I strongly feel that the reason so many people experience failures in ST tires (besides the ones that are crap from the factory...which is NOT all of them) is that they don't understand how ST tires work. They MUST be inflated to their max inflation rating on the sidewall in order to properly cool. If they aren't, heat builds up and...BOOM...failure.
What's the difference in the capacity between a 10ply LT tire and a 10ply ST tire? You never said but insinuated you were comparing apples to apples. If a Load Range (E) LT tire and a Load Range (E) ST tire have the same capacity why is the ST tire better? Because it may potentially run cooler? ST tires in my experience are only rated for 65MPH while the LT tire has a faster speed rating while carrying their rated weight.
Thank you for this video!! Am currently looking for new tired for my trailer and was considering passenger tires until I watched your video. Now I know I need to just get the ST.
@@snakeplisken4119 17 other people disagree with you. If you didn't find it funny you didn't understand it or have erectile dysfunction. I'm betting both.
That might be a waste of good Viagra....besides if they stay STILL INFLATED for more than 4 hours, should you seek medical attention ? And just to note....Viagra 's ingredients....10% ibuprofen and 90% FIX-a-FLAT. Can you BEAT that ? ? ? ;-) JwgK
I purchased a used utility trailer and noticed all four tires are completely different. How could I go about finding out what the original tire size was?
This may be the most important question in this entire comment section !!! In fact, I believe it is. While I was searching to find out about trailer v. other tires, it seems like the best thing would be to buy more protection and stronger than less when it comes to a trailer tire, period - for all categories. That's what I'm looking at in a car hauler.
@@happysawfish You ain't lying. I tried reaching out to the original makers of the trailer but that business is just long gone. If anyone has the answer or a suggestion; that''' be great!
I have experience that is pretty anomalous - I just returned from a 11,000 mile trip Aug-Oct 2019 from Seattle to Newfoundland and back, towing a 1,000 lb (gross) small teardrop trailer with a Subaru. This trailer is certified only with 5.30 x 12" tires, of which we had TWO failures on this one trip, neither being a puncture, and having started with two brand-new tires at the beginning of the trip. One was clearly a tread separation, the other was an immediate slow leak (flat after 3 days) of the replacement for the first failed tire. Our Subaru had zero problem with handling / power / braking towing this lightweight trailer at the speed limit of all the highways we drove on, so we did. All this now is water under the bridge in our case, since the trailer was rented not owned, but what technical improvements could be possible for us if we do something like this again?
@@eatshitful and just what car or truck uses 12" tires these days? I actually checked TireRack.com for 1970s Hondas and they now only have tires for Accords (13") nothing 12" like a base 1975 Civic would need
@@marksandstrom4248 what is the rest of the size needed? Don't worry about year make and model. Go by size only. Another option would be buy wheels with the same bolt pattern but in a 13 or 14. If you are renting that makes it tough but so does blow outs. Mite be best and easiest to get your own wheels with car or truck tires. Hands down way safer and less issues.
@@eatshitful see my original post above - it was a rental trailer with 5.30x12" tires. I only mentioned Honda tires because of Honda being a big-selling make of car that (in the 1970s) sold large numbers of cars in the US with 12" wheels. Therefore I took the TireRack website results (zero tires for '70s Civics) as evidence that there are no longer today any high quality 12" car tires sold. If you're curious about our rental trailer, it was a Droplet-trailer.com from Vancouver BC, which we liked a lot and have not ever seen any other examples of. The Droplet company to my understanding is quite small and only a few years old, but they are technically quite impressive in a lot of other ways - but also, still with a ways to go on their engineering development learning curve. Since my week-ago post, I've discovered that there is a 12" radial Carlisle trailer tire, in a metric size with an "M" speed rating (80mph) that costs about $50 per each. I would hope that this last would have performed much better for us, but that's just a guess. The Droplet's Transport Canada certification sticker (the thing with VIN, just like cars have in their door jambs) states that only 5.30x12" tires are permitted so my guess is that using the metric Carlisle tire -- from Droplet's point of view -- would require at least a little bit of bureaucratic paper-shuffling and time delay. But if I were an individual owner of the trailer now, and not as fussy about official government approval, I would get a pair pronto. I'd also maybe investigate whether the trailer could be adapted to wheels and tires matching my car's - but this could easily lead into needing different trailer axles, fenders, and so forth.
@@marksandstrom4248 Yea i should of reread your first post but i was on the phone and in a hurry missing you stated the size. Sorry about that. But I went to amazon punched in 12" tire first thing that popped up was a Nankang CX668 in size 155/80R12 for $35. Now I looked up the diameter Of your 5.30x12 and it was 21.9" according to Etrailer.com Now i looked up the 155/80R12 and it is 21.8". Perfect! Now the rest of your issues I probably can't solve being a rented trailer but there is a solution to using a trailer tire. Maybe if i dig enough i could probably find a 13" tire that small to. Looking at the website i see You really couldn't go any taller without modifying the trailer. Now if you bought one I would step it up in the wheel and tire department to a more common 14" car tire. Looks like you would at least need to move the fender. Reason 1 more common to find anywhere 2 car tires are better then trailer tires 3 Car tires of that size will rot off before you will ever wear them out. Now far as sharing tires with your car i am not up on imported brand bolt patterns but i do know 5 lug trailer hubs can easily be bought with a more common 5x4.5 pattern which is older dodge cars and 2wd truck pattern. Maybe your car is the same? The other common one is 5x4.75 which was many GM vehicles. Just google search your car (subaru xxxxxxx) and then put "bolt pattern". It should pop up. As much as i hate adapters but i am sure someone makes a adapter for about any pattern to another. I personally would never use adapters for any street vehicle but people do it all the time. Just be dang sure you torque stuff correctly! Good luck.
I purchased a Jayco X213 trailer 20 foot its a Baja version so the suspension is higher off the ground and the tires look more knobby for off road use, strange thing is they are LT tires????
Birney did those tires come brand new from the factory? Sure they weren't switched by the dealer? Seems odd that a big manufacturer would equip with light truck tires.
Thank you for explaining all that sidewall information. I just bought 2 trailer tires so I know now what I'm looking at. I slacked on my last set with air pressure and I see what happens when you don't have it at correct pressure.
Thank you so ,much for the info. This was what i needed before i went shopping for a trailer tire.I wish you had recommendation of certain brands or some comparison in various brands.
Question. What's the difference between D or R trailer tires, and a hich is bettet?? I thought that would have been explained in this video but it wasn't. Thx
The difference is how the tire is made. D is a bias ply (criss cross) R is radial. A bias ply tire tends to build more heat from what I understand than a radial. If it were me I would buy a radial tire given the choice but any quality tire should do the job if it is spec'd for the load it will see.
I just bought 225/75 15 inch Towmax STR 11 and the side walls blow in the wind unlike what you are showing how stiff yours are so i am thinking my side walls are 2 ply at the most. What ply is the sidewall in the trailer tire you are showing here?
Only good i found from the video is the Date stamp , Thanks This will come in handy when i purchase new tires, Not paying full price for tires manufactured 3 years ago. Boom money in my pocket
Excellent video! The comparison made between car, truck, and trailer tires reminds of just how important it is to use the right "tool" for the right job. Great job.
could you use st trailer tires on a ram 3500 front axle? in theory😂. sounds like they wouldnt hold up. , made cheaper. tread wall is stiffer. what would actually be the problems w that.
I'm surprised you didn't specify any info that theirs different tires, raidal tires for most cars, and bias tires are I thought for trailers, my classic 58 Mercury cars and my 58 EDSELS come out with G 78-14" bias tires. To damn expensive than raidial tires they don't even have my 14" good grief😭😭😭😭
Hello one question do trailers with a single axel do you balance the tires or don’t balance the tires I am new on trailers I don’t know anything and I just bought one is small camper for 2 persons and I want to put tires and prepared for a summer trip and I am confused to balance or not too balanced single axel tires
The LT tires hold up 10 times better and longer then ST trailer tires on trailers . And if you don’t believe me call or go look on any new aero stream trailer . They been building trailers longer than any other manufacture and they exclusively use light truck tires on their campers now for a reason . My reason is ST trailer tires blow on the interstate a lot more frequently and with a lot more violence than ST tire .And before you say it yes I check my tire pressure every time I take my trailer on the interstate and I even weigh my trailer and tongue weight to make sure I’m within the guidelines on the trailer
TRUTH. fact is these people push the ST tires becsuse there is incredible amount of mark up on them. Lot of trailers are coming with LT tires from the factory because of the poor performance of ST tires.
you told how to get the date but did not give how many years max before replacing ST trailer tires. I bought a travel trailer that was hardly used, tread perfect but date stamped 3310 so I guess 33 week of 2010. that would make them 4.5 years old. how much longer can I use them? they look excellent.
Bought a tandem axle car trailer in 96 with 6ply swallow brand tires. They looked cheap as hell and I was expecting to replace them in a few years. I've used the heck out of that trailer, had it overloaded several times and just hauled a buddy's 4500lb pickup last month. Same original tires on it. No weather checking, dry rot, nothing! You just never know!
High end 5`ers come from the factory with LT tires. why? because most ST tires are junk! On my TT I went with Carlisle HD "E" rated tires. because there is no 15" LT tire. Also just recently the ST`s have received a higher speed rating.
I own a 1998 Chevrolet 1/2 ton 1500 Express conversion van. The tires are 235/75R15. I have had the sidewalls of two Michelin lightweight truck tires blow out. These tires were not even made around the same time. They were different series but both made by Michelin. When Dad owned this van he actually had one blow out on the interstate. He replaced the rears with another set of Michelins. A few years later one day I noticed that the sidewall had developed a large bulge about the size of my hand and before I could get it to a tire shop, I came home from work one day and the bulge had blown out. Makes me wonder if it was a good thing that this happened and I was not driving it 3 miles up the road to the tire store. I had to pull both wheels off the van in the driveway and take them to a tire store. I questioned the fact that if these lightweight truck wires were not rated for this van being it was a conversion van. The guy said that the tires were rated for this van. He had no answer as to why these two different series of Michelin truck tires would blow out. I since replaced them with Wild Country tires which I think were made by Cooper. I only got 20,000 miles out of them. But luckily they just wore out, never blew out like the Michelins.
You didn't mention the load range of the tires, if you add weight to a vehicle you may exceed the capacity of the originally spec'd tires. I doubt a van came with P (passenger) tires probably LTs (light truck) but I suspect that is what you were using if they were blowing out in short order, or you just run with too low of air pressure and ruined the LTs.
James Siebold You didn’t say whether the tires were LT or P. Clearly they were overloaded. OEM tires were for a half ton but after conversion needed to be upgraded to a 3/4 ton tire.
Thanks for the highlight on the year of manufacture. Allot of people do not know this and i have friends around trucking and they do quite allot of mechanic work never knew this neither. I found out by buying a new used tire for my bike. It was never installed never put on a rim but found out how to read the year it was 10yrs old. Its on the front of a heavy touring bike so i am a bit concerned about putting it on. The guy i bought it from said he never knew this but never offered to buy it back neither so be vigilant when buying used things.
Buy a name brand light truck tire in a D or E load rating. Even new Travel Trailers are shipping from the factory with truck tires now. Most trailer tires are not made as well as light truck tires.
I’m buying new ST tires for my 10,000 lb car trailer and they won’t be from China. Also, here’s my 2-cents regarding tire installation. They make tires for cars, trucks, and trailers. By putting a tire that’s not specific or sized for the vehicle will most certainly effect warranty and any legal provisions that are available to the consumer. A serious accident can become extremely expensive, when lives and high-dollar equipment are involved. I personally would want the manufacturer and insurance companies to help. Going with Bubba’s recommendation on tire selection would negate any small savings one might achieve.
Sounds good on paper, but in practice it seems the LT's are giving people less problems out on the roads. So much so that I won't be buying ST's, not even Goodyears. If your trailer sways that much, trying to fix it with tires is asking for trouble. People need to jack up their trailers/campers and get the weight off the tires when not in use.
Application should first be considered when buying any tire. Trailer , truck, car. If one drives a considerable amount on highways, on, off roads, or mostly off road. Same with trailers, amount of usage, terrian, weight, speeds. Trailer tires need not just good side wall capacity but great side wall capacity and overall rating. A minimum 6ply on overall and side wall. Better to go at least mid rande with 8 ply. Always check and adjust tire pressures before and adjust to weight added. A over or rather higher inflated tire with a light load can result in a very uncontrollable trailer, at times. Folks seem least concerned with how their trailers, trucks and passenger car tires are until a problem occurs. A trailer requires as much if not more attention than we might believe mostly because they are used less, therefore, attention to detail is sidelined. Tire pressure, side wall and tread inspection, electrical brake engagement adjustments, bearings properly lubed and adjusted, vehicle recommended speeds. All of these can and will play into the outcome of your trip if not adherred to. Should anyone need a further explanation just visit a U-Haul rental center. Each one of their vehicles generally has a maximum speed sign somewhere on this equipment, and for good reason. Be safe out there folks your life and others may or could be at risk without following some guidlines to safety.
Thank you for the great video, I never knew there was a difference. I was planning on buying LT tires for my trailer. Can you do a video on cheap Chinese tires vs North American tires for trailers? Is it better to buy more expensive tires? Thanks
Here's the issue from what I've learned. A trailer "pivots" and therefore needs sidewalls to be much more sturdier than regular passenger tires. That is one of the main important difference.. Passenger cars have 4 points way far away from each other. And 2 tires steer. Trailer tires have usually 2, maybe 4 tires that at one point, opposite each other.. That is way I always use trailer tires on a trailer, and NEVER a passenger tire on a trailer.
@@leekrd Also trailers may have leaf springs but I've yet to see one with shock absorbers. Therefore the sidewall of the tire is the shock absorber, so it needs to keep the rim off the pavement when a bump or pothole is encountered while trailering.
The only great info here is to sucker people into poor quality dangerous trailer tires so they can sell you another set. Rut LT tires on trailer for safety! Less blow outs and much much much longer life.
I have two thirty five hundred pound axles.On my car trailer, using A205ST trailer tires, they're all junk all the time. I inflate each tire to the recommended tire pressure junk chinese tires.I'm thinking i'm going with light truck tires.Next
+BeeFriendlyApiary Important. Forgot the weight limit, tire is considered junk if it takes to much weight and also check for being out of round. Not mentioned in video.
+Bob Porter How do you know that you have a good tire? A balance tire will reward you in cooler running, last longer and save on parts wearing premature. I have 3 million miles on hauling cars. Tried all kinds of different ways of making tire life to last longer.
Last set went 17,000 in 5+ years with no problem! The new set just went over 7000 on a recent trip with no problem. That's why I buy good tires to begin with, because they don't need balancing! I also have a TPMS and all 4 ran about 90° the entire trip, even thru the Arizona desert!
Wow! This video is over 8 years old and I got all the questions answered that I was looking for in a simple straight to the point way. Thank you so much. 💓
I never use ST tires on my trailers anymore. After 25,000 miles they start coming apart and if they're past three years old the risk of a blowout increases, and then they tear your fenders apart. Trailer tires are made in China/ overseas and are all junk. I use Michelin LT tires on my triple axle 21,000 lbs trailer, I usually get over 60,000 miles on them and have never had a blowout. Just don't go making extremely tight turns, that's bad on the sidewalls for any tire. Age is a big factor. Most people only use their boat or Utility trailers once or twice a year and time flies by, before you know it there old and unsafe. Just a note, Tires for larger trailer's are in another class. Be safe and always check the date code.
For local use people overlook bias tires, I used them on a fleet of pup trailers that never went over 55 mph or more than 15 miles from the yard, in my estimation once you get in to longer distances and higher speeds it makes sense to use all steel G rated truck tires on trailers, especially when you get in to sizes over 16 inches.
You are correct, I use the most readily available and most cost effective tires on local travel. For example Lawn care businesses.
All my single axel
I had never thought of the fact that the wrong tire could lead to trailer sway. Great video !!
Ron, I came across your educational video on proper tires. I was about to buy regular car tires for my pop-up trailer thinking it'll run better, quieter, smoother and long tread life. You showed me the foolishness of that thinking! Now I can go to a correct tire dealer for the right tire application. Thank-you so much for saving me from wasting money and time, avoiding a lot of misery especially when on a trip. Doug
I've never had a blow out on an LT tire but I've sure as hell had more than a few on the infamous "China Bomb" tires that come with most all trailers including RV trailers
I've never had a ST tire blow out but have heard a lot of people have. I read somewhere that while P and LT tires are 'good' for 10 years, ST tires, because of the chemical difference, are only good for about 6. So I changed one of my trailers over to LT and will do so with the rest of them as the tires age out.
Thanks. I was wondering the differences in tires.
Thanks for the tire info. It has really cleared up several things for me. I Just bought a 25' used travel trailer. Took it out to the lake for a 3-day campout to look for bugs...not those bugs, there were plenty of those Lol!
Made it back home and park it in my driveway before taking it to a storage lot. Three days later one tire went flat and the other one
blew up with separation of the threads... all this with the trailer just sitting there! What surprised me was the threads on all the tires were good. The tires were St 20575R15. Upon a closer look at the tires, I saw where the rubber was starting to crack and checking the dates on those tires I found out that some of them were made years ago. Learned a valuable lesson today.
+Elleoncito66 thanks for the feedback. I'm glad we were able to help you.
Threads and Treads. Why is that so difficult
I found that Goodyear Endurance is the only trailer tire manufactured in the US, which is what I mounted in my car trailer (15”). Most are made in China. There might be ones made in other countries, but that information is difficult to research.
There is a real problem currently that many owners are experiencing with ST tires blowing- even on new camping rigs. The treads seem to stay intact but the poly-only sidewalls fall apart and blow. OEM tires, new rigs, proper inflation, etc.
Excellent info but I just watched another video that suggests LT tires for an RV instead of ST. Said Airstream installs LT's as standard? I still have 30yr old GY ST Marathons (made in USA) on my trailer and never had a problem other than age...cracked between the thread and should be replaced.
Thanks for the very informative video. I was leaning toward LT tires but I have a greater understanding now of why I probably should not do that.
Pacifically.
Yeah thats an ocean, This dude needs to learn how to English better 🤣🤣
@@mackdaddy6652 and your an English major dickhead?
@@snakeplisken4119 you’re**
@@quailman8760 hey Rusty you see I'm not trying to be gramatically correct. The operative word is "dickhead" dickhead
@@snakeplisken4119 Oh my god, I’m so offended.
Buy brand name trailer tires (or any tires) from a reputal tire shop/outlet. They are experts and will sell you the correct tire. Avoid at all cost any good deal non brand internet tires regardless of the ratings on them . I had some China Bomb trailer tires come literally come apart on a new boat trailer, and I have since learned that this is a common problem. The tire shop told me that they see them come in all the time on new trailers and RV's. They sold me Goodyear Endurance. Good video.
You need to see the "MayPop" tire description on youtube. Help me understand you vs Them. Thanks
Wonder what specific chemicals are in the ST tire tread that increases the rate of cooling.
Just a stiffer compound. Because ST are not needed for traction, the compound is significantly stifffer. Unlike a winter tire where the rubber is much softer and more pliable
How are tires for a1972 C10 15"rims
Had a trailer tire going flat from sidewall leak and wanted new one put on. Could NOT find ANYONE local that put on new tires !!! Ended up buying an entire brand new wheel !!!
Very good info that I did not know before, especially that a trailer tire rubber compound was different and used to dissipate heat more efficiently. I wonder if they're a harder compound? I would imagine that they are since they aren't really needed for a lot of traction like a car, truck or motorcycle is. And the stiff sidewalls is probably why they were a pain to mount with just 2 tire mounting tools/irons.
Now this guys a guy who likes like you can trust.
I currently have r12 trailer tires on the back of my geo metro, as I was unable to find any other tires, my old back p tires are now on the front as it was my front ones that needed to be replaced. I will need to replace them but fear I wont be able to find p tires, on a small car like the geo what are the dangers of using trailer tires in the front,
Very good information on trailer tires.
maybe i missed something but he didn’t mention how long the trailer tire last for and when I should be replaced
I’m converting a 2007 Ford Expedition into a towable camper, by stripping it down to just the body and rear wheels as idlers. Total weight should only be around 3000 lbs when I’m done. I only plan on traveling in and around the metro Detroit area with it, so no long trips. I’m trying to get the biggest OD (i.e. tallest) tire I can fit in the rear wheel wells, but not sure what tire type makes most sense for my unique application. I don’t care about most stuff others care about (e.g. ride comfort, heat buildup, super load capacity, etc.) with their stereotypical applications, since my duty cycle is pretty light in comparison. Any thoughts, anyone?
Very informative. Highly Recommend watching. I now know why I'm using ST Tailor tires on my boat.
Why are there so many complaints about st tires blowing out (lots are not old tires) but never any videos of LT tires blowing out on trailers?
Your seeing the Chinese ones that's why. There junk
Can I use trailer tires on my truck ?
Homesteader 6x12 box trailer single axle. Replaced 205-75-15 bias-ply trailer tires with LT 215-75-15 radials and got 3x longer tread life WITHOUT sacrificing load capacity. In my opinion, if you are going to use a LT tire on a trailer, go a size bigger. I also like the fact that my trailer tires & vehicle tires match for identical traction characteristics.
I wish you would have talked about G rated tires
So what, get an E series truck tire. I have been reading trailer tires fall apart and people are switching to truck tires and they are not failing.
Did you listen to the video? Why would anyone in his or her right mind listen to a couple of amateurs like you and Chris rather than a professional? Are the guys whose info you've been reading professionals or just more dimwits with opinions? I'm sure you know more about tires than DOT - not. Give me science over bar talk any day.
@@ravenfeather7087 Many high end trailers come factory with LT tires or are an upgrade that you pay more for if you choose to spec it that way. Not just bar talk by any means.
Proof? I see this comment frequently but have not been able to verify this at all. Virtually every authoritative source on tires (TireRack, e-Trailer, the guy in this vid, etc) confirm that an ST tire is the way to go. I strongly feel that the reason so many people experience failures in ST tires (besides the ones that are crap from the factory...which is NOT all of them) is that they don't understand how ST tires work. They MUST be inflated to their max inflation rating on the sidewall in order to properly cool. If they aren't, heat builds up and...BOOM...failure.
@@Pilot545 Nearly all ST tires are made in China. There is a good reason why they became known as China Bombs.
Can I run trailer tires on the rear of my 1987 f350 one ton truck.
No they are not built the same
What's the difference in the capacity between a 10ply LT tire and a 10ply ST tire? You never said but insinuated you were comparing apples to apples. If a Load Range (E) LT tire and a Load Range (E) ST tire have the same capacity why is the ST tire better? Because it may potentially run cooler? ST tires in my experience are only rated for 65MPH while the LT tire has a faster speed rating while carrying their rated weight.
Towing a camper at speeds above 65 mph is idiotic any way - the MPG falls DRAMATICALLY over 60 mph (depending on configuration).
Paul Moffat thanks for your “opinion”
Sidewall construction is different. Stiffer sidewall means less sway
Paul Moffat Yes. And it is also not safe to tow at higher speeds.
Thank you for this video!! Am currently looking for new tired for my trailer and was considering passenger tires until I watched your video. Now I know I need to just get the ST.
Pete Hess We're happy to help. Thanks for stopping by.
Pacifically?
Wonderfully informative, Thanks!
When buying new tires before they mount them I have the installer throw a crushed up Viagra in each tire. They run stiffer and last longer!
Not funny. Don't quit your day job
@@snakeplisken4119 17 other people disagree with you. If you didn't find it funny you didn't understand it or have erectile dysfunction. I'm betting both.
That might be a waste of good Viagra....besides if they stay STILL INFLATED for more than 4 hours, should you seek medical attention ? And just to note....Viagra 's ingredients....10% ibuprofen and 90% FIX-a-FLAT. Can you BEAT that ? ? ? ;-) JwgK
@@snakeplisken4119 neither is your name funny or cool...dick!
I purchased a used utility trailer and noticed all four tires are completely different. How could I go about finding out what the original tire size was?
This may be the most important question in this entire comment section !!! In fact, I believe it is. While I was searching to find out about trailer v. other tires, it seems like the best thing would be to buy more protection and stronger than less when it comes to a trailer tire, period - for all categories. That's what I'm looking at in a car hauler.
@@happysawfish You ain't lying. I tried reaching out to the original makers of the trailer but that business is just long gone. If anyone has the answer or a suggestion; that''' be great!
Alot if great videos on tire construction but Nothing about tread pattern for snowy weather traction! Traction is had important as tire construction!
So how many miles have you driven a heavy trailer.
This answered my question exactly and was very informative. Thanks
well done, very informative video
I have experience that is pretty anomalous - I just returned from a 11,000 mile trip Aug-Oct 2019 from Seattle to Newfoundland and back, towing a 1,000 lb (gross) small teardrop trailer with a Subaru. This trailer is certified only with 5.30 x 12" tires, of which we had TWO failures on this one trip, neither being a puncture, and having started with two brand-new tires at the beginning of the trip. One was clearly a tread separation, the other was an immediate slow leak (flat after 3 days) of the replacement for the first failed tire. Our Subaru had zero problem with handling / power / braking towing this lightweight trailer at the speed limit of all the highways we drove on, so we did. All this now is water under the bridge in our case, since the trailer was rented not owned, but what technical improvements could be possible for us if we do something like this again?
Use car or truck tires on trailers unless you like blowouts!
@@eatshitful and just what car or truck uses 12" tires these days? I actually checked TireRack.com for 1970s Hondas and they now only have tires for Accords (13") nothing 12" like a base 1975 Civic would need
@@marksandstrom4248 what is the rest of the size needed? Don't worry about year make and model. Go by size only. Another option would be buy wheels with the same bolt pattern but in a 13 or 14. If you are renting that makes it tough but so does blow outs. Mite be best and easiest to get your own wheels with car or truck tires. Hands down way safer and less issues.
@@eatshitful see my original post above - it was a rental trailer with 5.30x12" tires. I only mentioned Honda tires because of Honda being a big-selling make of car that (in the 1970s) sold large numbers of cars in the US with 12" wheels. Therefore I took the TireRack website results (zero tires for '70s Civics) as evidence that there are no longer today any high quality 12" car tires sold. If you're curious about our rental trailer, it was a Droplet-trailer.com from Vancouver BC, which we liked a lot and have not ever seen any other examples of. The Droplet company to my understanding is quite small and only a few years old, but they are technically quite impressive in a lot of other ways - but also, still with a ways to go on their engineering development learning curve. Since my week-ago post, I've discovered that there is a 12" radial Carlisle trailer tire, in a metric size with an "M" speed rating (80mph) that costs about $50 per each. I would hope that this last would have performed much better for us, but that's just a guess. The Droplet's Transport Canada certification sticker (the thing with VIN, just like cars have in their door jambs) states that only 5.30x12" tires are permitted so my guess is that using the metric Carlisle tire -- from Droplet's point of view -- would require at least a little bit of bureaucratic paper-shuffling and time delay. But if I were an individual owner of the trailer now, and not as fussy about official government approval, I would get a pair pronto. I'd also maybe investigate whether the trailer could be adapted to wheels and tires matching my car's - but this could easily lead into needing different trailer axles, fenders, and so forth.
@@marksandstrom4248 Yea i should of reread your first post but i was on the phone and in a hurry missing you stated the size. Sorry about that. But I went to amazon punched in 12" tire first thing that popped up was a Nankang CX668 in size 155/80R12 for $35. Now I looked up the diameter Of your 5.30x12 and it was 21.9" according to Etrailer.com Now i looked up the 155/80R12 and it is 21.8". Perfect! Now the rest of your issues I probably can't solve being a rented trailer but there is a solution to using a trailer tire. Maybe if i dig enough i could probably find a 13" tire that small to. Looking at the website i see You really couldn't go any taller without modifying the trailer. Now if you bought one I would step it up in the wheel and tire department to a more common 14" car tire. Looks like you would at least need to move the fender. Reason 1 more common to find anywhere 2 car tires are better then trailer tires 3 Car tires of that size will rot off before you will ever wear them out.
Now far as sharing tires with your car i am not up on imported brand bolt patterns but i do know 5 lug trailer hubs can easily be bought with a more common 5x4.5 pattern which is older dodge cars and 2wd truck pattern. Maybe your car is the same? The other common one is 5x4.75 which was many GM vehicles. Just google search your car (subaru xxxxxxx) and then put "bolt pattern". It should pop up. As much as i hate adapters but i am sure someone makes a adapter for about any pattern to another. I personally would never use adapters for any street vehicle but people do it all the time. Just be dang sure you torque stuff correctly! Good luck.
I purchased a Jayco X213 trailer 20 foot its a Baja version so the suspension is higher off the ground and the tires look more knobby for off road use, strange thing is they are LT tires????
You got good tires.
Birney did those tires come brand new from the factory? Sure they weren't switched by the dealer? Seems odd that a big manufacturer would equip with light truck tires.
@@jimbo5635 : I disagree. Sounds like they are not suited for the purpose.
Can you use car tires on a 1700 lb (loaded) camper . They run cooler and more high speed
Please watch this video...
Aren't trailer tires generally inflated to the max psi?
Thank you for explaining all that sidewall information. I just bought 2 trailer tires so I know now what I'm looking at. I slacked on my last set with air pressure and I see what happens when you don't have it at correct pressure.
Use LT tires for trailers if you don't want them to blow out all the time!
You helped me a lot man thank you God bless you
Thank you so ,much for the info. This was what i needed before i went shopping for a trailer tire.I wish you had recommendation of certain brands or some comparison in various brands.
Question. What's the difference between D or R trailer tires, and a hich is bettet?? I thought that would have been explained in this video but it wasn't. Thx
The difference is how the tire is made. D is a bias ply (criss cross) R is radial. A bias ply tire tends to build more heat from what I understand than a radial. If it were me I would buy a radial tire given the choice but any quality tire should do the job if it is spec'd for the load it will see.
@@--_DJ_-- I'm seeing the heat is an issue, and perhaps over rough terrain, stones etc.. I haul a lot in my trailers, more for work, so my pic is D.
@@kennyplay5982 As long as you keep them puffed up to the right pressure I am sure you will have good results with them.
I just bought 225/75 15 inch Towmax STR 11 and the side walls blow in the wind unlike what you are showing how stiff yours are so i am thinking my side walls are 2 ply at the most. What ply is the sidewall in the trailer tire you are showing here?
So going from a 6ply trailer tyre to a 8ply tyre is beneficial?
Only good i found from the video is the Date stamp , Thanks This will come in handy when i purchase new tires, Not paying full price for tires manufactured 3 years ago. Boom money in my pocket
Thank you Sir for your excellent and most helpful presentation. You truly cleared up some questions I had on my mind about trailer tires.
Excellent video! The comparison made between car, truck, and trailer tires reminds of just how important it is to use the right "tool" for the right job. Great job.
Excellent video. Thank you.
could you use st trailer tires on a ram 3500 front axle? in theory😂. sounds like they wouldnt hold up.
, made cheaper. tread wall is stiffer. what would actually be the problems w that.
I'm surprised you didn't specify any info that theirs different tires, raidal tires for most cars, and bias tires are I thought for trailers, my classic 58 Mercury cars and my 58 EDSELS come out with G 78-14" bias tires. To damn expensive than raidial tires they don't even have my 14" good grief😭😭😭😭
Many people inflate their passenger tires at MAX sidewall pressure to "save gas". End up exactly like the first tire shown.
Thanks for the great information you obviously know your tire information
Hello one question do trailers with a single axel do you balance the tires or don’t balance the tires I am new on trailers I don’t know anything and I just bought one is small camper for 2 persons and I want to put tires and prepared for a summer trip and I am confused to balance or not too balanced single axel tires
Balance them
The LT tires hold up 10 times better and longer then ST trailer tires on trailers . And if you don’t believe me call or go look on any new aero stream trailer . They been building trailers longer than any other manufacture and they exclusively use light truck tires on their campers now for a reason . My reason is ST trailer tires blow on the interstate a lot more frequently and with a lot more violence than ST tire .And before you say it yes I check my tire pressure every time I take my trailer on the interstate and I even weigh my trailer and tongue weight to make sure I’m within the guidelines on the trailer
TRUTH. fact is these people push the ST tires becsuse there is incredible amount of mark up on them. Lot of trailers are coming with LT tires from the factory because of the poor performance of ST tires.
Stephen boldrey $
you told how to get the date but did not give how many years max before replacing ST trailer tires. I bought a travel trailer that was hardly used, tread perfect but date stamped 3310 so I guess 33 week of 2010. that would make them 4.5 years old. how much longer can I use them? they look excellent.
They will never tell you how long the life of a tire is, Because they have warehouses full of tires that needed to be sold
DOT recommends replacement after 7 years regardless of how much tread its left. Tires degrade over time whether they are rolling or not.
Very good information sir. Thank you
Bought a tandem axle car trailer in 96 with 6ply swallow brand tires. They looked cheap as hell and I was expecting to replace them in a few years. I've used the heck out of that trailer, had it overloaded several times and just hauled a buddy's 4500lb pickup last month. Same original tires on it. No weather checking, dry rot, nothing! You just never know!
I should drive the distance of about 200 miles one way, when I replace my rv tires
I've got a 16FT TANDEM Equipment TRAILER MY tire size is 14.5
High end 5`ers come from the factory with LT tires. why? because most ST tires are junk! On my TT I went with Carlisle HD "E" rated tires. because there is no 15" LT tire. Also just recently the ST`s have received a higher speed rating.
Thanks
Thanks for the tire info.
Is there a steel sidewalk ply in the ST tire?
Not sure why sound was so blurred, others seemed to not hear that.
You left out the speed rating and depending upon the light truck tire you get you can get better load ratings.
Thanks, I need to purchase new tires for my trailer
Great video!!
I own a 1998 Chevrolet 1/2 ton 1500 Express conversion van. The tires are 235/75R15.
I have had the sidewalls of two Michelin lightweight truck tires blow out. These tires were not even made around the same time. They were different series but both made by Michelin.
When Dad owned this van he actually had one blow out on the interstate. He replaced the rears with another set of Michelins. A few years later one day I noticed that the sidewall had developed a large bulge about the size of my hand and before I could get it to a tire shop, I came home from work one day and the bulge had blown out. Makes me wonder if it was a good thing that this happened and I was not driving it 3 miles up the road to the tire store.
I had to pull both wheels off the van in the driveway and take them to a tire store. I questioned the fact that if these lightweight truck wires were not rated for this van being it was a conversion van.
The guy said that the tires were rated for this van. He had no answer as to why these two different series of Michelin truck tires would blow out.
I since replaced them with Wild Country tires which I think were made by Cooper. I only got 20,000 miles out of them. But luckily they just wore out, never blew out like the Michelins.
You didn't mention the load range of the tires, if you add weight to a vehicle you may exceed the capacity of the originally spec'd tires. I doubt a van came with P (passenger) tires probably LTs (light truck) but I suspect that is what you were using if they were blowing out in short order, or you just run with too low of air pressure and ruined the LTs.
James Siebold You didn’t say whether the tires were LT or P. Clearly they were overloaded. OEM tires were for a half ton but after conversion needed to be upgraded to a 3/4 ton tire.
Thanks for the highlight on the year of manufacture.
Allot of people do not know this and i have friends around
trucking and they do quite allot of mechanic work never knew this neither.
I found out by buying a new used tire for my bike.
It was never installed never put on a rim but found out how to read the year
it was 10yrs old. Its on the front of a heavy touring bike so i am a bit
concerned about putting it on. The guy i bought it from said he never knew this but never offered to buy it back neither so be vigilant when buying used things.
Thank was a great job and I got what I needed thank you very much
What do you recommend for dual axle 8,000 lbs travel trailer
Buy a name brand light truck tire in a D or E load rating. Even new Travel Trailers are shipping from the factory with truck tires now. Most trailer tires are not made as well as light truck tires.
I’m buying new ST tires for my 10,000 lb car trailer and they won’t be from China. Also, here’s my 2-cents regarding tire installation. They make tires for cars, trucks, and trailers. By putting a tire that’s not specific or sized for the vehicle will most certainly effect warranty and any legal provisions that are available to the consumer. A serious accident can become extremely expensive, when lives and high-dollar equipment are involved. I personally would want the manufacturer and insurance companies to help. Going with Bubba’s recommendation on tire selection would negate any small savings one might achieve.
What about the "China-Bomb" ST tires that blow out on the highway without warning. Proper inflation means nothing to those tires.
What is a core tire?
thank, you for you're video.🙏
What are your views on Taskmaster ST tires?
thanks
The taskmaster st tires appear to be acceptable entry level tires.
Thanks for the reply, I had bought a couple of the load range D ST tires . They seem good , then I found your video. Thanks again.
+gonepriused you're welcome. Thanks for stopping by.
Thats what come on the. Boat I bought. I wont put another one on it for sure.
Sounds good on paper, but in practice it seems the LT's are giving people less problems out on the roads. So much so that I won't be buying ST's, not even Goodyears. If your trailer sways that much, trying to fix it with tires is asking for trouble. People need to jack up their trailers/campers and get the weight off the tires when not in use.
BINGO....
Thank you for the info👍
Application should first be considered when buying any tire. Trailer , truck, car. If one drives a considerable amount on highways, on, off roads, or mostly off road. Same with trailers, amount of usage, terrian, weight, speeds. Trailer tires need not just good side wall capacity but great side wall capacity and overall rating. A minimum 6ply on overall and side wall. Better to go at least mid rande with 8 ply. Always check and adjust tire pressures before and adjust to weight added. A over or rather higher inflated tire with a light load can result in a very uncontrollable trailer, at times. Folks seem least concerned with how their trailers, trucks and passenger car tires are until a problem occurs. A trailer requires as much if not more attention than we might believe mostly because they are used less, therefore, attention to detail is sidelined. Tire pressure, side wall and tread inspection, electrical brake engagement adjustments, bearings properly lubed and adjusted, vehicle recommended speeds. All of these can and will play into the outcome of your trip if not adherred to. Should anyone need a further explanation just visit a U-Haul rental center. Each one of their vehicles generally has a maximum speed sign somewhere on this equipment, and for good reason. Be safe out there folks your life and others may or could be at risk without following some guidlines to safety.
Great jobs buddy
Thank you for the great video, I never knew there was a difference. I was planning on buying LT tires for my trailer.
Can you do a video on cheap Chinese tires vs North American tires for trailers? Is it better to buy more expensive tires? Thanks
Get a 10 ply LT tire
Cronk, that's exactly what I was searching for. But I'll have to keep looking.
Thanks for your time ! And the right information.
Here's the issue from what I've learned. A trailer "pivots" and therefore needs sidewalls to be much more sturdier than regular passenger tires. That is one of the main important difference.. Passenger cars have 4 points way far away from each other. And 2 tires steer. Trailer tires have usually 2, maybe 4 tires that at one point, opposite each other.. That is way I always use trailer tires on a trailer, and NEVER a passenger tire on a trailer.
kenny play
When I turn the wheel of my truck it pivots as well.
@@leekrd Also trailers may have leaf springs but I've yet to see one with shock absorbers. Therefore the sidewall of the tire is the shock absorber, so it needs to keep the rim off the pavement when a bump or pothole is encountered while trailering.
Axle weight and speed rating ie:124/121m is what I want to know on the tyre wall. Nothing else
Thank you sir. Great info!
The only great info here is to sucker people into poor quality dangerous trailer tires so they can sell you another set. Rut LT tires on trailer for safety! Less blow outs and much much much longer life.
I have yet to see a ST tire with a thicker sidewall than an LT tire
I have two thirty five hundred pound axles.On my car trailer, using A205ST trailer tires, they're all junk all the time. I inflate each tire to the recommended tire pressure junk chinese tires.I'm thinking i'm going with light truck tires.Next
No audio
I run car tires on my car trailer and my boat trailer never had a problem want run crappy trailer tires
Because it's a boat trailer, which is a much lighter load than an RV, for example.
Josh Cartwheel, then why are you here looking at this information?
Very informative, well done
So wouldn't you need or want the same qualities of a trailer tire on a passenger tire .
Lol
You didn't say any thing about balancing trailer tires, is it necessary?
Definitely...balancing is a must with all tires.
+BeeFriendlyApiary Important. Forgot the weight limit, tire is considered junk if it takes to much weight and also check for being out of round.
Not mentioned in video.
Well on my new set as with our original set I did not have them balanced.
+Bob Porter How do you know that you have a good tire? A balance tire will reward you in cooler running, last longer and save on parts wearing premature. I have 3 million miles on hauling cars. Tried all kinds of different ways of making tire life to last longer.
Last set went 17,000 in 5+ years with no problem! The new set just went over 7000 on a recent trip with no problem. That's why I buy good tires to begin with, because they don't need balancing! I also have a TPMS and all 4 ran about 90° the entire trip, even thru the Arizona desert!
cannot hear audio. check audio.
I didn't either. I tried 2 or 3 times before I got audio.