Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×
Sunline RV Forum
Sunline User Photos

Go Back   Sunline Coach Owner's Club > Technical Forums > Repairs and Maintenance
Click Here to Login

Join Sunline Club Forums Today


Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
Old 06-24-2012, 03:24 PM   #1
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: New York
Posts: 162
SUN #1591
GKLarson is an unknown quantity at this point
Tires (again)

I need to replace the ST20575R15 tires on our T-1950. Although tread looks great, replacement is long overdue as a result of their age
Looking for recommendations on brand, price, source, etc or size change, if appropriate.
There's not much @ all available locally. Am fine w/ buying a good tire mail order/ online if shp fees are reasonable.
Also none of the 4 Mission tires currently installed (which I believe were original equipment) have any balance wts on them anywhere. Are trailer tires balanced ?
Thanx for any help, advice, good sources
__________________

__________________
GKLarson is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-24-2012, 05:06 PM   #2
Senior Member
 
Gene's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Rhode Island
Posts: 1,515
SUN #768
Gene is an unknown quantity at this point
Try Discount Tire Direct. Maxxis ST205/75R-15/D1 B - $115 - free shipping.
205/75-15 Maxxis M8008 ST Radial BS Trailer Tire Tires

Yes, I think trailer tires should be balanced. Some don't think it is needed.
__________________

__________________

Gene & DW Ginny
2002 Sunline T-2363
2008 Toyota 4-runner 4wd 4.7L V-8
Reese Dual Cam straightline - P3 Brake controller
Gene is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-25-2012, 09:43 AM   #3
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2007
Posts: 105
SUN #269
medbill
Send a message via AIM to medbill
Do they make a LT tire that would fit? I have a 195sr that needs new wheels, planning a cross country trip and want good tires on our TT. Thanks for any advice as well in advance. Otherwise I will go with those recommended. I hate that I can't find a ST tire for my camper made in the US.
__________________
2007 Sunline 195sr
2005 Dodge 2500 Cummins Diesel 4x4

www.helpeddieryan.com

www.redwhiteandblueoutdoors.com
medbill is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-01-2012, 08:02 PM   #4
Moderator
 
JohnB's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Ohio
Posts: 12,643
SUN #89
JohnB is on a distinguished road
Quote:
Originally Posted by medbill View Post
Do they make a LT tire that would fit? I have a 195sr that needs new wheels, planning a cross country trip and want good tires on our TT. Thanks for any advice as well in advance. Otherwise I will go with those recommended. I hate that I can't find a ST tire for my camper made in the US.
Medbill,

See this post. I do not know the tire size you have. HenryJ posted on his successful LT conversion and soon I will post on my LT conversion once I complete it. However my tires a bigger then yours and my options will not fit in your camper.

Hope this helps

John

EDIT: Added link http://www.sunlineclub.com/forums/f7...ers-12045.html thanks to HenryJ for spoting I missed it....
__________________
Current Sunlines: 2004 T310SR, 2004 T1950, 2004 T2475, 2007 T2499, 2004 T317SR
Prior Sunlines: 2004 T2499 - Fern Blue
2005 Ford F350 Lariat, 6.8L V10 W/ 4.10 rear axle, CC, Short Bed, SRW. Reese HP trunnion bar hitch W/ HP DC

Google Custom Search For Sunline Owners Club
JohnB is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-01-2012, 08:49 PM   #5
Moderator
 
JohnB's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Ohio
Posts: 12,643
SUN #89
JohnB is on a distinguished road
Hi GKLarson,

ST tire brand now a days is a problem. The Maxxis brand has better then most good reviews but they to have had some strikes agasint them. I myself am in the situation of needing new tires due to a tread detachment problem with my Denman's after 3 yeas of service. I now have 2 of them failed within 500 miles of each other on both sides of the camper.

In my case I replaced the 1 failed Denman with a Maxxis ST tire to get me back going again and have a level of trust in the tire. I will also replace the 2nd one that failed on my last trip with a Maxxis. In my case Discount Tire is the place I can get them. I have had 2 sets of Maxxis over the years and both never blew out but had weather checking cracks start at year 4.5. By year 5 they needed to be replaced.

In my specific case I am converting to LT Commercial truck tires. The 5 ST's will move to a flat bed trailer I just bought. Not everyone can do the LT upgrade and it comes with complexity in many cases. Most times new wheels and some times more fender clearance and these issues are too much for many to overcome. So what is one to do??

Here are some thoughts that may help on ST tires that I have collected along the way.

1. Weigh the trailer and split the axles weights on 2 scales or separate so you know each axle weight with the camper as loaded as you will ever tow to camp with it. Include fresh water if you haul to camp towing down the highway. Make sure you have 15% to 20% extra tire capacity over you heaviest loaded tire. Ideally if you can, get individual wheel weights and include the WD hitch hooked up and engaged when doing any tire capacity weighing as the WD adds load to the tires.

2. Check your rims for load and capacity. If they can handle the next load range, B to a C or C to a D, or D to E the added up grade buys more saftey margin. If the wheels will not take that extra load rating, either upgrade the rims or stay the course on the size you have. If you do not have to buy new rims and can upgrade a load range in the same OD tire, this is a big gain and not a lot of money. EDIT for clarity (7-2-12): If you already have 20% reserve capacity over your heaviest "scaled max" tire you have the reserve and may not need the load range upgrade. It you believe your weight will change then it is added insurance to upgrade a load range. The key is to get the extra reserve capacity from known scaled weights on individual tire loads, not estimates.

3. Tire stems. Mandate new high pressure stems. High pressure rubber snap in's or metal stems. They cost squat but can be the difference of night and day in a tire failure.

4. Tire inflation. At the start of every towing day, check the air pressure cold in the morning before towing. Adjust to be spot on the tire pressure listed on the Sunline VIN tag. If you cannot read it then go max cold side wall pressure which is what many of the Sunlines recommend.

5. I agree to balancing trailer wheels. The tires and the axle bearings will ride better and longer. Since trailer wheels are lugcentric, ask your tire shop to balance them on an adapter using the lug holes not the stamped center hole. The center hole does not pilot a hub like on an auto and may not spin true to the tire.

6. Do not tow over the speed rating of what ever brand ST tire you have. Many are 65mph max, some are 60 mph max. Towing over the speed rating creates more heat then the tire can handle and starts the breakdown process ever faster.

7. Most important, at the start of every trip look at the tires. Look for side wall bulges or tread bulges. Do this even at every rest stop. If you spot any abnormality, change the tire then. I got lucky twice now as I spotted the failed tire and changed it before it blew. I know this sounds like there is not a lot of trust for ST tires, however looking and finding a problem before it manifests itself is worth a lot verses dealing with the aftermath of a tire blow out and wheel well damage. Trailer tires in a tandem setting are not the same as autos. They are different.

8. Use tire white covers if you store your camper outside. They do help. I myself also use 303 UV protectant to help ward off weather cracking.

9. 5 years may be all you are going to get from a trailer tire and mileage may not be the factor.

10. Check lug nut torque mandated after the change of a trailer wheel. 25, 50 and 150 miles checks since the wheel went on is a need. Paint in the lug holes and again the lug nuts hold everything on a trailer wheel. They do loosen until full seated. For your Sunline Grade 8 1/2-20 thread studs, 100 ft lbs. is adequate. 120 ft lb is max, 90 ft. lb is min.

11. Dates codes. Understand how to read a DOT dates code and ask for tires ideally no more then 1 year old. You may have to compromise but if you do not ask, you can get anything. Understand the tire warranty. Trailer Warranty

Maxxis tires are only warranted from 5 years from the date of manufacture, not the date of sale. If they sell you a 3 year old tire, you only have 2 years of warranty left.

Hope this helps and good luck

John
__________________
Current Sunlines: 2004 T310SR, 2004 T1950, 2004 T2475, 2007 T2499, 2004 T317SR
Prior Sunlines: 2004 T2499 - Fern Blue
2005 Ford F350 Lariat, 6.8L V10 W/ 4.10 rear axle, CC, Short Bed, SRW. Reese HP trunnion bar hitch W/ HP DC

Google Custom Search For Sunline Owners Club
JohnB is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-02-2012, 08:02 AM   #6
Senior Member
 
henryj's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Ontario
Posts: 663
SUN #597
henryj
LT Tires Work

John forgot the link to the LT tire thread. My experience thus far, more than a year and maybe 7500 miles, is all positive. Another member I pm'd with also changed to Yoko, but has not posted his experiences. I'm not flogging Yokohama, they just happen to have a tire that's a perfect fit. It looks like another good one, right size, right pressure, right load, good tread pattern but lower ground clearance, is the Continental Vanco 2. It also comes in some big sizes, but unfortunately is made all over the world, not China though.

I have no problem buying Yoko tires made in Japan--many other sizes are US made--as I know they will be built in a Yoko factory to typical Japanese quality. Same with Continental made at least anywhere in Europe are most likely made in a Continental factory with their quality control. To truly appreciate how big China is, google "Foxconn"--the electronics manufacturer that Apple and many others use. They have 800,000 to 1 M employees. I seriously doubt that there is more than one tire factory in China that makes ST tires, that Goodyear owns it or has anything to do with it, or that their ST tires are any better than any others. My Maxxis tires were made in Thailand, most likely in a Maxxis factory, but were still very low quality. On the other hand, my cousin has exactly the same tires on a car hauler he uses on the farm. It sits in the sun and dirt everyday and gets very occasional use and yet his 4 year old Maxxis look perfect.

When it comes to tires, truly YMMV.

Forgot to reaffirm balancing tires with beads, another quality upgrade since balancing just the tires still leaves the brake drum and spindle unbalanced--that is why most trailer tires are not balanced--while beads balance the whole rotating mass. I have beads in both my truck and trailer and will never use anything else.

Henry
__________________
2019 F150 3.5L Max Tow
2014 Arctic Fox 22G
2005 Sunline T-2499
henryj is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-02-2012, 06:27 PM   #7
Moderator
 
JohnB's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Ohio
Posts: 12,643
SUN #89
JohnB is on a distinguished road
Quote:
Originally Posted by henryj View Post
John forgot the link to the LT tire thread. My experience thus far, more than a year and maybe 7500 miles, is all positive.

Henry
Henry, Thanks for adding the link...

Also good to hear your LT conversion continues to be positive.

John.

PS I agree the balancing beads is a good option over wheel weights. In my area no one seems to even have an adapter to balance a trailer wheel by the lug holes.
__________________
Current Sunlines: 2004 T310SR, 2004 T1950, 2004 T2475, 2007 T2499, 2004 T317SR
Prior Sunlines: 2004 T2499 - Fern Blue
2005 Ford F350 Lariat, 6.8L V10 W/ 4.10 rear axle, CC, Short Bed, SRW. Reese HP trunnion bar hitch W/ HP DC

Google Custom Search For Sunline Owners Club
JohnB is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-03-2012, 06:37 PM   #8
Senior Member
 
rebellious78's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: West Virginia
Posts: 446
SUN #96
rebellious78
We have the beads in ours..no problems yet.
__________________

David & Mary Ann
2018 Ford F350 Dually 6.7L Powerstroke
2006 Sunline Solaris T-264-SR
2012 Palomino Bronco B1500LB
rebellious78 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-03-2012, 07:10 PM   #9
Senior Member
 
frank_a's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: New York
Posts: 460
SUN #1953
frank_a is an unknown quantity at this point
My tires look good, but are from 10/06. Next year we'll get new ones and I intend to go with radial trailer tires. Trailer tires have stiffer sidewalls that truck or car tires, and are what anybody should be getting for any kind of trailer.

All wheel/tire combos should be balanced always!

I'll be looking for best manufacturer recommendations next year. Generally I don't worry too much about manufacturer for tires, figuring they're ALL crummy!

Frank
__________________
2009 GMC Canyon with factory tow package & new fangled brake controller
2008 Subaru Outback
1983 Sunline T-1550

Image to come as soon as I figure out how to flatten a pic!
frank_a is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-03-2012, 07:30 PM   #10
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Connecticut
Posts: 373
SUN #2943
Tod Osier is an unknown quantity at this point
Quote:
Originally Posted by henryj View Post
Another member I pm'd with also changed to Yoko, but has not posted his experiences.
Henry, I think I'm the one you are talking about. I followed your lead exactly and have the dynabeads in them as well. I put about 6K miles on the tires and I'm very happy. I put a trip report up yesterday.

Again thanks,

T
__________________
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


2006 Sunline T-1950
2019 Ford F-250
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Tod Osier is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-21-2012, 08:39 PM   #11
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2007
Posts: 105
SUN #269
medbill
Send a message via AIM to medbill
Well never got the chance to try the LT tires on our recent attempted trip cross country we were stopped by a passing truck driver warning us we were about to lose a tire on our TT. Pulled over and the original Mission tire was rounded from the bands separating or whatever the heck is these tires do just before to go to bits. Ended up changing it out with a spare and picked up a set of (5) Akuret HF188 ST Radial ST205/75 R15 8PR tires for $420 mounted and installed. They even pulled a hub for us to make sure things were looking good in there at no extra cost. Couldn't find much info about these tires on the net but will report how they hold up. They are already a year old or close to it from the DOT date. My Missions were all starting to go from the looks of the inside of the tires, I forgot to take pics of them but did try to take a pick of the rounded shape the bad tire had before being changed.

We dodged a bullet, hope the remainder of camping season goes well.

Thompson Tire in Salem, VA was great to us and right off I-81. Camper's World recommended them.
__________________
2007 Sunline 195sr
2005 Dodge 2500 Cummins Diesel 4x4

www.helpeddieryan.com

www.redwhiteandblueoutdoors.com
medbill is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-22-2013, 03:36 PM   #12
Member
 
PanamaRvers's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: New York
Posts: 89
SUN #3522
PanamaRvers is an unknown quantity at this point
Medbill, I do not know if you are still online much, but if so, can you tell me your opinion of the Akuret tires you purchased. I just bought some tires from my local garage, and I did not ask what brand they where when he ordered them. I was alittle surprised when I picked up the trailer and saw that brand as I too have never heard of them. Just wondering if I am going to be in any trouble or not.
__________________
Chuck & Amylynn Stafford
2008 Chevrolet Silverado
Blue Ox Hitch
2006 Sunline Solaris 2363
PanamaRvers is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-24-2013, 07:54 AM   #13
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Pennsylvania
Posts: 272
SUN #139
Al in PA
Last week, I purchased a set of ST205/75D15 bias ply trailer tires for my Sunline. They are made by Carlisle in USA. The date codes were within the last 6 months. You may want to check Carlisle tires for a comparison.
__________________
Al
1985 T-1550
1993 T-2051
2007 T-2553
2003 Silverado 1500
Al in PA is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-25-2013, 07:18 AM   #14
Member
 
PanamaRvers's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: New York
Posts: 89
SUN #3522
PanamaRvers is an unknown quantity at this point
I already had him put the tires on. One thing I do like, they were made Feb of this year. One thing I do not like, they are made in China. A little more research I have found they are a private label tire company, from what I have found, this means they are a "Name Brand" tire, relabeled and sold under this other name.
__________________

__________________
Chuck & Amylynn Stafford
2008 Chevrolet Silverado
Blue Ox Hitch
2006 Sunline Solaris 2363
PanamaRvers is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Can I upgrade to 14" tires from 13" tires? bdichristina Repairs and Maintenance 6 08-29-2011 11:04 AM
Tires Viking Repairs and Maintenance 8 02-28-2010 03:24 PM
help with tires Tweety Repairs and Maintenance 12 09-12-2009 01:07 PM
tires jabfd32 Towing and Tow Vehicles 5 07-08-2008 12:37 PM
Tires Honda03842 Towing and Tow Vehicles 8 11-19-2007 10:21 PM


» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Disclaimer:

This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by Sunline RV or any of its affiliates. This is an independent, unofficial site.


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 05:28 AM.


×