I have a six horse gooseneck trailer wchich has Goodyear tires on it... they are about 4 years old and look fine, no appreciable wear and excellent sidewalls. I estaimate the mileage to be around 50,000 miles. Does anyone know how long i should run these? I have no problem repalcing them but they seem to be quite servicable...
Load range G trailer tire life
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If I were you, I'd get a local tire professional to take a look at them. Any kind of answer you get on a forum like this is going to be mostly speculation without being able to examine them. JMO~
I think it's important to know the tire size as the age difference between an LT metric and a truck tire could be considerable.
Originally Posted By: hate2work
If I were you, I'd get a local tire professional to take a look at them. Any kind of answer you get on a forum like this is going to be mostly speculation without being able to examine them. JMO~
Maybe not. Here's some good info on tires as they may apply to trailers, culled from another site:
"I said I would report what response I got from Cooper Tires on the ST vs LT issue. Here goes. Cooper sent me an email with a phone number to call. The customer service rep at the number put me on hold and got a gentleman to talk to me who has years of experience actually building the tires and is a trailerist, also. Yes, there is a definite difference between Cooper LT and ST tires.
However, it is not a "safety" difference as long as the load rating is correct for your trailer's gross weight when towed. Both ST and LT tires can be safely used for trailers. The difference in construction is this: Cooper ST tires are basically a tire that combines passenger car tire construction techniques, with heavy duty truck tire fabric and cord materiels. This results in an ST tire having a high LT type load rating with the lower air pressure requirements and soft, shock absorbing sidewalls of a passenger tire. There is also extra UV inhibitors and oils added to the rubber to help in storage. This is much easier on the suspension and other components of the trailer on bumpy roads than the stiff sidewalls and higher air pressure of the LT tires. As far as tire safety is concerned, he stated that is up to the trailerist and how he maintains the tires, keeping the proper air pressure in the tires, and choosing the correct load rating. He stated LT tires have an advantage because of the larger choice of tread patterns and number of sizes available to choose from to suit the conditions you are towing in, such as snow, unimproved roads, etc.
He also stated that it is imperative to not allow the trailer to rest on the tires in the same spot for months at a time in the off-season. This causes the fabric cords in the tire to take on a flat "set" which can then cause some of them to actually break apart when you next take the trailer out on the highway. This can cause complete tire failure. He stated the best thing to do is to store the trailer on jacks with the tires in the air, or removed completely. This last information was of concern to me since I only have "stabilizing" jacks and cannot lift the trailer enough to take the load off the tires without serious effort. At any rate, that is what Cooper Tires has to say on this subject."
Another gentleman on that thread also mentioned he did not like his Goodyear trailer tires and replaced them after only a year, but he did not say specifically why. Is it the Goodyear "ST" trailer tires you have?
If I were you, I'd get a local tire professional to take a look at them. Any kind of answer you get on a forum like this is going to be mostly speculation without being able to examine them. JMO~
Maybe not. Here's some good info on tires as they may apply to trailers, culled from another site:
"I said I would report what response I got from Cooper Tires on the ST vs LT issue. Here goes. Cooper sent me an email with a phone number to call. The customer service rep at the number put me on hold and got a gentleman to talk to me who has years of experience actually building the tires and is a trailerist, also. Yes, there is a definite difference between Cooper LT and ST tires.
However, it is not a "safety" difference as long as the load rating is correct for your trailer's gross weight when towed. Both ST and LT tires can be safely used for trailers. The difference in construction is this: Cooper ST tires are basically a tire that combines passenger car tire construction techniques, with heavy duty truck tire fabric and cord materiels. This results in an ST tire having a high LT type load rating with the lower air pressure requirements and soft, shock absorbing sidewalls of a passenger tire. There is also extra UV inhibitors and oils added to the rubber to help in storage. This is much easier on the suspension and other components of the trailer on bumpy roads than the stiff sidewalls and higher air pressure of the LT tires. As far as tire safety is concerned, he stated that is up to the trailerist and how he maintains the tires, keeping the proper air pressure in the tires, and choosing the correct load rating. He stated LT tires have an advantage because of the larger choice of tread patterns and number of sizes available to choose from to suit the conditions you are towing in, such as snow, unimproved roads, etc.
He also stated that it is imperative to not allow the trailer to rest on the tires in the same spot for months at a time in the off-season. This causes the fabric cords in the tire to take on a flat "set" which can then cause some of them to actually break apart when you next take the trailer out on the highway. This can cause complete tire failure. He stated the best thing to do is to store the trailer on jacks with the tires in the air, or removed completely. This last information was of concern to me since I only have "stabilizing" jacks and cannot lift the trailer enough to take the load off the tires without serious effort. At any rate, that is what Cooper Tires has to say on this subject."
Another gentleman on that thread also mentioned he did not like his Goodyear trailer tires and replaced them after only a year, but he did not say specifically why. Is it the Goodyear "ST" trailer tires you have?
If you have goodyear Marathon's they are made in china and most people say they are marginally safe and only for 3 years. Tons of blow-outs reported.
Another thing they don't tell you about the difference between ST tires and LT tires is that ST tires are generally speed rated for only 59 MPH. Overheating and sidewall separation due to overspeed/underinflation is supposed to be one of the most common causes of trailer tire blow-outs. If you are doing any time on the freeway, you need the ~90/100MPH rating of LT tires.
There are a great many reports of blow-outs for ST tires, especially ones made in china. If you follow the trailering boards much, you'll see that moving up a load range or two and switching to LT tires solves the blow-out problem once and for all.
I had a blow-out on brand new Carlisle trailer tires on my 24' travel trailer. Pretty much ruins any fun in the hobby. Now I am looking to lift the suspension enough to clear larger rims to be able to mount larger rims to accomodate a higher load rated LT tire.
You will also find that it is darn near impossible to find an ST trailer tire that is not made in China in a size smaller than 16".
Another option is a commercial "all position" tire. Kumho and Yokohama have offerings in the smaller sizes in these tires on the tire rack.com. IIRC, bridgestone does too. Most tire dealerships don't know much about trailer tires. It is better to get on the manufacturer's website and find the tire you need first, then call your local dealer.
Another thing they don't tell you about the difference between ST tires and LT tires is that ST tires are generally speed rated for only 59 MPH. Overheating and sidewall separation due to overspeed/underinflation is supposed to be one of the most common causes of trailer tire blow-outs. If you are doing any time on the freeway, you need the ~90/100MPH rating of LT tires.
There are a great many reports of blow-outs for ST tires, especially ones made in china. If you follow the trailering boards much, you'll see that moving up a load range or two and switching to LT tires solves the blow-out problem once and for all.
I had a blow-out on brand new Carlisle trailer tires on my 24' travel trailer. Pretty much ruins any fun in the hobby. Now I am looking to lift the suspension enough to clear larger rims to be able to mount larger rims to accomodate a higher load rated LT tire.
You will also find that it is darn near impossible to find an ST trailer tire that is not made in China in a size smaller than 16".
Another option is a commercial "all position" tire. Kumho and Yokohama have offerings in the smaller sizes in these tires on the tire rack.com. IIRC, bridgestone does too. Most tire dealerships don't know much about trailer tires. It is better to get on the manufacturer's website and find the tire you need first, then call your local dealer.
+1-I've never been able to get more than about 10K out of a China made ST tire-and tire dealers know ZERO about them!
Originally Posted By: oliver88
I have a six horse gooseneck trailer wchich has Goodyear tires on it... they are about 4 years old and look fine, no appreciable wear and excellent sidewalls. I estaimate the mileage to be around 50,000 miles.
Sounds like yours are doing just fine, contrary to all the badmouthing they seem to be getting. I'm guessing they get run quite frequently, maybe even on a daily basis and therefore will not become subject to the fabric seperation issue from sitting unused mentioned above. May also explain all the badmouthing coming from seasonal users who don't properly maintain their tires?
Just a guess...
I have a six horse gooseneck trailer wchich has Goodyear tires on it... they are about 4 years old and look fine, no appreciable wear and excellent sidewalls. I estaimate the mileage to be around 50,000 miles.
Sounds like yours are doing just fine, contrary to all the badmouthing they seem to be getting. I'm guessing they get run quite frequently, maybe even on a daily basis and therefore will not become subject to the fabric seperation issue from sitting unused mentioned above. May also explain all the badmouthing coming from seasonal users who don't properly maintain their tires?
Just a guess...
Originally Posted By: oliver88
These are 235/85 rst16 Goodyear tariler tire...they have a 110 pound inflation recommendation.
Thanks. That is precisely why I asked the question - I didn't even consider that these might be ST type tires.
I think you can follow the Passenger Car and Light Truck tire recomendations - which I think mean if you live in a hot climate (AZ, CA, NV, TX, and FL) then the limit is six years. If you live in a cold climate (MN, ND, WI, MT, etc), then the limit is 10 years. States in between are ..... ah ........ in between.
But a 4 year old trailer with 50K miles MUST have visited hot climates, not to mention lots of heat history due to all tghe miles, so i would follow the severe climate recommendation.
BTW, you probably ought to weigh the trailer fully loaded. You just might find out - like many others have - that the tires are overloaded.
These are 235/85 rst16 Goodyear tariler tire...they have a 110 pound inflation recommendation.
Thanks. That is precisely why I asked the question - I didn't even consider that these might be ST type tires.
I think you can follow the Passenger Car and Light Truck tire recomendations - which I think mean if you live in a hot climate (AZ, CA, NV, TX, and FL) then the limit is six years. If you live in a cold climate (MN, ND, WI, MT, etc), then the limit is 10 years. States in between are ..... ah ........ in between.
But a 4 year old trailer with 50K miles MUST have visited hot climates, not to mention lots of heat history due to all tghe miles, so i would follow the severe climate recommendation.
BTW, you probably ought to weigh the trailer fully loaded. You just might find out - like many others have - that the tires are overloaded.
Originally Posted By: Jim 5
If you have goodyear Marathon's they are made in china and most people say they are marginally safe and only for 3 years. Tons of blow-outs reported.
Another thing they don't tell you about the difference between ST tires and LT tires is that ST tires are generally speed rated for only 59 MPH. Overheating and sidewall separation due to overspeed/underinflation is supposed to be one of the most common causes of trailer tire blow-outs. If you are doing any time on the freeway, you need the ~90/100MPH rating of LT tires.
There are a great many reports of blow-outs for ST tires, especially ones made in china. If you follow the trailering boards much, you'll see that moving up a load range or two and switching to LT tires solves the blow-out problem once and for all.
I had a blow-out on brand new Carlisle trailer tires on my 24' travel trailer. Pretty much ruins any fun in the hobby. Now I am looking to lift the suspension enough to clear larger rims to be able to mount larger rims to accomodate a higher load rated LT tire.
You will also find that it is darn near impossible to find an ST trailer tire that is not made in China in a size smaller than 16".
Another option is a commercial "all position" tire. Kumho and Yokohama have offerings in the smaller sizes in these tires on the tire rack.com. IIRC, bridgestone does too. Most tire dealerships don't know much about trailer tires. It is better to get on the manufacturer's website and find the tire you need first, then call your local dealer.
Not so. ST tires are rated to carry their full listed load at the listed max inflation pressure up to 65 mph. They are suitable up to 75 mph if the air pressure is increased 10 psi, which means 75 psi (cold) in a Load Range D tire...if the wheel can handle that pressure. http://www.goodyear.com/rv/pdf/marathon_gen_info_032806.pdf
ST special trailer tires fail mainly because the tires are cheap junk. Underinflation, overload, leaking valve stems, hitting curbs, etc., all contribute greatly to failures, but the tires will fail anyway, 'cuz they're junk tires. The tire makes do not care to make good trailer tires. Unfortunately, in 13", 14", & 15" sizes there are just about no other tires that'll carry the necessary load. Most trailer people don't bother to balance trailer tires, or don't think the tires need balancing, and unbalanced tires bouncing along harms bearings, suspension, and the tire itself. Many trailer wheels are so cheaply made that the center pilot hole isn't in the true center of the wheel, so those wheels must be balanced using the tire shop's lug-centric adapter---always good for an argument with the "expert" in the tire shop. Has anybody every found a round GY Marathon?...I haven't seen one. All the ones I've seen are egg shaped and will bounce down the highway no matter what.
Cooper hasn't made trailer tires for several years, have they? Or are they now bringing some in from their Chinese factories?
If you have goodyear Marathon's they are made in china and most people say they are marginally safe and only for 3 years. Tons of blow-outs reported.
Another thing they don't tell you about the difference between ST tires and LT tires is that ST tires are generally speed rated for only 59 MPH. Overheating and sidewall separation due to overspeed/underinflation is supposed to be one of the most common causes of trailer tire blow-outs. If you are doing any time on the freeway, you need the ~90/100MPH rating of LT tires.
There are a great many reports of blow-outs for ST tires, especially ones made in china. If you follow the trailering boards much, you'll see that moving up a load range or two and switching to LT tires solves the blow-out problem once and for all.
I had a blow-out on brand new Carlisle trailer tires on my 24' travel trailer. Pretty much ruins any fun in the hobby. Now I am looking to lift the suspension enough to clear larger rims to be able to mount larger rims to accomodate a higher load rated LT tire.
You will also find that it is darn near impossible to find an ST trailer tire that is not made in China in a size smaller than 16".
Another option is a commercial "all position" tire. Kumho and Yokohama have offerings in the smaller sizes in these tires on the tire rack.com. IIRC, bridgestone does too. Most tire dealerships don't know much about trailer tires. It is better to get on the manufacturer's website and find the tire you need first, then call your local dealer.
Not so. ST tires are rated to carry their full listed load at the listed max inflation pressure up to 65 mph. They are suitable up to 75 mph if the air pressure is increased 10 psi, which means 75 psi (cold) in a Load Range D tire...if the wheel can handle that pressure. http://www.goodyear.com/rv/pdf/marathon_gen_info_032806.pdf
ST special trailer tires fail mainly because the tires are cheap junk. Underinflation, overload, leaking valve stems, hitting curbs, etc., all contribute greatly to failures, but the tires will fail anyway, 'cuz they're junk tires. The tire makes do not care to make good trailer tires. Unfortunately, in 13", 14", & 15" sizes there are just about no other tires that'll carry the necessary load. Most trailer people don't bother to balance trailer tires, or don't think the tires need balancing, and unbalanced tires bouncing along harms bearings, suspension, and the tire itself. Many trailer wheels are so cheaply made that the center pilot hole isn't in the true center of the wheel, so those wheels must be balanced using the tire shop's lug-centric adapter---always good for an argument with the "expert" in the tire shop. Has anybody every found a round GY Marathon?...I haven't seen one. All the ones I've seen are egg shaped and will bounce down the highway no matter what.
Cooper hasn't made trailer tires for several years, have they? Or are they now bringing some in from their Chinese factories?
The Carlisle Sport Radial ST205/75 15s on my Featherlight carhauler have peformed flawlessly for 5+ years and almost 10k miles, no complaints.
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