Mixing Tire Brands?

[buzzcop63]

My 24RKSWE Cougar has just over 3,000 miles on its tires and they were dated 4911, they first hit the road in March 2012. Drivers side front tire locked up during heavy braking and flat spotted the tire, (about down to or past the ware bar, 4" long and can see a few more inches of heat and ware). These are Towmax ST225/75R15, D that came on the trailer new. These tires are mounted on aluminum wheels; the spare is steel and has now replaced the flat spotted tire. Question: Is it advisable to buy better brand tire and run it with the other three Towmax or use the new tire as a spare and then if have to use will that cause a problem running with the Towmax. Want to put better quality tire as spare and then when replace the Towmax put all new on of the same brand?

As to brake adjustment concern, if my memory is correct we went on another trip after the one time I had the lock up of the tire and had no problem, I tested the trailer brakes as usual on leaving our storage facility and driving to our next camp sight. Would think if the brake were out of adjustment I would have found more then one small flat spot? I check the tires before and after each trip so the flat spot must have been on the bottom or top and I did not notice. Now it is either cancel leaving this Sunday and take the trailer in to Les Schwab on Monday to deal with the tire and check the brake, we have reservations 25 miles away at a state park, so what is your advice?

[theeyres]

If you are only going 25 miles, I sure wouldn't cancel or delay my trip. But when I got back I would probably replace all four and use the new tire as a spare. Those tires are getting old and Towmaster doesn't seem to have a very good reputation.

[bsmith0404]

The tires are getting old and all should be replaced.

As for mixing and matching, it's not as critical on a trailer as it is on a car. On cars having different grip levels on different corners can cause a loss of control as either the steer axle or the drive axle loses grip. On a trailer, neither axle is a steer or drive so loss of control due to different grip levels of mix matched tires is less likely.

As for the brakes, it's possible it was a freak incident that won't repeat itself, but I'd adjust my mirrors so I could see the tire and give it several tests on gravel to make sure they are working equally.

[bobbecky]

Tire mixing should be no problem, but if it were me, I would have pulled all four drums to inspect the brakes. I would be concerned about having broken parts in the brake mechanism, and also possibly having grease on the shoes. Grease contamination could cause the shoes to not want to release from the drum surface, which may have been your issue.

[SAABDOCTOR]

i agree with everyone! But boy can I spend your money....:D if you can put the new tire as a spare if your rims are rated to 80 psi go with load range "E" tires Sure woul be a great safety margin. Agin if the wheels c are rated for that tire pressure and you have the clearance and the $$.

[notanlines]

Carlisle's ST225/75R15 E can be had in some parts of the country for about $450 mounted.
But I'm betting you don't have 80 psi rims. That would make things push that $900 mark. Probably a deal buster.:(

[buzzcop63]

The above question I posted on the Forum, the following is what I found out in talking to several tire dealers including Les Schwab, Goodyear and Firestone, etc and searching the net.
First of all wife and I cancelled our trip, most of you would not have but I am the type that worries too much so wanted to get a new tire on trailer and put my spare back on its rack so if another tire problem presented itself we would be ready.
Asking the tire retailers about mixing tires, their unamamus reply was that it was no problem given that the tires were the same size, in my case that is a ST225/75R15 LR D, but I was told not to mix Bias Plies with Radials. I was also told that ST tires LT tires differ not only in the strength of the side walls but in the types of chemicals used in their make up. ST tires have chemicals to help dissipate heat that are not built into LT tires.
The dealers as well as the guy's on the line that mount and change the tires feel that tire failure not due to punctures or other physical outside causes fail due to low PSI, tire age, high speed and too much weight in the trailer. Or like me, having a flat spot ground down to and at the ware bars and then hitting something and the tire fails, and thinking its just cheep China built tire. DOT approved tires have met the DOT standards but that does not mean they have not been stored in conditions that would cause deterioration, or have aged out or how they were shipped across the sea in the container where they could have been smashed up against each other. You got it; I replaced the bad tire with same brand which have performed well since March of 2012. And you can not mix D with E rated tires etc.