2021 Outback upgrade TK RST?

[Kwaidonjin]

My outback has trailer king RST. I was hoping these were better then the trailer kings everyone was having problems with. Date code of April of 2020.should I upgrade immediately or give them a chance? Thank you.

[sourdough]

Some folks feel differently but I would personally remove them. Of course my view is tainted by 7k in damages caused by one. I removed the tires from the new trailer in my signature before it left the lot....and they weren't TKs, just a brand that didn't have a good track record IMO.

I will say that RVIA changed their guidelines on tires recently and your tires should give you a 10% cushion over GVW. I suspect that is going to have a favorable impact but the TK track record is SO dismal that I would be on pins and needles to take any kind of trip. JMO

[wiredgeorge]

Danny has a strong opinion based on his singular experience with the Trailer King brand BUT perhaps also colored by the MANY MANY horror stories of damage caused by the brand by other folks reporting blow outs. You must have read some of these in order for you to ask about this as an issue so if you are uncomfortable regarding the safety of Trailer King tires, perhaps you already have your answer. 14" of 15" rims used on many campers are well served with Carlisle Radial HT or Goodyear Endurance tires if comments on this forum are to be believed. I have had MANY sets of Carlisle Radial HTs on my campers over the years and had good service. Many folks also recommend tire pressure monitor systems to anticipate tire issues while on the road.

[JRTJH]

Let's do a quick "brand comparison"....

If you're old enough to remember the YUGO, consider the "quality improvements" in the YUGO deluxe as compared to the standard YUGO...

Would you be "lulled into believing the Yugo deluxe is a "better car" than the standard build ????

Same with Trailer King tires, at least in my opinion..... Lipstick on a pig is still a pig.....

That said, the recent RVIA tire changes have improved reliability of all tires.

Previously there was no requirement for manufacturers to provide any "weight cushion" in tires. So a trailer with a 3500 pound axle could be fitted with tires rated for 1750 on each end. Now, there's a requirement to provide a 10% safety margin, so the tires must carry a load rating of 1925 (minimum). That means the tires have extra capacity which provides for increased reliability in most situations....

So, there's added reliability not because the tires are TK's, but because there's a requirement to install heavier rated tires on the trailer....

[jsb5717]

My rig came with Rainier tires...basically the same general track record as TK's. I now have Sailun's.

As has been pointed out many, many times in this and other forums, upgrading your tires and suspension is cheap insurance. When you consider that the entire weight of the trailer and most of the beating while traveling are on those 2 components, then making sure that they are the best you can make them can save a lot of grief and extra $$$ down the road.

I upgraded to Sailuns, heavy duty shackles, and wet bolts. I feel a lot better going down the road. Some folks will never have an issue. But if it's a game of percentages, who will draw the short straw on the next failure?

So to answer your question...yes, I would change the tires just for my own peace of mind.


Added: FWIW, have you done the calcs on your tow vehicle? I see in your profile that you have an F150 towing a 38', 10k lbs trailer. Without looking up all the numbers I have a hunch that you are taking a sizable safety gamble there as well.

[wiredgeorge]

Wow... 10500 lbs behind an F150? I would change the car tires on the F150 as well as a start; in fact, would be interested in the payload of that F150. That is a lot of trailer for a 1/2 ton tv.

[NH_Bulldog]

As far as the Trailer Kings, we have had decent luck.....so far. We are well within weight ratings, we maintain proper pressure and don’t exceed rated speed. The tires have worn evenly and have given us no concerns. But, as mine approach 3 years from date of manufacture and now have over 12,000 miles of use in two years, we are replacing them once we take it out of storage in the spring even though we are not to the wear bars yet.

Given the 10’s of thousands (Probably much more than that in reality) of these tires put on the road every year, there are reported issues, but as with any tire (I had a 1999 Ford Explorer that had 3 tire recalls in a year time span) whether there is a real concern depends on the number of tires out there compared to the number of failures. Most people don’t go online to write a rave review of a tire for doing what it’s supposed to do, only bothering to raise the alarm when one fails and causes damage to their vehicle. That doesn’t mean that the threat isn’t real; Trailer Kings seem to be known for issues, but is it because they are bad tires or because there are so many out there? Another member on here recently posted that one of the much hyped brands just failed him, so there is no magic tire out there.

My thoughts; proper loading, proper inflation, and running no more than the rated speed help prevent mishaps. Inspect tires regularly and the minute you notice something out of the norm, take action.

[CWtheMan]

Originally Posted by Kwaidonjin

My outback has trailer king RST. I was hoping these were better then the trailer kings everyone was having problems with. Date code of April of 2020.should I upgrade immediately or give them a chance? Thank you.

Your OE tires provide 13-15% in load capacity reserves, depending on what load capacity Keystone set the GAWRs.

To get replacement tires with more load capacity than the OE tires are providing, you'll probably have to also get new wheels.

There is a LRF in your designated size - ST25/75R15 - but it requires 95 PSI to provide it's maximum load capacity. However Carlisle, touted here by other members, is building an all steel ST225/75R15 LRF. Here is the reference.

https://www.carlislebrandtires.com/o...-detail/csl16/

Personally I see no reason to replace OE tires with adequate load capacity reserves. Especially when based on unsubstantiated failure causes. Again, especially tire brands that have a zero history of recall actions.

Note: The official minimum tire size for your trailer is depicted on the vehicle certification label.

[Kwaidonjin]

Originally Posted by jsb5717

My rig came with Rainier tires...basically the same general track record as TK's. I now have Sailun's.

As has been pointed out many, many times in this and other forums, upgrading your tires and suspension is cheap insurance. When you consider that the entire weight of the trailer and most of the beating while traveling are on those 2 components, then making sure that they are the best you can make them can save a lot of grief and extra $$$ down the road.

I upgraded to Sailuns, heavy duty shackles, and wet bolts. I feel a lot better going down the road. Some folks will never have an issue. But if it's a game of percentages, who will draw the short straw on the next failure?

So to answer your question...yes, I would change the tires just for my own peace of mind.


Added: FWIW, have you done the calcs on your tow vehicle? I see in your profile that you have an F150 towing a 38', 10k lbs trailer. Without looking up all the numbers I have a hunch that you are taking a sizable safety gamble there as well.

Yes I have. The trailer is 8500lbs. I have 20 inch wheels a Hellwig 2500lb helper springs. Husky centerline 12000 lbs hitch and 2 years left in my lease. So, bigger truck in my future.

[jsb5717]

Originally Posted by Kwaidonjin

Yes I have. The trailer is 8500lbs. I have 20 inch wheels a Hellwig 2500lb helper springs. Husky centerline 12000 lbs hitch and 2 years left in my lease. So, bigger truck in my future.

Make sure you're using the right numbers. You are looking at empty weight. Your loaded weight is over 10K lbs and your pin weight is approx. 15% of that. Those are the numbers to start with when calculating towability. Payload rating will be the biggest hurdle.