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Old 05-30-2021, 05:07 PM   #1
lcarver02
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Trailer King Tires Belt slip / bulge / separation Sprinter Campfire ST26RB17

The issues with Trailer King Tires and poor quality / premature failure are so common. Seems no one cares, but the NHTSA does document safety related issues and if you have trouble you should report it. I am an Automotive Engineer (27 years) who worked with Ford during the Firestone Recall years and have seen thousands of tire failures, documented causes of the failures and investigating the customer vehicles that had damages as a result of belt separation, belt slipping and other failures. I have a 2017 Keystone Sprinter Campfire ST26RB17 Trailer with an estimated 8,000 miles (don't use it much). I am very religious about tire pressure, inspections and assuring that safe trailering is always done. Never have any of these tires had a repair, leak, impact or even hit a skunk. I just found a serious tire failure (Steel Belt sticking out of the outside tread (bulge)). As many others have recommended, these China Made very poor quality tires are coming off in two days. Two friends are also getting rid of their Trailer King tires ASAP after they saw this failure. Tires are ST225/75 R15 D ST Radial Trailer King tires that came from Keystone on the trailer a short four years ago. PLEASE, before you go traveling, get your tires checked, rotated, inspected all around, pressure set and if you have these, get them replaced. Some sound advice.
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Old 05-30-2021, 06:25 PM   #2
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Somebody got some 'splainin to do. Were these the tires the RV genius said were #1?

On a serious note...good for you lcarver for finding the indication.
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Old 05-30-2021, 07:19 PM   #3
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The way that tire is worn looks like a good example of why you need to get your trailer tires balanced. That tire appears to have been doing some bouncing going down the road?
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Old 05-30-2021, 11:26 PM   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by lcarver02 View Post
The issues with Trailer King Tires and poor quality / premature failure are so common. Seems no one cares, but the NHTSA does document safety related issues and if you have trouble you should report it. I am an Automotive Engineer (27 years) who worked with Ford during the Firestone Recall years and have seen thousands of tire failures, documented causes of the failures and investigating the customer vehicles that had damages as a result of belt separation, belt slipping and other failures. I have a 2017 Keystone Sprinter Campfire ST26RB17 Trailer with an estimated 8,000 miles (don't use it much). I am very religious about tire pressure, inspections and assuring that safe trailering is always done. Never have any of these tires had a repair, leak, impact or even hit a skunk. I just found a serious tire failure (Steel Belt sticking out of the outside tread (bulge)). As many others have recommended, these China Made very poor quality tires are coming off in two days. Two friends are also getting rid of their Trailer King tires ASAP after they saw this failure. Tires are ST225/75 R15 D ST Radial Trailer King tires that came from Keystone on the trailer a short four years ago. PLEASE, before you go traveling, get your tires checked, rotated, inspected all around, pressure set and if you have these, get them replaced. Some sound advice.
What is the build date on those tires?
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Old 05-31-2021, 02:07 AM   #5
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In my opinion any Trailer King or Tow Master brand tires over 8 weeks past their build date are ripe for replacement. Icarver, before you buy new let us know what brands you're looking at and we can go from there. You don't want to jump back in the fire again.
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Old 05-31-2021, 07:08 AM   #6
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The way that tire is worn looks like a good example of why you need to get your trailer tires balanced. That tire appears to have been doing some bouncing going down the road?
Good, bad or ugly, right or wrong, but after owning 6-7 different rvs I've never had trailer tires balanced. Other than 1 rv that had the known "China bombs" installed with one of those separating as shown did I ever have an issue with tires nor notice any unusual wear or bouncing.
My last rv wore a tire on each axle on opposite sides in very few miles due to an alignment issue, but not due to the lack of balancing.
It's probably a good idea to balance them, but from my experience it's not a requirement.
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Old 05-31-2021, 07:29 AM   #7
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Though some of CWs posts years ago I looked up the reports of tire damage complaints to NHTSA. Trailer Kings and Tow Master tires had way less than GY marathon ST tires. What is not known is how many tires under any name had defects by percent of what was build. I have been around enough to know Trailer Kings and a few others are the bigger problem.
What's that mean maybe few people and or tire shops report deflective tires.
BTY, I had the stock trailer Kings on my RV for 5 years before replacing and never had an issues. I did remove wheels and roll them checking them carefully 2 times a year. I was lucky and I do have a light trailer compared to many. Even when John (moderator) replaced his he found problems on the inside that my inspections would never have found.
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Old 05-31-2021, 07:49 AM   #8
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To "piggy back" on what Ken posted, There was a time when Goodyear Marathon trailer tires were so popular that nearly every trailer manufacturer either installed them as OEM or offered them as an optional "upgrade" for extra cost.... I'd guess that around the 80's and early 90's, 75% of travel trailers were equipped with Goodyear Marathon tires....

Then Goodyear moved the Marathon tire "offshore" to China. I can't tell you whether Goodyear "contracted with a low bid tire manufacturer to put the GY Marathon brand on tires or whether Goodyear built a tire plant in China to manufacture their tires there.... Either way, the quality of Marathon tires went down so low that there were multiple recalls to exchange tires. It started with "abnormal wear and exchange for the price of tread used" but later turned into a "if you bring in a Marathon tire, we'll give you a free replacement and mount it if it's on a wheel"....

Now, to address what Ken posted about the number of complaints filed against Goodyear Marathon vs Trailer King, I can't provide any concrete evidence to support this, but "back then" I'd suspect that there were millions of Marathons in use and thousands of TK's in use, so naturally, just from the sheer numbers, Marathons would have had many more complaints than TK's...

Just using a "failure rate of 1% (as an example), if GY had 5 million tires in use and TK had 1 million tires in use, then there would be 50,000 GY failures to 10,000 TK failures... So, 5 times as many tires, 5 times as many failures, but the same failure rate.... Does that mean that GY tires are 5 times "worse" than TK's ??? Nope, they failed "equally without regard to brand" (1% for both)....

So, the "number of reported failures" or the "number of complaints" isn't really a good indicator of tire reliability, especially when there are wide variances between the number of tires "on the street" from any brand.....

Sort of like saying, "I bought one McD cheesburger and it was cold, so all cheesburgers from McD's are bad" and I bought one BK cheesburger and it was good, so all BK cheesburgers are better than McD burgers".... It takes a lot more "thought and sampling" than one limited source with more complaints from one brand to establish that brand as "the best or the worst"....

Overall, since GY stopped producing Marathon tires, I'd suspect they "killed the brand because of negative image"... TK, on the other hand, just changes the tread and lowers the price to RV manufacturers and the cycle seems to start all over again.....

What it boils down to, at least for me, is both GY Marathons and TK's have higher complaint numbers than Sailun or Carlisle Radial Trail, so when it comes to choosing "another GY brand that's relatively new or one of the "known bad brands (TK or Marathon), I'd prefer to stay away from any potential problem brand as well as any potential known bad tire brand"... So, for me, I rule out any GY, any TK, any "unknown brand" and prefer a tire with a history of low complaint numbers and high numbers of tires in service.
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Old 05-31-2021, 08:11 AM   #9
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What is the build date on those tires?
5016 so October of 2016. Did not buy this trailer till 2017 and these are the OEM tires from Keystone. ADB4HFST is the DOT code. No recalls that I could find on any of these tires. Hard to believe.
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Old 05-31-2021, 08:16 AM   #10
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Wish I could have attached a side view of this tire. It has a belt separation of about 14 inches X 4 inches. It is a pretty big one. This is not about brakes, balance or stuff like that. Tire quality and poor manufacturing is clearly the cause of the failure.
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Old 05-31-2021, 08:21 AM   #11
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Good points. I am going to the Goodyear Endurance Load E. They will be balanced for sure. My friends are going to the Michelin LT Load E (truck tire) or the Endurance ST Load E also. I have had bad experiences with several manufacturers of China Bombs. Carlisle and others have come up in quality but not for me. Had those on a little tent trailer (bought new) and they were worn to 1/32 in 3 years. They are all sub par in my opinion. American made all the way.
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Old 05-31-2021, 08:25 AM   #12
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Thanks. Goodyear Endurance Load E Trailer Tires 117 E1 SIZE ST225/75R15. Made in North Carolina I believe.
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Old 05-31-2021, 08:48 AM   #13
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5016 so October of 2016. Did not buy this trailer till 2017 and these are the OEM tires from Keystone. ADB4HFST is the DOT code. No recalls that I could find on any of these tires. Hard to believe.
They are almost 5 years old. Do you cover them from the sun? I think you just hit the end of life on those..a lot of members don’t think they would even last a year
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Old 05-31-2021, 08:49 AM   #14
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Why Sailun? They were hardly ever used in numbers as OEM when they were LT235/85R16 LRG. As the first steel cased ST tires they only produced LRG 16" tires for 7000# & 8000# axles. their history as OEM didn't really start-up in numbers until the RVIA 10% load capacity reserves was implemented.

The Sailun is unfairly referred to as a superior tire unless it's being compared with like sized steel cased tires from other manufacturers. Most other ST tire manufacturers are building the like sized tires. There is no UTQG grading for ST tires.

If you will do a careful research of Carlisle ST tires you'll find their failure rate ran neck & neck with the first USA built Marathons. It was so low Carlisle recommended a 60 MPH speed restriction for them.

The Power King OEM tires were fitted to 6000# axles with LRD 16" tires rated at maximum load capacity of 3000# ea.. Their life span in that fitment was dismal, they quit building the LRD.

There once was an OEM provided supplying Mission ST tires. Their company couldn't withstand an equal failure rate as the Marathons and they folded.

Even the highly touted GY G614 had problems and they had 250# reserve load capacity per tire on 7000# axles. There weren't many portable air compressors back then that could supply their 110 PSI inflation pressure so owners probably aired them down to 100 PSI and lost the load capacity advantage the 110 PSI provided. It opened the door for the off shore manufacturers to build the same sized tire. Sailun was first but didn't provide OEM. Sailun had a very durable and popular 17.5" low platform trailer tire. IMO, that popularity bleed over into their ST tire productions.
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Old 05-31-2021, 09:18 AM   #15
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Why Sailun? They were hardly ever used in numbers as OEM when they were LT235/85R16 LRG. As the first steel cased ST tires they only produced LRG 16" tires for 7000# & 8000# axles. their history as OEM didn't really start-up in numbers until the RVIA 10% load capacity reserves was implemented.

The Sailun is unfairly referred to as a superior tire unless it's being compared with like sized steel cased tires from other manufacturers. Most other ST tire manufacturers are building the like sized tires. There is no UTQG grading for ST tires.....
"The Sailun is unfairly referred to as a superior tire....."

I believe the "comparison" of Sailun is more a "cost comparison" rather than a "construction comparison"...

When you compare the Sailun 235 80R16 LRG to the GY 614, the Sailun costs $141 and the GY costs $375 per tire... Hardly a "equal comparison" when compared to similar construction.....

When you compare the Sailun to the Trailer King 235 80R16 LRE, (cost is around the same) the Sailun is a "FAR SUPERIOR" tire for the same price....

So, "doing a side by side comparison" is not (at least for me) "all about construction" but rather "all about price for reliability"...

Sailun S637T "may not compare construction wise in some categories" to the GY 614" but in price, it wins every comparison. Then when you compare the Sailun to the "polyester TK LRE tire, it wins "HANDS DOWN" every time for reliability, survivability and most importantly, price.

So, it's unfair to "limit comparison to only construction types" (all steel tires) when you can "upgrade from polyester to all steel for an insignificant cost"....

Sort of like turning down a "buy one get one free" because the other tire is 10% better rated and only costs twice as much.....
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Old 05-31-2021, 10:08 AM   #16
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If the words "Trailer King" are used in a thread title it is like chumming the waters. The tire experts write detailed analysis of trailer tires. I think the take away is that the OP knows he has tires (TK) that are less than optimal and I am pleased he got away with those tires for the length of time he did. From my personal experience, I have owned multiple sets of Carlisle in ST225/75R15 LRE and all have performed flawlessly. I believe that tells me my next set will be the same unless the missus gives me permission to buy a camper with different sized wheels which ain't likely since I am poor. (both mentally and monetarily)
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Old 05-31-2021, 11:48 AM   #17
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I have red many post on other lines where the folks moved to regular truck tires, many going to Michelin, but other brands too. Just regular radial truck tires. What is the down side to that approach? The folks who did it have logged a lot of flawless miles since the change over. I have heard CW talk about side walls but can not remember (Boy does that happen a lot lately) the why.
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Old 05-31-2021, 12:29 PM   #18
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JRTJH View Post
"The Sailun is unfairly referred to as a superior tire....."

I believe the "comparison" of Sailun is more a "cost comparison" rather than a "construction comparison"...

When you compare the Sailun 235 80R16 LRG to the GY 614, the Sailun costs $141 and the GY costs $375 per tire... Hardly a "equal comparison" when compared to similar construction.....

When you compare the Sailun to the Trailer King 235 80R16 LRE, (cost is around the same) the Sailun is a "FAR SUPERIOR" tire for the same price....

So, "doing a side by side comparison" is not (at least for me) "all about construction" but rather "all about price for reliability"...

Sailun S637T "may not compare construction wise in some categories" to the GY 614" but in price, it wins every comparison. Then when you compare the Sailun to the "polyester TK LRE tire, it wins "HANDS DOWN" every time for reliability, survivability and most importantly, price.

So, it's unfair to "limit comparison to only construction types" (all steel tires) when you can "upgrade from polyester to all steel for an insignificant cost"....

Sort of like turning down a "buy one get one free" because the other tire is 10% better rated and only costs twice as much.....
The Trailer King Ultra STR is an all steel tire. Unlike the 16" LRE polyester tire you referenced the Ultra is of the same designated sizes as the two Sailun LRG tires. Wouldn't that be a better comparison?


http://www.trailerkingtires.com/tire...3-product-line
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Old 05-31-2021, 03:00 PM   #19
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The Trailer King Ultra STR is an all steel tire. Unlike the 16" LRE polyester tire you referenced the Ultra is of the same designated sizes as the two Sailun LRG tires. Wouldn't that be a better comparison?


http://www.trailerkingtires.com/tire...3-product-line
The "point" at least for me is that the majority of Keystone trailers, until about a year or so ago, were all equipped with "low bid tire" from Chinese tiremakers. Most were 225 80R16 LRE polyester tires. Most of the discussion on this thread and most other "tire threads on this forum" revolve around replacement tires for TK polyester tires that were installed 3-6 or even more years ago. ALL of those tires were polyester LRE tires, not steel body tires. So, to compare "what most members have on their trailer to a replacement tire really doesn't get into what you're saying is a "direct comparison".... Granted, you "can" compare "exact construction to exactly the same construction from another manufacturer" but I'd ask, "WHY" ????

Most members currently have TK 225 80R16 LRE and are looking for replacements for THAT tire, so the comparisons they need to make are not "zebras" that nobody can find and that are difficult to support when traveling. Most members are looking for a "better tire that costs about the same, gives good value for the investment, is reliable, readily available in most areas and is an "upgrade from the TK's that are on their trailer right now.....

Most aren't looking for the "technical differences like how many twists per mm are formed in the steel structure" or "what vulcanization process is best for ST tires compared to LT tires... They simply want the best value (cheapest reasonable tire) for their trailer in a tire that will serve them well and they can replace if something happens when on the road.

Comparing a tire that nobody carries in most local tire shops and that few "national retailers will support or even special order" is not what most people are looking for.... And when it comes to making a recommendation based on personal experience, there are more members of this forum with experience running Sailun "steel tires" than there are with experience running Trailer King Ultra STR "steel tires", so the "comparisons made based on member knowledge don't "dive deeply into a 1:1 comparison if "tire data", rather a personal comparison of "what blew up and what has worked well since I got the trailer repaired"....

So, back to "I have TK China bombs and I need to replace them. What is a good replacement for me?" The answer, at least for me, is not a $400 GY steel tire and it certainly isn't a "TK tire that came off the trailer" and I wouldn't recommend a "zebra that nobody has any experience using or maintaining"... So, back to Sailun 637. It's a heavier tire, costs roughly the same, is readily available from many sources and is "SIGNIFICANTLY better" than the TK's that are currently on most "moderately heavy trailers" that Keystone manufactured 5-7 years ago.... That's the "comparison most people need to make" not the "nuts and bolts of two "equally built tires, one that nobody has ever seen".... YMMV
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Old 05-31-2021, 03:44 PM   #20
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Not to belabor the point, but the OP has 15" tires on his camper; likely ST225/75R15. I suggested Carlisle Radial HD as Saliun doesn't make a 15" tire to the best of my knowledge. Lots of members have jumped on the GY Endurance ship and seem happy. I wouldn't pay the extra for a GY tire. Some folks have also had good luck with Maxxis 880s (I believe that is correct) but I can't recall anyone putting them on their 15" wheels recently for comparison. FIFTEEN INCH RIMS guys!
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