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Old 02-06-2019, 01:02 PM   #21
German Shepherd Guy
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So, I am planning/thinking about upgrading tires this spring before camping/hauling season. The 26RBPR is a 2018 with brand new tires on it. But from what I have read here you guys have made me nervous about the tires. Is this paranoid foolishness on my part? Could I go a season first? I will probably haul about 3,000 to 5,000 miles this next season. I have thought about the GY Endurance. Also this thing about the wet bolt kit. How do you know which kit fits your trailer? Is it standard? Spring width? Eye circumference?
Thanks in advance.
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Old 02-06-2019, 01:27 PM   #22
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What tires on your trailer (brand/size)? Keystone says it has st205/75r14 lrd tires. If so, it appears the tire is rated at 2040 from what I can see. Your trailer has a gvw of 7500 so that gives you a "little" bit of a cushion; the way I figure things. Many, as well as the manufacturers, believe the tires should only have to carry the weight of the trailer less the tongue weight. I disagree completely. I think they should be able to carry the gvw of the trailer with a nice cushion - but that's just me....after a blowout with tires barely rated to carry the trailer.

With what you have there is about a 160lb. cushion, per tire, over gvw - and remember that the weight on each tire is more than likely different due to loading. I don't even know if the make an LRE in that size but doubt it so it may be the best loading scenario you can come up with. The brand of the tire....some think that the only reason a tire "blows" is because of poor maintenance by the owner. I can personally tell you that is erroneous. There are some that run "china bombs" for a long period without a failure. But, the are also the ones that fail far more than any others. Yes, they are what is primarily on most new trailers, but, it is odd that when they are replaced with another, highly regarded, Chinese tire - those things cease to happen.

It isn't "paranoid foolishness" to worry about those tires as much as has been written about them (china bombs). Again, it would help to know the brand. All Chinese tires, from all plants, are not equal. Your talking about 3-5000 miles this season. As a reference point, my Trailer King blew at just over 3000 (as I recall) miles with 7k in damages.
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Old 02-06-2019, 01:48 PM   #23
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To add to Danny's information (all of which I agree with). All ST tires "degrade" in strength at about 10% per year. So your tires, rated when new to carry 2050 pounds at 65 PSI at 1 year old will carry about 1845 pounds, at 2 years old will carry about 1645 pounds and at 3 years old will carry about 1435 pounds. Your trailer has 4 tires, so at 3 years old, the tires will have degraded by about 30%, meaning they can "safely" carry about 1435 each (1435x4=5740) or about 2460 pounds LESS than the 8200 pounds that's "stamped on the sidewall"....

While there is (to my knowledge) no "hard and fast science" that can tell you specifically whether your tires degraded at the 10% per year or whether they degraded at 7% the first year and 9% the next two years or ?????

So, while there is no "concrete data" that I know of, the 10%/year is a "best guess guide" to how tires weaken in use. What makes them weaken? Lots of things, sitting for months in storage, moisture causing "rot" in the polyester cords, UV rays degrading the rubber, heat generated by sidewall flexing, loading/use placed on the tire structure, ruts, sidewall bruising from curbs, and a long list of other "damaging conditions"....

So, thinking that you have 8200 pounds of capacity on 3 year old ST tires is, in most people's opinion, optimistic at best and likely foolish in reality.

I keep tires on my trailer for 3 years and then take them off. I'll use them on my flatbed trailer for general cargo (7200 pound GVW) for the next three years, then toss them. At 30% less strength, they're OK for that traielr but not on my Cougar (10,000 GVW).

ADDED: I think I used 2050 to calculate the degredation and your tires are rated at 2040 ??? If so, then use the above figures as a generality rather than as "calculations for your specific tires"....
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Old 02-06-2019, 02:14 PM   #24
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You guys are awesome!! So I will put new tires on this spring. GY endurance st217/75-14 are what will fit. 204s are what came with the trailer (from China) but the 215s increase from 2040 to 2200. It also appears my rims that came with the trailer are OK for this. Does this sound OK to you two? John, Danny I have really come to trust your judgment, so what do you think, is it a plan?
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Old 02-06-2019, 03:34 PM   #25
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I'll chime in here and suggest 2 things. 1, see if you can bump up a load range again to allow for added load carrying cushion. 2, think seriously about a Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS). We did both and the TPMS saved our vacation to Grand Canyon by alerting us to a temperature issue with a brake that could have been catastrophic.
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Old 02-06-2019, 04:34 PM   #26
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If the wheel will support the additional weight and your tire spacing will accommodate the increased width of the tires it would appear to me that it would be a go. I don't know what kind of spacing you have between your tires but it looks like the 215 will increase the diameter of the tire about .6", so maybe a little over 1/2" decrease in the gap between the existing tires - if my mind isn't failing me or the fumes from this chili I'm making isn't getting to me That additional carrying capacity would look good to me.

As far as a TPMS - if you don't have one you should get one. It is a REAL relief and can actually, hopefully avert a potential disaster. I never thought ours would give me the kind of "peace" I have now vs before when I had no idea what the pressures/temps were doing. Not too expensive and easy to install. JMO
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Old 02-06-2019, 05:08 PM   #27
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So to update the quote I got for tires is $700 and some change out the door. 4 GY Endurance ST 225/75 R15 load range E. GVW of my trailer is 8800#. It breaks down to the tires being $136 each and the rest valve stems, labor and disposal fees I am gonna shop around to the limited selection of tire stores we have here localy and see if I can get a better price. Are there other alternatives to the GY Endurance?
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Old 02-06-2019, 06:13 PM   #28
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Many of us currently have Carlisle Radial Trail HD or Radial Trail RH (the predecessor). Maxxis 8808 is the third in the "quality tire category"...

GY Endurance has only been on the market about 18 months now. It's reputation so far appears great. But, there's no "long term consumer experience". Lab testing, for what that's worth is good (from what GY tells us) but that's not the same as "real people with real trailers being dragged through the outback".... Endurance has the promise of being a great tire, some believe it's already there. Others of us are taking the "wait and see" approach.

Meantime, I've got Carlisle's and my next set will also be Carlisle's.... YMMV.
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Old 02-06-2019, 08:58 PM   #29
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Just to add to the good advice already provided... If you do add external tpms sensors, be advised to invest in quality HP metal valve stems. These Ford n-1600 stems are high quality that a few of us on here are using. About $20 for 4 shipped to your front door. They include small extenders that can be removed.
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Old 02-14-2019, 08:31 AM   #30
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Show her a few pictures of china bomb blow outs, and that might convince her. I just had my first one, and luckily I was only travelling at 40 MPH. It took out my fender and the wheel well insulation. I was lucky.
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Old 02-14-2019, 09:48 AM   #31
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I'm so sorry to here your experience. My Girl friend owns th camper and I work for fringe bennifetfs . I went 1 year 10 k milles and ordered wett bolts and Dexter easy flex equalizer suspension kit. I gave her the bill I can tell she didn't like it and didn't say anything. I showed her the worn out parts , it's good through having the up graded .
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Old 02-14-2019, 11:14 AM   #32
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All she will need to experience is a blow out on one and she will be convinced! We thought ours was good--the tread was good, but we were talking of getting tires before we headed south. On the way to Wyoming for a two week vacation, we had a blow-out! Not fun. We were lucky enough to not tear the side of the RV out, but it was scary. We got it changed, turned around and went back home to our favorite tire dealer. I (the DW) told the guy we wanted 4 new ones and not the Trailer King. My hubby just stood back and told him to give me what I wanted! LOL . BTW, I had been following these posts on tires so I pretty much knew what we needed. My DH doesn't do much on the computer so he takes me at my word!
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Old 02-14-2019, 12:13 PM   #33
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Ok, I'm convinced... Here's my question, I am fulltiming, how do I get my tires changed. I'm a 50 year old gal out here by myself.
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Old 02-14-2019, 12:23 PM   #34
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I can send photos of damage
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Old 02-14-2019, 12:43 PM   #35
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Originally Posted by BikerRN1 View Post
Ok, I'm convinced... Here's my question, I am fulltiming, how do I get my tires changed. I'm a 50 year old gal out here by myself.

You need to do a little research to see what you have near you. If you are full timing, can you close it up for a day to take it in and have it done? If so, scout out the local tire shops to see who has enough room for you to get it in/out. Don't call and ask, you could easily get an answer that might get you in a bind.

If that isn't available/possible, is there a tire shop that will send a truck out to put them on for you? My tire shop back in TX does it all the time, but, they are equipped with truck to go into the fields and work on tractors so they have no problem going to a location (close) with all the tools needed to do whatever is required. This option would involve more expense but you have to pay them for the services they provide.
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Old 02-14-2019, 12:45 PM   #36
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Originally Posted by ADQ K9 View Post
What I neglected to mention is that she controls the finances, I just bring in the money. Its been 3 years and she still hasn't let me forget I almost died when I ordered our TV without her knowledge. There are a lot of other wants too, most of them will increase the value of our trailer. Since the trailer is encapsulated in snow now about all I can do is plan for the spring.
Time to do the PRO/CON thing and than decide if it is time for a new wife?
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Old 02-14-2019, 12:45 PM   #37
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Easy, I had two Trail King tires blow apart within 2 days of each other. Both tires had good tread on them. TPMS saved our lives by signaling immediately that a tire blew. One one each side of the same axle. $13,000+ damage to both sides, camper has been in shop for 4 months, insurance a PITA to deal with. Have no clue from shop when it will be finished. Missed 3 scheduled trips due to damage.

I replaces all 5 tires as I didn't want to take another chance. I have pictures of the damage to the TT and pictures of the shredded tires if you want to see.

Should be an easy convince :-).
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Old 02-14-2019, 01:39 PM   #38
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Luckily, the DW has a lot of respect for the experience on this site. Already got approval for the new set of tires and rims, just need to get it out of storage to double check some measurements. (DW: "And you're sure those are the right ones?" DH: "Yes. Well. Okay, I can wait to place the order.") Currently preparing the case for wet bolts and better springs than the "strips of sardine cans" that came with the trailer. :-)
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Old 02-14-2019, 02:41 PM   #39
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New rims? I should be concerned with those too?
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Old 02-14-2019, 04:32 PM   #40
sourdough
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New rims? I should be concerned with those too?
I doubt you need to be concerned with new rims as well. From what I can find your trailer came with 16" wheels and the tires available should carry you. It shows ST235/80r16LRE tires as OEM. They are rated for 3520lbs each. I don't know how you load your trailer but if you run pretty high in your weight range you could upgrade to the LRF tires when you replace them and give yourself about 340lbs more safety margin per tire - if your wheels are rated for that weight (3860) or the pressure (95psi). One or both of those numbers are probably stamped on the back of the wheel.
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