16" Sendel Wheels & 16" Michelin LTX Tires

[switz]

There are two part numbers for the SenDel T03-66655 wheels, one with black highlights = T03-66655BM and the plain aluminum = T03-66655T. I have the 15" T03-56545T wheels on the 23D with the five lug nut pattern for the 10" drum brakes. Both the 15" and 16" SenDel wheels re-used the factory stock stainless steel center hubs.

http://www.sendelwheel.com/wheels/t03sm

[Wanderer2604]

Originally Posted by Searun

Why did you have to modify the fender wells? This is the first I've heard of someone having to do that to get the 16s to fit. That being said, just started seriously researching the upgrade.

Also, curious why you went with balancers?

Thanks,
Jeff

See post #24 in this thread. I posted a photo of fender well mod.

[switz]

Used Centramatic wheel balancers on my two Honda Gold Wings, my 2012 Ram 2500HD Cummins and both Airstreams. Drum brakes are NOT balanced on Airstreams so they get balancing from the Centramatics and the tires are balanced when mounted. They reduce the out of balance shaking to the vehicle.

[64airstream]

I just ordered a set of 4 Michelin LTX MS2 tires for our 68 Overlander and a pair for our Ford Expedition (different size, of course). The trailer tires are due in Monday, but the Expedition tires are no longer available. I'm told Michelin is discontinuing the LTX M/S2 and replacing them with the LTX M/S2 Defender. Same load rating, but they are 50,000 mile tires versus 70,000 like the current tire. Apparently, the stock is already exhausted on the larger size.

Roy

[Sburg58]

So today, after reading this thread, I upgraded the tires on my single axle 1965 Safari from Carlisle ST225/75/R15 to Michelin LT225/75/R16 MS2. Last Fall I had a catastrophic failure at 60 mph on a Montana freeway causing thousands of dollars of damage. Not wanting to go through that again prompted the change. Wheels are aluminum Allied 870’s which were available locally today at Les Schwabs, $116 including hub and valve stem. Tires from Discount Tire, $179 minus $25 military discount each. The dealers are across the street from each other, so picked up rims drove across street to have the tires mounted balanced and installed. I used one of the 15 inch Carlisle’s for a spare. Michelin’s are about 1/2 inch taller so only 1/4 inch closer to front and rear wheel well, they fit very nicely. I had to lift the tongue up a little over an inch to reconnect to the truck after the change. I don’t think I need to readjust the ball, what advice might you have? Discount filled tires to 70psi telling me 80psi was maximum and to fill as I see fit. I had to get this done today because of an impromptu fishing trip. Yep, back to Montana freeways, so peace of mind and all!
Ray, thanks for starting this thread and to all who contributed!! My confidence in freeway driving has been bolstered.

[Bigventure]

Thank you to all the Airforums member who contributed to this thread.

I purchased a set of Michelin P235/75R15 LTX M/S2 for my 2013 25FB International. This was after one my Marathons delaminated this weekend. Tire date 28/12. Luckily it was the right rear and only did a little damage to the gray wrap in front of the step. Total cost for part to repair $30. I got real lucky.

Memorial Day sale at Discount Tire so $590.68 mounted and balanced for 4 baloneys. Less a $100 rebate for the holiday.

[Ray Eklund]

I could not be happier with the 'upgrade' to 16" wheels and tires.

There have been no issues towing 900 miles. No additional popped interior rivets that occurred with the Marathon stock tires. One cabinet screw backed out of the cabinet door under the sink. Found and reinstalled.

Next month we will be camped Off the Grid and see if the deeper tread toss up stones into the fender wells while traveling.

There is plenty of space for the Michelins purchased in post #1. To install I did have to use additional leveling blocks to gain height after removing the 15" Marathons to install the 16" Michelins/Wheels.

The amount of tread on the Michelins are worth the extra expense, as they will not wear out but will 'age out'. The Michelin rubber is closer to a rubber than the Marathon tires which are a harder rubber and slippery on pavement. You will immediately feel the difference of the 'rubber that meets the road' by touch. The Marathons feel like the bottom on my sandals. Hard and slippery and little depth to the tread.

I am ready to test these tires against all of the naysayers that predict the shell and interior will self destruct. If I avoided one Marathon from coming apart and damaging our trailer... it was WORTH every cent!

[Tn Traveler]

Ray, I think that we will have enough members doing the conversion to do a pretty good sampling. If we can accumulate enough miles towing reports the info could be very useful. I have only towed mine a few miles, but that will change very shortly. Filling the tires to less air pressure and more flexible sidewalls will have to be easier on the trailer. At least the little I've towed seems to be that way.

[Tn Traveler]

My thinking is to run the tires at 55 psi. The trailer weighs at 6000# or just slightly over. That's loaded weight. Here is the chart I am going by.


LT225/75R16 E
XPS

http://www.michelinrvtires.com/refer...tion-tables/#/

[featherbedder]

Lower air pressure in tires cause to run hot at speeds and this what causes tire failure. Lets here what tire experts say not some one that does this. If you read posts of marathon and carlisle failures most were in hot states. tire manf. spec. pressures for a reason not to make trailer ride smoother but to avoid failures. Over heated tires cause failures pure and simple

[DoublTrouble]

For sure, although this has been discussed elsewhere by many. There is the issue of sidewall stiffness. While I am 7200lbs camping ready with 1200 of it on the tongue (P3 hitch), I'm still running at 80psi. I have always run my 3/4 ton diesel trucks at max on truck tires over 300,000 miles, regardless of the truck being loaded or empty.
Tire experts, please .......

[Tn Traveler]

Originally Posted by featherbedder

Lower air pressure in tires cause to run hot at speeds and this what causes tire failure. Lets here what tire experts say not some one that does this. If you read posts of marathon and carlisle failures most were in hot states. tire manf. spec. pressures for a reason not to make trailer ride smoother but to avoid failures. Over heated tires cause failures pure and simple

Thanks featherbedder for your response. The logic there is sound. However, why would Michelin publish a tire load and inflation chart? Why would they not say that 80# is 80# period? I have load range E tires at 80 psi on my 3/4 ton truck. The tire pressure on the front is recommended by GM to be 50 psi. When the truck is under a load I inflate the rear tires to 80 psi. When not I run them at 50 psi. I travel in "hot" states with no noticeable uneven tire wear and no blow outs.

My "W" speed rated tires on my car is a different story. I pay very close attention to make certain that they are inflated to the recommended pressures.

[featherbedder]

Originally Posted by Tn Traveler

Thanks featherbedder for your response. The logic there is sound. However, why would Michelin publish a tire load and inflation chart? Why would they not say that 80# is 80# period? I have load range E tires at 80 psi on my 3/4 ton truck. The tire pressure on the front is recommended by GM to be 50 psi. When the truck is under a load I inflate the rear tires to 80 psi. When not I run them at 50 psi. I travel in "hot" states with no noticeable uneven tire wear and no blow outs.

My "W" speed rated tires on my car is a different story. I pay very close attention to make certain that they are inflated to the recommended pressures.

Truck tires are entirely dif than trailer tires. I also run my load range E on pu at less than chev. recommendation when empty, when loaded run rec. pressure. The only blow out I have had in 67 yrs. of driving was when auto tire was low, ran at speed to not be late to work, bang went tire nothing left, so speed and low pressure will kill tires, IMO.

[Moflash]

You do not have to run max stated pressure that is a common mistake.You can adjust the tire pressure accordingly but too low and you will have increased the sidewall flex which with tandem axles is not good thing when doing a tight gas station maneuver etc..Just use a little common sense and you will be fine.I run 65-68 psi on my 28ft International and have for many miles with great success and even wear.

[Tn Traveler]

Originally Posted by Moflash

You do not have to run max stated pressure that is a common mistake.You can adjust the tire pressure accordingly but too low and you will have increased the sidewall flex which with tandem axles is not good thing when doing a tight gas station maneuver etc..Just use a little common sense and you will be fine.I run 65-68 psi on my 28ft International and have for many miles with great success and even wear.

Agreed. With the pivot point in the center of the two axles on tandems there is more sidewall pressure. I am going to have to consider that. Maybe your 65 to 68 psi would be the better option.

[jcanavera]

It really comes down to knowing the weight of your trailer when loaded. For those with lighter Airstreams, it comes down to knowing that weight and then using the load inflation chart with some additional pressure to give you some reserve load capacity.

Airstream and other trailer manufacturers always use max inflation temperatures on their inflation recommendations due to the fact that they have no idea what load you will be carrying. With liabilities what they are today, I'm sure someone would sue them if their recommendation was short and a tire blew to an overload condition.

My advice is if you don't know for sure, error towards carrying more pressure. My Classic can have as much as 9,100 lbs of weight and running at 80 psi cold gives me the confidence that I am inflated for the loads I carry with some reserve.

Jack

[dkottum]

We are in the 65-68 psi club for our !6" Michelins as well. Could be less for softer ride and better braking on wet road, but it's a reasonable compromise considering the sidewall flex backing into a site (which are usually soil of some kind so there is not much traction, tires can slip to the side a little).

[jcanavera]

As to the pressure on the sidewalls when turning, don't discount that. On my old Hi-Lo prior to ST tires, I once moved my trailer to my new home which was just completed in January. I was only about 5 miles from my rental home to the new one, so I didn't check the tire pressures due to the cold and short trip. As I was backing into the drive I broke the bead between the sidewall and a wheel when executing a pivot.

I've also been in a campground where a fellow trailer owner was backing in his site. He also experienced the bead breaking between the sidewall and wheel on the pivot. He promptly put on his spare to continue the back in and the spare which was under inflated also broke its bead as he continued the back in.

Don't underestimate the need for proper inflation pressures to deal with the sidewall stresses.

Jack

[polarlyse]

I changed to 16" wheels and Michelins about 3.5yrs ago and never looked back. I estimate about 30k miles in this time so we're on the high mileage end. I keep the trailer inflated to 70# and my truck to 80#. A few years ago I tried lowering the trailer tire pressure to about 60# and seemed to induce sway that I've never had before so I went back up and no sway incidence, ever. I often do the hand check when we stop for excess heat buildup on the tires and hubs and all has been good there too. I never had a problem with the GYM's and Maxxis trailer tires but did note that one GYM had begun to fail by showing the beginnings of tread separation when I changed them out.

[paiceman]

Originally Posted by polarlyse

I changed to 16" wheels and Michelins about 3.5yrs ago and never looked back. I estimate about 30k miles in this time so we're on the high mileage end. I keep the trailer inflated to 70# and my truck to 80#. A few years ago I tried lowering the trailer tire pressure to about 60# and seemed to induce sway that I've never had before so I went back up and no sway incidence, ever. I often do the hand check when we stop for excess heat buildup on the tires and hubs and all has been good there too. I never had a problem with the GYM's and Maxxis trailer tires but did note that one GYM had begun to fail by showing the beginnings of tread separation when I changed them out.

Great minds think and do a like. I do exactly what Rodger does, 80# on Truck, an F350 Diesel and 70# on 30' Flying Cloud. No complaints.

Bud