I'm a believer!!

[JRTJH]

sourdough,

My Trailer King tires were made at the same plant (JEJK) with a date code of 2113. The load rating/speed rating is 113/108L. That confuses me somewhat, in that 113 is 2535 and 108 is 2205. I "wonder" if the tires were rated at 2535 at 65MPH and 2205 at 75MPH (speed rating L) ??

At any rate, they are no longer on my Cougar, I'm very happy to have found the defective tires before any blowout/damage was incurred. I'm comfortable with the new tires, even though I'd have preferred not to spend the money this year, better spending it on new tires than on insurance deductibles..........

As for the RH/HD designation on the Carlisle tires, The only place I've seen the HD is at Discount Tire's website. All the ones I priced and actually "laid hands on" in stores around here have been RH. They are rated the same (from what I can tell, even though the Discount Tire chart shows them with a different speed rating. RH is 117N (2833 at 87MPH) and the HD is 117M (2833 at 81MPH). That data is from the Discount Tire website charts on the individual tires, but conflicts with what is actually molded into the sidewall of my tires. Mine indicate the RH is 117M, which is probably the same as yours indicate... So ???? I'd guess, like you, that they are actually the same tire and that the info on Discount Tire's website is incorrect..... Just my guess

[sourdough]

Originally Posted by JRTJH

sourdough,

My Trailer King tires were made at the same plant (JEJK) with a date code of 2113. The load rating/speed rating is 113/108L. That confuses me somewhat, in that 113 is 2535 and 108 is 2205. I "wonder" if the tires were rated at 2535 at 65MPH and 2205 at 75MPH (speed rating L) ??

At any rate, they are no longer on my Cougar, I'm very happy to have found the defective tires before any blowout/damage was incurred. I'm comfortable with the new tires, even though I'd have preferred not to spend the money this year, better spending it on new tires than on insurance deductibles..........

As for the RH/HD designation on the Carlisle tires, The only place I've seen the HD is at Discount Tire's website. All the ones I priced and actually "laid hands on" in stores around here have been RH. They are rated the same (from what I can tell, even though the Discount Tire chart shows them with a different speed rating. RH is 117N (2833 at 87MPH) and the HD is 117M (2833 at 81MPH). That data is from the Discount Tire website charts on the individual tires, but conflicts with what is actually molded into the sidewall of my tires. Mine indicate the RH is 117M, which is probably the same as yours indicate... So ???? I'd guess, like you, that they are actually the same tire and that the info on Discount Tire's website is incorrect..... Just my guess

I agree with you; I suspect they are the same tire. Our episodes are over and my takeaway is that Trailer Kings won't be a part of my RV life and anything coming from Shandong tire co. is a non starter for me.

[JRTJH]

Agreed, for us, the events are pretty much over. Hopefully you'll get your trailer back soon and be on your way to summer travels very soon.

For anyone reading this thread that has 225 75R15 LRD Trailer King tires that were made in "early 2013" (date code 0113 through about 3513) with a "DOT code of JEJK, you might want to pay particular attention to your tires. Inspection of tires on the vehicle and off the vehicle (inflated on the wheel) will not reveal a possible tread delamination. I posted pictures in this thread that will demonstrate the serious potential for the tires to "self destruct" while towing your trailer. The original poster, sourdough, also posted pictures of his tire that did self destruct damaging his trailer.

If you're tires are in this group (there may very well be others as well) I'd urge you to pay very close attention to your tires and consider whether or not you really want to risk RV damage by continuing to use the tires.

Good Luck, all.

[Outback 325BH]

After reading about all the ST tire problems others have had, and knowing several people that have had blow-outs that caused camper damage, I upgraded my wheels and tires when I brought my new rig home.

I bought new 16" Selden wheels (matched the original wheels) and Bridgestone Duravis R250 tires. This is an issue I no longer worry about.


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[Desert185]

Originally Posted by JRTJH

Agreed, for us, the events are pretty much over. Hopefully you'll get your trailer back soon and be on your way to summer travels very soon.

For anyone reading this thread that has 225 75R15 LRD Trailer King tires that were made in "early 2013" (date code 0113 through about 3513) with a "DOT code of JEJK, you might want to pay particular attention to your tires. Inspection of tires on the vehicle and off the vehicle (inflated on the wheel) will not reveal a possible tread delamination. I posted pictures in this thread that will demonstrate the serious potential for the tires to "self destruct" while towing your trailer. The original poster, sourdough, also posted pictures of his tire that did self destruct damaging his trailer.

If you're tires are in this group (there may very well be others as well) I'd urge you to pay very close attention to your tires and consider whether or not you really want to risk RV damage by continuing to use the tires.

Good Luck, all.

My takeoffs last year were also JEJK with a date code of 3113, but no evidence of delamination. No regrets...

[gearhead]

Originally Posted by Outback 325BH

After reading about all the ST tire problems others have had, and knowing several people that have had blow-outs that caused camper damage, I upgraded my wheels and tires when I brought my new rig home.

I bought new 16" Selden wheels (matched the original wheels) and Bridgestone Duravis R250 tires. This is an issue I no longer worry about.


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I can't find a Selden brand wheel. Could you provide more info?

[bobbecky]

My Trailer King tires were made at the same plant (JEJK) with a date code of 2113. The load rating/speed rating is 113/108L. That confuses me somewhat, in that 113 is 2535 and 108 is 2205. I "wonder" if the tires were rated at 2535 at 65MPH and 2205 at 75MPH (speed rating L) ??

The 113/108L is the load index as a single (113) and the load index as a dual (108) and the the speed rating (L). The speed rating is 75 mph in both ratings. 108 is 2205 lbs and 113 is 2535 lbs. http://www.discounttire.com/dtcs/infoLoadIndex.do
http://www.discounttire.com/dtcs/infoSpeedRating.do

[JRTJH]

Originally Posted by bobbecky

My Trailer King tires were made at the same plant (JEJK) with a date code of 2113. The load rating/speed rating is 113/108L. That confuses me somewhat, in that 113 is 2535 and 108 is 2205. I "wonder" if the tires were rated at 2535 at 65MPH and 2205 at 75MPH (speed rating L) ??

The 113/108L is the load index as a single (113) and the load index as a dual (108) and the the speed rating (L). The speed rating is 75 mph in both ratings. 108 is 2205 lbs and 113 is 2535 lbs. http://www.discounttire.com/dtcs/infoLoadIndex.do
http://www.discounttire.com/dtcs/infoSpeedRating.do

You are absolutely correct !!! As I was reading your explanation, it hit me that I've looked at a million "dual/single" tire ratings and this was exactly that.... I suppose the CRS syndrome is catching up more than I want to readily admit

Thanks for the reminder !!!

[notanlines]

Gearhead, it is a Sendel brand wheel. They have a great selection, but I have never bought any, just happen to have this site handy.....
http://www.trailer-wheels.com/Sendel...fg_23-3-1.html

[gearhead]

Originally Posted by notanlines

Gearhead, it is a Sendel brand wheel. They have a great selection, but I have never bought any, just happen to have this site handy.....
http://www.trailer-wheels.com/Sendel...fg_23-3-1.html

I should have caught that. I've been to trailer-wheels and found one 16" 6 lug wheel rated over 80psi. I think I found one powder coated steel wheel at eTrailer rated over 80. Sendel's site shows a couple rated at 94psi. Still looking.....

[Outback 325BH]

trailer-wheels.com is where I ordered mine. I replaced my 15" wheels with 16" inch wheels that matched exactly. I liked the wheel design that came with my TT.

I had steel valve stems installed with the new Duravis R250s and run at max 80 psi.

Left for a weekend trip that was 500 miles round trip. I re-torqued the wheels twice... and on the third torque, they required none.

The trailer handling was night and day different. The stiffer tires makes the camper "ride on rails".

TV is new F250 with overloads (camper package) and TorkLift overload pads (engages overloads immediately)
TT is Outback 325BH; 10,000 lbs; 1,500 tongue weight (actuals)
WDH is Reese SC (15,000/1,500) with add-on Reese sway bar

Tows nicely. I gave specs for perspective, not bragging.


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[cathcartww]

I agree with BuzzCop63 ......

My personal opinion is that the industry standard “ST” tire standard is inadequate for the service the ST tires are exposed to. My opinion is based only on my own personal experience, and anecdotal experience of others.
Back in the late 1970’s through the early 1980’s, I was a boat dealer, and we towed all kinds of boats – from 19 footers weighing 2500 lb on a single axle trailer, up to 15,000 lb 30 footers on triple axle trailers - up and down I95 between New Jersey and Florida. We always used the bias ply trailer tires that were available at the time. We would carry plenty of spares, but seldom, if ever, had a problem that could not be traced to a road hazard or axle-bearing-wheel-suspension problem.
Back in the day of cotton tire cords, tires were rated by how many plies they had – the more plies, the stronger the tire, and higher load range. If I remember correctly, 2 ply was A, 4 ply was B, 6 ply was C etc. When nylon and polyester came along to replace cotton, it was twice as strong, so a fewer number of plies was needed to make a tire of the same strength. We saw labels such as 2 ply/4 ply rating, 4 ply/8 ply rating, etc.
Still later, Michelin figured out how to make radial ply tires using steel belts, and that really changed things, but the industry stuck to the “ply rated” terminology even though bias plies were no longer used.
Somewhere during this, the overall quality of trailer tires seemed to deteriorate – I personally do not think a modern day load range “D” ST radial tire holds up anywhere as well as the 4 ply/8 ply rated bias trailer tires we used 40 years ago.
On the other hand, we do seem to ask more of our ST trailer tires as we do our car and truck tires. For instance, here are my three personal vehicles, using the maximum axle rating for each – I know none of them are really running at the maximum most of the time, but I bet the Ford and trailer are close when we are towing:
1995 Chevy G20 Van, front 3400lb, rear 3406lb, running 31x10.5R15LT LR C Tires rated 2270lb @ 50psi – they are loaded at about 75% capacity.
2002 VW Beetle, front 2183lb, rear 1588lb, running 205/55R16 91H tires rated 1356lb @ 44psi – they are loaded to about 80% capacity.
Ford E350 Van, front 4600lb, rear 5360lb, running LT285/75R16 LR E tires rated at 3750lbs @ 80psi – they are loaded to about 71% capacity.
2015 Outback 277RL, 4400 lb axles, came with ST225/75R15 LR D tires Chinese tires rated at 2540lbs @ 65psi – they were loaded to 86% capacity
We blew on of the LR D tires last winter – no obvious hazard, and pressures were OK 150 miles earlier – go figure. We replace them with Maaxis LR E rated at 2830lb @ 80psi, so they are loaded at about 77%, which is more in line with the other vehicles.
Hoping for the best, but sure wish there were more commercial trailer tires available in 15” !!

[vantage32fls]

Had tow max's size st225/75R15D with dot 41-11 on two and 2-12 on the other two. Bought the trailer in April 2013 never covered the tire's the first year, but did after with white covers. Never had any problems checked air pressure regularly, no tpms. Trailer has GW of 8,200# with 4,400# axles. Scaled weight on axles about 6,700#. New tires just bought are Towmaster SS same size but with a load rating E. These tires will be covered all the time and keep them on a heavy plastic when parked on our asphalt driveway.So only hope for the best.

[Bowti]

Originally Posted by JRTJH

OK, sorry it took so long, but I got busy with some dirt work and just not got back to the house... Anyway, here are 8 pictures of the tire "bubbles". As you can see, dismounted and not inflated, there is a small "indentation along the edge of the tread. That was not apparent when the tires were mounted and inflated. The tread appeared to be round, smooth and adhered to the tire carcass.

Looking at the inside of the tire, it's readily apparent that the tread is separated from the carcass. In one picture you can see (hopefully) three distinct separations, the first is about 6", next is about 5" and the last is about 5" in diameter.

Absolutely none of this is visible, even with a close inspection of the tire when it's mounted on a wheel. Even removing the tire from the trailer, inspecting it as you roll it along, feeling the tread, it isn't detectable.

I'm very happy that I found this before I lost the tread at 50 MPH and destroyed the wheel well on my trailer.

Any questions, comments or more pictures, I'll be happy to try to get you the information you want....

I hope the people that inspect the outside of their tires and think the china bombs are safe to use because they "look good", read this post. I'm not saying that inspections aren't a good thing, but that when it comes to tires, it may not indicate the damage about to happen.

[CWtheMan]

Originally Posted by bobbecky

My Trailer King tires were made at the same plant (JEJK) with a date code of 2113. The load rating/speed rating is 113/108L. That confuses me somewhat, in that 113 is 2535 and 108 is 2205. I "wonder" if the tires were rated at 2535 at 65MPH and 2205 at 75MPH (speed rating L) ??

The 113/108L is the load index as a single (113) and the load index as a dual (108) and the the speed rating (L). The speed rating is 75 mph in both ratings. 108 is 2205 lbs and 113 is 2535 lbs. http://www.discounttire.com/dtcs/infoLoadIndex.do
http://www.discounttire.com/dtcs/infoSpeedRating.do

NHTSA allows tire manufacturers to display service descriptions on ST & LT tires for information purposes such as speed letter codes. The only official load capacity information for those tire designs is the load range letters - also found on the tires sidewalls. There can be wide differences in the two methods such as a 44# difference in most 16” LRE LT tires.

Look on your ST tire sidewalls and you will find the load capacity for dual & single applications. Personally I’ve never seen a dual tire application on any RV trailers but have been told there are some. I don’t think I’d like to park a dual axle trailer with dual tires on each axle into a tight parking place.

Here is a picture of how a load range letter may be displayed on your tires.

http://www.irv2.com/photopost/showfull.php?photo=27064

Here is a picture of how the single and dual load capacities may be displayed. It also shows a service description with speed letter. This picture is of a new Westlake ST235/80R16G.

http://www.irv2.com/photopost/showfull.php?photo=29711

[Bowti]

Originally Posted by buzzcop63

We read so many reports from trailer owners that have experienced catastrophic loss of air in their trailer tires, blowouts! Discussions have gone on and on as to why tires on our trailers are failing and the reason most give is because they are made in China and are cheap tires.

The tire being brought in our DOT approved, they are rated according to standards they must pass so if these tires are meeting US standards then why are they not holding up? Lets take a look at what we expect and receive in our car and or truck tires, which we put on and seem for the most part to forget. Car and truck tries have PSI maximums above what we normally run in them, say your pick up has tires rated at 44 PSI at max and the manufacture of the vehicle has them running at 30 PSI front 33 PSI rear. Each tire on the pickup is said to have a max carrying capacity of 2,469Lb and the truck normally weights in at 5,560 pounds or less so the average weight on each tire is 1,390Lb or 56% of rated load. The speed maximum for this truck tire is listed as 118MPH.

Now think about what the trailer tire is being asked to do by the trailer manufacture. That trailer tire is being run at its max PSI to carry as much weight as possible. The speed stipulated on the trailer tire is max of 65MPH and that it what the tire is being run at, max speed and max PSI. The trailer tire has a limit to what it can carry and when you weigh your trailer and find that each tire is supporting as much as 70% of its max weight rating while your truck tire is carrying 56% of its weight, truck is running at 55% of its speed and the trailer tires are turning at 100% of their rated speed. The truck in this case is running 20% lower PSI then its max rating. The conclusion that I reach is that it is not the tires that are failing the trailer it is the trailer manufacture putting on tires that are being run at or close to their max specifications to keep the price down or make larger profits.

What I have also read is that the tires we have on our trailer when put on light duty trailers last for years and have few problems, why, because their specifications match up much closer to the tires on our trucks and cars for margins of safety far greater then what we get with our trailers. Think of taking your car or truck, loading it to its max weight and then some, running it at its top rated speed, how long would those tires hold up?

The facts and numbers were taken off my Tundra Bridgestone Dueler H/T P255/70R18 112T and Towmax Power King tires on my trailers.

Buzz, You make a very good point here. Makes me also wonder what a speed rating means and how do they determine that rating. Do they do destructive testing and what is suppose to be the "result" of exceeding that rating? What margin do they give for those that exceed it? How good of a tire can it be if it will fail after a 65 MPH rating?

[CWtheMan]

Originally Posted by buzzcop63

We read so many reports from trailer owners that have experienced catastrophic loss of air in their trailer tires, blowouts! Discussions have gone on and on as to why tires on our trailers are failing and the reason most give is because they are made in China and are cheap tires.

The tire being brought in our DOT approved, they are rated according to standards they must pass so if these tires are meeting US standards then why are they not holding up? Lets take a look at what we expect and receive in our car and or truck tires, which we put on and seem for the most part to forget. Car and truck tries have PSI maximums above what we normally run in them, say your pick up has tires rated at 44 PSI at max and the manufacture of the vehicle has them running at 30 PSI front 33 PSI rear. Each tire on the pickup is said to have a max carrying capacity of 2,469Lb and the truck normally weights in at 5,560 pounds or less so the average weight on each tire is 1,390Lb or 56% of rated load. The speed maximum for this truck tire is listed as 118MPH.

Now think about what the trailer tire is being asked to do by the trailer manufacture. That trailer tire is being run at its max PSI to carry as much weight as possible. The speed stipulated on the trailer tire is max of 65MPH and that it what the tire is being run at, max speed and max PSI. The trailer tire has a limit to what it can carry and when you weigh your trailer and find that each tire is supporting as much as 70% of its max weight rating while your truck tire is carrying 56% of its weight, truck is running at 55% of its speed and the trailer tires are turning at 100% of their rated speed. The truck in this case is running 20% lower PSI then its max rating. The conclusion that I reach is that it is not the tires that are failing the trailer it is the trailer manufacture putting on tires that are being run at or close to their max specifications to keep the price down or make larger profits.

What I have also read is that the tires we have on our trailer when put on light duty trailers last for years and have few problems, why, because their specifications match up much closer to the tires on our trucks and cars for margins of safety far greater then what we get with our trailers. Think of taking your car or truck, loading it to its max weight and then some, running it at its top rated speed, how long would those tires hold up?

The facts and numbers were taken off my Tundra Bridgestone Dueler H/T P255/70R18 112T and Towmax Power King tires on my trailers.

I don't want to get in a debate about what you are saying here because a lot of it is out of context. To seriously write about tire regulations and fitments you're going to have to read more about the regulations that govern such things. You can start with FMVSS 571.110 - 571.120 - 571.139, they will lead you to others with the same subject matter.

Tires with inflation pressures you have mentioned above are passenger tires. Not even close to being comparable with trailer tires and when used on trailers under 10K they must be derated by about 10%, 571.110 will explain the process.

Automotive tires are required by FMVSS to have reserve load capacities via inflation. Trailer tires are not. All of the major manufacturers of ST tires approve and recommend them to be operated at full sidewall pressures.

[bitten]

Date code above 2113 to me means 11/2/2013. Correct? If so, my Trailer Kings are 11/5/2015. Rated 113/108L. 2500 x 4 means 10,000. My 28RLS is 6150dry, 8400loaded Max. 75mph at 65psi. I drive 65.

[JRTJH]

Originally Posted by Bugbitten

Date code above 2113 to me means 11/2/2013. Correct? If so, my Trailer Kings are 11/5/2015. Rated 113/108L. 2500 x 4 means 10,000. My 28RLS is 6150dry, 8400loaded Max. 75mph at 65psi. I drive 65.

No, you're mis-interpreting the date code. The date code first two digits are the WEEK and the next two digits are the year. So tires with a date code of 2113 were manufactured during the 21st week of 2013. The date code on your tires won't have a "month/day/year" code, only a "week/year" code...

If you're still having trouble, post the date code from your tires and we will tell you when they were manufactured.

[bitten]

5115, so the next to last week of 2015. Even better. And tire says 2200 lbs dual so 8800. Discount tire index says 2535 dual.