I have learned a lot from you over the years. I'm glad to return the favor in this small way.wow.I would suggest only considering two brands of trailer tires, Carlisle and Goodyear, based on their reputation for reliability and having fewer unexplained blowouts.
Carlisle (may now be rebranded as Carlstar) Radial Trail HD ST205/75R15 Load Range C (LRC, 6-ply rated) at 50 psi cold is a good choice for a trailer with axles rated for carrying 3500 lb each. This tire is rated to carry 1820 lb per tire, which is 2 x 1820 lb = 3640 lb per axle.
Carlisle/Carlstar Radial Trail HD ST205/75R15 Load Range D (LRD, 8-ply rating) is another choice. It is rated to carry 1820 lb per tire at 50 psi cold or 2150 lb per tire at 65 psi cold. The manufacturer, Carlstar, generally recommends that the owner should operate the tire at the full rated pressure listed on the sidewall, 65 psi cold. This is slightly overinflating the tire which may not be an optimal use of the tire. (If you operate this tire at 50 psi cold, it would be equivalent to, or better, than the LRC option.)
Finally, you could consider the Goodyear Endurance ST205/75R15 LRD. It is a more expensive tire but may be worth the premium price. It is made in the USA and is a heavier duty tire with some nice features unavailable from Carlisle. You will likely get a longer life from the tire. Goodyear recommends replacement within six years whereas Carlisle recommends replacement at three years (no later than 5 years). Carlisle states that about 1/3 of a tire's strength is lost within three years. Furthermore, Goodyear doesn't recommend inflating to 65 psi cold, but rather that their tires should be inflated to at least the minimum pressure for the load. So, these LRD tires can be operated at a pressure of 50 psi cold to match the load, just like any similar LRC tire.
Discount Tire shops generally have Goodyear Endurance in stock or can order either of these brands for you very quickly. They will balance your trailer tires on request, so be sure to ask.
References:
https://www.carlstar.com/our-products/p ... -trail-hd/
https://www.goodyear.com/en_US/tires/en ... 24464.html
https://www.goodyear.com/en_US/learn/ti ... -last.html
https://carlisletransportationproducts. ... ctices.pdf
https://www.goodyearrvtires.com/pdfs/rv_inflation.pdf
Great info.
I will definitely look into these 2 tires.
I didn't know that tires have a "life". Are car/truck tires the same way, they don't seem to mention it?
Huge thanks for taking the time to input/post this great info in one place.
Mahalo
jim
Yes, car/truck tires also have a limited calendar life. The Goodyear 6-year replacement interval mentioned above is for all their tires, trailer, car and light truck.
I use Michelins on my vehicles; their replacement recommendation is as follows:
https://www.michelinman.com/auto/auto-t ... -new-tires1. Keep five years in mind
After five years or more in use, your tires should be thoroughly inspected at least once per year by a professional.
2. Ten years is a maximum
If the tires haven't been replaced 10 years after their date of manufacture, as a precaution, Michelin recommends replacing them with new tires. Even if they appear to be in usable condition and have not worn down to the tread wear indicator. This applies to spare tires as well.
Statistics: Posted by MtnBiker — Sat Sep 14, 2024 10:37 am