Bamabound
Alabama
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Joined: 12/26/2007
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Can you put heavy duty truck tires 245 R 75 16 Michalins (sp) on a 9000 lb 35 5th wheel that basically is going to be pulled 50 miles there and back and put in storage to be pulled in and out. Also, maybe a 600 mile trip once a year as well.
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Capt Skup
Southern Maryland/Nantucket
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Joined: 05/14/2004
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In the very near future I will be replacing the tires on my 2003 Sunline fifth wheel which is close to 12k loaded up. It now has 235/85R-16 load range E tires on two 7k axles. I will be installing BFGoodrich commercial load range E truck tires of the same size as the current ones. As long as the truck tires you are contemplating are of the same or greater carrying capacity(load range E or better), the fact that they are truck tires should not be an issue. I think quality name brand (Goodyear, BFGoodrich, Michelin, General, Continental, etc..) are a much better choice than the tires that the rv manufacturers install when the trailers are assembled. Tires I am buying cost under $100.00 a piece and are found at BJ's wholesale club.
Capt Skup
AD-1(AW)USN Ret.
Wonderful Wife, 3 beautiful Daughters
"Never get in a battle of wits with an unarmed man"
2008 F-450 Lariat 4x4
2008 Honda Odyssey EX-L
SunlineF281SR
SeaRay215EC
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Dick_B
Palos Heights, IL USA
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I sure hope so because I just did it; went from ST225/75/R15 to LT225/75/R16 Michelins. They seem to be built so rugged I can't imagine they will not be suitable for our camper.
Dick_B
2003 SunnyBrook 27FKS
2003 3/4 T Chevrolet Suburban
Equal-i-zer Hitch
One wife, two bikes (both Electric Schwinn's with motor assist)
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skipnchar
Topeka Kansas USA
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Joined: 12/17/2003
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Manufacturers of BOTH type of tires (LT and ST) recommend that if LTs are used on a multiple axle trailer you should go up at least one load range to compensate for the less stiff sidewalls on the LT tire. If your trailer normally takes a D range tire move up to at least an E. If you actually meant "camper" then LTs would be about the ONLY choice as P rated tires used while carrying a camper would be dangerous and STs are NOT meant for anything except trailers.
2004 F-150 HD 3,050 lb. payload
Rockwood 8314SS 34' travel trailer
We have enough YOUTH...how about a fountain of SMART
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donn0128
Pronounced Ore-gun
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I read your title and had to stop and read it. To me a camper is an RV mounted on/in the bed of a pickup truck. A travel trailer(TT) is a tow behind trailer with an "A" frame in front. A fifth wheel is similar to a TT but the hitch is mounted up high and is connected in the bed of the truck not at the rear bumper. I think to answer your original question, depending on a lot of factors, I would replace any tires made in China with a good quality tire. Now, unless you are towing regularly and a lot of miles a year the Michelin XPS Rib at 200 dollars a tire may or may not make economic sense. I guess the bottom line is, does $160 dollars a year for the life of a set of Michelins make sense to you. Or could you get a good set of another brand for 1/2 the price be safe for the little towing you do?
Donn
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George H
Washington
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Joined: 06/27/2006
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The typical LT tire has a slightly lower max weight rate than the same load range and size in an ST tire.
George, Juanita and Mandie (boss Shar-Pei)
01 F350, PSD, DRW
05 Carri-Lite 32RS3
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Chris
Shelter Bay, Wa
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Joined: 12/19/2000
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skipnchar wrote:Manufacturers of BOTH type of tires (LT and ST) recommend that if LTs are used on a multiple axle trailer you should go up at least one load range to compensate for the less stiff sidewalls on the LT tire. If your trailer normally takes a D range tire move up to at least an E. If you actually meant "camper" then LTs would be about the ONLY choice as P rated tires used while carrying a camper would be dangerous and STs are NOT meant for anything except trailers.
You need to go down to a Michelin tire store with a truck load of ST tires. You will not find a ST tire that comes anywhere the weight and quality of the XPS RIB. Quality of the famed ST faded many years ago as trailers increased in size. ST tires are cheap junk that do not have to meet area government standards as they are not designed to carry passengers. Regarding rubber compounds, tires should be replaced after 5-7 years and any good quality LT that is protected from sun light, when not in use, will last that long. Most users will never wear the tread out on a trailer tire.
Chris
My Rig
2001.5 2500 STD CAB AUTO SLT 4x4, CTD 4:10's, Bomb'd to Tow
2005 Cardinal 29WBLX.
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JIMNLIN
Big Cabin, OK
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Joined: 09/14/2003
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skipnchar wrote:Manufacturers of BOTH type of tires (LT and ST) recommend that if LTs are used on a multiple axle trailer you should go up at least one load range to compensate for the less stiff sidewalls on the LT tire. If your trailer normally takes a D range tire move up to at least an E. If you actually meant "camper" then LTs would be about the ONLY choice as P rated tires used while carrying a camper would be dangerous and STs are NOT meant for anything except trailers.
must be new info as LTs have been a direct replacement for ST tires since even before the LT tire designation. Its not necessary to move up in load range because its a LT. All that's necessary is use a LT D that has that capacity.
Goodyear tire dealer have cutaway samples of the various tire lines that Goodyear manufactures. Those samples certainly don't show they are heavier but quite the opposite. Same size/load range LT is a heavier tire by 6-8 lbs than the same size/load range ST.
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Bamabound
not sure which Michelin LT your asking about as they have several lines of LT tires. Some are recommended by Michelin for trailer use. Their XPS Rib is recommended for commercial trailer use which no ST tire has that recommendation. That 35' 5er more than likely had a upgrade to 16" LT tires as a option from the manufacture. Most of our higher priced trailers (even RVs) come with LT tires.
For only 50 miles even the ST might last that long. Those LTs you mention will work great.
Jim
'03 2500 Dodge/Cummins HO 3.73 6 speed manual Jacobs
'97 Park Avanue 28' with two slides
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lv2rom
Kansas City, Missouri
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Joined: 07/12/2006
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skipnchar wrote:Manufacturers of BOTH type of tires (LT and ST) recommend that if LTs are used on a multiple axle trailer you should go up at least one load range to compensate for the less stiff sidewalls on the LT tire. If your trailer normally takes a D range tire move up to at least an E. If you actually meant "camper" then LTs would be about the ONLY choice as P rated tires used while carrying a camper would be dangerous and STs are NOT meant for anything except trailers.
HUH!!!!! LT's have been a direct crossover replacement for ST's for years, and in most cases the actual load rating is higher and sidewall flex is reduced when moving from ST to LT due to plies and general structure of the tire.... I cannot comprehend such a reccomendaton of having to upsize.....can you cite your source???....Brian
2005 F350 Dually -AFE air box/MRSP exhaust/Bags/Bilsteins/Energy Susp./Michleins
2002 Hitchhiker Fiver 29.5 RLBG - Moryde Pin/Gas shocks/Michelin XPS Ribs
1996 Layton Fiver 21ft. Totally reconditioned..Love it!!
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P3 Guy
Emory TX
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Joined: 06/12/2007
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I've been running Michelin (LT)235 85 16s on my Excel since 2002 with no problems. I'm going down tonight to replace them with new LT235s. From what I have read about the ST tires, I wouldn't trust them as far as I could throw them.
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