Concern with the stock tire speed rating?

[jkordzi]

Today we had our first call with ETI to go over our build sheet. We are scheduled to pick up our 5.0TA in April. I was told that the tires that come with the 5.0TA are Goodyear Marathon ST205/75R15, which carries a J speed rating (62 MPH). That seems like a very low speed rating to me. I don't plan on towing at 75 mph, but a little extra headroom would be nice. Any idea why ETI doesn't use higher speed tires? Anyone have any issues with these tires? Thanks.

[rbryan4]

That's interesting. Ours came with Carlisle Radial Trail HDs, with a speed rating of 81. I wasn't aware they'd switched to the Goodyears. I wouldn't consider a J speed rating to be suitable for my trailer, and would want at least an L rating.

[float5]

They used Marathons before the Carlisles. Wonder if they have gone back or not. Possibly old information but it would not be the first time that they have gone back to something.

[Iowa Dave]

It is my understanding that the Marathons have been discontinued by Goodyear. I asked for them this summer and that’s what I was told at my Goodyear shop. I ran Marathons on the 19 And never had the slightest problem. However the new Goodyear trailer tire is the Defender. That’s what I put on the 21 when I got it home from Arizona. It had Marathons that were an upgrade install when it was built in the late summer/ early fall of 2013. You do what you want, I’d ask for Goodyear Defenders with very recent code dates. They are load range D and will run as fast as you want to drive all day long. They are 65 lb max pressure tires that will easily carry a loaded Escape. I never had Carlisle’s so am not qualified to comment on them. YMMV
Iowa “tread depth” Dave

[Eggscape]

Interesting...the hwy 40 mins east of the Escape factory is 120 kilometres per hour...or approximately 75 miles per hour. It continues at that speed for 3 hours until I reach home here in Kelowna. Since everyone is usually doing more than that...a person does not want to be stuck doing 100 k / 62mi on the edge of their tire limit...that is unsafe in so many ways.
I hope there is a mistake here somewhere.

[jkordzi]

I'll call again Monday and double check that speed rating. Thanks.

[Eggscape]

Something to go by. I would like at least an M rating...

[KarenH]

Originally Posted by Eggscape

Interesting...the hwy 40 mins east of the Escape factory is 120 kilometres per hour...or approximately 75 miles per hour.

At the risk of being the only humbug on this forum, the towing speed limit in Washington State is 60 mph. Of course, studies show that 93% of Americans consider themselves above-average drivers (statistically impossible) so probably don't think the speed limit applies to them.

[gbaglo]

Originally Posted by Eggscape

Something to go by. I would like at least an M rating...

That chart is confusing or misrepresenting the issue.
It says "Speed Rating D" and claims a max of 40 MPH, but we are talking about "Load Rating D". My Carlisle are Load D and have a speed rating of 81 MPH.
What is the source for that chart?

[Eggscape]

Also the tires they use on the aluminum rims may be different than the ones they use on the steel rims...could depend on the supplier...so that needs to be asked as well.

[gbaglo]

This chart is from a Carlisle site:
https://www.carlislebrandtires.com/o...adial-trail-hd

[rbryan4]

Originally Posted by gbaglo

That chart is confusing or misrepresenting the issue.
It says "Speed Rating D" and claims a max of 40 MPH, but we are talking about "Load Rating D".

Not really. The topic was the purported "J" speed rating of the Goodyear Marathons. Load ratings were brought up later. And yes, a D speed rating maxes out at 40 mph.

Also, there are some speed ratings not listed in the one above. Here's a more complete speed rating chart:

[gbaglo]

But, Escape doesn't put Speed Rating D tires on their trailers.
They used Load Rated C when I got my trailer and now I have Load D Carlisles which are speed rated 81 MPH.

[rbryan4]

Originally Posted by gbaglo

But, Escape doesn't put Speed Rating D tires on their trailers.
They used Load Rated C when I got my trailer and now I have Load D Carlisles which are speed rated 81 MPH.

True, but the load rating wasn't the OPs concern - it was the speed rating. Carlisle doesn't use the letter equivalent for speed ratings on the chart you posted, but instead they just give the actual mph. Some charts use an mph for speed rating, and some use the letter equivalent. A D speed rating in no way correlates to a D load rating. Your Carlisles, like mine, have an M speed rating.

[gbaglo]

Well, I'm thoroughly confused now.

[rbryan4]

Originally Posted by KarenH

At the risk of being the only humbug on this forum, the towing speed limit in Washington State is 60 mph.

That's fine Karen, I don't think you're being a humbug at all. Having said that, a margin in the speed rating of a tire is a good thing, and I'd feel alot better about having an M rating instead of a J - regardless of the speed I tow at.

[rbryan4]

Originally Posted by gbaglo

Well, I'm thoroughly confused now.

A malady I share with you all too often. [emoji23]

I think the confusion comes from the fact that many tire makers - like Carlisle - don't use the letter codes for speed ratings. So when we hear a letter rating we think it refers to load instead of speed.

[gbaglo]

Think I'll just hold my breath until we know for certain what tires ETI is using now.

[padlin]

Dave, do you mean the Endurance as opposed to the Defender? I do see a Defender tire by Michelin.

[Viajante]

Speed and load capacity are related: Load capacity decreases as speed increases. The 65 mph speed rating has become standard and it allows a direct comparison of load capacities between different tires. The basic rule is decrease the load capacity by 10% if you drive 10 mph over the speed rating for more than passing. And be sure to have the tires inflated to max pressure. The flip side is that you can seriously exceed load capacity if you only drive 25 mph.