225/75 or 205/75 R15 tires?

[SteveLiu]

Our Escape 5.0 is equipped with 205/75 R15 tires. I replaced two tires with PRIMEWELL ST500 BL 205/75R15 D 107/102M from Firestone last year because the old ones showed deterioration. With about 3000 miles on them from last year travel, we had a blown out last week. The other tire looks fine.
Escape 5.0 vehicle ID plate indicates 225/75R15 tires should be used. Did we put wrong tires on the vehicle? Why did it come with 205 tires? Any benefits?

[Bill and Earline]

I have had great success with Goodyear Endurance tires. I think every person who I have talked tires with have also installed this brand, and have had no problems.

For our 21, the size is 205/75/15 but we have four tires.

On your 2010 single axle fifth wheel, the spec sheet shows 225/75/15.

On Goodyear's site, the 205 shows weight rating of 2150 pounds and list price is $161.

The 225 shows weight rating of 2830 pounds and list price is $184. Installation cost is usually negotiable or free. Ask for metal valve stems and flat glue-on weights, while you're at it.

Get the 225's, soon.

[SteveLiu]

Thank you so much.
Happy RVing to you.

[Brian B-P]

Escapes generally have 205/75R15 tires, but the original-style single-axle 5.0 was equipped with 225/75R15 tires because it was heavier, and yet only had two tires (compared to more recent models, which have tandem axles as Bill and Earline noted). The axle capacity (not shown on that sticker) is still only 3500 pounds, so as the capacities listed by Bill and Earline show, the larger size was not needed for load capacity. The larger size is still desirable for handling and ride (because the larger tire can be used at a lower pressure).

Yes, 205/75R15 is the wrong size, but is still be adequate and safe if matched (both sides the same) and properly inflated. There is no way to know whether a previous owner or the factory put the 205's on; if it was a previous owner we don't know why they did it, and if it was the factory it was an error.

[SteveLiu]

As shown on the nameplate sticker, our 2010 Escape 5.0's GVWR is 1950kg (4300lb) and GAWR is 1590kg (3500 lb). That translates to around 1750 lbs per tire. Primewell tire has load index higher than 100, good enough for the trailer. The time the tire blown out, the trailer was loaded lightly, speed was about 70 mph, well below M rating limit.

That's why I thought 205 tire size (smaller than 225, spin faster) might have something to do with it. If it is safe to use 205 tires, I might delay replacing it.

This comes with a new question. Can I use a 225 size as spare tire?

[CharlesinGA]

Replace both tires on the ground with ST225/75R15 (hopefully Goodyear Endurance) and move the 205 to the spare position if your spare is old. The trailer will sit about a half inch lopsided when the spare is used but that is really a non issue.

While the Primewell tire is manufactured by Giti Tire of Singapore, where it is made is anyones guess. You would have to take the manufacturer plant code on the tire and look it up on a tire manufacturers chart. (yes, there is an extensive list of every plant that manufactures tires for the US market.)

A blown tire can easily damage your trailer, I would seriously get that cheap stuff off of there. I Installed Goodyear Endurance after blowing a Hercules ST2 and will not use anything else. The blown Hercules damaged some gel coat in the wheel well and ripped the mudflap off of mine.

Its possible that the 205's were installed because the rims may only be 5½ inch wide (mine were) and the 225 tires call for a rim width of 6 inches, the 225 tire mounts fine on a 5½ wide rim. The new rims in the second pic are 6 inch and the tires look "right" on those rims, as opposed to the old rims where the sidewalls were "pulled in" by the narrower rim.

Charles



In this pic, the damaged dark paint was damaged by the wires in the tire failing about. The gel coat damage was where the mudflap was, again from the wires flailing about.

[SteveLiu]

Thanks CharlesinGA for your response. My blownout tire also knocked out my break wire. What a disaster.