Rims

[Malco]

I was checking my tires over for wear and cracks this morning.I knew my tires are made in China and with all the talk on here it makes me a little nervous.To add to my nervousness,while checking the inside sidewall of the tires I looked on the inside of the rim and stamped on it was made in China.Are they all like this or did the dealer take my good rims and give me Chinese?

[alageezer]

Unlessw you ask the dealer to swap out, majority of all tt tires and wheels come from China.

[acadianbob]

IMO the whole "China" thing is vastly over-blown. Virtually all ST trailer tires are made in China. So, it makes sense that virtually all tire problems will be with Chineese tires. Unless you have a Tire Pressure Monitoring System, you don't know if your tire is going down (say due to a road hazard) until it is too late. Then the tire shreds. Then it is a darn Chineese tire!! By then the evidence is long gone.

So, IMO, don't worry about. Here are some keys to success
1) Don't exceed 65 mph; the rated speed for an ST tire
2) Don't overload; never exceed your trailer GVW, it is best if your total tire weight capacity exceeds your trailer GVW by 20% if possible
3) Make sure your tires are inflated to maximum pressure indicated on the sidewall
4) Make sure your trailer is weight balanced; side to side, 10 to 15% tongue weight
5) Make sure your trailer is level when towing; this puts an even load across tandem axles
6) Replace your tires every 5 to 6 years; even if they look fine
7) Check tires/temp at every stop

Consider a TPMS. You can get a good one for about $250. Then you will know if a tire is going down before you have a blowout; some will tell you if your tire is over-heating as well.

Tire issues do occur. Tread can separate etc even if you are doing everything right. But I wouldn't get overly concerned. I would venture that most of the time 1 or more of the above "guidelines" is being violated or an undetected road hazard has occurred.

[fonzie]

X2 with acadianbob

[alageezer]

I agree with everything said above. I have found that the biggest problem is manufacturers spec out these units with the absolute bare minimums. An example, my previous tt had 3500 lb axles, and the tire /wheel ratings were for exactly 3520 lbs, not much fudge factor.

[acadianbob]

Originally Posted by alageezer

I agree with everything said above. I have found that the biggest problem is manufacturers spec out these units with the absolute bare minimums. An example, my previous tt had 3500 lb axles, and the tire /wheel ratings were for exactly 3520 lbs, not much fudge factor.

Yes, I think you are exactly right. And it a common source of many people's heartburn. As tires age and circumstances are right (high heat, all-day tow), things can happen when the margin is small.