Tires

[rbryan4]

Originally Posted by thoer

Talked with a helpful guy at Discount Tire online, who offered me the D rated Carlisle ST205/75R15 mounted and balanced on aluminum Raceline 870 Trailer wheels, free delivery with a total cost of $341. That is cheaper than I could get locally for the C rated with the Carlisle standard steel wheel. No one local seems to have the D rated version and Maxxon lists that tire size as only available as a C.

After my experience I will take all the extra load capacity that I can get. I think I will have metal stems put on too.

I would just make sure that the center caps are removable without taking off the entire wheel. Makes lubing the axles alot easier.

[thoer]

Originally Posted by rbryan4

I would just make sure that the center caps are removable without taking off the entire wheel. Makes lubing the axles alot easier.

I don't have any of the quick lube type axle arrangement on mine.

[Brian B-P]

Even with E-Z Lube or equivalent, since there's no need to use it (ever), and no reason to use it more than about once a year, I don't think pulling the wheel off is so bad.

[rbryan4]

Originally Posted by Brian B-P

Even with E-Z Lube or equivalent, since there's no need to use it (ever), and no reason to use it more than about once a year, I don't think pulling the wheel off is so bad.

Hmm. I was told you should lube the Dexter axles annually. Not so? Anything that keeps me from taking off the wheel is a good thing, but as Donna says, YMMV.

[thoer]

Thanks everyone.

It really makes one appreciate having all of you to bounce thoughts and ideas off of here when making these kind of decisions. I went with the Discount Tire deal and since the guy working with me was so helpful I even let him talk me into the lifetime replacement guarantee for $11 per tire. Maybe by spending that extra it will increase my odds of never needing it (well one can unscientifically hope anyway!)

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by thoer

Talked with a helpful guy at Discount Tire online, who offered me the D rated Carlisle ST205/75R15...

That's a good tip about sources... a Discount Tire Direct search for 205/75-15 trailer tires provides an interesting comparison of prices, although watch for construction (one is a bias-ply) and load range (at least C and D are shown) . Note that Discount strangely shows the load range letter followed by a "1".

Originally Posted by thoer

Maxxon lists that tire size as only available as a C.

Do you mean the Maxxis M8008? Maxxis lists this in load range C ("6 Ply Rating", Max 50 PSI) and load range D ("8 Ply Rating", Max 65 PSI). Getting it locally is another matter...

The Carlisle / Raceline combination from Discount sounds like a good price for a capable setup.

[Vermilye]

Here is the "D" rated Maxxis tire: Maxxis Tire

[thoer]

Brian and Jon- you are right, my mistake on the Maxxis. In their chart they rate the same tire as a C at 50 PSI and then as a D at 65 PSI.

Went with the Carlisle based on Reace using it as standard equipment now and "supposedly " their higher resistance to heat (at least according to Carlisle)

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by rbryan4

Hmm. I was told you should lube the Dexter axles annually. Not so?

Dexter says to inspect the bearings (which means removing not just the wheel, but the hub) and of course to repack them since they were taken apart. The E-Z Lube system does nothing for this maintenance; it exists to flush out contaminated grease due to immersing the axle in water (such as on a boat trailer).

Originally Posted by rbryan4

Anything that keeps me from taking off the wheel is a good thing...

Even if you find value in use of the E-Z Lube system, you need to jack up the trailer so the wheel can rotate freely to do this... which to me is a good chunk of the work of taking the wheel off.

I'm pretty sure the lube interval recommendation from Dexter has more to do with forcing you to handle the wheel and hub and notice any problems than it does with actually replacing grease. Wheel bearing grease lasts for years without problems in motor vehicles which are used much more than travel trailers.

[gbaglo]

I've had my original bearings inspected and repacked every couple years since 2008.
They are still good to go. Only needed to replace the seals.

[thoer]

Originally Posted by gbaglo

I've had my original bearings inspected and repacked every couple years since 2008.
They are still good to go. Only needed to replace the seals.

My mechanic said he thought every year was overkill and that every other one was plenty cautious. Oops -- thread drift alert!

(Wow - just got an email confirmation from Discount Tires that my tires are mounted, balanced and packed up for shipment. Thats less than 2 hours after I placed the order.)

[thoer]

I am wondering what tire pressure to use with the D rated 205's? The max weight rating is achieved at 65psi, but I am thinking that that high of a pressure would make the trailer ride rougher. Jon, you said you run yours at 50, but that that is the max rating on your wheels. Would you run higher if your wheels were rated higher?

[Vermilye]

There seems to be quite a bit of "discussion"as to whether running tires at their maximum rated air pressure or matching the pressure to the weight of the trailer is best. I even got different opinions from two different mechanics at my local RV dealer. My solution, forced by the rim limit, lets me duck out of the debate! I have found no noticeable difference in ride when going from the "C" rated Michelins at 45 PSI (Recommended by ETI) and the Maxxis "D" tires at 50PSI.

[thoer]

Originally Posted by Vermilye

There seems to be quite a bit of "discussion"as to whether running tires at their maximum rated air pressure or matching the pressure to the weight of the trailer is best. I even got different opinions from two different mechanics at my local RV dealer. My solution, forced by the rim limit, lets me duck out of the debate! I have found no noticeable difference in ride when going from the "C" rated Michelins at 45 PSI (Recommended by ETI) and the Maxxis "D" tires at 50PSI.

Jon - is it stamped on your rims somewhere about the max psi? I looked at my old ones and didn't see it anywhere, but I just may have missed it. These look to be the model that came on mine and eTrailer lists them as 65 psi rated :

Dexstar Steel Mini Mod Trailer Wheel - 14" x 5-1/2" Rim - 5 on 4-1/2 - White Powder Coat Dexstar Tires and Wheels AM20365

Also, on eTrailer.com I found this in one of their answers to questions: "Trailer tires should ALWAYS be inflated to the maximum psi rating as indicated on the tire without exception. The reason is that if under inflated, because trailer tires are built with a thicker side wall to handle more vertical load, a lower pressure will cause excessive heat build up and cause the tire to fail."

Tires - the more I read, the more confusing it all is.......

[rbryan4]

Originally Posted by Vermilye

There seems to be quite a bit of "discussion"as to whether running tires at their maximum rated air pressure or matching the pressure to the weight of the trailer is best. I even got different opinions from two different mechanics at my local RV dealer. My solution, forced by the rim limit, lets me duck out of the debate! I have found no noticeable difference in ride when going from the "C" rated Michelins at 45 PSI (Recommended by ETI) and the Maxxis "D" tires at 50PSI.

I've always been told that the tires should be kept at max psi regardless of the trailer. Interesting that some RV shops disagree.

[thoer]

But yet Maxxis and Goodyear both show load limits of their tires at different inflation pressures up to the maximum.

[Vermilye]

If there is a stamp, I haven't seen it. I'm going by the answer when I asked ETI for the rim pressure limit.

[thoer]

I've got a couple of 14" wheels that are apparently 65 psi rated that I will give you a really good deal on! One looks kinda ugly right now

Also - I emailed Carlisle and they said that at 50 psi that the 205 D is rated at 1820# and they said nothing about it needing to be at the full 65 psi. So eTrailer says one thing and the manufacturer says another.....more and more interesting.

[thoer]

Emailed Carlisle for further clarification and this was the reply:

As a general rule of thumb, we suggest that you maintain air pressure at the maximum PSI recommended on the tire sidewall.

Under-inflation means over-deflection/overloaded. The load is too great for the inflation pressure. As long as you do not exceed the 1820 lbs per tire and maintain 50 psi, the tires will not be overloaded.

Our ST205/75R15 LRD tire will carry 2150 lbs at 65 psi or 1820 lbs at 50 psi. As the psi goes down the tires load capacity goes down as well. If you were to carry 2150 lbs at 50 psi the tire would be underinflated / overloaded.

Please ensure that your tire is in fact a LRD tire prior to inflating beyond 50 psi. Never exceed the recommended sidewall pressure

[Jubal]

The spec sticker on the outside of our Escape 19 with 14" tires shows 50 psi cold tire pressure.