My advice would be to get 8 ply D range tires ,many many threads and opinions on whats best ,type of tire, and so on .Id do the"search function" and research the threads for more ideas .
Marshall
What type (LT, P, ST), size and ply rating (load range) is on the trailer now?
Do you have a shop manual on the trailer? If so, what size/type does the manual list?
Beginner
My choice was to go with Maxxis ST 8 ply D range, not that the AS needed the weight rating, but because the same is on my other trailer which does need the weight rating. So now, I have 8 tires of the same size and rating that I can "move around" if needed.
So, my opinion is to look for what you are comfortable for your Sovereign and match them up.
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1981 Excella II 31' (rehab project)
2005 Jayco Eagle 322 FKS
2004 F-250 PS King Ranch
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Beginner
The current tires are very old, perhaps original 1971. They are 7:00x15 Load Range C. I can't see the ply info. The manuals don't have specs but speak of using 6ply or 8ply tires. I also wonder if 10 ply tires are overkill. I regularly see these on Ebay under an Airstream search. Thanks
I believe the original tires were light truck tires (LTs). Special Trailer (ST) tires came along later. Load range C is equivalent to the old 6 ply rating. You can find some LT 7.00x15s today - Toyo and a couple of other companies still make them. Most people, however, seem to buy ST225/75/15s, in Load Range D. Load Range D will give you a load capacity in excess of 8,000 lbs at 65 psi.
I believe the original tires were light truck tires (LTs). Special Trailer (ST) tires came along later. Load range C is equivalent to the old 6 ply rating. You can find some LT 7.00x15s today - Toyo and a couple of other companies still make them. Most people, however, seem to buy ST225/75/15s, in Load Range D. Load Range D will give you a load capacity in excess of 8,000 lbs at 65 psi.
Sooo, given my Tradewind weighs less than 4000# is there a reason I should use Load range D or 8 or 10 ply tires, or does it really make any difference? Converesely, is there any reason why I should stick with the 6 ply / Load Range C tires?
Thanks
Sooo, given my Tradewind weighs less than 4000# is there a reason I should use Load range D or 8 or 10 ply tires, or does it really make any difference? Converesely, is there any reason why I should stick with the 6 ply / Load Range C tires?
Thanks
If the tire you have had on the trailer were 6 ply, you "cannot" change them to a higher rating.
To do so will split every wheel you use them on.
This is as per "every wheel manufacturer."
If you want to use 8 ply, that's fine, but you must change the wheels.
You must not ever use 10 ply wheels for an Airstream trailer.
Case in point. One of our customers was told not to put 8 ply tires on wheel that had 6 ply tires on them for years.
He said "BS." and left in a huff.
He went to a local dealer and in fact did install the 8 ply tires.
He called us from Phoenix, some 350 miles away, after a couple of days. He said "he should have listened, as he replace three of his wheels already, because they indeed split, just like he was told they would."
Well ,that certainly does tell the tale on that .andy is correct ,use the 6
ply load C tires ,you have four so it'll be plenty capacity.Ten ply are way
too stiff and rigid ,my 60 trdwnd is a single axle D rated bias tires ,I wouldn't
put 10 ply on it .Those E bay 10 plys have been on there listed for a couple
years now ,someone must have a stack of them they can't get rid off .
If the tire you have had on the trailer were 6 ply, you "cannot" change them to a higher rating.
To do so will split every wheel you use them on.
Andy
Thank you Andy
Once again I am dazzled by your encycopedic command of Airstream tech miscellany. This makes sense to me and will follow your advice. I think I will keep the original rims as there are 4 cool baby moons that are original and came with the coach. I don't know if they will fit new rims.
I still have not found the ply rating on these tires altough they definitely do say Load Range C. They are old, perhaps as old as the trailer (1971), quite weather checked and no doubt rotten. I consider myself lucky that they held together for the 25 mile 25mph tow from the the field I found this mouse condo to my backyard. Perhaps the ply rating label is sitting in the dirt on all 4 tires.
Thank you Andy
Once again I am dazzled by your encycopedic command of Airstream tech miscellany. This makes sense to me and will follow your advice. I think I will keep the original rims as there are 4 cool baby moons that are original and came with the coach. I don't know if they will fit new rims.
I still have not found the ply rating on these tires altough they definitely do say Load Range C. They are old, perhaps as old as the trailer (1971), quite weather checked and no doubt rotten. I consider myself lucky that they held together for the 25 mile 25mph tow from the the field I found this mouse condo to my backyard. Perhaps the ply rating label is sitting in the dirt on all 4 tires.
Can I assume that "Load Range C" equals "6 ply"?
You are correct.
4 ply = B
6 ply = C
8 ply = D
10 ply = E (enough already, way way too much for "any" Airstream trailer ever built.
You are correct....10 ply = E (enough already, way way too much for "any" Airstream trailer ever built.
Andy is seldom wrong.
This post in this thread is worth reading for vintage Airstream owners trying to reconcile what the owner's manual says versus what is commonly available.
If the tire you have had on the trailer were 6 ply, you "cannot" change them to a higher rating.
To do so will split every wheel you use them on.
This is as per "every wheel manufacturer."
If you want to use 8 ply, that's fine, but you must change the wheels.
You must not ever use 10 ply wheels for an Airstream trailer.
Case in point. One of our customers was told not to put 8 ply tires on wheel that had 6 ply tires on them for years.
He said "BS." and left in a huff.
He went to a local dealer and in fact did install the 8 ply tires.
He called us from Phoenix, some 350 miles away, after a couple of days. He said "he should have listened, as he replace three of his wheels already, because they indeed split, just like he was told they would."
Andy
Andy ,
This is by no means a flame , can you point me to the source of this information about wheels cracking . I have never heard of this before . In my 50 years of driving I have changed ply ratings of tire on the same wheels many times and never had a problem . Any info would be helpfull , thanks.
I'd heard you could break a wheel apart if you run too much pressure. Maybe that's how he split the rims; the Load range D tires can take a higher pressure than the Load range C tires can. So if he inflated the tires up to their D pressure, then he probably exceeded the capacity of the wheels and thus split them apart.
Is that how it works Andy?
Man that'd be a bad thing to be going down the road and you actually blow your wheel apart!
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