New Sailun Tires, Need Wheel Torque

[Dan Lockwood]

Hi all.

While preparing to go to MI for a couple weeks, our first actual outing with our Raptor since we bought it last August, I thought packing the wheel bearings would be a good thing to do. Also, I know, why so long before we are using it. Well we hadn't planned on purchasing a toy hauler until this spring anyway, but this one was exactly what we wanted and in our price range.

So while hand packing the wheel bearings, I noticed that I had some dry rot on one of the tires really bad and a couple others that were not too good as well. Date code: 1512 That puts these Trailer King Towmax tires as the OEM supplied new with the Raptor.

After doing extensive searching here and other forums, the consensus was that Sailun, Carlisle and Maxxis would be my three go to choices. I found a dealer not too far from home that could get the Sailun 235/80R16 S637 tires, so I ordered them and they will be installed today. I will pull three wheels at a time and take to them for install.

I have rubber valve stems and I see that it's highly recommended that metal stems be installed on tires with 110 psi ratings. I'll have that done as well.

To my question, what are the wheel torque specs? I've looked through my manual and haven't found that information.

Anyone with the spec?

Thanks in advance!

Dan

[xrated]

What size wheel studs....1/2" or 9/16"?

A "normal" range for 16" wheels, 8 lug pattern with 1/2" studs is 90 to 120 ft lbs
A "normal" range for 16" wheels, 8 lug pattern with 9/16" studs is 120 to 130 ft. lbs.

[Dan Lockwood]

What size wheel studs....1/2" or 9/16"?

A "normal" range for 16" wheels, 8 lug pattern with 1/2" studs is 90 to 120 ft lbs
A "normal" range for 16" wheels, 8 lug pattern with 9/16" studs is 120 to 130 ft. lbs.

Thanks! I have 1/2"-20 studs.

[Dennis852]

I run 120lbs on my lugs with no issues

[xrated]

Thanks! I have 1/2"-20 studs.

You're welcome! Enjoy the trip and stay safe

[Gobirds38]

I use 110 LBS of torque on mine, 5 lug.

[Bob R]

2019 Raptor 356 calls for 110 ft/lbs and 110 psi, makes it easy to remember 'cause we all know the older you get the more likely you forget things. :)

bob

[Dan Lockwood]

Thanks all... :)

I've got the first three off and to the tire shop for the Sailun's to be installed. They're checking the rims to see if metal stems can be used on my wheels. If so, yes they will add them upon the install.

I'm sure happy for the hydraulic auto level jacks. I closed the slides and just went to manual mode and lowered the left side rear and all three tires came off the ground. Very easy to do. Now when the three get done I'll go to the right side and take them in as well.

I'll torque to 110'/# and run 110 psi in the tires.

Appreciate the quick replies!

Thanks again and have a great afternoon...

Dan

[notanlines]

Dan, let me say what the others are thinking: If your state allows pull-tabs, stop along the way and pick up about $20 worth. With those China-bombs on your RV at 8 years old, my grandgirls would tell you "You're a lucky duck!"
And I think you made a good decision with the Sailuns.

[Dan Lockwood]

We bought it up in the Des Moines IA area last August. We were truly not looking at the time as we weren't going to travel until spring, but through my son found it and bought it... Then COVID-19 hit us and no travel for us.

My only hauling of it was the almost 400 miles home to the greater St Louis MO area. Then about ten miles back and forth to the storage lot maybe four times.

The tires looked good last August, but sure glad I decided to pack the wheel bearings and look at the tires when found a couple that were really bad. I'm sure they would have exploded within a few warmed up freeway miles. That would have been a terrible way to start out our first trip with it.

Thanks for the help today!

Dan

[Dan Lockwood]

Just an update. Finally got all six new Sailun S637 tires mounted and back on the rig late yesterday afternoon!

But here's a scary picture, just be warned... :)

http://pic80.picturetrail.com/VOL846/863774/24841920/414446468.jpg

This is the worst one, but two others showed signs of cracks in the treads.

It is without a doubt that I would NOT have made it 630 miles to MI with these tires. These are Trailer King Towmax tires, as said above, date coded 1512.

Just an off the cuff question about tires, anyone ever use the Sailun tires on the TV? My nephew says he has them on his 3/4 T truck, but not much experience yet with them. I asked my tire guy yesterday and there are two treads for 235/80R17 truck E applications. One very aggressive off roady type tread and another more highway tread. I have Bridgestones on the RAM now, but I'm sure sometime in the future new tires will be required.

Thanks again for all the help in getting me straightened out!

Have a great weekend and wish me good luck on my "first" adventure with my rig... :)

Dan

[JRTJH]

Dan,

I installed Sailun Terramax AT 4S LT275/70R18 125/122R E tires on my 2015 F250 in August of last year. There are two LRE tread patterns in that tire line. The AT is more aggressive the HLT is a "highway tread".

I bought the AT tires because of our winter road conditions.

So far, I've towed the trailer about 3000 miles and driven the truck solo about 7000 miles since installing them. They are as quiet or even more quiet than the Michelin LTX A/T2 tires that they replaced. Traction this winter was excellent, wet road and dry road performance has been as good as the Michelin tires. Tire wear has not been a problem. With only around 10,000 miles on them, they still appear "new" which is what I'd suspect to be the case.

They "ride smooth", no increase in noise, wear seems good and performance towing and solo are as good (to a "non-tire expert") as the Michelins they replaced...

I'm a satisfied Sailun LT tire user and unless things change dramatically in the future, I'll be buying them again when these need replacement, hopefully not for another 50,000 miles or so.

[flybouy]

John have you had any mud use on the Saliuns? Not talking off road, just wet grass/muddy road. I currently have the Michelin At's on my truck. Every Michelin tire I've owned (truck and passenger cars)over many years has worn like iron but have been pitiful with regard to clearing mud or snow from the tread. I swear the older, more milage the tires have the harder the tread compound becomes and the wet surface capability diminishes.

[JRTJH]

No mud, other than backing across the grass in my yard. It's "Michigan sandy loam" so not anything like the "red clay mud" found further south of us. I have had no issues clearing ice/slush in the winter, but that's nothing like the "clingy mud" that fills the tread on M&S tires. I can't say one way or the other how they'd perform in that situation. I was surprised at how well they held the road in icy conditions, actually better than the Michelins, but that's ice, not mud....

[Dan Lockwood]

I want to thank everyone for their help in getting me setup and on the road.

The Sailun S637 tires mounted up great and my wheels did accept metal valve stems, so good to go.

I was able to torque the wheels back on while up on the hydraulics by using the wheel chock held in with my foot. Started low and did the star pattern and worked my way up to 110'/#.

When leaving O'Fallon MO, just west of the Missouri river heading up to MI, I stopped after about 50 miles and re-torqued them. I got maybe an 1/8 of a turn on all the lug nuts. Then we stopped at a rest area a couple hundred more mile and moved them just a tad, but would have been great at that.

We're now at the Soaring Eagle Hideaway RV Park in Mt. Pleasant MI. This is not far from where I grew up and my family at the moment.

I also weighed my rig, that's for a new thread in just a minute or two... :)

Thanks again!

[firestation12]

It’s a good habit to re-torque the lug nuts after you have traveled 50 miles or so after having removed and replaced the tires on the trailer. Also, it is not recommended to put lubricant on the threads before torquing the lug nuts.

[crowbar]

This might be considered a bit of "apples and oranges" but for years I pulled a 48 ft. flatbed all over the west coast and tried a number of different tire brands on the trailer. After a truck show I was at, I decided to try a set of Sailuns and really liked them. No problems after many many highway miles. Next set for my rv will probably be Sailuns.