Tires on 2017 Premier 26RBPR

[jeff57]

Hello all!
I am looking at purchasing a 2017 Premier 26RBPR but have a question about the tires it comes with. They are ST205/75R14, LR C and load info stamped on the side of the tires says "100/96L". I have figured out the "100" means 1764 lbs. capacity when used on a single axle and "96" means 1565 lbs. when used on a tandem axle set-up. Since this camper is tandem axle, that means the weight carrying capacity of these tires on that camper is 6260 lbs. The GVWR of this camper is 7500 lbs., which leads me to believe these tires are under sized for this camper. I realize that tongue weight comes into play, but the math still tells me they are under sized. Am I making a mountain out of an ant hill or am I missing something here?
Thanks in advance for any and all feedback.

[hankpage]

I am not familiar with those tire stampings but you only have two tires on each axle so the rating is the higher of the two at rated pressure. Yes manufacturers use the lowest rated tires they can get away with but when new they are sufficient to carry the rated max load for the axles. JM2¢, Hank

[GaryWT]

As Hank says there is a difference between tandem axles and having 2 axles. Tandem would be 4 tires on one axle.

I have never looked at the ratings of the tires on my Premier so I can not give you a comparison to the 31BHPR.

[Desert185]

Originally Posted by jeff57

Hello all!
I am looking at purchasing a 2017 Premier 26RBPR but have a question about the tires it comes with. They are ST205/75R14, LR C and load info stamped on the side of the tires says "100/96L". I have figured out the "100" means 1764 lbs. capacity when used on a single axle and "96" means 1565 lbs. when used on a tandem axle set-up. Since this camper is tandem axle, that means the weight carrying capacity of these tires on that camper is 6260 lbs. The GVWR of this camper is 7500 lbs., which leads me to believe these tires are under sized for this camper. I realize that tongue weight comes into play, but the math still tells me they are under sized. Am I making a mountain out of an ant hill or am I missing something here?
Thanks in advance for any and all feedback.

I have that size on a couple of my 7000# GW utility trailers. I, too, felt the tires could be more capable. I went to Carlisle Radial Trail RH in LRD @ 65 PSI. Carlisle now has a RT HD, which is one of the two, ST tires I would use...the other being Maxxis.

With your dual axle trailer use the first number, since you have axles with only one wheel at each end.

[JRTJH]

It seems there may be a "misinterpretation" of the two terminologies: Dual wheel and Tandem axle.

DUAL wheel means two tires on each side of the axle (as in a dual wheel truck} while TANDEM axle means TWO axles, one in front of the other.

So, to better explain the two ratings on your tires: 100/96, when used as a "single tire on ONE side of an axle" the rating is 100 (1764 lbs) and when used as "one of a PAIR of tires on one side of an axle" (dual) the rating is 96 (1565 lbs).

If you look at the rating of all LT tires, you'll see two ratings (similar to the way you see two ratings on your ST tire). The first is for "single tire applications" and the second is for "dually applications".

Your ST20575R14 tires are rated for 1764 pounds each as installed on your "tandem axle trailer". (You don't have a "dual axle" suspension).

As stated, Keystone (and almost every other RV trailer manufacturer) uses the "bare minimum" tires to support the GVW of the trailer. In some situations, you'll find that the tires are rated BELOW the trailer GVW. This occurs because the manufacturer can "deduct" the tongue/pin weight from the weight the axles must support. As an example, imagine a trailer with "your size tires" on it and a GVW or 8000 pounds. "Theoretically that is impossible" because the tires are only rated to support 7056 pounds (1764 x 4 = 7056). But if the tongue weight is 1000 pounds. Since the axles are not carrying that weight, the GVW could be rated at 8056.

No, it's not "magic" and calculating the GVW/tire ratings this way, although "legal", puts the owner at a distinct disadvantage as the tires age and lose carrying capacity. But, from the manufacturer's perspective, it gets the trailer "out the door" with "appropriately sized tires" (at the time of manufacturing).....

[CWtheMan]

Originally Posted by jeff57

Hello all!
I am looking at purchasing a 2017 Premier 26RBPR but have a question about the tires it comes with. They are ST205/75R14, LR C and load info stamped on the side of the tires says "100/96L". I have figured out the "100" means 1764 lbs. capacity when used on a single axle and "96" means 1565 lbs. when used on a tandem axle set-up. Since this camper is tandem axle, that means the weight carrying capacity of these tires on that camper is 6260 lbs. The GVWR of this camper is 7500 lbs., which leads me to believe these tires are under sized for this camper. I realize that tongue weight comes into play, but the math still tells me they are under sized. Am I making a mountain out of an ant hill or am I missing something here?
Thanks in advance for any and all feedback.

Let me start off with a little explanation of what you have described on your tires (100/96L). That is known as a tire’s service description and is the the official measurement for all passenger tires. Although it is allowed on ST & LT tires it is not official for weight measurements for those tires. They use the ply rating/load range letters.

Because the US government threatened to impose full tariff taxation on ST tires without speed recognition on their sidewalls, Mainly from China, they started identifying a speed rating for their tires on the sidewalls using a service description which was already allowed and includes a speed letter.

In your service description the “L” denotes the tire manufacturer’s speed restriction for that tire as being 75 MPH.

Elsewhere on the tire you will find the LRC or the tire size ST205/75R14C. That LRC tire has a load capacity of 1760# @ 50 PSI.

Your axles are most likely rated at 3500# GAWR. So your tires do not provide much load capacity reserves, especially if you’re going to travel loaded close to your GVWR.

Larger tire sizes do not change the specs on a trailer so I would ask Keystone about options of at least the next size up.

[Tbos]

Same size tires and axles on my Passport 2810BH. I plan to upgrade to load range D next spring.

[jeff57]

Thanks for the feedback on this, good insights and lots of help. I have put changing the tires to a Load Range D on my future hit-list.

[sourdough]

You face what most new trailer buyers face with the tire issue. They are "barely" adequate to meet the requirements to get out the door. That is a very bad deal for the buyer.

My RV total tire capacity was 160 lbs over GVW. My RV weighs, depending on loading, 500 (full tanks - only happened once) - 1200 lbs. under GVW on a trip. The minimal tires are already at their max so when you factor in road hits/bumps/holes and constant scrubbing from turning as well a weight shifts, the tires are being subjected to forces well beyond their intended limits IMO.

My first tire blew on the first trip of my 3rd season. I blame it in part on being a "China bomb" plus the fact that it was not designed for the weight it had to carry; again IMO. I replaced with a better brand, higher load range/ply tire and feel much more comfortable.

You should put tire replacement on you future hit-list.....but make sure it is a very near future and not in 3-4 years lest you get to do the replacement after some sort of failure. Check the sidewall and see if they were made in Shandong province in China; if so I would get new tires now. Good luck.