Well....It finally happened...GYM blowout

[Al and Missy]

In doing the research on here that led to my 16" tire decision, I found several posts questioning whether it was legal or appropriate to use LT-rated tires on a trailer. While looking for tire placard information I found this, which should put the issue to rest, at least for trailers under 10,000 lb. I believe this only applies to LT-xxx tires, not P-xxx-LT tires.

From:
49 CFR 571.110 - TIRE SELECTION AND RIMS AND MOTOR HOME/RECREATION VEHICLE TRAILER LOAD CARRYING CAPACITY INFORMATION FOR MOTOR VEHICLES WITH A GVWR OF 4,536 KILOGRAMS (10,000 POUNDS) OR LESS.
Under definitions:
Light truck (LT) tire means a tire designated by its manufacturer as primarily intended for use on lightweight trucks or multipurpose passenger vehicles.

And under
S4.2.2Tire load limits for multipurpose passenger vehicles, trucks, buses, and trailers.

This:
4.2.2.3(b) For vehicles, except trailers with no designated seating positions, equipped with LT tires, the vehicle normal load on the tire shall be no greater than 94 percent of the load rating at the vehicle manufacturer's recommended cold inflation pressure for that tire.

This says to me that LT tires are legal on trailers and need not be derated.

[cwf]

We balanced. And added Centramatics. The Centramatics stopped drawer creep...at least on the AS...

[CapriRacer]

Gilmurr - and anyone else interested:

It appears that tire suffered a puncture of some sort.

The tread and top belt are more or less intact and only the sidewall appears to have damage - and the sidewall damage is from running the tire without inflation pressure (which Capt. Obvious will tell you is what happens after you have a blowout.)

If you still have the tire, look for a penetration.

[Gilmurr]

Thanks all for your advise and comments....will keep looking to see what I can find. Agree that the LTX tires will not do.

[Action]

Originally Posted by CapriRacer

Gilmurr - and anyone else interested:

It appears that tire suffered a puncture of some sort.

The tread and top belt are more or less intact and only the sidewall appears to have damage - and the sidewall damage is from running the tire without inflation pressure (which Capt. Obvious will tell you is what happens after you have a blowout.)

If you still have the tire, look for a penetration.

I might get in trouble here ....... as I don't know the proper words to describe the condition and tire parts.

Is there a difference between a "blowout" and damage from debris on the road? Let me call it rapid deflation.

If the tire cords (or ply or??) broke internally and caused the tire to "Blow out" would that not be different than a tire penetration from road debris?

So yeah there was a major event. However if the event occured because of an external foreign object then the tire was basically good. It may have been aged and where a brand new tire may have been able to throw off or survive a foreign object and an older tire with less tread may not have been able to do this. And yet if the tire was damaged because of road debris technically the tire isn't at fault.

Is my thinking close to possible for the subject tire?

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Action

[CapriRacer]

Originally Posted by Action

I might get in trouble here ....... as I don't know the proper words to describe the condition and tire parts.........

I don't think such trivial things like not knowing the exact names should be an issue for the learning process. Those of us who have spent a lot of time in a particular field do indeed develop jargon, but the most important thing is that we have carefully decided the definition on the names we apply to things - but I think what comes along with that is an understanding that not only is the common vernacular different, but it might vary from person to person.

But that should not prevent you from asking questions - nor should that prevent me from giving you an understandable answer.

Originally Posted by Action

.........Is there a difference between a "blowout" and damage from debris on the road? Let me call it rapid deflation.........

In my world the term "blowout" is rarely used because the term has been applied to so many things, it is unclear what it means. I tend to think the original usage of the word dealt with rapid deflation (sort of the way the word seems to imply), but the term also is used to describe what happens when a tire is "Run Flat" - that is operated without benefit of pressurized air or when the top belt comes off - commonly called a tread separation.

So the first usage of the term - rapid deflation - is almost always caused by road debris of some sort - either an object the cuts through the tire or one that causes enough damage to break enough cords so the pressurized air can no longer be contained. This is hardly ever caused by something internal to the tire.

Originally Posted by Action

......If the tire cords (or ply or??) broke internally and caused the tire to "Blow out" would that not be different than a tire penetration from road debris? .........

That would be correct - except to say that ply cords hardly ever break unless there is an outside cause.

Originally Posted by Action

.......So yeah there was a major event. However if the event occured because of an external foreign object then the tire was basically good. It may have been aged and where a brand new tire may have been able to throw off or survive a foreign object and an older tire with less tread may not have been able to do this. And yet if the tire was damaged because of road debris technically the tire isn't at fault..........

That would also be correct - except to say that it's the rubber that ages and not the ply cords or the steel belts. (OK, those age, too, but the rate those components age is much, much slower than rubber and aren't really a part of what we are referring to when we talk about old tires.

Originally Posted by Action

............Is my thinking close to possible for the subject tire?

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Action

Sounds like you are pretty close to the mark.

Barry

[Gilmurr]

Anyone have experience with TowMax tires, either load range D or E?

MAX51 ST225/75R15* D/8 10 2200@65
MAX53 ST225/75R15* E/10 10 2490@80

[Tyvekcat]

I have not used TowMax, but I think Tire Rack sells them. you could look at the reviews for that tire, and see what other people say their experience was with it. Its hard to find a trailer tire on their website.

Have a good one.

[PharmGeek]

I hate to hijack...but if I may drop a quick question...Ive read about this only to confusion...but how do I choose my tire pressure on my 16inch mich's - 30foot 2014 bunkhouse...Have not been able to weigh on cat scales yet...I run 72 psi in all 4 tires right now....no idea.

[A W Warn]

Originally Posted by Gilmurr

Anyone have experience with TowMax tires, either load range D or E?

MAX51 ST225/75R15* D/8 10 2200@65
MAX53 ST225/75R15* E/10 10 2490@80

I have TowMax ST225 75R15" E rated on my Safari. I saw these tires at the Airstream factory store when I visited in 2010. My local dealer recommended them. My tires are 4+ years old and have around 9,000-10,000 miles on them. I'm happy and so far no problems. Wear pattern is fairly even. I bought one new one last May for a spare, since my spare GYM was pushing 10 years. I will replace the tires with the same TowMax tire when it's time. I have recently been running them at 60psi since my wheels are limited to 65psi. I figure capacity is ~2,200 lbs at 60psi. TowMax does not have a chart, that I have found, for varying inflations pressures, so I looked at other manufactures' charts.

[A W Warn]

Originally Posted by PharmGeek

I hate to hijack...but if I may drop a quick question...Ive read about this only to confusion...but how do I choose my tire pressure on my 16inch mich's - 30foot 2014 bunkhouse...Have not been able to weigh on cat scales yet...I run 72 psi in all 4 tires right now....no idea.

The placard on the side of your trailer tells you what Airstream recommends. It should be at or somewhere between that and the max pressure written on the tire sidewall.
Some people say more pressure is better, runs cooler, less likely to come loose during a U-turn, etc. (not exceeding the max)
Some people say less pressure gives the trailer a softer ride, saves the trailer.
It's your choice !
I'm somewhere in the middle. With my earlier trailers I ran pressure the placard recommended. As I've gained experience I've increased pressure above the placard recommendations on my tow vehicle and my trailers. I find stability and steering, especially handling in curves, is slightly better with higher pressure (when the road is dry). YMMV

[PharmGeek]

And that summarizes my feeling of uncertainty

I am in the ballpark for what is stated in the sidewall

[gandttimes]

Originally Posted by pmclemore

My experience with a Canada shop is that they always carefully torque the nuts but do not ever balance trailer tires. No matter whether I wanted them to or not.

I now have Centramatics.

Pat

Don't think you can generalize like that. Fountain Tire in Kelowna BC balanced mine.


George

[Gilmurr]

Thanks all for replies and advice. I bought the MAX53 ST225/75R15* E/10 10 2490@80.
As mentioned by others....I had to watch like a hawk....They seemed puzzled why I wanted the tires balanced for a trailer, even though balancing was included. Had to advise where to put the jack, and remind them on two tires to remember the chrome hub insert. Also had to have them adjust the torque wrench to the correct setting. In the end I also replaced the spare as it was an original with the trailer...'98...when removing the tire the valve stem basically fell off it was so rotten. Lucky that tire did not fail on the 300 or so km.

Once again thanks all