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Old 09-02-2014, 02:53 PM   #1
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Default CAMPER TIRE facts fyi

quote:
Trailer Tire Applications
•Trailer tires are designed for use on trailer axle positions only. They are not built to handle the loads applied to, or the traction required by, drive or steering axles.

Inflation
•Always inflate trailer tires to the maximum inflation indicated on the sidewall.
•Check inflation when the tires are cool and have not been exposed to the sun.
•If the tires are hot to the touch from operation, add three psi to the max inflation.
•Underinflation is the number one cause of trailer tire failure.

Load Carrying Capacity
•All tires must be identical in size for the tires to properly manage the weight of the trailer.
•The combined capacity of the tires must equal or exceed the Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) of the axle.
•The combined capacity of all of the tires should exceed the loaded trailer weight by 20 percent.
•If the actual weight is not available, use the trailer GVW. If a tire fails on a tandem axle trailer, you should replace both tires on that side. The remaining tire is likely to have been subjected to excessive loading.
•If the tires are replaced with tires of larger diameter, the tongue height may need to be adjusted to maintain proper weight distribution.

Speed
•All "ST" tires have a maximum speed rating of 65 mph.
•As heat builds up, the tire's structure starts to disintegrate and weaken.
•The load carrying capacity gradually decreases as the heat and stresses generated by higher speed increases.

Time
•Time and the elements weaken a trailer tire.
•In approximately three years, roughly one-third of the tire's strength is gone.
•Three to five years is the projected life of a normal trailer tire.
•It is suggested that trailer tires be replaced after three to four years of service regardless of tread depth or tire appearance.

Mileage
•Trailer tires are not designed to wear out.
•The life of a trailer tire is limited by time and duty cycles.
•The mileage expectation of a trailer tire is 5,000 to 12,000 miles.

Why Use An "ST" Tire
•"ST" tires feature materials and construction to meet the higher load requirements and demands of trailering.
•The polyester cords are bigger than they would be for a comparable "P" or "LT" tire.
•The steel cords have a larger diameter and greater tensile strength to meet the additional load requirements.
•"ST" tire rubber compounds contain more chemicals to resist weather and ozone cracking.

Storage
•The ideal storage for trailer tires is in a cool, dark garage at maximum inflation.
•Use tire covers to protect the tires from direct sunlight.
•Use thin plywood sections between the tire and the pavement.
•For long term storage, put the trailer on blocks to take the weight off the tires. Then lower the air pressure and cover the tires to protect them from direct sunlight.

Maintenance
•Clean the tires using mild soap and water.
•Do not use tire-care products containing alcohol or petroleum distillates.
•Inspect the tires for any cuts, snags, bulges or punctures.
•Check the inflation before towing and again before the return trip.

Keys to Avoiding Trouble
•Make sure your rig is equipped with the proper tires.
•Maintain the tires meticulously.
•Replace trailer tires every three to five years, whether they look like they're worn out or not.
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Old 09-02-2014, 09:33 PM   #2
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Great info eagle , thanks for the heads up !!
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Old 10-08-2014, 06:27 PM   #3
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Yep, good stuff.

I've been exceedingly lucky with my tires. One leaker over the past five years, but that's it.

A friend of mine has a bigger/heavier trailer than I have, and he bought it used a couple years ago. A couple weeks into an extended trip I was following him and started to smell rubber...then I saw smoke. I got him on the cell just in time to get him pulled over before it started coming apart in a big way. Over the course of the summer, he ended up replacing all of them.

I was following him again on a trip up to SLC this year, and as I watched from behind, one side was fine, but the left rear of his dual-axle setup had some shimmy to it. I talked him into taking it to a tire shop in Beaver, UT. Sure enough, it was just starting to come apart.

I'll probably do a replacement set before next summer's trip. That'll be the third round of rubber on the trailer.
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Old 10-09-2014, 06:38 AM   #4
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I've done a lot of research on this topic on half dozen forums and then also got confirmation from a friend who's been pulling TTs for over 25 years. He's had a big 5er for over 15 years and all the info I dug up indicates that the best built ST tire is made in Thailand by Maxxis. Most of the off-brands including the Goodyears are all made in China and suffer the same quality issues. The Maxxis tires have more plys and more robust construction (they weigh more than the Chinese tires do). They're also better balanced right out of the mold than the Chinese tire and require less added weights in dynamic balancing.

If you have 14 inch wheels, Khumo makes an LT 857 radial just for trailer application. I think Tire Rack.com's description for them is .....
C205R-14 Khumo Radial 857 Trailer use only D

This is a D rated tire (over most of the other C rated Chinese tires). It has 8 plys instead of the stock tire 4 ply. It raises the load rating from a standard 1760 lbs to nearly 2200 lbs per tire. It also carries a pressure rating of 65 psi over the Chinese tire rating of 50 psi. I switched out a set on a new TT this summer, traveled well over 8,000 miles through Utah on 110 degree days and the tires and wheels were comfortably warm to the touch. No signs of wear either what so ever. They were a bit expensive, but peace of mind comes with a premium I guess.

The only thing of note is that they are sized based on a metric scale and are not exactly the same as the standard 205/75/14. They are about 0.400 inches taller over all (diameter) or 0.200 bigger radius.



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Old 10-09-2014, 07:15 AM   #5
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I have heard/read that most camper owners don't bother to balance the tires on their campers. Part of the reason is most never wear out (tread worn off) and are replaced every 5 - 6 years so it's a waste of money.

However, an IN balance tire lasts longer due to less stress on the tire but it also runs COOLER. It is well known, heat is detrimental to tire strength and life.
http://www.ntb.com/tires/Wheel-Balancing-Education.j

I have chosen to use DynaBeads to maintain my tires 'in balance' for their lifetime with only one application.

http://www.innovativebalancing.com/index.php

I use these in my camper tires, tow vehicle pickup, motorcycle and car. Once the DynaBeads have been installed, you will notice a smoother ride!
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Old 10-09-2014, 07:04 PM   #6
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Default What are they?

Eagle, I clicked on that link but could not figure out what the beads are and how they work. Also, is this a do it yourself installation? And when I replace the tires, can I salvage the beads for the next set of tires? Do you use them on your truck and your trailer, too??

Thanks!
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Old 10-10-2014, 06:45 AM   #7
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Default Re: What are they?

Quote:
Originally Posted by profdant139
Eagle, I clicked on that link but could not figure out what the beads are and how they work. Also, is this a do it yourself installation? And when I replace the tires, can I salvage the beads for the next set of tires? Do you use them on your truck and your trailer, too??

Thanks!
The beads are very small ceramic balls. They are inserted into the mounted tire by removing the valve stem core, attaching a tube (in the installation kit) and pouring in the ceramic balls. The beads move within the tire to counteract vibration just like a stationary wheel weight ~ however they compensate for any changes in road conditions/tire wear etc automatically.

The amount/quantity (number of oz) installed depends on the size of the tire they are being inserted into. They have charts indicating the oz per tire by size.

When replacing tires, the claim is they can be removed from the old tire when dismounted and put into the new tire when being mounted on the wheel. I haven't had to do that yet myself.

It makes no difference if you "counteract" brand or "DynaBead" brand as they function the same.

This video may help understand how they work:



This video shows how to install dynabeads into the tire although I did mine with the tire on the vehicle .. just let the air out and removed the valve core to use the installation kit:



And yes, after installed in my pickup and camper tires, I really did notice the difference in ride smoothness and comfort.

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Old 01-11-2015, 05:36 PM   #8
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I think I'll post this in here where some of what I'm going to say has already been discussed - in part - here.

Nice initial post. Carlisle has always been straight forward with its particulars about Special Trailer (ST) tires. Some of the information in their newest download differs some, but not much, from what they said in this initial post.

This post is going to be about the West Lake tires I found on all Cruiser RVs on display at the Greenville, SC RV show this weekend.

Here is a picture. I'll be writing about this particular fitment and what those red and yellow dots mean and how they are used.

http://www.irv2.com/photopost/showfull.php?photo=27423

That's a Westlake tire fitted to a Cruiser RV. It's probably low on air pressure and may even be in a run flat condition but the sales person wouldn't let me check it's air pressure.

I did a little work on that tire brand and here is what I found.

West Lake comes under Vulcan Tire's umbrella. The Westlake manufacturing plant has the following certifications; ISO 14000, ISO 14001, ISO 9000, ISO 9001, TS16949.

All Westlake radial ST tires have the nylon overlay.

A new technology for optimum tire rim mating has, for some time, been in the development stage. This Bridgestone PDF has the best explanation with very good depictions.

http://www.bridgestonetrucktires.com...0ask%20doc.pdf

It is clear in the picture that the tire rim supplier for Cruiser RV tires are using the colored dot balancing method. Every Westlake tire on the Cruisers had the yellow dot over the green cap.

I could not find any rim load capacities or air pressure ratings visible so maybe they are on the back of the rim.

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Old 01-11-2015, 09:06 PM   #9
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According to the PDF, on an aluminum wheel, you are supposed to ignore the yellow dot and install the tire with the red dot at the valve stem location .... therefore ... it appears as though the tire in the photo is installed incorrectly ???

Quote from the PDF .... "If the wheel is aluminum, or if it’s steel, but has no
low point dimple, mount the tire with the red dot next to the valve stem".

Did I miss something or am I correct here ?

Also, on my FF 214WSD, I can't recall the brand of tire but the rating is the same as all the other 14 inch tires on my previous two trailers .... 1760 lbs at 50 psi max



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Old 01-12-2015, 05:10 AM   #10
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Sorry, the Bridgestone PDF was only provided as a reference because I could not find anything similar for the Westlake tires.

The procedures for each tire and rim manufacturer will probably differ in many ways until the Tire & Rim association (TRA) steps in and makes them standardize all of the procedures. That probably wont happen until the development teams are done testing.

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Old 06-10-2015, 08:44 AM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Travels with Yoly
I've done a lot of research on this topic on half dozen forums and then also got confirmation from a friend who's been pulling TTs for over 25 years. He's had a big 5er for over 15 years and all the info I dug up indicates that the best built ST tire is made in Thailand by Maxxis. Most of the off-brands including the Goodyears are all made in China and suffer the same quality issues. The Maxxis tires have more plys and more robust construction (they weigh more than the Chinese tires do). They're also better balanced right out of the mold than the Chinese tire and require less added weights in dynamic balancing.

If you have 14 inch wheels, Khumo makes an LT 857 radial just for trailer application. I think Tire Rack.com's description for them is .....
C205R-14 Khumo Radial 857 Trailer use only D

This is a D rated tire (over most of the other C rated Chinese tires). It has 8 plys instead of the stock tire 4 ply. It raises the load rating from a standard 1760 lbs to nearly 2200 lbs per tire. It also carries a pressure rating of 65 psi over the Chinese tire rating of 50 psi. I switched out a set on a new TT this summer, traveled well over 8,000 miles through Utah on 110 degree days and the tires and wheels were comfortably warm to the touch. No signs of wear either what so ever. They were a bit expensive, but peace of mind comes with a premium I guess.

The only thing of note is that they are sized based on a metric scale and are not exactly the same as the standard 205/75/14. They are about 0.400 inches taller over all (diameter) or 0.200 bigger radius.
Hello,

Can you please tell me what size Kumho's you are running?

On their website, I see the 185R14 (25.6" diameter and 7.4" width), 195R14 (26.2" diameter and 7.8" width) and 205R14 (27.0" diameter and 8.0" width).

I'm trying to understand what will fit best on my 189FDS to replace the stock 205/75R14 tires.

Thank you!
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