HELP! with tires, switching to 16" rims.

[Wingeezer]

My understanding is as Bill M has explained.

I switched to 16" wheels because rightly or wrongly I wanted to get away from using
ST tires and switch to the LT tires.

I suppose it is early days yet and maybe the jury isn't in yet as to whether they are really more reliable than ST tires. But many people here whose opinions I respect seemed to feel so - and when Airstream started offering them as an upgrade, that pretty much convinced me to give them a try since I needed new tires anyway.

Having made that decision, I felt that I did not want to have wheels or tires that were rated at less than the GVW of my trailer - whether I carry load up to the GVW or not.

I don't believe I could get a 15" LT tire that would do that - hence the move to 16" wheels
in my case.

I guess I do fall into the category of people wanting to have more capacity than I will actually use - both in tow vehicles and tires - just seems to me to be wise for longevity to run things at less than their maximum capacity.

That's my excuse anyway!

Brian


PS - I did 3 GYM's lose tread halfway across Texas with our previous SOB trailer. Our Airstream also GYM's when we bought it and they still looked ok (apart from bumpy looking sidewalls, which I was told was ok) when I took them off after they were about 4.5 years old.

[Wazbro]

Originally Posted by Foiled Again

Not to be a putz... but how much of the time are you hitched vs. parked. If you're PARKED and the tires are overloaded doesn't the overload count?

We all know that the stabilizer jacks aren't meant to be load bearing... How much weight rests on the four tires? Does the jack carry as much tongue weight as the hitch receiver does?

Inquiring minds want to know.

MICHELIN 16 inch conversion - I converted to 16 inch rims on Airstream #2 about 2 years ago. If I had it to do over I'd price them from the FACTORY before going through ordering them separately and paying someone to mount them. Not sure the same situation applies now, but when I did it, I could have saved big bucks (hard to believe but true) by ordering them from Airstream in Jackson Center.

Up to a point overloaded when parked doesn't count, one of the tire experts was saying that if you were 10% under the load rating you could increase the speed rating from 65 to 75 and if you reduced the speed you could increase the load rating (this is why ST tires are rated with a higher load rating and lower speed rating then similar LT tires) so if you don't overload the tires by more then 20% while stationary it shouldn't cause problems (sort term anyway like having 10 people in the trailer, maybe not using it as a storage shed).

As for the weight on the tires when parked it should be less then when hitched with WD. WD sends some of the load to the trailer tires and when tongue weight is measured at the jack it is higher then when it is measured at the coupler. This means the receiver would be carrying less weight and sending some of that smaller amount back to the trailer axles.

[Libo]

We wish to Thank everyone for their responses. You have helped us make the decision to purchase 16" Michelins M/S2. We ordered them from Discounttiredirect.com. We recommend them for their prices and customer service. Speak to Earl.
Prior to these tires we had Maxxus 15" tires. They did 25,000miles without any problems.

[m.hony]

Originally Posted by mstephens

People keep tires on a trailer longer than five years? Really? I never would have imagined that. I bought the Michelin 15" LTX MS/2 about a year ago. We have a lot of miles on them already - maybe 10,000. They look brand new still. But, when five years old, I will swap them for a new set no matter what they look like. I thought most people did the same. How long are people running the same tires? I know there was the one guy the other day who reported tires from 1992, but I assume that is rare.

I have run a set of Michelins on a Chevy Express van 130,000 miles! The best tires around, no doubt, but also the most expensive- but that's ok because it is still less expensive to buy 1 set of Michelins than 3-4 sets of something else- the same principal applies to why we own Airstreams instead of sob's.

[m.hony]

Originally Posted by SteveSueMac

There may not be a problem.

I won't lie - the talk in this forum and others about the perceived GYM problems scared the heck out of me. I had no problems with them and switched to the 15" Michelins more out of psychological stress than any direct evidence of bad tires.

You may be fine as is and if you're happy - many others seem to be too so hit the road, watch and feel for damage, keep them at 65 psi, stay under 65mph and enjoy yourself!

Even if you wanted to change to Michelins, you said fully loaded for camping you're at 7400 I believe, yes? 16s wouldn't be necessary. You'd be close with the 15s at 7936 (1984x4) but the derated 15s would do the job. My 27fb fully loaded for camping is 5880 so I'm very comfortable with the 15s.

I think not necessarily Michelins- something in a 15" tire less expensive but better than Goodyear Marathons or Carlisle trailer tires, which I know are junk-
There has been enough negative publicity on the forums about Goodyear Marathons that I won't buy them-
I wonder if that extra 1/2" of ground clearance would keep me for bottoming out? The only time it bottoms out is in an extreme dip in a gas station driveway.
That decision for me is still 3-4 years away- I only got 4 years out of the tires on my other trailer, but maybe we really go a lot-

[m.hony]

Originally Posted by Foiled Again

Not to be a putz... but how much of the time are you hitched vs. parked. If you're PARKED and the tires are overloaded doesn't the overload count?

We all know that the stabilizer jacks aren't meant to be load bearing... How much weight rests on the four tires? Does the jack carry as much tongue weight as the hitch receiver does?

Inquiring minds want to know.

MICHELIN 16 inch conversion - I converted to 16 inch rims on Airstream #2 about 2 years ago. If I had it to do over I'd price them from the FACTORY before going through ordering them separately and paying someone to mount them. Not sure the same situation applies now, but when I did it, I could have saved big bucks (hard to believe but true) by ordering them from Airstream in Jackson Center.

When it is parked some weight is on the tongue- just like when it is hooked to the truck- minus what the WD hitch transfers to the front axle, but still not nearly 10,000#...

[m.hony]

Originally Posted by Foiled Again

Not to be a putz... but how much of the time are you hitched vs. parked. If you're PARKED and the tires are overloaded doesn't the overload count?

We all know that the stabilizer jacks aren't meant to be load bearing... How much weight rests on the four tires? Does the jack carry as much tongue weight as the hitch receiver does?

Inquiring minds want to know.

MICHELIN 16 inch conversion - I converted to 16 inch rims on Airstream #2 about 2 years ago. If I had it to do over I'd price them from the FACTORY before going through ordering them separately and paying someone to mount them. Not sure the same situation applies now, but when I did it, I could have saved big bucks (hard to believe but true) by ordering them from Airstream in Jackson Center.

Could you have bought the wheels and tires from the insurance company after your trailer was wrecked? Or we're they destroyed as well?

[m.hony]

Originally Posted by Bill M.

No, you do need 16" wheels. You can run the GYM trailer tires rated at about 2500 lbs per tire. However you can not get a 15" LT or P tire with anything close to that rated capacity. The switch to 16" wheels is usually in an effort to get different tires than the ST tires from the various makers. The trailer I pull the most is lightweight and I run the 15" Michelin XL tires on it. I am several thousand pounds under the max load. My other trailer is a 32' that I do not pull much. I currently have 4 year old GYM's on it. Not sure what I am going to do to replace them. Probably just another set and hope and worry for the few hundred miles a year I log on it. I have seen a 32' with the 15" Michelins on it and they were doing just fine.

Why would I want to switch from ST trailer tires? I don't get it...
Why couldn't I get some ST trailer tires better than Goodyear or Carlisle or some 15" LT tires?
Is it that I can't get LT tires with at least 2500# load range?

[SteveH]

Originally Posted by m.hony

Why would I want to switch from ST trailer tires? I don't get it...
Why couldn't I get some ST trailer tires better than Goodyear or Carlisle or some 15" LT tires?
Is it that I can't get LT tires with at least 2500# load range?

I think you will find the ST tires weight rating is exaggerated because they are speed limited to 65 MPH, restricted from use on any vehicle that carries passengers, and restricted from drive or steer axles.

So, no you will not find a 15" LT tire with a 2500# load rating.

[m.hony]

Originally Posted by SteveH

I think you will find the ST tires weight rating is exaggerated because they are speed limited to 65 MPH, restricted from use on any vehicle that carries passengers, and restricted from drive or steer axles.

So, no you will not find a 15" LT tire with a 2500# load rating.

I will never tow over 65...

[Wingeezer]

Originally Posted by Libo

We wish to Thank everyone for their responses. You have helped us make the decision to purchase 16" Michelins M/S2. We ordered them from Discounttiredirect.com. We recommend them for their prices and customer service. Speak to Earl.
Prior to these tires we had Maxxus 15" tires. They did 25,000miles without any problems.

Prior to going with the LT tires I wanted to try Maxxis, but it seems they are not available in Canada - not around where we live anyway. I think another advantage of the Michelin LT tires is that they should be widely available almost anywhere.

Brian.

[Wingeezer]

Originally Posted by m.hony

I will never tow over 65...

Well, ya pays yer money and ya takes yer choice!

Brian.

[gmw photos]

When I think about running a 65mph rated tire at 60mph all day, I liken that to running my engine at almost redline constantly. Not something I'd prefer to do.

I rather have, shall we say..... "reserve".......

[m.hony]

Most towing is between 55 and 60. Only occasional stretches at 65- not all day- just an hour or so here and there-

[m.hony]

I guess you could compare it to "headroom" in audio equipment.

[Wingeezer]

I wish I could say I never drive over 65! Many days I start out saying that I won't, but it just seems that when I get on those long straight interstates in the southwest ……. well, you know!

Brian.

[m.hony]

My reason for not is fuel consumption- I take a really big hit in the hip pocket!
70 nets 7-8 mpg.
55-65 nets 10-12 mpg depending on wind.
It is actually possible to get more mileage at 65 than 60 depending on headwind or tail wind.
I am always concerned about what other drivers might do and want reaction time.
I am also concerned about deer or animals (or humans) in the roadway.
Just set cruise and enjoy the ride (although some on here suggest towing on cruise is wrong- there again, I don't get it- I have towed on cruise for hundreds of thousands of miles over many, many years).

[Wingeezer]

Yep, I also tow on cruise unless the traffic is too heavy - very relaxing!

I guess I should be concerned too about fuel mileage, but we don't make that many long trips per year, so I probably don't pay it as much heed as I should if I had more sense!

Brian

[Thomas_G]

Originally Posted by Wingeezer

Yep, I also tow on cruise unless the traffic is too heavy - very relaxing! I guess I should be concerned too about fuel mileage, but we don't make that many long trips per year, so I probably don't pay it as much heed as I should if I had more sense! Brian

I know I have heard not to tow on cruise but does that hold true for flat drives? I can understand hilly roads but flat highways seem like it would be okay.

[m.hony]

Right or wrong I have towed on cruise on all terrain- flat, hills, mountains-