What kind of trailer tires are ya'll running?

[GotMyAlly]

I've ran countless miles on Marathons on my last couple of trailers. Never so much as a flat. My new boat has Maxxis tires on it. Barely a year on them, tires still look like new, and one came apart last week. (Maxxis agreed to warranty it, but their dealer network is so sparse that it's about impossible to find a Maxxis dealer to follow through on that replacement). So I'm about to suck it up and just buy a new spare. Jerry @ Boatmate said Maxxis makes the best trailer tire in his opinion, but Maxxis was unable to provide them with tires on a consistent basis so they dropped them from their standard lineup. Even so, with a basically new tire coming apart like that, I've about lost confidence in Maxxis tires. Maybe it was just a fluke, but that's strange for one to blow out like that for no reason. I was real tempted to buy a Marathon for my spare, and follow up with 4 matching Marathons on the trailer when the Maxxis wear out or give me another problem, which ever comes first, but a quick google search shows Goodyear's quality control may be suffering in recent years too.

 

[allimax]

Wish I had good advice for you. I had to replace all four on my trailer last spring. I called the warehouse I buy tires from and had them run out & check to see where the Goodyear Marathons were being made at. They are now China. Interesting how they put the "Made in China" on the bead so once you mount them you can't see it.:banghead I went with the Hercules POWER STR RADIAL TRAILER tires. They were much cheaper (made in China also) but seem fine, time will tell. I've had a set of Hercules tires holding my 69 AMX up in the garage now since the early 80's and they still hold air, not that I would drive on them if I ever get the car done.

 

[ROBERT CROSS]

GMA,

Marathon went to China a few years back and the quality suffered.
I've heard that they have returned manufacturing to the US.
WallyWorld stocks them, I would check that out. Also check the build date code make sure they haven't sat for a year.

http://www.walleyecentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=167023
Have them on two trailers w/o problems.

Bob

 

[champ198]

Neal, the chinese made brands have questionable quality. Alot of RV manufacturers have put the Chinese tires on their trailers and they've been blowing out too. My Marathons were made in Canada I believe. You may have to search the web for the manufacturer codes on the tires but that will help you know where they're made.

 

[silverbullet02]

I've got Carlisle Radial Trail tires on mine. I was a little apprehensive at first but my buddy at the tire store talked me into them. I've had them for over 3 years now, every bit of 10-15k miles on them, and have had 0 issues. They still look good. Just like any tire, it could blow tomorrow, but I've had good luck so far.

 

[Myron]

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/TireSearchResults.jsp?width=205/&ratio=70&diameter=14&startIndex=0&search=true&pagelen=20&pagenum=1&pagemark=1&manufacturer=General this is what I have been using, look at the specs, this is a nice tire

 

[RedAllison]

Neal I can't remember, did you listen to me and order that trailer with torsion axles? If so then you can run any tire you want, you don't have to stick to trailer tires! Torsion axles don't have the sway that stiff leaf springs do so you can actually run car tires on them and aren't reliant upon stiff sidewalls to prevent sway.

Should have more options but that size is kinda rare for car tires anymore so who knows what you'll find in stock?

 

[ROBERT CROSS]

Not exactly true Red, I think it really depends on the weight and whether it's a single or dual axle trailer. Light weight single torsion axle...a quality LT... A-ok.

Our Airstream has two Dexter torsion axles,(7600lbs), and the ST's are OEM.
It's not axle design, it's the sidewall pressure as the tire scrubs on turns.
LT's have a flexible sidewall for steering and handeling.
Believe me the torsion axles do nothing to control the sway on this rig, it's all in a properly set up WD hitch with sway control.

Bob

 

[GotMyAlly]

Neal I can't remember, did you listen to me and order that trailer with torsion axles? If so then you can run any tire you want, you don't have to stick to trailer tires! Torsion axles don't have the sway that stiff leaf springs do so you can actually run car tires on them and aren't reliant upon stiff sidewalls to prevent sway.

Should have more options but that size is kinda rare for car tires anymore so who knows what you'll find in stock?

Yeah, I got torsion axles. I'll say this.......they do an excellent job of transferring weight to the good tire when one blows out. I wouldn't have even known I lost a tire if I hadn't seen rubber flyin' in the mirror when I changed lanes. Old style leaf spring trailers would still have been balancing the load between the good tire and bad tire and probably have destroyed the rim too.

 

[K.Kiser]

All trailer tires are crap..............

I will put 15" wheels on my next set and buy michelin auto tires for cheaper than a 14" trailer tire...

 

[RobShaw-BasSport]

I dont run trailer tires. I ran Firestone Firehawk for years when I had a prostaff deal with Basscat. Since then, Ive ran similiar tires from Kelly and others. For the past 4 years, Ive been running Falken Radial AP-RV tires on my dual axle Boatmate which by the way...will be replaced this weekend with a new aluminum trailer...

The Falken tires have been the best tires Ive ever put on a boat trailer in 30+ years of hauling bass boats up and down the roads all over the place...

 

[Dave Hensley]

I find this conversation somewhat sad, or sadder. How many years ago would it be that buying a tire made in China would have been....impossible? It seems that every time I make a purchase of something that should last more than year I hit a brick wall if I demand that it is made in the USA? Case in point, my well pump I use for irrigation went out last year. Started searching the internet for a replacement. Everything I could find was made in China. Finally found Franklin pump company and they sell a high end stainless model. Talked to the distributor and he assured me the pump was not made in China. I buy it. A $650 pump. It gets here and it is not "made" in China. The parts and pieces are made in Korea and India and assembled in Mexico. Repeat this scenario over and over and count the jobs. Better yet make a point to ask and research major purchases. It is sickening. It has happened quickly and more tragically the young folks today see it as the norm. Sorry Neal. This stuff just sticks in my craw.

 

[allimax]

I find this conversation somewhat sad, or sadder. How many years ago would it be that buying a tire made in China would have been....impossible? It seems that every time I make a purchase of something that should last more than year I hit a brick wall if I demand that it is made in the USA? Case in point, my well pump I use for irrigation went out last year. Started searching the internet for a replacement. Everything I could find was made in China. Finally found Franklin pump company and they sell a high end stainless model. Talked to the distributor and he assured me the pump was not made in China. I buy it. A $650 pump. It gets here and it is not "made" in China. The parts and pieces are made in Korea and India and assembled in Mexico. Repeat this scenario over and over and count the jobs. Better yet make a point to ask and research major purchases. It is sickening. It has happened quickly and more tragically the young folks today see it as the norm. Sorry Neal. This stuff just sticks in my craw.

I could go on and on about this issue. I needed a harmonic balancer the other day for my sons Subaru. I called the Dealer I buy from and had him send one up. Brand new O.E. part with a up-dated part number. "Made in China" on the box, I called Paul in parts to see if they had one with the old part number and no luck. Well the price is the same so someone is making more of a profit margin in here somewhere and I'm convinced that

 

[Dave Hensley]

"No wonder there are no jobs left in this country, not that today’s youth would work in a factory anyway. It's too easy to sit home on your *ss and collect a check from the Government!"

That might me the worst part of it all. Ambition and pride seem to be rare commodities. Maybe it is just a function of getting older but things sure seem to have run off the rails. I lived through the race to get to the moon. Watched a documentary the other evening. "In the Shadow of the Moon." Great show with interviews from several of the Apollo astronauts. These guys are in their eighties now. Doesn't seem possible. Unbelievable bravery. To have a President that was bold enough to demand excellence from his country. To throw out an idea that might even mean he failed, but was willing to risk failure, was refreshing. But to have men that were willing to risk everything to see that failure was not an option is to me about what we WERE as a great nation. I believe we have taken a step back. Being bold and willing to try and fail is just not popular. Being dumbed down, dependent sheep is. What would happen if our President, whoever, whatever, race/gender/party affiliation, could care less, would stand up and say we were going to be energy self sufficient in this decade and the rest of the world could get in line? Attack it on every front. Put people to work fighting the real war. We wouldn't even know where Baghdad was if the good old USA wasn't needing oil out of that god foresaken area. If somebody got rich because of it, good for them. If others lost their fortunes because of it, so what. I think we would see a different place. We need jobs that require skills and skilled people to fill them. I am not saying opportunties are not still out there but they are so rare many folks that might otherwise work are willing to give in to the entitlement trap that our politicians conveniently use to buy votes. I will now step down off my stump and finish putting a powerhead on my XR2001!!

 

[GotMyAlly]

I finally gave up waiting on Maxxis to warranty that tire. I don't think they were intentionally giving me the run-around.....I just think their cust service people aren't all that sharp. After pointing me to a local dealer that doesn't even carry the brand, a wholesaler in Miami, etc.....it was easier to just go pick up a Marathon locally and have it mounted & balanced as the spare. Hopefully I won't have to revisit that decision again any time soon.

 

[K.Kiser]

I agree with above... With the new generation, we are for the most part hopeless as they are completely clueless and utterly careless as to what is required of them to keep what America used to be... No pride, no patriotism, and all is well as long as "it's someone elses problem" mentality...

It'll take rock bottom and the loss of the luxuries that were created by the generations before us to wake everyone up...

 

[bec]

I agree with above... With the new generation, we are for the most part hopeless as they are completely clueless and utterly careless as to what is required of them to keep what America used to be... No pride, no patriotism, and all is well as long as "it's someone elses problem" mentality...

It'll take rock bottom and the loss of the luxuries that were created by the generations before us to wake everyone up...

I totally agree.;-)