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Old 08-05-2010, 08:11 PM   #1
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Input needed from tire gurus: Should this 16" wheel work?

Since there is really no good option for 15" tires on the larger Airstreams, I would really prefer to move to 16's.

Discount Tire has an aluminum trailer wheel that is a 16X7 with a 0.63" offset. Is this ok? I know with the 6" wide wheels, 0 (zero) offset is recommended. The guy at Discount Tire, who was surprisingly knowledgeable, figured the offset on the 16X7 to be just about right. Does this sound correct?

I want to use this wheel with Michelin XPS Ribs in 225/75-16.

Thoughts?
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Old 08-05-2010, 08:44 PM   #2
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hi jake

might fit yes, could fit yes, offset is close (accounted 4 with extra width)...

ultimately it's hard to KNOW FOR SURE without sticking one in the wheel well.

here's a few who've posted about doing VERY similar things...

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f438...res-60047.html

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f438...ari-51030.html

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f438...ign-40137.html

and LT tires are not immune from failure when it's HOT...

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f438...art-25929.html

and even michelins have problems when used for trailering...

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f438...bad-52107.html

probably they'll fit and probably the tire will perform well.

wheel well CLEARANCE (along the TOP) is NOT exact from 1 stream 2 the next...

and axles vary so again there is no sure way to know with trying it.

cheers
2air'
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Old 08-05-2010, 09:46 PM   #3
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JakeSpoon View Post
Since there is really no good option for 15" tires on the larger Airstreams, I would really prefer to move to 16's.

Discount Tire has an aluminum trailer wheel that is a 16X7 with a 0.63" offset. Is this ok? I know with the 6" wide wheels, 0 (zero) offset is recommended. The guy at Discount Tire, who was surprisingly knowledgeable, figured the offset on the 16X7 to be just about right. Does this sound correct?

I want to use this wheel with Michelin XPS Ribs in 225/75-16.

Thoughts?
Jake not sure what you mean regarding no good option. There are some pretty good 15 inch tires out there, so maybe clarify your concern and some of us can give you some feedback. If it's a matter of the fact that you want to travel faster than the speed ratings of the ST tires, then I think we know what you are going after. If it's greater load capacity, then there are some E rated ST tires out there. Let us know.

Jack
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Old 08-05-2010, 10:12 PM   #4
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Jack, I simply do not trust today's selection of ST tires. They have not been kind to me in the past. Most of the ST tires available these days are off-brand, Chinese-made tires that I would worry about on my shiny new-to-me Airstream. The failure rate of these tires seems incredibly high, as best I can tell.

I don't feel like I need a load range E tire, nor am I all that concerned about the speed ratings. I simply want the best tire I can get. My experience tells me that's a Michelin XPS Rib.

If Michelin made a ST tire, I would save the added cost of 16" wheels and try it out, but I have little faith in tires made by Carlisle, Maxxis, Mile Marker, Greenball, etc.
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Old 08-05-2010, 10:15 PM   #5
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I dunno, Jake, my Marathons take me down the road, but it's your trailer.
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Old 08-05-2010, 10:23 PM   #6
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I dunno, Jake, my Marathons take me down the road, but it's your trailer.
I have no doubt yours do, as well as many others in this forum and elsewhere. It's clear there are many happy Marathon users. However, it's also clear to me that there is some validity to the bad press Marathons receive. It appears to me problems with this tire are far more common than what's acceptable.

With Airstreams, the stakes are too high to mess around with questionable quality tires, imo. A blowout can cause thousands of dollars worth of damage, not to mention the time, effort, and inconvenience. So, my logic is to do all I can to reduce the chance of having a tire problem. I think that starts with a tire that has a proven track record of extreme reliability.
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Old 08-05-2010, 10:24 PM   #7
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Originally Posted by JakeSpoon View Post
Jack, I simply do not trust today's selection of ST tires. They have not been kind to me in the past. Most of the ST tires available these days are off-brand, Chinese-made tires that I would worry about on my shiny new-to-me Airstream. The failure rate of these tires seems incredibly high, as best I can tell.

I don't feel like I need a load range E tire, nor am I all that concerned about the speed ratings. I simply want the best tire I can get. My experience tells me that's a Michelin XPS Rib.

If Michelin made a ST tire, I would save the added cost of 16" wheels and try it out, but I have little faith in tires made by Carlisle, Maxxis, Mile Marker, Greenball, etc.
I use the XPS Rib on my Sprinter service van and have 55K on them currently. They have never given me a problem while running at very close to the 8550 GVW most of the time and highway speeds of 75-80 mph. I expect another 20K on them before replacement. They are one tough tire!
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Old 08-06-2010, 01:12 AM   #8
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We aren't the only ones having problems with Marathons. Check out the reviews for this tire on www.tirerack.com. You don't have to read down very far before you see the descriptions "exploded, split, tread came off", etc.

TireRack.com Tire Reviews

Our Maxxis tires are still running OK, but when they wear out I'm switching to 16-inch wheels and Michelin XPS Ribs, too.
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Old 08-06-2010, 03:20 AM   #9
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Jack, Take a look at Yokahama and Toyo 700 X 15 LT tires. They are both very good tires and wear well.

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Old 08-06-2010, 07:05 AM   #10
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There are only 2 that I am able to find that have the load capacity needed. The Goodyear Cargo G26 and the Continental Vanco 2. I am running the Vanco ones. You do lose 1/2" in height. Both are 225/70/R15. Can not find a single one in the correct 225/75/R15 size.
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