Tire life span

[davidjsimons]

I have a question for you experienced members. I know the average life span is 3-5 years on a ST tire, but what is the mileage. I've had my unit for 10 months and have logged over 8,000 miles so far. My tread wear is even across all four tires. Running this kind of mileage, when should I be looking into replacing my tires?


2013 Cougar 28 RBS
2012 Ram 3500 Dually
6.7 Cummins H.O.
4.10 rears.

[CWtheMan]

It's a very good question and one that should be discussed more often.

There is no real front runner name brand so all ST tires can be grouped into two categories. Bias & Radial.

Some are going to say the Maxxis should be a front runner or a premium ST tire. My dispute with that is they are seldom, if ever, used as OEM tires. When used as replacements they are often one load capacity above the Original Equipment (OE) tires they replaced, which clouds positive feedback.

The first thing to consider is the ST tires all have shallow treads. Normally 10/32". That alone is going to shorten any huge mileage expectations. In my research I've found ST manufacturers will actually say their bias ply tires will last somewhere between 5,000 - 12,000 miles. The best I've found for the Radial is 20,000 miles. Most RV trailer owners will not get to that mark before the tires age out.

Of course speed and tire loads will play a major role in mileage expectations and longevity.

Footnote: Any RV trailer owner that puts more than 6,000 miles per year on their trailer tires really needs to consider upgrading to Light Truck (LT) or medium truck tires. The procedure is simple and in the end will save you the extra bucks it costs to convert to the stiffer sidewalled tires with deeper treads and built-in durability factors. Most will be rated at 75 MPH or higher.

CW

[Festus2]

Originally Posted by davidjsimons

I have a question for you experienced members. I know the average life span is 3-5 years on a ST tire, but what is the mileage. I've had my unit for 10 months and have logged over 8,000 miles so far. My tread wear is even across all four tires. Running this kind of mileage, when should I be looking into replacing my tires?


2013 Cougar 28 RBS
2012 Ram 3500 Dually
6.7 Cummins H.O.
4.10 rears.

David -
In addition to the factors that affect tire life mentioned by CW, let's not forget about overloading, improper weight distribution (especially in TT), axles not in proper alignment, improper inflation and excessive speed.

If one were to consider all of these variables, it is difficult to put a time or mileage limit on when you should replace the tires. According to some sources, even under ideal conditions and proper tire maintenance, approximately 1/3 of the tire's strength is gone in 3 years. In addition, regardless of tire appearance and tread, trailer tires should be replaced within 3-5 years with a mileage expectation of about 5000-12000 miles.

In your case, since you have already logged 8000 miles, it would seen that you are somewhere in the middle of the mileage but if you put another 3 or 4 thousand miles on them, you have pretty much reached the maximum of the average ST tire. Not knowing your driving distances, you might easily reach that in 1 or 2 trips.

I know it would be easy to look at your tires and because they are showing little, if any, signs of wear and you have had them on your unit for only a year or two, to keep them for another 3 or 4 years. I'm not convinced this is the best course of action and I would be looking at replacing them sooner rather than later - even if they have plenty of tread left.

I got rid of mine after 4 1/2 years and they looked like they might be good for another 4 or 5.

[davidjsimons]

Of course, I follow the pressure and speed ratings for my tires. I had already decided that they would not be run past three years, but the mileage I've been running was my primary concern. I may just replace them at the end of this season before I take my next long trip. By the time I reach 12 months, I should have around 10,000 miles on them.


2013 Cougar 28 RBS
2012 Ram 3500 Dually
6.7 Cummins H.O.
4.10 rears.

[LittleJoe]

How much tread depth do you measure above the wearbar(which is 2/32 of remaining life. Compare to new tire tread depth and extrapolate from there.

I would change at 5yrs max but changing a tire at half tread wear and 3yrs or less age is a real waste in my books. (although some tires are already 2yrs old on a brand new trailer, so allow for this also)

On our ERS trailers the tires are worn down until they come to wear bars and then changed(granted this is usually in 6 months max) and around 20K miles,
These ST 15" tires are max load all the time and run at 5psi over max cold tire pressure. Very Very seldom have we ever lost a tire .
/Edit to add: the 16" tires on my sig trailer has about same mileage as you on tires and tread wear is insignificant. The tires are dated 2010 and I will change them in 2 more years and will be going to LT tires at that time.

[jadatis]

I live in Holland ( Europe) , and in Europe also "for trailer use only" tires are placed on Travel-trailers.
Difference is that they are for max speed of 140km/85m/h and only have about 5% more maximum load then a C(omercial)-tyre wich is same as LT.
The ST tire used in America, is for max speed of 65m/104km/h, and has about 15% more maximum load then a LT tire with same sides and AT-pressure.
They may bare that extra 15% because of the lower speed, and are allowed more deflection at that speed.

I suspect ST and "for trailer-use only" tires not to be much different from LT tires with same sises and AT-pressure ( wich is not the maximum pressure).
Its yust a matter of calculating the maximum load for more deflection. The other way around is done for P-tires ( standard load) wich have a AT-pressure of 35 psi for american tires, but needs a higher pressure for speeds above 99m/160km/h with a system depending on the speedrating (S,T,H,V,W.Y) , and this is to give the tire lesser deflection for higher speed.
The difference between AT-pressure and maximum pressure ( only given on such tires-sidewalls) of 44 to 51 psi is used for this higher speed and also camber-angle above 2 degrees ( alighnment)
Some LT tires have a second Loadindex given on the sidewall for a lower maximum speed. Trucktires in Europe always have this second loadindex for lower speed, and the idea behind it is also more deflection allowed.

But this all makes an ST tire to deflect more then a LT tire.
This makes it wear off sooner then an LT.
If you now give the ST tire the same deflection as an LT of same sises would have , it lasts longer.
This can be done by using higher pressure, or look in a list of the same sises and AT-pressure from an LT tire. Then you have the deflection that is meanth for higher speed.
Even more rigid TRA system alows 10 psi above AT-pressure .

For Germany you need a special paper to drive 100km/62m/h with caravan( as we cal travel-trailers) . The tires must have a produce date of maximum 6 jears old, and an extra loadcapacity of 10% above MTM ( GVWR).
Even with the Trailertires for 85m/h we use .

End conclusion : if ST tires use the deflection, calculated with maximum load and pressure for that ( AT-pressure, maxloadpressure , reference-pressure is lower then the maximum pressure), there is more deflection then LT so shorter live. If given same deflection as an LT would have, longer live.
Probably up to 5 jears of use for the official Germain paper, but some last even up to 10 jears ( dont shoot me if they dont).

[Jager]

Originally Posted by CWtheMan

. . .
Some are going to say the Maxxis should be a front runner or a premium ST tire. My dispute with that is they are seldom, if ever, used as OEM tires. When used as replacements they are often one load capacity above the Original Equipment (OE) tires they replaced, which clouds positive feedback.

The first thing to consider is the ST tires all have shallow treads. Normally 10/32". That alone is going to shorten any huge mileage expectations. In my research I've found ST manufacturers will actually say their bias ply tires will last somewhere between 5,000 - 12,000 miles. The best I've found for the Radial is 20,000 miles. Most RV trailer owners will not get to that mark before the tires age out.

Of course speed and tire loads will play a major role in mileage expectations and longevity.

Footnote: Any RV trailer owner that puts more than 6,000 miles per year on their trailer tires really needs to consider upgrading to Light Truck (LT) or medium truck tires. The procedure is simple and in the end will save you the extra bucks it costs to convert to the stiffer side walled tires with deeper treads and built-in durability factors. Most will be rated at 75 MPH or higher.

CW

CW this is one of the reasons I searched out this forum. I have a toy hauler and it is eating ST tires like water. The current set I have on there are Goodyear Marathons. These were put on brand new last year (load range E). I know for a fact they don't even have 1,000 miles on them and the side walls are already rippling out. This is happening on all four tires evenly (2 axles). I have heard this same complaint from a lot of toy hauler owners.

I personally think the tires and axles are insufficient for the loads. I have investigated LT tires but they are not rated for weight as high as the ST tires. Yet I have heard from several people that they run LT tires (rated for less weight) in place of ST tires. I am no tire engineer but am sick of replacing the tires on my camper. I am having a very difficult time finding ST tires load rated higher than E in my size (ST 235/ R80 / 16). What are people doing about this? Do you know of a tire source with better weight ratings?