brand new Laredo 302BH 5er

[bpurvis]

Just brought it home last weekend, do i need to question the tires that came with it? I've seen a lot of post on tires, and starting to get nervous about my factory tires that came with our 5th wheel? ohh... this is my first 5er?

[BeerCan]

Really depends on the tire, you loaded weights and how well you plan on taking care of them. For me it was worth it to change the tires on my Fuzion. It has 7k axles and I felt that a G rated LT tire were worth the investment.

You will get lots of differing opinions on this subject so read all advice with a critical eye especially the FUD.

I would check the date codes on your current tires just to make sure they are "fresh". I would load the camper (including water) as if you were going out for a long time and then take it to the scale and get it weighed. This will give you a reality based idea of what kind of load your axles/tires will be carrying. You can then make a reasoned decision on what direction you want to go, ST, LT or 17.5.

What axles and tires does the 5er have?

[bpurvis]

i took it to the scale over the weekend

Steer 5200
Drive 5460
Trailer 8380
Total 19040

i think i have Towmax STR tires ST235 /80R16?
I'm not sure about the axels?

[BeerCan]

Look on your data plate and it will have the info there. Here is an example from the same model trailer on holmans site It is the line that says GAWR


If it is the same you have 6k axles. That opens you up to a lot of possibilities but personally I would look at the XPS ribs or the Duravis r250. Both excellent tires that should give you great service. (provided you have 6k axles)

[bpurvis]

appreciate the help! i will check it out tomorrow. I have a small trip this weekend ..just to give it a once over. Hopefully the stock tires will be good for 200 miles

[pjhansman]

The Towmax tires on my Laredo have been great for 2 full seasons and about 12,000 miles. I expect them to last a while longer.

Keep them properly inflated, drive at reasonable speeds, and check them regularly when traveling. I also have a monitoring system on mine.

[bpurvis]

looks like 6000 lbs axel

[Javi]

Originally Posted by bpurvis

looks like 6000 lbs axel
Attachment 3310

Yep, that's 6K

Just don't let the internet hysteria make you spend money you don't need to spend.

Yes, there better tires available but there is nothing wrong with the tires that came on the trailer from the manufacturer. I've seen grown men pull brand new name brand tires off to replace them with another brand of the same size and load range. Sure the OEM tires might not last as long as another brand, but really....

[therink]

I had dealer install and balance a set of Firestone Transforce LT's on mine before I would sign the papers on my new Sydney. I don't want the stress of worrying about junk tires. I've seen the damage that a blow out can cause and I just prefer peace of mind.
Steve

[jsmith948]

Originally Posted by Javi

Yep, that's 6K

Just don't let the internet hysteria make you spend money you don't need to spend.

Yes, there better tires available but there is nothing wrong with the tires that came on the trailer from the manufacturer. I've seen grown men pull brand new name brand tires off to replace them with another brand of the same size and load range. Sure the OEM tires might not last as long as another brand, but really....

When I first became aware of the 'China Bomb' (my OEM tires were Towmax)debate. I tended to agree with you and had written off much of the debate to what you described as hysteria. After about 3700 to 4000 miles, the DW noticed cracks in the sidewall of a tire. Took it to a tire shop and had it switched with the spare (disimilar wheels). The tire tech said the sidewall had been damaged from under inflation. Since I had been really careful with the tire inflation, we determined it must have been run underinflated from the factory in Oregon to the dealer in Colton, CA. After having read and re-read all of the posts regarding blown tires and the subsequent trailer damage, we opted for a set of E rated Maxxis. Did we waste our money? Well, we might not ever know. Some will say those Towmax tires would have lasted another 10,000 miles. I breath a little easier, as does my DW, knowing we have tires on our 5er that have never been run under inflated, and do not have the reputation of being prone to blow-outs.. JMHO-FWIW.

[Javi]

Originally Posted by jsmith948

When I first became aware of the 'China Bomb' (my OEM tires were Towmax)debate. I tended to agree with you and had written off much of the debate to what you described as hysteria. After about 3700 to 4000 miles, the DW noticed cracks in the sidewall of a tire. Took it to a tire shop and had it switched with the spare (disimilar wheels). The tire tech said the sidewall had been damaged from under inflation. Since I had been really careful with the tire inflation, we determined it must have been run underinflated from the factory in Oregon to the dealer in Colton, CA. After having read and re-read all of the posts regarding blown tires and the subsequent trailer damage, we opted for a set of E rated Maxxis. Did we waste our money? Well, we might not ever know. Some will say those Towmax tires would have lasted another 10,000 miles. I breath a little easier, as does my DW, knowing we have tires on our 5er that have never been run under inflated, and do not have the reputation of being prone to blow-outs.. JMHO-FWIW.

Big difference in replacing tires that show abuse or defects and just replacing them because someone else had a problem. If I replaced everything I own because someone had a problem with that brand, I'd be buying new stuff every day.

[BeerCan]

Originally Posted by Javi

Yep, that's 6K

Just don't let the internet hysteria make you spend money you don't need to spend.

Yes, there better tires available but there is nothing wrong with the tires that came on the trailer from the manufacturer. I've seen grown men pull brand new name brand tires off to replace them with another brand of the same size and load range. Sure the OEM tires might not last as long as another brand, but really....

I agree for the most part. It really comes down to the user and the usage. I tend to do long drives at hwy speed with my trailer so I felt the ST tires were a liability. I have another trailer that I use for much shorter trips that has had ST tires for years with no issues (Horse trailer).

If it was a 7k axle I would feel more strongly about replacing the tires. I think at those weights the ST tire is getting to the edge of its design parameters.

Like you said, many people use ST tires with no issues. It comes down to the OP making an informed decision that works for him. LT tires are not magic and they can have failures also. It really comes down to luck if you ask me

[Outbackmel]

I have towed from southeast us x southern route, up route 66, Grand Canyon, back, three trips from N GA to Florida, back and on and on. Never any serious issue. I had a VERY SLOW leak and it was heck for the big gun tire dealer to locate. Took it to a layed back tire shop in Cleveland, GA and they found it in 15 minutes and patched it from inside. Was a very tiny wire staple. Has not lost an ounce of air since and 2 trips to FL.

I check my air pressure and lug torque daily when traveling. Before any trip, I get on my roll board and check for cracks,wear,cuts,bumps, etc. I learned this from 55 years of motorcycling where tires last 8 to 9000 miles on rear and 12 to 15000 on front. A bad fender and some other damage does not phase me should it occur. On a motorcycle at 70mph, you are darned lucky to survive. Tires are critical, no doubt. Make your safety check list and do it.

You can find horror stories with most tires. It took Firestone MANY years and millions in lawsuits to survive. Of course, today, I believe they make a great tire and WHEN I need to swap, they will be very high on my selection list.

I am in Hannover, Germany today as I write this. Have traveled to Copenhagen, Helsinki, Stockholm and St Petersburg, Russia in past 2 weeks and NO ONE has a fifth wheel over here. AND I am traveling the autobahns, where they would be sighted. Diesel is less expensive than gas, around $5.30 a gallon. Have seen tons on TT's, single axle, no slide outs, very modern, pulled by sedans.

Back to my fiver in 2 weeks and off to beaches of Destin with my OEM tires.
Travel often, travel safe.

[CWtheMan]

Originally Posted by bpurvis

looks like 6000 lbs axel
Attachment 3310

I like this Cooper reference because it’s easy to read and has lots on nice to know information about tires.

http://us.coopertire.com/Tire-Safety...-Capacity.aspx

I also like the Toyo explanation about replacement tires because they emphasize that no matter what type of replacement tire is used, it still MUST have the load capacity by inflation to equal or exceed the Original Equipment tires. But, it’s a large reference in a PDF format.

Lots of times new RV trailer owners are not familiar with the load capacity differences between ST tires and LT tires. Your tires are most likely rated at 3520# at 80 psi. Because there are other identical tires made in that size with load capacities of 3420# & 3500# it allows you to use replacement tires with load capacities as low as 3420# at 80 psi. There are zero LRE truck tires with enough load capacity to equal the 3420# minimum requirement the vehicle manufacturer has set for your trailer. Sure, you can use the lower rated tires and many will say it’s within the regulations to do so. However, you will not be able to find a tire manufacturer that writes a warranty for their truck tires that will support a misapplication of their tires when in direct load capacity conflict with a vehicle manufacturer’s Original Equipment tire selection.

In that light, LT replacement tire selection for RV trailers with 6000# axles and OE ST tires is very slim. Most will require tire and rim upgrades to get the required load capacity set with the OE tire selection.

CW

[CWtheMan]

Originally Posted by jsmith948

When I first became aware of the 'China Bomb' (my OEM tires were Towmax)debate. I tended to agree with you and had written off much of the debate to what you described as hysteria. After about 3700 to 4000 miles, the DW noticed cracks in the sidewall of a tire. Took it to a tire shop and had it switched with the spare (disimilar wheels). The tire tech said the sidewall had been damaged from under inflation. Since I had been really careful with the tire inflation, we determined it must have been run underinflated from the factory in Oregon to the dealer in Colton, CA. After having read and re-read all of the posts regarding blown tires and the subsequent trailer damage, we opted for a set of E rated Maxxis. Did we waste our money? Well, we might not ever know. Some will say those Towmax tires would have lasted another 10,000 miles. I breath a little easier, as does my DW, knowing we have tires on our 5er that have never been run under inflated, and do not have the reputation of being prone to blow-outs.. JMHO-FWIW.

This looks like a good place to post a tire story.

Hypothetical Stuff About Trailer Tires

This is based on my observations and conclusions, there is no validity beyond those parameters. This first one could be a tire story. In all probability, it happens all the time. I have zero proof to substantiate the story so it’s fictional.

What should the reader do with this story other than read it and leave? You can rate it on the percentage of probability it can or does happen. You can compare it with your personal experiences.

**********

The Story

Special Trailer Tires (ST). They dominate the RV trailer market. They are fitted to the smallish single axle pop-up campers on up to the 40+ foot fifth wheel trailers with 7000# axles. They are almost exclusively manufactured at large well established “off shore” factories. Even our well established American tire manufacturers farm out their ST tire lines to those factories. There is still a lot of manual labor involved with tire building. Labor costs and tax loop-holes allow the ST tire to be very inexpensive to build in those “off shore” facilities.

RV trailer manufacturers MUST procure tires certified for highway use. Your ST tires will always sport the large letters DOT on their sidewalls. That means they are certified by the Department of Transportation (DOT) for highway services. Another notation found on the ST tire’s sidewall is its restricted usage. They are designed exclusively for fitment to trailer axles.

Lets look a typical tire’s time line. It’s built for a particular purpose. After it has been built, cured, tested and certified (by lot) it’s packaged for shipment to its first intermediate facility. For those coming to us in the USA it will most likely end up at a wholesalers storage facility. From there it will go directly to the RV trailer manufacturer. It has most likely been selected for its designation, size and cost per unit. By the time it reaches the vehicle manufacturer it’s probably 2-5 months old. During the year long (or longer) production cycle it will be married with a suitable rim which will require a set amount of air pressure for it to be properly seated to the rim. By the time it’s mounted to the trailer axle and fitted to the trailer it could be at least 9 months old. I wonder, was it properly aired for the fitment to that particular trailer? As the tire rolls along the production line to the trailer’s final inspection and completion did it ever get properly aired?

Now, some RV trailers are produced on orders filled to specifications for a specific buyer. From the factory to the dealer they won’t get any special treatment. Once at the dealer location they will be marked as sold and seldom - if ever - put on open display. No RV shows or movement required for such units. However, I wonder what the tire pressures were when the transporter picked it up for delivery? Did the transporter driver insure the tires were properly aired for the trip to the dealer? Is the transporter driver going to violate the ST tire’s speed restriction of 65 MPH? I would assume different transporters have different procedures. I winder if there is a contract between the manufacturer and transport company about the treatment of the unit while in transport? I wonder if that contract would include making sure the tire pressures are correct and the unit isn’t hauled over 65 MPH?

Well, lets backtrack a bit. RV trailers not sold from the factory to the individual are normally going to a dealer location. Once there they will be put on display and often moved around the dealers lot. Some may be selected to be shown at local RV shows which requires round trip movement to the show’s location. Will the dealer insure all of their units tire pressures are checked at least monthly? Will they ever check their RV trailer’s inventor for proper tire pressures? Do they insure the units are parked on dry, level, surfaces? When sent to show locations is the tire’s speed restriction exceeded?

RV trailer tires are not required to have air pressure sensors. You cannot often distinguish the difference between a radial tire properly aired to one with less than 80% of its correct pressure. Just thought I’d stick that in there.

For the ST tire, its history is very important to its owner. A trailer built early in it’s production year and sold late in it’s model year can very easily have two year old tires that have been extremely abused. If the new owner is wise enough to check the units tire pressure before driving it home or signing for it he may extend their life expectancy a little bit. But, not much. Those tires may have been shined-up by the dealer for a snappy appearance to prospective buyers. They will not show any tread wear and may look just like new. Once the Manufacturer set the weight of the trailer on its axles the tires started aging accordingly. They are good for 3-5 years regardless of appearance. Tire damage is cumulative. How far have they degraded when you get them? Only a tire forensic specialist can tell you that and it’s expensive. If the owner is a tire savvy person, the early signs of impending failure may provide a warning such as early sidewall checking or slight increases in tire diameter. Those that have never checked their trailer’s tire pressures until it’s loaded for its first road trip are most likely going to be the ones complaining about early tire failures.

So, what is the real bottom line here? RV trailer tires are SPECIAL. It’s written right on their sidewall. They will not follow the path of automotive tires. The average 16” ST tire will cost the manufacturer less than a hundred dollars. Its not going to last more than three or four years with exceptional maintenance practices. An upgraded replacement will double or triple in cost when larger sizes are used with new rims.

If a reader learns anything from this rambling post I hope is ST tire HISTORY is very important.

CW