tires blown and questions

ddown · 03-27-2013, 04:29 PM

1st trip with new to me Sabre 5ver Route was Michigan to Texas and back. Great Vacation with family. On the way home a catastrophic tire failure in Arkansas about 60 degrees out Tires checked in morning before taking off. I carry a scuba tank with air to check every morning before taking off. This tire was a 2011 i bought the 5ver used but barely still had the nubs on the side of tires. Well it blew and did 2700.00 worth of damage. Insurance is covering repairs. I've tried to research LT tires up here in Michigan they say they are against the Law. I think not what should I replace these bombs with. I have sis brand new Michelin 10 Ply with 3240 Max load that were to big for my truck as the dually were touching before the trip soO brought new tires for my truck. The Michelins are 235x85X16 with a 3240 load rating 6K axles, I can't even get them mounted here in my area. 5ver is still in shop getting fixed so I have some time.
Suggestions?

Witch Doctor · 03-27-2013, 05:10 PM

I think you should be looking at either Good Year Marathon or Maxis. You hear about these horror story's all the time on this site. We should all group together and demand that FR put on a better trier on a new trailer. Sorry about all that damage, I know it must have ruined your trip. We are not talking about a lot of money to do it right, I would think that their rep. in the industry alone would make them want to do this. I Like our trailer but the tires where JUNK. Try to find a Trail Express dealer that they put on mine. I couldn't on the internet. This story go's on and on. I now have good year not even being a year old and had to replace all 4 on a trip. I did get 9000 miles before my blow out.

garbonz · 03-27-2013, 05:23 PM

TPMS is yet again indespensible, as well as GOOD tires.

woodsman · 03-27-2013, 05:28 PM

So sorry to hear. Had bad incident also, but had DW yell about tire in time. Thought camper was on fire. I look at the b-day of the tires then try to trace via tire rack co. If I find a bad or old (4+) I will get new. Also watch tires on turn for strange alignments. Axles sometimes are the cause. Hope all goes well.

ddown · 03-28-2013, 08:39 PM

One of my questions is why can't I get any shops to put on the Lt tires I already own

Witch Doctor · 03-29-2013, 03:46 AM

Some trier shops will not put LT on a trailer, They say they could be sued, They are going to want and put ST on. The reason is the cons't of the sidewall. I think LT are fine, but I know they wouldn't sell them to me when I replaced all 4 after a blow out. That was their reason to me, so I went with Good Year Marathons ST. ST stamped tires are made and approved for trailer use only inspected by DOT. Now saying that a lot of company's will put them on. It might be the law in the State you live in.

Witch Doctor · 03-29-2013, 04:33 AM

If you really want to use your tires, just take each trier down and have the trier replaced on the rim and put them on your trailer yourself.

rattleNsmoke · 03-29-2013, 06:11 AM

I'd call around until finding a tire dealer that would install the LT's.

joelek · 03-29-2013, 07:21 AM

LT = light truck such as an SUV, pickup, etc. That is why it is illegal to install on a trailer.

Now your RV is worth lets say 20-80 grand. What do you think the guys towing those huge offshore tunnel hull catamaran style racing boats use? These boats are worth 100K to over a million bucks.

They are converting over to run flat tires which lets you keep on driving if tire goes flat. They don't explode into shrapnel when they go flat as they have an solid inner core that allows you to safely slow down and keep going slow to an exit or turn to change out your tire. Yes run flat tires are expensive but so is your RV.

Run flat tires are for cars and trucks, not trailers. You have to block up your RV and bring in the rims to an independent guy that will do this for you. RV dealers wont do it. Find out what size your RV tire is, then go to www.tirerack.com and look for run flat tires in your size.

Just another option for you guys as ST tires from China we all know suck. Goodyear Marathon tires wear out very fast but they are a good tire. Carlise is brand I have had best experience with.

Go ask guys that tow livestock, horses, and those giant round bails of hay what they use also. Agricultural use is way more abuse than what a typical RV uses.

TeJay · 03-29-2013, 07:42 AM

I think I got this straight. It may be against the LAW for a shop to put LT tires on a camper wheel because the LT is not rated for travel trailers and the LT tire MIGHT blow-up and cause damage. However it's not against the LAW for the trailer manufacturer to install ST tires that are approved for trailers and most times are barely rated high enough for the load that they are gong to carry, and have a known track record for EXPLODING with less than 1,000 miles on them causing 2-4 grand worth of trailer damage and they also install axles that are hundreds of pounds under rated for the trailer in which they are installed. Those axles also still have drum brakes installed (with few if any offering a disc brake upgrade) when almost the entire vehicle industry has switched to disc brakes because of their superior stopping ability.

WOW!!!!! I'll bet that a lot of these corporate decision makers have a job waiting for them in DC when they are finished in the TT industry. On the positive side it does keep the consumer spending, and spending. That spending also helps to support the tire and TT repair industry.

Over my 40 years working as an automotive instructor my decisions and actions were always based on the betterment and future well being of the lives of the students that I was entrusted. I did sleep better at night.
JMTCW
TeJay

sail2liv · 03-29-2013, 07:47 AM

Again never says how fast they were pulling? How much weight was on the axles? How much weight was on the tire and what was it rated for/...next thing if you put LT on there it will be the bearings that go out because you can drive faster maybe?
And how much pressure does the rim allow? Was date bought same as DOT date?
Were all tire temps the same when you stopped and checked them on regular basis?
If you answer the multitude of questions you will find out why your tire blew and will be able to purchase the proper tire for the job and change your driving habits if need be.....good luck.....drive slower, get a ST that you only load to 80% of its max wt at max cold tp.

**Herk7769** · 03-29-2013, 07:51 AM

This was a used camper.

Even ONE curb strike by the previous owner could have broken a belt that was a blow out waiting to happen as the wire worked its way to the surface.

It is not always the tire's fault.

http://www.forestriverforums.com/for...res-10660.html

Has more info on the ST vs LT debate

rattleNsmoke · 03-29-2013, 08:15 AM

Who says it's ILLEGAL to use LT's on a trailer?? My CC came placarded with LT's typed right on it. Plenty of new CC's have Goodyear G 614 LT's mounted from the factory.

jeeplj8 · 03-29-2013, 08:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by herk7769

This was a used camper.

Even ONE curb strike by the previous owner could have broken a belt that was a blow out waiting to happen as the wire worked its way to the surface.

It is not always the tire's fault.

http://www.forestriverforums.com/for...res-10660.html

Has more info on the ST vs LT debate

ditto what Herk said.

I blew a tire on 10K car hauler one time. I knew exactly what happened. I was coming through a toll booth in Oklahoma and kissed the curb. I saw it in the mirror and chastised myself for it, but did not really think anything about it.

About 2K miles later I am on my way back from Chicago picking up a rust bucket I was sure I could turn into a thing of beauty when the tire let go. I knew immediately I had done some damage when I kissed that curb in the toll booth. Surprised it made it that long.

Those were Goodyear's not that it makes a real difference.

Moral of the story - most of the time we blame Chinese tires for our own mistakes.

**Herk7769** · 03-29-2013, 08:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rattleNsmoke

Who says it's ILLEGAL to use LT's on a trailer?? My CC came placarded with LT's typed right on it. Plenty of new CC's have Goodyear G 614 LT's mounted from the factory.

That stopped me as well.

As far as I know, as long as the load rating is proper for the load (and some trailers have load requirements that have no equivalent ST tire at the price point the MFR is looking for), there is no law against using an LT tire on a trailer.

However, if there is a tire (and price point should not be part of YOUR decision tree) made specifically for trailer (ST) use, (that is sized and rated for your camper - remember YOU can go up a range - ie C to D - even though the MFR won't), you should get an ST. (again in my honest opinion based on the available research by the RV safety agencies).

Contact:

Walter C. Cannon
Executive Director
RV Safety & Education Foundation
RV Safety & Education Foundation
Ph. 321-453-7673
Fax 321-453-3853

rattleNsmoke · 03-29-2013, 09:23 AM

Well stated Herk.

ddown · 03-29-2013, 02:48 PM

I had cruise set at 64 and checked fill 4 hrs prior 80 psi. quite possible prior owner impact damage. Thinking about the new Carlisle with new design and different polymers in the tire anybody have this new tire.

jadatis · 04-10-2013, 10:07 AM

What I read on also this forum, and concluded from that , is that it is even better to put LT tires on then ST tires.
ST tires ( special Trailer) are calculated in their maximum load for a lower speed then LT tires , wich gives them a higher maximum load.
So its only a calculation issue, I even suspect them to be about the same as LT.

RamblerGuy · 04-10-2013, 11:57 AM

With reference to manufacturers still using drum trailer brakes, does anyone make electric disc brakes? Drum brakes work on trailers because the drum shoes can be mounted so they are self-energizing. A given amount of force pushing the shoe against the drum is multiplied by the shoe itself when it is in contact with the drum. Disc brakes have no self-energizing effect. That's why even small cars have power brake boosters. The amount of pedal force that small people can apply has to be enough to give adequate stopping performance. That's also why your wheels get black from disc brakes so quickly: federal law requires minimum performance with a failed booster, which is achieved by using softer pads than actually needed for working brakes.

jeeplj8 · 04-10-2013, 12:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RamblerGuy

With reference to manufacturers still using drum trailer brakes, does anyone make electric disc brakes? Drum brakes work on trailers because the drum shoes can be mounted so they are self-energizing. A given amount of force pushing the shoe against the drum is multiplied by the shoe itself when it is in contact with the drum. Disc brakes have no self-energizing effect. That's why even small cars have power brake boosters. The amount of pedal force that small people can apply has to be enough to give adequate stopping performance. That's also why your wheels get black from disc brakes so quickly: federal law requires minimum performance with a failed booster, which is achieved by using softer pads than actually needed for working brakes.

Parts Needed to Add Electric Over Hydraulic Disc Brakes to a Trailer | etrailer.com

these have gotten fairly popular on larger boat trailers because surge brakes tend to be a real PITA on large trailers.

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