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Old 04-05-2012, 08:19 PM   #1
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Goodyear Marathons

Since my 2499 is six years old, I knew that I should replace the tires. After reading the posts on this site, I had to go with the Marathons.

The local dealer wanted $175.00 apiece. Went online. Found Treadepot out of Georgia. Even cheaper than The Tire Rack. $400.00 for four, including shipping. They arrived within a week. Looked at the casing. 2712 was the manufacturing date. Beautiful, nice and fresh. Then I looked closer. MADE IN CHINA . Mounting them on friday. Guess I will find out if they are any good.
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Old 04-05-2012, 08:47 PM   #2
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Yeah, I bet your factory tires are even older too, probably from early 2005. Mine are old now too, and I need to think about replacing them. Fortunately, other than the first two years, they haven't seen much sun.

I think you'll be happy with the Marathons. As far as I know, they're all made in China now, but hopefully they're watching the quality now. Just keep them covered and watch them for any premature cracks/bulging of the sidewall.
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Old 04-06-2012, 05:45 AM   #3
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Bobo..I looked at that website and don't see any tires rated ST for campers..also..2712?? That means the manufacture is 27th week of 2012? We aren't even there yet! Can you clear this up..I am also shopping for tires. Mine are ten years old and I just went to Fl. and back with them! They look like new--no cracks--always covered..but the age!! OOboy!
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Old 04-06-2012, 06:01 AM   #4
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MY bad. 2711. Long day at work.
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Old 04-06-2012, 07:22 AM   #5
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We put Goodyear Marathons (made in china) on last year. We have 5000 miles on them now. I keep them covered when the trailer is stored. I had read all of the post on made in china and etc but I have had no problems so far. I watch them closely and plan on getting 5 to 6 years out of them. I think you will be okay.
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Old 04-06-2012, 08:54 AM   #6
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we are also getting ready to pull the trigger for new tires.....looks like we will also be going with the Marathon's provided our tire guy can get them at a "good price".....
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Old 04-06-2012, 05:55 PM   #7
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I am also looking for new tires. My 2363 currently has Maxxis 205-75R-14 that still look like new, BUT ..... sigh ....

I found some at Discount Tire Direct, $117 each, free shipping. They also have a place on the website where you can find someone near your zip code to mount them for $20 per tire.
Ratings, reviews and specifications for Maxxis M8008 ST Radial BS Trailer Tire tires
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Old 04-06-2012, 06:40 PM   #8
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If your wheels are 15", why not try a LT tire on them? I know that Uniroyal makes a LT235/75R15.. Would they work?

Our 344SR has 16" wheels, so it's a lot easier for us to find LT tires.

LT tires have a very high "Reserve capacity" where ST tires have no reserve, above the maximum load rating. The 4-year old Marathons on our Sunny will be replaced with LT tires, as soon as the budget allows!
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Old 04-06-2012, 08:37 PM   #9
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I'd be careful about using LT tires on a trailer. There has been a lot of discussion about the differences on one of the trailer sites, maybe it was RV. net? Trailer tires still provide more predictable handling on a trailer. Doesn't really matter until something goes wrong on the road.
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Old 04-06-2012, 08:48 PM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Hematite View Post
I'd be careful about using LT tires on a trailer. There has been a lot of discussion about the differences on one of the trailer sites, maybe it was RV. net? Trailer tires still provide more predictable handling on a trailer. Doesn't really matter until something goes wrong on the road.
I read the "Grump fest" on rv.net also. I also know that the F-311SR handled better and was a lot more stable, with LT tires on it.

Another thing that sold me on the LT, was that a lot of manufacturers are now putting LT tires on new rigs. The last RV show we went to, had a lot of rigs with LT tires on the VIN sticker as OEM standard.
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Old 04-07-2012, 06:35 AM   #11
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The big advantage of LT tires is that mostly all are made in the USA so at least the quality factor is better than Chinese made ST tires. If I were going to LT tires, I would only use one with a "highway" tread.
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Old 04-07-2012, 09:34 PM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by EMD_Driver View Post
If your wheels are 15", why not try a LT tire on them? I know that Uniroyal makes a LT235/75R15.. Would they work?
Hi Gary,

The folks on the 7,000# GVWR campers have the small 15" ones, not the larger 15 inch like your T320SR had.

See HenryJ's conversion on his T2499. He changed rims to get to the LT tire. It is post #17

http://www.sunlineclub.com/forums/f7...s-12045-2.html

Also folks following along, check the load ratings. The LT's are usually lower in load rating per the same size. There are many now starting to get successful LT conversions but all the numbers have to be checked.

Hope this helps

John
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Old 04-08-2012, 04:28 AM   #13
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I just put 4 maxxis ST 205/75R 15 D1 B free shipping on my #2753 from Discount Tire Direct $115.00 each valve stems were $1.00 each $12.50 mounted and balanced delivered in 2 days good manufacture date.
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Old 04-08-2012, 09:09 AM   #14
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dumplin, just curious what is the manufacture date?
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Old 04-08-2012, 11:32 AM   #15
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Manufacture Date 45th week of 2011
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Old 04-08-2012, 04:12 PM   #16
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JohnB View Post
The LT's are usually lower in load rating per the same size. There are many now starting to get successful LT conversions but all the numbers have to be checked.
I copied this from another thread about LT vs ST tires:
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Portion of a post by Mike Mitchell, NuWa (HitchHiker) CEO in a discussion regarding trailer tires on the NuWa Owner's Forum.



As we banter about regarding tire types and loading, I believe that we are finally starting to understand a few important things.

I have asked many times for someone to explain how a ST tire can be rated to carry more weight than a LT tire in a similar size, without a good answer.

The answer lies in what is called reserve capacity. To quote from Trailer Parts Superstore and this same statement exist on just about every tire site:

HEAVY DUTY 'LT' TRUCK / TRAILER TIRES
'LT' signifies the tire is a "Light Truck/Trailer" series that can be used on trailers that are capable of carrying heavy cargo such as equipment trailers.

If a tire size begins with 'LT' it signifies the tire is a "Light Truck-metric" size that was designed to be used on trailers that are capable of carrying heavy cargo or tow vehicles. Tires branded with the "LT" designation are designed to provide substantial reserve capacity to accept the additional stresses of carrying heavy cargo.

So what is reserve capacity? It is capacity beyond the rating of the tire, capacity that is held in reserve. This reserve capacity comes from the heavy-duty sidewall of the LT type tires. LT's rank at the top of the list when we look at P, ST and LT tires.

Now I finally have an answer to how a ST tire can be rated to carry more weight than a LT tire of similar size.

The ratings of ST tires infringe into the reserve capacity of the tire. This is double bad, because the design of the ST gives us a tire with less reserve capacity to start with as it has a lighter sidewall to start with as most ST tires are much lighter than their LT counterparts.

To quote one tire site:
"Put a different way, the load carrying capacity of an ST tire is 20% greater than an LT tire. Since durability is strictly a long term issue - and the results of a tire failure on a trailer are much less life threatening than on a truck - the folks that set up these load / inflation pressure relationships allow a greater......ah......let's call it load intensity."

There it is in print to be read. They make a calculated decision to give the ST tire a higher load rating because a failure is less life threatening.

I have on a number of occasions pointed out the weight difference between the different tires and have been told that does not matter. Well it does matter. The rubber in the average tire only makes up around 40 some percent of its weight, the rest is in the steel belts, gum strips, steel beads, and the carcass plies. The remaining 60 or so percent of the stuff in a tire is what builds in the reserve capacity.

So to review again, here are some weights:
1. Michelin XPS RIB LT235/85R16 LRE (rated to 3042lbs) Weight 55.41
2. Goodyear G614 LT235/85R16 LRG (rated to 3750lbs) Weight 57.5
3. Bridgestone Duravis R250 LT235/85R16 LRE(rated to 3042lbs) Weight 60
4. BFG Commercial TA LT235/85R16 LRE(rated to 3042lbs) Weight 44.44
5. Uniroyal Laredo HD/H LT235/85R16 LRE(rated to 3042lbs) Weight 44.44
6. GY Marathon ST235/80R16 LRE(rated to 3420lbs) Weight 35.4

So which tires on the list have the most reserve capacity? Well that is not a completely simple answer, as one of the tires is a G rate 110 lb tire and the rest are LRE at 80lb inflation. So if we disregard the G614, then the Michelin XPS RIB and the Bridgestone Duravis R250 due to their all-steel ply construction will have the most reserve capacity inherent in their construction. The twin Commercial TA and Laredo will be next and the Marathon would have little or no reserve capacity available because it was used up in its higher load rating, AND because of it's much lighter construction it had much less inherent reserve capacity to start with.

So what have we learn from this?

I think that the first thing that we learned was that a LT tire can be used at or near it max rated loading without having issues, as they built with "substantial reserve capacity to accept the additional stresses of carrying heavy cargo".

The second thing we may have learned is why ST tires are failing on mid to larger 5th wheels, in that they do not have inherent reserve capacity beyond that rated max loading. Again this is because they have less reserve capacity to start with and their greater "load intensity" used up any reserve capacity that might have been available.

Now, here is an interesting bit of information. I just called Maxxis Tech Line and asked the weights for two tires.

ST235/80R16 LRD 3000 lb rating at 65 lbs of air weights 38.58
ST235/80R16 LRE 3420 lb rating at 80 lbs of air weights 43.43

What??? The Maxxis load range E tire weights almost the same as the Commercial TA?? This is a ST tire that has heavier construction than the GY Marathon at 35.4 lbs. So it has more inherent reserve capacity due to its heavier construction.

Those that claimed its virtues maybe did not know why it was a better ST tire than some of the others, but there it is! It is a heavier built tire with more reserve capacity.

So as one chooses a replacement tire or is asking for an upgrade on a new trailer please get educated on where the reserve capacity exist. Is it inherent in the tire you choose or do you have to factor it into the weight rating of the tire you choose.
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Old 04-08-2012, 07:08 PM   #17
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Gary, can you post a link to that post?

Thanks

John
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Old 04-09-2012, 06:05 PM   #18
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Quote:
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Gary, can you post a link to that post?

Thanks

John

The Nuwa CEO posted it HERE but you need to be a member of their forum to read it..

I also found it at rv.net.. That post is HERE

BTW: It has been copied and pasted several times, on rv.net..
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Old 04-10-2012, 06:16 PM   #19
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Quote:
Originally Posted by EMD_Driver View Post
The Nuwa CEO posted it HERE but you need to be a member of their forum to read it..

I also found it at rv.net.. That post is HERE

BTW: It has been copied and pasted several times, on rv.net..
Gary, Thanks. I have been on the Nuwa website, the actual manf site before. They have some good clips on how they make their campers that is interesting.

I followed the RV net post of your link. It seems this poster "Chris" seems to be stating he authored that post that you linked. It is on the 2nd page of the one you linked me to. Chris has a Forest River Cardinal. Something does not seem to fit or Chris mixed something up.

See here

Thanks

John

PS. I agree the LT's have higher reserve from what I have learned where the ST's in order to get reserve you need a higher rated tire and run it less loaded. I'm in the situation where I cannot find a LT to fit in my wheel well. I would need a LT tire with the same load rating and OD as the ST it replaces which puts me in a pickle to use the LT option. I really do not want to do and axle flip to gain the wheel well height. I have plenty of ground clearance now but only 2 1/4 to 2 1/2" fender clearance. Sunline made the SR TT even ride lower then most brands. Your T320SR was the same way I'm sure.
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