Towmax blowout

[saltytuna1]

Had a complete blowout of one of my Towmax tires about 40 miles east of Gallup NM. Not even one year old, about 1200 total miles on the tires, never exceeded 65 MPH usually drive @ 60 MPH, check my PSI every morning. Found a great tire shop in Grants, New Mexico and replaced all four with 14 ply G rated tires. Hope this fixes the tire issues since I'm heading to North Carolina before returning to California.


Safe travels,
Steve

[Jim W]

Oh Oh here comes the tire police and they will tell you that you are using the wrong tire, must use ST tires only!!!


That is why I use Michelins XPS Ribs on my camper. I had a similar tire failure in 2011 and cost me over $3,000 to fix. This cost includes the camper repair and a new spare tire. Next season (02012) I put on Michelins XPS Ribs and had them mounted and balance now the trailers tows better since I installed them.

Never ever again will I run ST tires on any of my camping trailers.

Jim W

Jim W.

[Bob Landry]

I've heard that you should run nothing but ST tire. What is the rationale for running inferior grade tires that are subject to failure?

[Jables]

My trailer came with LT tires from keystone.

[saltytuna1]

The replacements are ST trailer tires rated @ 3750# ea. The originals were rated @3520#, only a 40 lb safety factor over the 7000# axle ratings. I've had great luck with Michelin's in the past but their LT tires don't have a high enough weight rating for my trailer, at least from any info I've researched. Since I'm currently on an approx. 6000 mi. trip, I'll keep checking this post to update any issues with the new skins.


Steve

[abneynormal]

I blew 3 power king tow max st tires. I have opted for firestone transforce ht tires. I have 3 axles and don't overload my 3912. but my freightliner likes to roll. so I chose tires with a r speed rating 106 mph. all rv manufacturers should have to put a warning label on the rv's that run Snail Tires. I never thought about the speed factor, im too use to truck tires."bouncey:

[michael]

My mom bought a used 25ft fiver with a mix of C and D range tires I went over to check her air pressure and found cracking in the side wall of a tire so she replaced all with D rated I believe they were tow max .
When I replace all on my 38fter they will be all E Range Michelins same with my pickup.

[C130]

The replacements are ST trailer tires rated @ 3750# ea. The originals were rated @3520#, only a 40 lb safety factor over the 7000# axle ratings. I've had great luck with Michelin's in the past but their LT tires don't have a high enough weight rating for my trailer, at least from any info I've researched. Since I'm currently on an approx. 6000 mi. trip, I'll keep checking this post to update any issues with the new skins.


Steve

What brand did you replace them with? I think I'm going to replace my tires on our 2011 Fuzion 322TE this week. They hardly have any miles on them as the people I bought it from only used it a couple of times. They have Carlisles and have a little sidewall cracking. I took it by a tire dealership that does a lot of trailer and big rig tires and they said they weren't that bad but I want piece of mind while towing. We plan on using the toy hauler a lot this summer. I still don't know which tire to get as everyone seems to disagree on which is best.

Tire shop I took it to that looked at my tires carries Mastercraft, a division of Cooper. He highly recommended them and said they had not had any complaints. I want the best I can get but don't want to waste money on just because it's a popular name brand either.

[Bob Landry]

I'm still learning on the tire thing so I have a question. Is the weight of the trailer split 4 ways if you are running 4 tires? Example: if the trailer weighs 8000lbs, does that mean that each tire would have to have a rating of 2000 lbs or more to safely carry the trailer?

The critical part of tire longevity seems to be age and sidewall cracking, aggravated by UV and running under pressure and not so much mileage. if that's so, why wouldn't LT tires last as long on a trailer as they do on a TV, given proper care and storage? it seems like the TV tire would get a lot more exposure to UV than the trailer since we do not cover them when we park our trucks and most od us are pretty dilligent about maintaining correct pressures on both trailer and TV?

[davidjsimons]

Bob, my take on your question, as it applies to weight, would be, the weight on the axles, not the total weight of the trailer. The tongue weight, of course, is being supported by the rear of the truck. Your four tires should have the capacity to carry their axle weight.


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[saltytuna1]

What brand did you replace them with? I think I'm going to replace my tires on our 2011 Fuzion 322TE this week. They hardly have any miles on them as the people I bought it from only used it a couple of times. They have Carlisles and have a little sidewall cracking. I took it by a tire dealership that does a lot of trailer and big rig tires and they said they weren't that bad but I want piece of mind while towing. We plan on using the toy hauler a lot this summer. I still don't know which tire to get as everyone seems to disagree on which is best.

Tire shop I took it to that looked at my tires carries Mastercraft, a division of Cooper. He highly recommended them and said they had not had any complaints. I want the best I can get but don't want to waste money on just because it's a popular name brand either.

They're Gladiator tires, made in China which wouldn't be my first choice but you're very limited in choices to 14 ply, G rated tires. Goodyear makes one but if you read the reviews they're rated so-so. Mine blew out about 40 miles east of Gallup, New Mexico and the first town I came to had one tire store so my choices were limited. I have a friend back in California that was blowing out an average of one tire a trip on his 5er toyhauler with 10 ply tires. He switched over last year to a Chinese 14 ply and has made 6 trips since with no issues. I don't remember the brand he purchased but they were very similar to the ones I bought (14 ply, regroovable, load range G, 3750 @ 110 PSI). From what I've read on line quite a few hot-shot haulers are using similar tires with good results. I personally didn't like the looks of the Towmax tires from the day I bought my Raptor, looked to me like automotive tires not truck or trailer tires. Like I said before I'm in the middle of a 6000 mi. trip so I'll keep you informed of my experience with these tires.

Safe Travels,
Steve

[saltytuna1]

I'm still learning on the tire thing so I have a question. Is the weight of the trailer split 4 ways if you are running 4 tires? Example: if the trailer weighs 8000lbs, does that mean that each tire would have to have a rating of 2000 lbs or more to safely carry the trailer?

The critical part of tire longevity seems to be age and sidewall cracking, aggravated by UV and running under pressure and not so much mileage. if that's so, why wouldn't LT tires last as long on a trailer as they do on a TV, given proper care and storage? it seems like the TV tire would get a lot more exposure to UV than the trailer since we do not cover them when we park our trucks and most od us are pretty dilligent about maintaining correct pressures on both trailer and TV?

Bob,
I wish I could get a good legal answer to this question too. My logic is if the axle weight rating is 7000 lbs., as mine are then each tires rating needs to be at least 3500 lbs. and I believe that's what the weigh stations check for if you were using your trailer for "commercial use". On my Raptor the original Towmax tires were only rated @ 3520 lbs. only a 20 lb. safety factor. If I ever get a chance I'd like to have my trailer weighed on each tire to tell me if I need to redistribute the load that I carry.

Steve

[CWtheMan]

What brand did you replace them with? I think I'm going to replace my tires on our 2011 Fuzion 322TE this week. They hardly have any miles on them as the people I bought it from only used it a couple of times. They have Carlisles and have a little sidewall cracking. I took it by a tire dealership that does a lot of trailer and big rig tires and they said they weren't that bad but I want piece of mind while towing. We plan on using the toy hauler a lot this summer. I still don't know which tire to get as everyone seems to disagree on which is best.

Tire shop I took it to that looked at my tires carries Mastercraft, a division of Cooper. He highly recommended them and said they had not had any complaints. I want the best I can get but don't want to waste money on just because it's a popular name brand either.

Cooper has great tire safety information. Here is a reference.

http://us.coopertire.com/Tire-Safety/Replacement-Tire-Guide/Load-Capacity.aspx

CW

[abneynormal]

I run 75. got a freightliner let er run. that's why I went with lt tires. they were firestone transforce ht. I have 3 axles rated 6000 each therefore each tire has to be rated 3000 or more. these are 3169 ie a load rating of 120 with a speed rating of 106mph, not 65. my trailer fully loaded with bikes excluding tongue wt is 14200 on the axles. I will need to weigh the truck w/o the trailer to get the total weight. NOTE: don't drop the trailer on the scales to get the total weight. the scale master will have a cow. also you could damage the scales. I know that's what keystone says to do but don't.

[Comptech]

Bob,
I wish I could get a good legal answer to this question too. My logic is if the axle weight rating is 7000 lbs., as mine are then each tires rating needs to be at least 3500 lbs. and I believe that's what the weigh stations check for if you were using your trailer for "commercial use". On my Raptor the original Towmax tires were only rated @ 3520 lbs. only a 20 lb. safety factor. If I ever get a chance I'd like to have my trailer weighed on each tire to tell me if I need to redistribute the load that I carry.

Steve

This may answer your question... I found this on a popular Tire Web site, while I was trying to understand why a tire could have a higher single load rating vs. a dual load rating..

Light truck tires that are intended to be used in dual applications have two "Max Load" ratings branded on the tire's sidewall. This is because the load capacity rating of a tire serving duty in a "single" application is greater than the exact same tire being used in a "dual" application. For example, a LT235/85R16 Load Range E tire is rated to carry 3,042 pounds when inflated to 80 psi and used in a single application, but only 2,778 pounds when used in a dual tire application at the same inflation pressure.

This reduction in rated load capacity results in slightly larger tires being specified for the application that can better withstand the additional stresses experienced when a single tire goes flat and the three properly inflated remaining tires are required to temporarily carry the load at reduced speeds to remove the vehicle from immediate danger. This load reduction is not a concern for vehicles originally equipped with dual rear tires because the vehicle manufacturer factored it in when they specified the tire size for the vehicle.

[CWtheMan]

I'm still learning on the tire thing so I have a question. Is the weight of the trailer split 4 ways if you are running 4 tires? Example: if the trailer weighs 8000lbs, does that mean that each tire would have to have a rating of 2000 lbs or more to safely carry the trailer?


Since you have a couple of unanswered questions I’ll answer them one at a time.

The criteria for RV trailer tire fitment is a little different than what you may be use to when compared to your automotive tire fitment.

There is only one figure used for RV trailer tire fitment. That’s the GAWR figure found on the trailers certification label/tire placard or in the trailer’s owner’s manual.

If there is more than one axle there may be a separate GAWR for each axle even though their ratings are the same. Do not confuse GAWR with the axle makers tag. It is allowed to have a higher load capacity. Trailer manufacturers are allowed to manipulate the actual axle’s rating to a lower value to help them determine the vehicle’s ultimate GVWR. That information is found in the vehicle certification regulations. It is also noted in FMVSS 571.110.

Unlike the automotive industry, RV trailer axles are not required to have any load capacity reserves above the minimum axle (s) requirements. In other words, the trailer manufacturer may fit two tires with maximum load capacities of 2000# ea to a single 4000# axle. It has been done in the past and is still done today. Unfortunately, Keystone is one of the manufacturers still providing minimum requirement tire load capacities on many of their models.

Many of the respected organizations that have direct inputs to the tire industries rules makers recommend using replacement tires with at least 12% load capacity reserves above the trailers GAWR.

CW

[saltytuna1]

Here's a quick update. We've made it to North Carolina with no more tire issues. Approx. 1900 miles since I replaced the 10 plys outside of Gallup, New Mexico with the 14 plys. I've been traveling at about 62 mph with the new tires vs. approx. 57 mph with the 10 ply Towmax tires. I'm checking pressure every morning prior to traveling, as I did with the Towmax tires. I've got alot more miles planned after the summer and I'm crossing my fingers these won't let me down.

Steve