D or E range tires for 15 inch wheel? Available?

[mrmossyone]

I have yet to find D or E range tires for a 15 inch wheel. I have a 1990 Ford F150 w/ 15 in. wheels and would like to put D load range tires on it but can't seem to find any. Does anyone have any info. regarding this matter? I also may check into putting 16 in. wheels on it depending on cost and compatability. Thanks for any help.

[soldiermedic]

Hey Mossy,

I used D rated tires for my trailer, but I use LT rated tires for my truck.

Any ideas if you are joining us in Branson?

Steve

[moosetags]

We have Maxxis 15" E's on Lucy now. Prior to those, we had the original equipment Goodyear Marathons; they were 15" load range D's. We had three blowouts with the Goodyears. That's why we swithched to the Maxxis.

Brian

[mrmossyone]

Originally Posted by soldiermedic

Hey Mossy,

I used D rated tires for my trailer, but I use LT rated tires for my truck.

Any ideas if you are joining us in Branson?

Steve

Unfortunately it's still up in the air.

[soldiermedic]

Don't worry, if you make it then great, but if not perhaps you can make it in October. Regardless of when you come, you will have a great time....and the more kids the merrier.

Steve

[JimGolden]

Get Maxxis UE-168 tires in 235/75/15 and have a very good weight rating in D-Load. Or, get the same tire in a 225/75-15 if you want an even higher weight rating in E-load.

I have the 235's on my 34' Avion and they're excellent. I've towed about 3000 miles with them totally trouble free so far. They are good stuff. The 225's didn't fill up my wheel wells. But if you want an E rating, you can get it with the 225's.

The UE-168 is a commercial truck tire that is also ST rated for trailers. It truly has 3-ply sidewalls and is either rated 8-ply or 10-ply (D or E) depending on which one you get.]

I run 65 psi in my D's on the tri-axle Avion and have had no problems whatsoever. She tows like a dream. I use a 14,000lb Equal-I-Zer hitch and a Dodge Ram 4-door long bed Cummins pickup.

See ya on the road,

[slowmover]

This is what I've used on my 8,000-lb GVWR Silver Streak, tandem-axle:

Yokohama RY215 LT Load Range D, 15", 8-ply rating in 7.00 x 15 (7R-15):
Currently Available Prices and Sizes

They balanced well (less than 24-ozs per wheel/tire assembly) and exactly meet the load rating recommendation by the trailer manufacturer.

Despite the description given on the website above these are LT tires used for commercial vehicles. I run mine at the rated 65-psi.

The corporate site has a good description and picture plus specs:
Yokohama

[Happycampers]

Originally Posted by REDNAX

This is what I've used on my 8,000-lb GVWR Silver Streak, tandem-axle:

Yokohama RY215 LT Load Range D, 15", 8-ply rating in 7.00 x 15 (7R-15):
Currently Available Prices and Sizes

They balanced well (less than 24-ozs per wheel/tire assembly) and exactly meet the load rating recommendation by the trailer manufacturer.

Despite the description given on the website above these are LT tires used for commercial vehicles. I run mine at the rated 65-psi.

The corporate site has a good description and picture plus specs:
Yokohama

I just orderd a set of these, they look like really good tires.

Marvin

[DFK]

I am wondering whether replacing an oem load range tire with a higher load range tire is a good idea. Wheels are also load rated. Simply replacing a load Range C tire with a load range D or E tire isn't going to increase the load range rating of the wheel. Unless one is certain that the wheel has a load range equal or greater than the tire it would seem to me that you could create a situation where the wheel could fail before the tire. Frankly, if circumstances were such that there was a potential for an overload failure of the tire/wheel system, I would rather have the tire go before the wheel.

Or, perhaps in the real world, wheels very rarely fail regardless of rating and therefore the reservations expressed above are groundless.

[jcanavera]

Originally Posted by DFK

I am wondering whether replacing an oem load range tire with a higher load range tire is a good idea. Wheels are also load rated. Simply replacing a load Range C tire with a load range D or E tire isn't going to increase the load range rating of the wheel. Unless one is certain that the wheel has a load range equal or greater than the tire it would seem to me that you could create a situation where the wheel could fail before the tire. Frankly, if circumstances were such that there was a potential for an overload failure of the tire/wheel system, I would rather have the tire go before the wheel.

Or, perhaps in the real world, wheels very rarely fail regardless of rating and therefore the reservations expressed above are groundless.

I think the key here is whether you are replacing the tire purely because you have an intention of carrying additional load, or whether you are seeking additional reserve between the load you carry today and the max load rating of the tires.

I went from D rated Marathon's to E rated Maxxis ST tires. My reasoning was the ability to gain the additional reserve and the fact that my 30' Classic Slide Out is the heaviest trailer that Airstream builds than runs on a tandem axle. I have no intention carrying any additional weight. I think the only other thing you would have to consider is the pressure ratings of the wheels. Technically I can inflate my E's to 80 psi. Obviously you have to make sure that the wheels can deal with that pressure. In my case I remember checking that out and I'm ok if I go that high.

Jack

[slowmover]

Originally Posted by DFK

I am wondering whether replacing an oem load range tire with a higher load range tire is a good idea. Wheels are also load rated. Simply replacing a load Range C tire with a load range D or E tire isn't going to increase the load range rating of the wheel. Unless one is certain that the wheel has a load range equal or greater than the tire it would seem to me that you could create a situation where the wheel could fail before the tire. Frankly, if circumstances were such that there was a potential for an overload failure of the tire/wheel system, I would rather have the tire go before the wheel.

Or, perhaps in the real world, wheels very rarely fail regardless of rating and therefore the reservations expressed above are groundless.

No, it's a good point and should be brought up. As well, on a vintage trailer the wheels should be carefully inspected. My wheels were rated well above the requirement and passed inspection after careful cleaning. During the balancing process ("Road Force" on a HUNTER GSP-9700) several wheel/tire combinations had to be remounted/finessed to get the balancing weight down.

Lug nuts, forged & heat-treated, are also a cheap enough piece of insurance given that the wheel studs clean up and are not in need of work.

Steel valve stem may also be a good idea on tires of above 50-psi; I have heard this recommended but not confirmed at a manufacturers website.

There are more than a couple of posts by Andy/Inland RV on this subject, recommending caution and offering guidelines.

[SmokelessJoe]

I bought a set of these this week as well.

The $160.00 Canadian paid isn’t out of line with the US price REDNAX posted after all if I consider that my cost was installed and balanced with new steel stems and that I didn’t have to pay any further shipping or brokerage.

Question for REDNAX: you run your tires at 65 psi, recommended by the manufacturer. ( I can’t find this on their site)

My original 1976 Argosy 24 manual recommends 40 psi for the 6 ply tires that were original equipment. (The 20’ single axle Argosy had 8 plys and the recommendation was 50 psi).

I hope my finished trailer will come in at less than 5000 pounds. Should I guess that 50 - 55 psi might be about right or do I go with 65 psi?

In other words, whose recommendation do we follow, the trailer maker’s or the tire maker’s?

Question for MARV: Your Argosy is heavier than mine. What tire pressure are you gong to run at?

Thanks,

Sergei

[Happycampers]

Hi Sergei, That is a good price for those tires in Canada, I only saved about $20.00 per tire more than you by buying in the states and would not do that if I wasn't going to be there for a few days to get them and won't have to pay duty bringing them back into Canada.
I don't know what air pressure I will run until I finish the trailer and see how much it weighs. When built it the gross weight was 6200 lbs. so if it is around there I will try it at around 55 to 60 psi and do some temp checks on the tires after towing and see how it does on curves and windy conditions then take a ride in the trailer and see how smooth it rides and work from there.

Marvin

[slowmover]

Question for REDNAX: you run your tires at 65 psi, recommended by the manufacturer. ( I can’t find this on their site)

I went with the tire sidewall max inflation pressure (if memory hasn't failed me on the numbers) as my trailer was, at last weighing, at 92% of gross. The empty weight is 85%, so I'd run these tires at max as the rated capacity is just above my gross. I am not of the school that believes that the tire manufacturer is optimistic in his ratings, I believe they are being conservative on a tire marketed to commercial/fleet purchases.

Michelin has a trailer tire/RV pdf on their outstanding XPS radials that might provide guidelines.

On any vehicle I have run 75% or better when all other items were the same as stock, for what that's worth. There are a few posts out there that show one how to determine contact patch. NickCrowhurst may be the one around here who has one on tire temperatures as method of determining pressures; (I like the one he has on determining brake adjustment).

I see no reason not to start at 75% (50-psi) and work from there.