16" wheels

[ROBERT CROSS]

Originally Posted by GinMame

Hi Everyone,

If anyone reading this tread have a 25FB with 16" tires from the factory. Could you please post a picture of your payload label. It would be interesting to see how it changes from the 15" tires.

Thanks,
Rion

Our load sticker has no mention of tires.


The VIN sticker does show the size/psi of the tires installed but no load rating.



Do they now pay attention to the load rating of the tires?, it's the axles that were not matched to the GVWR on our Classic. #7300 GVWR on #3500 axles.

Most of the newer trailers are matched much better.


Bob

[gmw photos]

Originally Posted by Ridgerunner3

The Michelin website shows the LTX M/S2 P235 75 15XL tires rated for 1985 lbs at 50 psi. The rating stamped on the side wall of the 15" LTX M/S tires Michelin produced today is 2183 lbs at 50 psi max pressure.

If the Michelin P235 75 15 was sold as an LT235 75 15 (as it was in the past) it would be rated at 1985 lbs at 50 psi. I think the problem is that Michelin did not revise their webpage when they changed the tire from an LT to a P tire.

Ah...ok, thanks Bud, got it. I was going by what is on TireRacks site and it seems to be correct.

[dkottum]

Originally Posted by ROBERT CROSS

Our sticker has no mention of tires.


Do they now pay attention to the load rating of the tires?, it's the axles that were not matched to the GVWR on our Classic. #7300 GVWR on #3500 axles.

Most of the newer trailers are matched much better.


Bob

Hi Bob, wouldn't the tire/wheel/brake assembles which are not carried by the axles allow your axle rating to be well matched to your GVWR, not to mention tongue weight carried by the truck?

The trailer tires on the other hand carry everything but the tongue weight.

[ROBERT CROSS]

Originally Posted by dkottum

Hi Bob, wouldn't the tire/wheel/brake assembles which are not carried by the axles allow your axle rating to be well matched to your GVWR, not to mention tongue weight carried by the truck?

The trailer tires on the other hand carry everything but the tongue weight.

Not so much....wiggle room would be nice.


Plus.....note the wonderful () CCC of our Classic. 676lbs is a joak.

JC must have had an epiphany....check the axle specs & CCC on the newer trailers.

Bob

[dkottum]

I have looked at the EB trailer label to see what factory tire pressure is recommended for its 16" tires, and it is 80#.

I am at the Airstream Service Center right now and asked them what pressure I should use in my Michelin 16" LT tires I installed. They said 80#; when they serviced our trailer the tech inflated the tires to 80# as well.

[rodsterinfl]

Do they now pay attention to the load rating of the tires?, it's the axles that were not matched to the GVWR on our Classic. #7300 GVWR on #3500 axles.

You hit on a point that was brought up to me by call to Airstream when I first called them about shopping for a used trailer (what to look for). He mentioned to watch the axles. When I said Safari 25 he said that some of those came out with 6000 lb axles. At the time, I did not think too much about it but as you found, the weights and axles don't always match. The one I own has a 7000 lb axle system- the same as yours.

[rodsterinfl]

Question on the wheel tire discussion. What about Michelin LTX AT/2 tires versus the MS/2? Would they be as good. They say it is more resistant to gravel but I cannot find too much difference.

[rodsterinfl]

I picked up my order of Sendel wheels T03 with the black insert today to join the rest of you in the 16" club. They were $110 each locally with steel valves plus our state tax. I am going to move slow to try and get the best price. My call to Discount got a $115 per wheel price + tx. They had a $30 off but I had to drive a few hours to get them. So, $463 local versus $458 + gas at Discount for me. Now which one, Michelin LTX AT/2 versus LTX MS/2 for the AS?

[Howard L.]

Originally Posted by rodsterinfl

Question on the wheel tire discussion. What about Michelin LTX AT/2 tires versus the MS/2? Would they be as good. They say it is more resistant to gravel but I cannot find too much difference.

LTX AT2 are off road/on road tires. I've had 4 sets of them (LTX AT the first two sets) over the years on 1/2 ton trucks. Great tires, 60,000 vice 70,000 tread life on the MS. I think there is a post here with someone using the AT2. There are outstanding tires for off road, while still good, fairly quiet, highway use. Don't know why you would want them for the trailer when the MS2 should give you a little better mileage and one of the best rated highway tires out there--read reviews. We have the MS on wife's Tahoe now. Great mileage, but I don't think they will last longer than all the AT s did. All above tires were 40# psi tires. All sets of ATs went 70,000 plus with me selling the four for $300 used (obviously not worried about liability sale). I don't think we'll quiet get 70k out of the MS set on Tahoe, but will be 60 plus with 1/3 tread left. Even though the above tires are "P" 40# tires, I see no reason why the higher ply rated tires would be any different.
All this said, I went ahead and put the 15 inch Maxxis 8008 10 ply on out 30 FC. Speed limited, yes, but they haul more weight than anything being talked about with the LT tires. There are a couple of 8008 ply separations talked about here, but a friend had a LTX MS completely come apart with 40,000 miles on it mounted on a Expedition. who knows what his air pressure was, but demonstrates any of them can fail. The all steel Michelin rib sounds good, but not for use in freezing conditions? What's with that?

[rodsterinfl]

Ok, I was just thinking about the ruggedness factor on the A/T 2. On the Michelin site it mentioned that it would hold up better to gravel etc. so I thought gravel/campgrounds, etc and wondered about using them. The wheels look great. I finally got to look them over after doing yard work today.

[switz]

Visit the parts manual for your trailer at the Airstream web site. Label not withstanding on the trailer, there is only one axle model for both 25 and 27/28 models. All 3 Classics share the 5,000 pound axle even though the 27fB has a 9,000 GVW while the 31'models have a 10,000 pound GVW.

[ROBERT CROSS]

Swtiz,

I'm lucky,, I did my own PDI and had the AS CPC sheet, first thing on the list....two Henschen axles.

Funny, I never got paid for it and they didn't send my owners card.
They did however supply all the warranty items I needed.

Bob

[Lara Me]

Ordered the 16" Sendel T02 and Michelin combo today to replace the near new 15's. Local Discount tire store matched the best online price, and they get to install instead of me.

Not sure if I should have just gone with the Michelin 15's and saved a bunch, but selling the current 15" rims and tires helped to cushion the cost. I plan on racking up miles and like the idea that I can exceed lower GYM speed ratings on long stretches if needed.

Dang, this forum is costing me. Ignorance may not be bliss but it is a whole lot cheaper.

[Moflash]

Good choice.You will see a big difference in tire quality.And piece of mind is a nice bonus

[rodsterinfl]

Just found the tire inflation chart for the Michelin M/S 2 tire at 16". This is Michelin info:
(for dialing in inflation pressure need for load)
@PSI load supported (per tire)

35psi/1500lbs
40psi/1650lbs
45psi/1790lbs
50psi/1940lbs
55psi/2060lbs
60psi/2190lbs
65psi/2335lbs
70psi/2440lbs
75psi/2560lbs
80psi/2680lbs

[msmcv51]

I keep hearing about people going from 15" rims to 16" rims. Why? Is it because of load ratings or speed ratings or both? Is there a problem with getting 15" tires of a high enough rating?

[dkottum]

Originally Posted by msmcv51

I keep hearing about people going from 15" rims to 16" rims. Why? Is it because of load ratings or speed ratings or both? Is there a problem with getting 15" tires of a high enough rating?

My switch has nothing to do with ratings, but reliability and high failure rate of the original GYMs.

[dkottum]

Originally Posted by rodsterinfl

Just found the tire inflation chart for the Michelin M/S 2 tire at 16". This is Michelin info:
(for dialing in inflation pressure need for load)
@PSI load supported (per tire)

35psi/1500lbs
40psi/1650lbs
45psi/1790lbs
50psi/1940lbs
55psi/2060lbs
60psi/2190lbs
65psi/2335lbs
70psi/2440lbs
75psi/2560lbs
80psi/2680lbs

The Eddie Bauer model uses these tires and there is only one inflation pressure given for it on the info plate riveted to the shell, 80 lbs.

I was at Airstream last week and asked the service advisor what pressure they recommend when these tires are installed by them on any trailer, 80 lbs. They did a systems inspection on my trailer while there, and inflated my 16" Michelin M/S 2 tires to 80 lbs.

My sense is this chart applies to tires used on passenger/truck vehicles, not trailers.

[rodsterinfl]

Perhaps, but I dug this up over another issue and thought it would be of value to the 16" tire conversion peeps too. There is only one pressure listed on my plate for the 15" and it is 65psi but I did not run them that high. I have the same tires on a Ford F-150 in a 245/17. One of the issues on the F-150 Forum is the tire pressure to run on E rated tires versus the D rated stock tires. I went through the discussions which led me to an article on trucks and tire pressure and load carrying. They gave a formula used by tire companies to determine their chart info. They recommended that people look for the manufacture's inflation chart info to optimize load to pressure as it effects wear and handling during use and in particular situations. It also allows for comparison between two tires with different load ratings using a PSI/LBS calculation. When I first got my new tow vehicle tires in June I filled them to 75 psi but quickly learned that it was too much. So I lowered it but was not sure where it needed to be specifically. I personally believe it would apply to the trailer as well since it is really about load and psi. The chart is the same data on the 16" Rib for RV and matches the light truck tires and does not matter if on drive wheels or not.

[Howard L.]

Originally Posted by dkottum

The Eddie Bauer model uses these tires and there is only one inflation pressure given for it on the info plate riveted to the shell, 80 lbs.

I was at Airstream last week and asked the service advisor what pressure they recommend when these tires are installed by them on any trailer, 80 lbs. They did a systems inspection on my trailer while there, and inflated my 16" Michelin M/S 2 tires to 80 lbs.

My sense is this chart applies to tires used on passenger/truck vehicles, not trailers.

Doug, Rodsterinfl's chart is good to know and of use for the MS2, or a chart for any other tire for that matter, on a vehicle, trailer or whatever. It is the load capability of the tire at different PSI. With the MS2, for example, if your trailer's two axels are rated at 5000# each, you only need tires load rated at 2500# each. If say your trailer's max gross is 8000#, then you only need 4 tires that are rated at 2000# each. Knowing the weight a tire will carry at the different inflation pressures could be used to allow some lower pressure for a softer ride, tire wear considerations, or if you have tire pressure monitors installed, you have a pretty good idea whether you could proceed on a low tire pressure indication or need to stop and break out the spare. I questioned Chevy when I bought our TV 2500 chevy Duramax about chevy's door sticker of 60 psi front tires and 75 psi rear for the Goodyear original equipment. The E rated tires show 80 psi on sidewall. Chevy told me it was for tread wear and ride comfort. I put their 60 and 75 psi to Goodyears numbers such as these and found the reduced load each tire would carry added up to an exact match of the trucks front and rear axle rating. So, in fact, Chevy was de-rating the tires to match the axles. Liability concerns I suspect. All that said, might as well run at the 80 psi in your case since it is an overkill and that's a good thing. I run 80 in my 15 inch Maxxis on our 30 footer (2800+ lbs each at 80). 70 psi in those tires would still be more than needed, but why not go max.