15" Tire Recommendation Please

[dbj216]

I want to mount this old Western Wheel 15" aluminum wheel on my son's 69 Globetrotter. The wheel says 2200lbs max load.

I want to mount a load rating D tire to the wheel and run it at 65 psi. His trailer weighs about 3500 lbs. It is single axle of course.

What would you experts purchase for new tires?

David

[Melody Ranch]

225x65x15 Mich.

[dbj216]

Okay. A light truck tire. Or is that an extra load passenger car tire. LTs aren't plentiful in 15". Michelins are soooo expensive. I know they are premium, but for 3000 miles a year I wonder if they are worth it. We'll see.

I was thinking 225 75 15. I'll check overall diameters.

Thanks,

David

[truxpin]

How wide is the rim? That will certainly make a difference. That Western rim LOOKS a lot like the Alcoa 15" rim that came on our '01 Limited, but width will make a difference in which tire you go with. I'm in the process of replacing our tires, and I wish I could recall the width of our 15" Alcoa rims. 225/75/15 are the size of the current tires, and they're being replaced with the same. What is the size of the tire on that Western rim?

[r carl]

At only 3k a yr if you buy a ST tire, buy a bias ply one. No need for a radial on that camper.

[dbj216]

I should have said the wheel is 6" in width. Pretty much standard fare for Airstreams. The wheels came off our 86 Limited as I upgraded to 16" and LT load E tires. So my Trade Wind and my son get the hand me downs. We have steel wheels and bias ply tires on the Globetrotter now. I feel they are heavy, like over 50 lbs, and rigid. His axle isn't in the best shape. I figured the aluminum wheels and radials would reduce weight and offer a slightly smoother ride.

David

[Lance M]

Pirelli Scorpion LT 235/75/15 LR D


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[perryg114]

If it will fit, I would go with a Michelin or BF Goodrich in 235/75-XL15. This is a little wider and taller than the 225/75-15. That looks like a standard Airstream alloy rim. My trailer has those and I have the 235/75 -XL15 Goodrich TA Longtrail and they seem to be fine. Probably have at least 5000 miles on them. I can't find the odometer on my trailer. How do folks get their tire mileage down to 1/4 mile?


Perry

[dannydimitt]

There is a multitude of 235/75R15s available from virtually all manufactures, and even the P rated tires have a load rating over 2000 pounds .
I have used these tires for many years without ever having one fail for any reason , other than a picking up a nail. The trailer tows perfectly at highway speeds , 75 MPH in the Texas heat , and no problems at all with tight u-turns on pavement or anything else. They have no 65 MPH speed limitations and with the lower pressure they run , they deflect and absorb a lot more road imperfections that otherwise would be transferred to the trailer .
Last summer we drove from central Texas up through Canada , all over Alaska and back home down the Cassiar route with absolutely no problems whatsoever out of the 235/75R15 Cooper Trendsetter tires on the trailer .
Ran the same size tires on the 66 Airstream with the stock steel wheels with baby moons all over the Southwest United States for years with the same results.

[dannydimitt]

We had the right rear go flat on our Safari near Pie Town , New Mexico about a month back . A nice young lady that had been following passed and signaled that there was a problem back there , we pulled over and she told us the tire had been down for several miles "towed perfectly with no apparent problems " the weight of the trailer had been carried by the right Front tire and wheel allowing the assembly to the rear of it to roll along without the wheel ever making contact with the road surface . This was a new first time on the road p rated 15 inch tire and did not come apart or do any damage whatsoever to the trailer, although it was run deflated long enough to inflict fatal damage to the outside sidewall of the tire , while the inside was perfectly fine . The tire that had been carrying the entire weight of the right side of the trailer was no warmer than the tires on the left side of the trailer .
Hats off to the young lady who stopped to tell us of the flat , she offered to help us put the spare on !

[dbj216]

Thanks everyone for your experiences. When I went looking for a 15" LT tire 225 75 15 I didn't happen to see very many available. I probably searched wrong. Maybe they are more common at 235 75 15.

David

[KYAirstream]

How about the Cooper AT3s or HT3s in a 235 75 R15?


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[tsunami]

Originally Posted by perryg114

If it will fit, I would go with a Michelin or BF Goodrich in 235/75-XL15. This is a little wider and taller than the 225/75-15. That looks like a standard Airstream alloy rim. My trailer has those and I have the 235/75 -XL15 Goodrich TA Longtrail and they seem to be fine. Probably have at least 5000 miles on them. I can't find the odometer on my trailer. How do folks get their tire mileage down to 1/4 mile?


Perry

Any issue from putting a wider tire on a newer AS? I'm wanting to go to a 15 inch rim and a Michelin tire, but can only find the 235 in a 75/R15.

[dbj216]

I actually purchased a 205 75R 15 E rated trailer tire. It fit well in the wheel well, but a little struggle getting it between the brake drum and body. I'm running them at 65 psi. I think they will be plenty of tire for the 69 Globetrotter.

David